Chapter 549: Chapter 139 Ah Dai Leaves_1
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To celebrate the retreat of the Dark Forces, the Elf Queen specially held a banquet, inviting guests from the Holy Church and individuals like Ah Dai.
By the Elf Lake, elves ranking Elf Envoy and above all attended the banquet. The remaining people from the Holy Church sat together under the leadership of Xuan Ye and Xuan Yuan; Ah Dai and his group sat separately. Ever since Xuan Yue appeared with Xuan Ye, Ah Dai’s gaze hadn’t left Xuan Yue’s body; his emotional gaze made Ballon, sitting at the side, consumed with jealousy.
The Elf Queen floated up and smiled, "According to the reports from our dispatched scouts, there’s no ambush from the Dark Alien Races in our surroundings, not even in the Winged Forest which borders us. It seems the enemy has truly retreated. Tomorrow, our friends from the Holy Church will be leaving. Taking this opportunity, I, on behalf of the Elf Clan, would like to bid you farewell. We only have fruits here, sorry for the ungenerous hospitality."
Xuan Ye stood up, slightly saluting the Elf Queen, saying: "Your Majesty, the Elves’ kindness to the Holy Church and the contributions made to humankind will never be forgotten. No matter when it is, the Holy Church will always be friends with the Elves. Gratitude can’t be expressed in words, I, Xuan Ye, would like to bid your majesty goodbye in advance. In the future, as long as the Elf Clan needs help, a letter is enough, and I, Xuan Ye, will surely do my utmost to assist."
The banquet began, after spending days together in life and death situations, the remaining members of the Holy Church harbored deep feelings towards these kind Elves. Although there was only lake water and fruits, everyone ate to their heart’s content. The happiest one was indeed Yan Shi; his sincere chat with Zhuo Yun during the day had established their relationship, they finally decided to put down all burdens and be together. Their sweetness made Ah Dai and others envious.
Looking at Zhuo Yun nestled by Yan Shi, how Ah Dai wished he could also hold Xuan Yue in his arms! But now with Xuan Ye present, he could only bury such thoughts in his heart.
As humans and Elves were bidding each other farewell, the banquet was about to end. At this moment, Xing Er, standing next to the Elf Queen, suddenly stood up and approached Xuan Yue, whispering something into her ear. Ah Dai, who had been watching Xuan Yue, felt his heart tighten. He thought about the conversation he had with Yan Shi and involuntarily looked for help towards the Elf Queen. The Elf Queen returned his look with an unconcerned smile and a reassuring glance, which helped Ah Dai to breathe easier.
After hearing what Xing Er said, Xuan Yue frowned slightly and stood up. She said something to Xuan Ye, glanced at Ah Dai in confusion, then went into the nearby forest with Xing Er.
Ah Dai tensed up and was about to follow to see what was going on when he found an extra person next to him. Looking up, it was Ballon whom he had met at the Tian Jing Range. Ballon said indifferently: "Ah Dai, can we talk? About Yue Yue." Ah Dai was taken aback, stood up and said: "Talk about what?"
Ballon calmly said: "Come with me. There are some things better explained clearly." After finishing, he turned and walked in the opposite direction where Xuan Yue and Xing Er had gone. It concerned Xuan Yue, and Ah Dai had no choice but to follow. Soon, their figures disappeared into the forest. Meanwhile, Yan Shi was softly whispering with Zhuo Yun. And Olivia, Kino, Yan Li, and Yue Ji were happily chatting. Xuan Ye was talking to the Elf Queen about the Dark Forces. Chief Judge Xuan Yuan was leaning against a large tree pretending to sleep. The only one who noticed Ah Dai and Ballon’s departure was Deputy Judge Ballon. Although he didn’t know what his son was up to, he knew Ballon was going all out with Ah Dai. Seeing his son’s bravery, Ballon couldn’t help but reveal a faint smile, silently cheering his son on in his heart.
Xing Er led Xuan Yue to a secluded area in the forest before she stopped. With her back turned to Xuan Yue, she said: "Sister, do you know? I really like Ah Dai."
