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Qiyu was also taken aback. An elf? No wonder.

As can be seen from President Sean’s attitude toward me, the indigenous people of this world hold elves in very high regard.

Such a powerful, immortal race—and anything associated with them—not to mention genuine treasures, but even ordinary items like the emerald crystal peach from earlier—could easily fetch a high price if sold outside this world.

Believing he had already obtained the information he needed, he was about to leave.

Dan Xingyu grabbed his sleeve and shook her head gently.

He said to the staff member, “Since the focus this time is on elven treasures, what advantages would we have by choosing the Premium Resource Zone?” 

The staff member gave a sly smile: “That question will cost you extra, sir.”

Ten thousand gold coins had already landed in its pocket, so it was no longer susceptible to human temptations. 

Qiyu: …This feels familiar.

Dan Xingyu readily handed over 100 gold coins.

The attendant beamed, “Not at all, sir. We don’t know where the elven treasures will appear either. The Premium Resource Zone—we can only guarantee to take you both to known locations with relatively abundant resources.”

Satisfied with this answer, the two walked into the passage on the right.

Emerging from the passageway, they found themselves in a quiet forest.

Dan Xingyu deftly pulled two black cloaks from his backpack.

He said, “We were too conspicuous back at the square just now. Come on, let’s change our look.”

He slipped a cloak over himself, covering himself from head to toe. Qiyu asked, “Should I do that too?”

Dan Xingyu nodded firmly. “That mage’s robe of yours is too flashy—it’ll make you a target for thieves.” He paused for a moment. “Put away your mage’s association badge, too.”

Qiyu obediently took the cloak and put it on. Only then did he realize that this cloak wasn’t just ordinary clothing—it seemed to be engraved with some kind of alchemical array capable of masking one’s personal aura and power.

+2 to Stealth.

Dan Xingyu glanced at the young mage, then at himself, and felt a quiet sense of satisfaction.

Wasn’t this, in a way, a kind of couple’s outfit?

He looked out at the tranquil forest before him and said, “The good news is, based on the information the staff just provided, those who got wind of this early don’t have much of an advantage either.”

Qiyu understood.

The alchemy staff had made it very clear: even they didn’t know where the elven treasures would appear, so they could only randomly drop them in certain areas. Even if the people outside knew a little inside information, once they entered the resource zone, everyone would be on the same starting line.

There were no shortcuts—it was purely a matter of luck.

Speaking of luck, Dan Xingyu cast an optimistic glance at the little mage beside him. With the survival game’s “biological child” right by my side, I can’t even imagine how I could lose!

Besides, he was pretty confident in himself—even though his luck with loot boxes had been a bit so-so. But when it came to stumbling upon all kinds of serendipitous encounters, his “Dragon Overlord” persona had never faltered, right?

He suggested, “We’ve just gotten in and don’t know what’s going on yet. Let’s scout the area first.” 

“You decide which way we go.”

Qiyu: “Just wander around?”

“Let’s just wander,” Dan Xingyu chuckled. “We’ve never been anywhere here anyway. At a time like this, we should trust the ‘Lucky King.’”

Qiyu didn’t object: “Then let’s just keep going straight.” The two walked side by side.

After walking for less than ten minutes, the atmosphere around Qiyu began to feel strangely different. He said, “Dan Xingyu, it looks like we really are on the right path.” Dan Xingyu hadn’t noticed anything unusual and asked curiously, “What do you mean?” Qiyu replied with certainty, “The wood elemental energy in the air has increased.”

In reality, the change wasn’t that significant compared to before, but he was a Wood mage himself. Moreover, among all magical elements, Qiyu’s sensitivity to Wood magic was the keenest.

However, after giving it some thought, he added, “It might not necessarily have anything to do with elves, but in a place where magical elements are so concentrated, even if there aren’t any elven treasures, there should be other valuable things.”

The two continued on their way.

The journey wasn’t exactly smooth sailing.

The Black Resource Zone lived up to its reputation. Along the way, they encountered a giant green python and a human-faced spider. There were also vibrant plants whose buds were packed with rows upon rows of teeth.