Xuan Yue was shocked. Xing Er had asked to talk about Ah Dai just now, and that’s why she had followed. Now hearing Xing Er’s straightforward words, she couldn’t help but frown. She indifferently asked: "So what? Does Ah Dai like you?" She wouldn’t back down when faced with Xing Er’s feelings.
Xing Er turned around, gave a sorrowful smile and said: "Yes, Ah Dai also likes me. But I know, the fondness he has for me is just sibling-like affection. I’m completely unrequited."
Xuan Yue was taken aback; she had never imagined Xing Er would say something like this. She looked at Xing Er confused: "Then what exactly do you want to talk to me about?"
Xing Er gave a soft sigh, her eyes no longer reflecting sadness but tranquility. Xing Er then smiled and said: "I called you out just to chat. Sister, you don’t need to be nervous, I am not your love rival. My mother is the Elf Queen. I am the only one in the Elf Clan who possesses the Bloodline of Elf King, besides her, which means, I will become the next Elf Queen. So, I can’t possibly be with Ah Dai. You can think of Ah Dai as my first love. Well, more accurately an unrequited love that’s passed. Sister Xuan Yue, you are really beautiful. I always took pride in my looks, but compared to you, I am nowhere close. Sister, only you can match Ah Dai! My heartfelt blessings for both of you."
Xing Er’s sudden change in attitude took Xuan Yue aback for a moment, she murmured: "You’re just young, with a few more years, you will surpass me in beauty."
Xing Er came close to Xuan Yue and held her hand, "Sister, you must treat Ah Dai well! He is too honest and too kind."
Xuan Yue smiled and said: "Thank you, little sister, you need not worry, since I love him, I will obviously treat him well. I never thought there would be so many others who would fall for silly Ah Dai. Little sister, I heard from Ah Dai about how he saved you, but he described it in a boring manner. Could you tell me again?"
Xing Er excitedly said: "Of course! Sister, let’s sit and chat here. I also want to hear your story with Ah Dai. He is so clumsy, I wonder how he managed to woo you." Saying this, the two beautiful ladies simultaneously burst into laughter and dissolved any residual tension in their hearts. The two of them sat under a large tree and began to share their stories.
Ah Dai followed Ballon into the Elf Forest. Not hurrying, Ballon continued to lead the way. Ten minutes passed and Ballon showed no signs of stopping. Ah Dai could not help worrying about the situation with Xuan Yue and Xing Er. He said, "Brother Ballon, can’t we talk about it here? What exactly are you asking me out for?"
Ballon’s daydreaming was interrupted by Ah Dai’s voice. He’d been contemplating how to weave his scheme flawlessly. Turning around, he faced Ah Dai and said, "Don’t call me Brother. You are a commoner while I am the Judge of Light from the Holy Church. Our statuses are entirely different. Just call me by my name."
Listening to Ballon’s lofty speech, Ah Dai frowned, "Okay, Ballon, whatever you want to say, say it now."
Ballon’s tone softened a little. He sighed and started, "Ah Dai, let me ask you something. Are your looks, origin, or martial arts better than mine?"
Ah Dai was taken aback, and honestly replied, "You are much more handsome than I, and given your upbringing in the church, naturally, it’s better than mine. As for martial arts, we haven’t sparred so I can’t really tell."
Ballon responded with a satisfied smile, "Do you know my real identity?"
Ah Dai replied, "Aren’t you the Judge of Light from the Holy Church?"
Ballon nodded, "Correct, I am the Judge of Light from the Holy Church. My father is the Deputy Chief Judge of the Holy Church. From an early age, I’ve been striving to become great and worked tirelessly on my martial arts. Now, all my hard work has finally made me the youngest Judge of Light in the Holy Church. I am considered the most promising amongst the younger generation. My father and Uncle Xuan Ye are close friends. When Yue Yue and I were born, they arranged our engagement. Hence, I also have another identity—that of Yue Yue’s future—husband—."
The last three words from Ballon hit Ah Dai like three massive hammers, leaving him stunned, "What, you, you’re Yue Yue’s fiancé?! Impossible, this is impossible. Yue Yue has never mentioned this to me. I don’t believe it, I don’t believe it." He couldn’t believe that Yue Yue, the woman he loved, was already someone else’s fiancée.