“This is crazy,” Dan Xingyu exclaimed in shock. “Weren’t we supposed to be looking for something related to elves? Aren’t elves supposed to live in places like fairy-tale wonderlands? How come there are so many weird things here?”

Qiyu didn’t look too pleased either.

This eerie spider and the plant with teeth were all too reminiscent of some unpleasant things.

However, after walking for over an hour, even Dan Xingyu no longer doubted that something good lay ahead—by now, the wood elemental energy in the air had become so dense that even a martial artist like him couldn’t ignore it.

Unlike Qiyu, whose field of vision was filled with active magical elements, Dan Xingyu couldn’t see as many of them, but his body’s sensations didn’t lie: the environment had become comforting; with every breath of air, he felt his spirit invigorated, and his fatigue vanish instantly.

From his perspective, he could see every tree, every blade of grass, and every flower. Dan Xingyu couldn’t put his finger on exactly what made them different, but he could sense that they were exceptionally vibrant and possessed a quality distinct from ordinary plants.

It’s a bit like the little mage’s domain, though it feels even more pronounced than in Qiyu’s domain.

If even Dan Xingyu could sense it so clearly, how much more so for Qiyu.

The unease he’d felt moments ago upon seeing those strange things had completely vanished; he was now in such a good mood that he even felt like sitting down right there to meditate for a while. As they continued walking, Qiyu suddenly pulled Dan Xingyu to a halt.

Dan Xingyu turned to him. “What’s wrong?”

Qiyu leaned in closer and whispered something in his ear.

Dan Xingyu’s expression didn’t change; he smiled and said, “Then it’s a deal. Once we get out of here, you’ll have to treat me to several big meals.”

Qiyu: “Mm-hmm.”

The two continued walking. Qiyu picked a blade of grass and told Dan Xingyu that it was a century-old Ghost Grass, which could be used to make magical potions.

As he explained this, he was crouched down, picking the herb while speaking. Dan Xingyu stood relaxed behind him, seemingly listening intently.

Just then.

Whoosh—

Two red-feathered arrows flew toward them from behind—one aimed at Dan Xingyu, the other at Qiyu—both targeting vital spots.

The two, who had been chatting leisurely just moments before, reacted instantly: one drew a longsword and deflected both arrows, while the other produced a silver longbow.

A faint silvery glow flickered in Qiyu’s eyes. In the blink of an eye, he drew his bow, nocked an arrow, and two streaks of light—faster than before—shot out, hurtling toward two different directions deep within the forest.

A muffled groan rang out.

Qiyu: “There’s no one else here. Let’s go check it out.”

He had just sensed someone nearby through his spiritual energy—still some distance away. Normally, they would have gone their separate ways, and he hadn’t planned to pay them any mind. But soon, he realized the other party had spotted them.

Moreover, the other party seemed to harbor unfriendly intentions.

The two played out a little drama: the other party wanted to strike while they were off guard, but they, too, had been waiting for this very moment. Just when the other party thought they’d succeeded in a surprise attack and were feeling smug, that was precisely when they were at their most vulnerable.

Dan Xingyu followed behind Qiyu. A little over a hundred meters away, under two trees—one on the left, one on the right—two figures lay on the ground.

Both attackers had a red mark on their throats—the spots where the Star Arrows had pierced them moments ago. The arrows had traveled so fast that they left only tiny puncture wounds; not even a drop of blood had seeped out.

Clearly, the two martial guards had been killed in an instant; one of them hadn’t even had time to react.

Qiyu calmly walked over, confirmed they were dead, and began searching their bodies with his spiritual energy.

Each had a storage pouch; aside from that, the longbows they held in their hands were their most valuable equipment.

He skillfully stripped these items from them, gave them a quick glance—they were equally penniless—and handed one at random to Dan Xingyu.

“I’ll give you half.”

Dan Xingyu: “……”

Stunned by how smoothly Qiyu had handled the process, he took the items in a daze before finally coming to his senses.

“It’s not… you.” He almost bit his tongue. “How come you’re so good at this!”

It wasn’t that he thought these two didn’t deserve to die, nor did he think killing people and looting their bodies was wrong.

It was just that, in his eyes, the little mage had always been that ditsy, adorable, sweet-talking little cutie. And now you’re telling me this little cutie is actually a cold-blooded killer who can loot like a pro—clearly, he’s done this plenty of times before.

Whoa.

That makes him even more appealing.

Seeing his reaction, Qiyu actually understood what he meant.

During the survival trials in the beginner phase, he’d seen what Earth people were like.

They lived peaceful, happy lives, far removed from death. Killing someone seemed like a rare and grave matter to them. He still remembered that when he first entered the survival game, many people didn’t even dare to kill mutated creatures.

Not long ago, “My Fate is Determined By Me, Not The Heavens” went on a rampage in the regional chat, and many people still viewed him through that strange “Earth” lens, thinking he was soft-hearted and wouldn’t kill anyone.

Even a few friends from the “01 Survival Squad” thought the same. He figured that Dan Xingyu probably had that same misconception as well.

Perhaps Earth people preferred that kind of person. If necessary, he could put on a facade.

But he simply pulled back the hood of his cloak and looked calmly at Dan Xingyu: “I’ve done this many times before.” 

He watched Dan Xingyu’s reaction closely: “Are you scared, Dan Xingyu?”

If Dan Xingyu were afraid, he thought with a touch of sadness, then they wouldn’t be able to team up in the future. Because Dan Xingyu might end up scaring himself all the time.

“Ah… not at all!” Dan Xingyu hastily denied, muttering, “I’m just surprised—how can one person have such a stark contrast within them?”

“That’s so cool!” He gave Qiyu a thumbs-up.

The slight tension in his heart quietly subsided, and Qiyu felt a sudden, inexplicable joy.

In stark contrast to him, however, Dan Xingyu seemed deep in thought, his low spirits plain to see. Not even the increasingly intense wood-element energy in the forest could lift his spirits.

Qiyu suspected he was lying to himself when he said he wasn’t afraid.

He stopped in his tracks: “Dan Xingyu, if you’re not comfortable with me acting this way, you have to tell me straight out.”

He said earnestly, “Sometimes, I don’t pick up on your emotions right away, but as friends, I want us to be honest with each other.” 

“It’s perfectly normal if you can’t accept some of my behavior. The resource zone is so vast; we can totally explore it separately.”

Dan Xingyu realized he had misunderstood him.

He hurriedly explained, “I really didn’t. I just thought it looked really cool how you were licking the bag with a blank expression on your face!” “Then why aren’t you happy?” Qiyu asked, puzzled.

“I’m just a little sad,” Dan Xingyu thought to himself, recalling how, at first, he’d assumed Qiyu was just a grumpy kid who wasn’t having the best of times on Earth.

Looking back now, if that had really been all there was to it, things would have been so much better.

How old was he, anyway? Yet he could already face an assassination attempt without batting an eye, calmly kill the assailant in return, and casually remark, “I’ve done this many times before.”

“I just feel for you, Qiyu,” he sighed softly. “You’re only a year older than me, but your past sounds so, so bitter.”

So that’s what it was.

Qiyu’s mood instantly brightened.

He said happily, “My past wasn’t exactly great. But that’s all behind me now. I’m happier now than most people in this survival game.”

He was so content; there wasn’t a trace of bitterness or forced emotion in his smile.

No wonder, ever since they’d met, the little mage would occasionally blurt out, “I Love Survival Game.”

He also said he hoped to spend the rest of his life in the Survival Game.

“It seems you’ve moved on,” Dan Xingyu said, trying to keep her tone as light as possible. “But that doesn’t mean I don’t care about your past.” Qiyu wasn’t afraid to face any kind of hostility—he’d even looked death in the face before—and he felt he no longer feared anything. Yet, for some reason, those simple words from his close friend made his heart flutter.

“I feel a little off,” he said softly.

Dan Xingyu was startled. “What do you mean, you’re not feeling well? You weren’t hurt just now, were you?” Could it be that those two had left some kind of trap—like the one that attacked Jing—as a backup plan?

Qiyu shook his head, still carefully analyzing his feelings: “It’s not an injury. I just feel a bit of a tinge of sadness in my heart right now. I think this must be what they call being moved.”

Dan Xingyu:“……”

This time, he really couldn’t help but laugh.