As Ballon saw Ah Dai fall into his trap, he leisurely said, "Your denial doesn’t change the truth. Yue Yue and I have been childhood friends and everyone in the church knows that we are a match made in heaven. We’ve shared more than a decade of affection, something you can’t compare with."
Ah Dai trembled slightly. His heart was now stuck in a dilemma. He barely managed to argue, "But, but Yue Yue said she loves me!"
Ballon laughed disdainfully, saying, "Love you? Do you believe that yourself? Yue Yue is so beautiful, and she is the granddaughter of the Pope, would she fall in love with an ordinary person like you, someone with no outstanding characteristics? I’ll tell you plainly. The reason Yue Yue has been with you all along is to repay you, to reciprocate for your previous life-saving grace."
Ah Dai was greatly shocked, shouting: "No, it can’t be. Yue Yue and I truly love each other, it can’t possibly be repaying a favor. I, I..."
Ballon, seizing the advantage, sneered, "These are Yue Yue’s own words to me, could they be wrong? Soon, I will prove it to you. Do you know what Yue Yue has sacrificed to repay your kindness? She willingly gave up her superior lifestyle at the Holy Church to find you, trying her best to fulfill some of your wishes. Today, for you, Yue Yue had a big quarrel with Uncle Xuan Ye. Since Yue Yue is a girl, and is engaged to me, Uncle Xuan Ye does not allow her to be with you anymore, yet Yue Yue insisted on repaying your initial kindness. I don’t know when you discovered Yue Yue’s disguise. But do you know why she always disguised as a man to be with you? That’s because she was afraid of you having any improper thoughts. When you say Yue Yue loves you, it’s merely that she couldn’t bear to refuse you, not that she genuinely loves you. As a man, how can I watch my own fiancée always be with someone else? That’s why I called you out to clear this up."
Ah Dai’s face turned pale. Yes! With her noble status, how could Yue Yue fall in love with him? She had always been disguised as Xuan Re to be with him, not letting him know her true identity. Repaying grace, do I need to repay grace? Having believed Ballon’s words to some extent, Ah Dai was so heartbroken that he found it hard to breathe. He held onto a tall tree beside him, supporting himself against it to prevent himself from collapsing, stared at Ballon, and asked, "Then, what do you want me to do?"
Ballon, suppressing his excitement, said, "It’s simple. I want you to leave Yue Yue immediately and stop pestering her. Uncle Xuan Ye has been planning to marry her to me, but her always being with you would lead to gossip. Yue Yue is so beautiful, and I know you like her very much. But I can tell you that my love for Yue Yue definitely exceeds yours. We are a perfect match, and only I can be worthy of Yue Yue. I’m someone who is content with tranquility. I just want to lead a peaceful life with Yue Yue in the Holy Church. Ah Dai, if you truly love Yue Yue, let her go. Do not let her continue to be troubled over the grace you’ve previously extended to her. This time, such a significant incident has happened in the Holy Church. Uncle Xuan Ye is already very annoyed. I really can’t bear to see him and his daughter have a fallout, and I can’t stand to see Yue Yue suffering accompanying you. That’s why I made up my mind to find you."
The despair in Ah Dai’s heart was no less than when he first learned of Goris’ death. He had already fallen deeply in love with Xuan Yue. How hard was it for him to accept the "truth" from Ballon’s mouth! With a cry, Ah Dai vomited a mouthful of fresh blood, mournfully saying, "Yue Yue, why did you lie to me, I, I don’t need you to repay me, why did you lie to me."
Seeing Ah Dai in pain, a hint of sympathy flashed across Ballon’s eyes, but it disappeared in a flash. He sighed deeply, walked to Ah Dai’s side, and helped Ah Dai to regulate his irregular breathing with his holy fighting spirit. "Ah Dai, don’t be like this. There are countless women in the world, just let go of Yue Yue. This way, it would be beneficial to her, to me, to Uncle Xuan Ye, and to you."
Ah Dai stared at Ballon. Because of his practice, Ballon’s body was releasing a faint golden glow, appearing tall in Ah Dai’s eyes. Yes! How can he compare with his handsomeness? How could Yue Yue sincerely like him? Ah Dai nodded heavily and said, "Alright, as long as you can prove that Yue Yue genuinely does not love me, and is only with me to reciprocate a favor, I will leave."
Ballon felt elated on the inside, knowing that his words had worked on Ah Dai. He thought, this kid is indeed foolishly adorable! Since he has fallen into the trap, then thoroughly extinguish his thoughts towards Yue Yue. Having thought this, Ballon nodded and said, "Fine, let’s go find Yue Yue now. I hope you can keep your promise just now. Let’s go."
Ah Dai followed Ballon towards the Elf Lake filled with endless sorrow. Most of the people had already scattered, each returning to their own rooms to rest. Only Xuan Ye and the Elf Queen were still talking. Ballon turned his head, glanced at the pale Ah Dai following him, and said, "Let us not disturb Uncle Xuan Ye, just now Yue Yue and the Elf Princess went over there. Perhaps they haven’t finished talking, let’s go and see." While saying this, he led Ah Dai in the direction where Xuan Yue and Xing Er had gone.
From far away, Ballon and Ah Dai could already hear the melodious laughter of Xuan Yue and Xing Er. Ballon stopped and whispered to Ah Dai: "Ah Dai, you wait here while I go and ask Yue Yue. If you appear, Yue Yue, out of obligation for your previous grace, will not tell the truth. You mustn’t make any noise to alarm her."
Ah Dai solemnly nodded, suppressing his own presence. Ballon’s body floated into the air, heading towards Xuan Yue and Elf Princess Xing’er. When he was twenty meters away from the two, Xuan Yue had already noticed his arrival. A golden light burst forth and Xuan Yue’s voice boomed, "Who is there?"
Ballon landed ashore and said, "Yue Yue, it’s me."
Xuan Yue, surprised, asked, "Ballon, why are you here? Did father send you to find us? We are about to return."
Ballon’s heart chamber was filled with tension. How he could pull Ah Dai away from Xuan Yue was the most critical moment. He took a deep breath, gazed into Xuan Yue’s eyes, and said solemnly, "Yue Yue, it is not Uncle Xuan Ye who let me find you. I only wanted to ask, you could simply answer yes or no."
Xuan Yue was taken aback, "What is the question?" Ballon’s sudden appearance made her feel a strange sense of unease.
Ballon stated solemnly, "Yue Yue, you once told me in Tian Jing Mountains that you were with Ah Dai just to repay his life-saving kindness, you would return to the Holy Church when everything was settled. Right?" Xuan Yue replied with eyebrows knitted, "Yes, I did say that. But, Ballon, I ..."
Ballon stopped Xuan Yue from saying more, nodding, "Nevertheless, since you admit saying that, it’s enough. I understand your thoughts. Well, I will not bother you anymore." Saying this, he turned to float back from where he came from. When he returned to Ah Dai, Ah Dai stood there like a statue with dullness spreading across his eyes. Ballon knew that his aims had been achieved. He grabbed Ah Dai, lifting him toward Elf Lake.
Xing Er looked at Xuan Yue who happened to be pondering continuously, "Sister, what did he mean by what he just said? Why did he say that you are with Ah Dai just to repay his kindness!"
Xuan Yue smiled slightly and replied, "That was a lie I told him on spur of the moment. Ballon is a nice person. Yes, he has always liked me, but apart from Ah Dai, I really could not bring myself to have feelings for anyone else. I said so to keep him from bothering me. It seems that Ballon still hasn’t come to terms with the reality. I could never have such feelings for him."
Xing Er giggled, "So, you lied, Sister! Lying is not what a good child does. Let’s continue talking about your experiences in the Red Charming Clan, how did Ah Dai come to realize the truth..."
Ballon brought Ah Dai to a forest near Elf Lake and stopped, continuously channelling Holy True Energy from his body into Ah Dai’s body. Ah Dai began to regain consciousness gradually, coughed up a mouthful of fresh blood and collapsed on the floor. The words of Xuan Yue had shattered his last iota of hope, he had been completely white-faced up to now. Ballon sighed, "Ah Dai, I know how you’re feeling. This kind of thing is difficult for anyone to accept. As opposed to being further anguished in the future, it would be better to leave now."