His heart felt bittersweet, yet he wanted to laugh—it was a complex mix of emotions that was hard to put into words.

“You know what, My Lord?” he sighed with a smile. “Even that money-grubbing alchemy puppet in the entrance seems a bit smarter than you do right now.”

Qiyu’s response was to turn away and say, “Let’s hurry. We only have 24 hours total.”

Almost as soon as he finished speaking, a green beam of light shot skyward right in front of them.

A colossal surge of energy spread out, and the two watched in astonishment as the surrounding forest underwent a sudden, uncontrolled growth spurt; wildly spreading tree leaves and vines nearly blocked the path ahead.

Qiyu also absorbed this immense surge of wood elemental energy and life force; he even felt his magical power surge significantly. The beam of light was heading in the direction they were traveling—it seemed Qiyu’s earlier decision to “just pick a random route” had been the right choice after all.

The two exchanged a glance and, without a moment’s hesitation, said, “Let’s go!”

They had known earlier that a treasure related to the Elven race had appeared. Now, with such pure power materializing out of thin air, what else could it be but the legendary Elven treasure?

At the same time, bursts of energy erupted throughout the Black Resource Zone; clearly, everyone had sensed this and was rushing at full speed toward the location of the green pillar of light.

Qiyu and his group were lucky—they were close by. In less than half an hour, they had already reached the location of the light pillar. A tree.

That immense, unceasing radiance was actually emanating from a single tree.

Qiyu instinctively wanted to get closer; for some reason, the moment he saw this tree, an irresistible sense of familiarity welled up within him.

Dan Xingyu grabbed his arm: “Be careful.”

He looked around—they weren’t the first to arrive.

Several small groups of people had already gathered sporadically around the tree.

However, since no one was sure of the situation yet, no one was making any rash moves for the time being.

Someone saw Qiyu’s move and snorted derisively, “It’s no use. You can’t get any closer than a meter to that pillar of light.” Otherwise, why would they be standing here?

Everyone knew there was a treasure here, and of course, it was first come, first served.

Another half hour passed, and several more groups of people arrived in succession. Qiyu watched as people tried to get closer; just as the man had said earlier, the pillar of light seemed to repel anyone who approached it.

Someone grew impatient: “So what exactly is this thing? Does anyone recognize it? Are we just supposed to stand here and wait? A card only lasts 24 hours—what if this thing stays here for 24 hours and won’t let us get close?”

A person equally shrouded in a cloak chuckled, “If you’re not willing to wait, my friend, you’re free to leave. There’s an abundance of wood elemental energy here; I’m sure you’ll find plenty of treasures in the surrounding area.”

The speaker snorted derisively, yet didn’t budge an inch.

Qiyu glanced around; including himself and Dan Xingyu, there were a total of 49 people here.

Soon, the sound of something cutting through the air rang out, and a small figure clad in gray landed nimbly not far away.

With this person’s arrival, the pillar of light abruptly dissipated, and the great tree that had felt so familiar to Qiyu instantly transformed into specks of green light before vanishing entirely.

Where the tree had stood, a sun-drenched opening resembling an ancient well remained. Its surface shimmered with a faint glow—clearly, it was a barrier.

Something “inside the well” was calling out to him.

Qiyu felt the magical power within him—even his very blood—stirring restlessly, eager to answer this call. He grabbed Dan Xingyu’s hand: “Let’s go!”

Dan Xingyu wanted to say, “Shouldn’t we wait and see?” but the young mage had seemed a little off just a moment ago. Maybe he’d discovered something? He obediently let him take her hand, and the two of them jumped right in.

From the moment the mysterious well appeared to the moment the two of them jumped in, only a few seconds had passed.

The others were still examining the suddenly appearing well. Though they hadn’t been in a hurry at first, seeing someone take the lead—and fearing that the good stuff would be snatched up first—the crowd immediately swarmed like a pot of boiling dumplings, scrambling to jump down one after another.

Qiyu landed with a “thud” on the soft grass.

It was less a fall than a “sink”—he felt weightless as the earth gently cradled him. He opened his eyes wide, taking in the scene before him.