Ah Dai’s eyes were apathetic, showing no expression on his pale face, he replied indifferently, "I know what to do. You can rest assured that I will never disturb you and Miss Xuan Yue again, I will disappear." Saying this, he summoned a light blue aura within his body which formed a blade. Ah Dai waved his hand, under the surprised gaze of Ballon, he cut a piece of bark from a nearby tree. The blade was transformed into the shape of a sharp-edged tool, and Ah Dai moved swiftly on the tree bark using the Holy Church language to inscribe a tiny script.
After a while, the bark was filled with a set of somewhat crooked characters. He handed the bark to Ballon, "Please give this to Yue Yue. Yue Yue is a good girl, be nice to her. Otherwise, the Grim Reaper will visit you." Ah Dai’s aura surged suddenly, a violent energy was brimming with a murderous intent which was an intimidating sight to behold, next to Ah Dai, Ballon felt so dwarfed that he found not a bit of strength left in him to fight back.
Ah Dai looked at Ballon indifferently, and spoke, "Remember what I’ve said, we may never meet each other again." With a flash, his figure disappeared into the vast darkness.
Ah Dai had left, and with that, all the pressure too had disappeared. Ballon found his clothes soaking with sweat, such terrific power! Unbeknownst to him, this naive boy possessed such immense strength, perhaps that’s one of the reasons why Yue Yue had been attracted to him in the first place. But at this moment, having successfully sent Ah Dai away, Ballon felt a sense of relief and jubilation. He initially wanted to destroy the bark in his hand, but after reading its content, he carefully stowed it away into his chest, a cold smile pulling at the corners of his handsome face.
Xuan Yue enjoyed the conversation she was having with Xing Er and was in no hurry to return. After parting ways with Xing Er, she decided to meet Ah Dai first and inform him of her father’s permission for him to go to the Holy Church. When she arrived outside the giant tree house by the lake, she knocked on the door a few times and called out softly, "Ah Dai, Ah Dai, are you there?"
The door opened and Yan Li poked his head out, grinning at Xuan Yue, "Yue Yue! Come in. Ah Dai has run off somewhere, he should be back after a while." After saying that, he opened the door and let Xuan Yue in. Audi the Elf Envoy had designed this treehouse thoughtfully, partitioning it into several sections, with Yue Ji living in the farthest, Olivia, Frenzy, and Yan Shi outside. At this time, only Olivia, Kino and Yan Shi were in the room, even Yue Ji was not there. Not immediately finding Ah Dai, Xuan Yue couldn’t help but feel disappointed, she asked, "Do you guys know where Ah Dai went? How long has he not returned?"
Olivia shook her head, "Ah Dai was beside us at the banquet just now, and then he suddenly disappeared. I don’t know where he’s gone. But he can’t have gone far. He has a lot of friends among the Elves, he probably went to catch up with them. Yan Shi, too, will probably be back late, impressive right! He’s even managed to secure a pretty elven girlfriend."
Despite waiting in the treehouse for a while, when Xuan Yue saw Ah Dai had still not returned, she decided not to wait anymore. After all, Xuan Ye had just approved, and she did not want to make her father angry again. She turned to Yan Li and said, "Yan Li, we are returning to the Holy Church tomorrow because of the big incident that occurred this time. I will be returning with my father. If you guys have no other matters to attend to, you can come along too. Also, once Ah Dai returns, don’t forget to tell him that I’ve left first."
A spark appeared in Yan Li’s eyes, "Going to the Holy Church? Sounds good! This is a good thing. Yue Yue, are there more beauties like you in the Holy Church? Introduce one to your big brother Yan Li. Even if she is not as pretty, as long as she has a good personality! Looking at all of you paired up, makes me envious!"
Xuan Yue giggled, "Okay, I’ll surely introduce a beauty to you if I get a chance. I won’t disturb your rest, I will head back first." After she finished, she turned and left the Elven Ancient Tree House for Xuan Ye and Chief Judge Xuan Yuan.
In the early morning, the sixty or so people left from the Holy Church after the battle in the Valley of Destruction had prepared their luggage and gathered by Elf Lake. Chief Judge Xuan Yuan, the father-daughter duo of Red Robe Priest Xuan Ye, Deputy Judge Ballon and his son congregated. Looking at their subordinates, all of them displayed a hint of subtle sorrow. The once formidable troop of over a thousand people had now been reduced to mere remnants of defeated soldiers.
Xuan Yue glanced around, searching for Ah Dai. Yan Shi and the others were already present, but the only one missing was Ah Dai. Her heart couldn’t help but feel anxious. After shooting a glance at Xuan Ye, she casually walked towards Yan Shi.
Zhuo Yun stood near Yan Shi, her eyes brimming with sweetness. Yan Shi hadn’t returned to his tree house last night, choosing to chat with Zhuo Yun the whole night instead. The feelings between the two of them deepened even further. As lovers, they only saw each other. Hence, Yan Shi was oblivious to Ah Dai’s absence.
Xuan Yue walked up to Yan Shi and asked, "Big Brother Yan Shi, where is Ah Dai? We’re about to depart, but I haven’t seen him."
Yan Shi was taken aback, a hint of embarrassment appeared on his face. He spoke in a low voice, "I haven’t seen him either. Zhuo Yun and I were chatting outside last night and didn’t go back to the tree house. Why don’t you ask Ah Li? He should know." After he finished speaking, he turned around and called out to Yan Li, who was not far away. Yan Li had just come back from the forest, his face holding a solemn expression. He said to Xuan Yue and Yan Shi, "Ah Dai is missing. He didn’t come back last night. We’ve been searching for him all morning, but found no trace of him. Who knows where this kid ran off to?"
Xuan Yue was startled and exclaimed, "What? Ah Dai is missing! But we’re about to leave! I’ll go ask Auntie Queen." She hastily made her way towards the Elf Queen. The Elf Queen was preparing to bid farewell to the members of the church along with important figures from the Elf Clan. Seeing Xuan Yue rushing over, she smiled and asked, "Yue Yue, what’s the matter? You look so anxious."
Xuan Yue hurriedly said, "Auntie, Ah Dai is missing. Do you know where he went?"
The Elf Queen was taken aback. She turned around and said to Audi standing by her side, "Grand Elf Envoy, Ah Dai is missing. Go and ask our clansmen if they have seen him."
Audi was stunned and said, "He was still here last night. Where could he have gone?" After speaking, he quickly ordered his subordinate elf envoys to inquire from all the patrol teams.
By now, the members of the church were ready to depart. Xuan Ye walked up to the Elf Queen and said with a smile, "Your Majesty, we are ready to leave. We look forward to seeing you again."
Xuan Yue said anxiously, "Dad, wait! Ah Dai is missing."
Xuan Ye frowned and said, "Ah Dai is missing? Yue Yue, we can’t delay our journey. Could it be that he doesn’t want to go to the church and deliberately avoided us? If that’s the case, you shouldn’t force him."
Xuan Yue shook her head and said, "I haven’t seen him since the banquet ended last night. He has no idea that I am taking him to the church. And he definitely wouldn’t refuse. Where could Ah Dai have run off to?"
In a short while, Audi, the Grand Elf Envoy, flew back. He shook his head at Xuan Yue and said, "Our clansmen haven’t seen Ah Dai. I’ve sent people out to look for him."
Xuan Ye said, "Yue Yue, let’s go. When they find Ah Dai, he can catch up with us. We can’t delay our journey because of him." Not being able to find Ah Dai seemed to suit his intentions.
Xuan Yue’s mind was in disarray. She shook her head firmly and said, "No, I won’t leave without finding Ah Dai. He can’t have gone far. Dad, let’s wait a little longer."
At this point, Yan Shi and the others also gathered around. Ah Dai’s disappearance made them all very worried.
Xuan Ye looked at his daughter, slightly irritated. "So if you can’t find him for the rest of your life, you’ll just stay here then? Yue Yue, you’re becoming more and more ignorant."
Xuan Yue pleaded, "Dad, how can I leave in peace without finding Ah Dai? Let’s wait a bit longer."
Ballon and his son approached Xuan Ye. Ballon looked at Xuan Yue’s anxious face, a hint of jealousy flashing in his eyes. He said to Xuan Yue, "Yue Yue, don’t wait anymore. Look, I found this in the forest. Waiting won’t bring him back." After speaking, he took out a piece of tree bark left by Ah Dai from his pocket and handed it over.
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