He had expected to find some sort of subterranean ruin at the bottom of the ancient well.

But right now, above him was a bright sky; the clouds were drifting, the wind was blowing, and warm sunlight was streaming down upon him and the lush grass beneath his feet.

“This can’t be real,” he thought calmly, using his spiritual energy to scrutinize his surroundings, trying to find a flaw. But he found nothing.

A voice rang out from nearby: “You’re here.”

Qiyu turned around warily and saw an elf.

He had long, golden hair, just like Aegnor’s master, braided into pretty little plaits and adorned with a wreath of woven plants.

His ears were also pointed, but he didn’t look as stern as Aegnor; instead, a gentle smile played on his face: “Oh, welcome, my little guest.”

Qiyu had a very favorable impression of elves.

He asked, “Hello, may I ask where this place is? I came in here with my friend, but he’s gone missing.”

The stranger smiled and said, “Others have places they need to go. This place—only you can come here, you know.”

“Why?”

Qiyu asked, “Is it because I’m from the Star Forest? Or because I have an elf mentor?” The stranger just smiled and didn’t answer.

It stepped forward as if to take Qiyu’s hand, but upon glancing at his height, it let out a sigh of regret.

“Come with me.”

Qiyu followed him forward until they reached a tree. Qiyu’s eyes lit up.

It was the tree that had turned into the ancient well!

It didn’t look quite as massive now—about the same size as the ancient war tree in the domain. He could barely control his steps, instinctively wanting to draw closer to it.

This time, Dan Xingyu wasn’t holding him back, and the unfamiliar elf also said, “Go on, answer his call.”

Qiyu walked toward it step by step. He slowly reached out his hand and carefully touched the tree trunk. A gentle energy flowed through his fingertips.

He suddenly felt incredibly sleepy. His whole body slid slowly down the tree trunk until he was leaning against it at the base, where he yawned wearily. Then he curled up a little and closed his eyes, completely defenseless.

He didn’t see that the stranger—an elf who clearly still looked quite young—witnessed this scene and gave a smile that could only be described as tender.

A myriad of radiant lights surged from the tree trunk, enveloping Qiyu’s body and coalescing into a massive, glowing “green cocoon” that completely encased him.

Unlike Qiyu, Dan Xingyu landed with a thud after jumping down.

Fortunately, the ground was covered with a thick layer of fallen leaves, and since he was a martial artist, he wasn’t injured and didn’t feel much pain. He quickly scrambled to his feet and surveyed his surroundings.

It looked like a dim, ancient forest of giant trees. Every tree in sight was so large that it would take at least five or six people holding hands to encircle it, and looking up, the spreading canopy completely blocked out the sky.

Dan Xingyu suspected that the place was so dark not because there was no sunlight, but because the sunlight simply couldn’t penetrate the tree leaves to reach the ground. The mage wasn’t with him.

Nor were the other 48 people who had been with them.

Could it be that this so-called “elven treasure” was a secret realm designed to be cleared by a single person? Just as he was thinking this, a figure suddenly appeared before him.

It truly appeared out of nowhere—he hadn’t heard any footsteps, nor had he sensed any presence. An elf, wearing a dark green, form-fitting robe and carrying a bow and arrows on his back, stared at him coldly.

“Human, did you come here on a quest?”

Dan Xingyu thought for a moment, then nodded. “Yes.”

He instinctively sized up the elf before him and couldn’t help but compare her in his mind: he wasn’t as pretty as the little mage.

The elf archer in front of him said coldly, “In that case, head north, slay fifty evil spiders, and come back to me to claim your reward.”

Dan Xingyu:？

It sounded like some random NPC quest from an online game. Would a quest like this really offer any valuable rewards? Curious, he asked, “Are everyone’s quests the same, or are they random?”

However, not only did this elf’s quest sound very much like something an NPC would assign, but he acted like one too—after delivering his lines, he fell silent and completely ignored him.

Dan Xingyu had no choice but to accept the quest and head north.

He couldn’t help but think of Qiyu: I wonder how the little mage is doing.

Thinking positively, since he lived in the Star Forest and had an elf as his mentor, he probably wouldn’t run into any particularly difficult quests, right?