Undead Mage: I Have a Skeleton Clone-Chapter 256 - 235: The Ace’s Turn—It’s My Family’s Year!
"Therefore, they had no choice but to seek new allies. We at the Sea City Military Academy, also part of the Lawful Good Faction, became their beacon of hope, shouldering the solemn duty of guarding the Forest of Nature. According to the treaty between our factions, we, as members of the Sea City Military Academy, will fight alongside the Flower Elves to resist the evil forces attempting to destroy their natural sanctuary." 𝐟𝐫𝕖𝗲𝘄𝚎𝗯𝕟𝐨𝕧𝐞𝚕.𝕔𝕠𝐦
As Fang Zhou processed this classified information, Zhang Wu could feel the powerful fluctuations of energy rolling off him. A look of interwoven admiration and awe filled Zhang Wu’s eyes as he couldn’t help but say, "Fang Zhou, I asked Liu Diewu about you. Your combat prowess is astounding, truly in a league of its own. Frankly, you’re still a Middle Rank Apprentice and I’ve reached the Upper Rank. But when I heard about your string of brilliant victories, I had no doubt in my mind that you could easily defeat an opponent like me. In an era as perilous as this, for a cadet as powerful as you, the Flower Elf Race would be tripping over themselves to welcome you, let alone think of turning you away."
Hearing Zhang Wu’s words, Fang Zhou nodded slightly as understanding dawned in his eyes, filing the key information away. The Flower Elves’ situation must be even more dire than I imagined. They’re so desperate for powerful allies that they don’t even care about their power attributes. I should be able to use this opportunity to acquire precious resources from them, like the Moonlight Spring, to gain more leverage for future battles.
Just then, Zhang Wu suddenly slapped his forehead as if in a moment of epiphany. "Ah, I was in such a rush to get back to the Sea City Military Academy from the Forest of Nature to trade for that Evergreen Fruit. Now that the deal is done, I got a little carried away. For a moment, I almost forgot the task the Flower Elf Queen entrusted to me. Fang Zhou, now that I’ve run into you, it means I can get started on her request."
Fang Zhou stared at Zhang Wu in confusion, but before he could ask, Zhang Wu had already slowly drawn a light pink flower petal from within his robes. The petal seemed especially delicate under the sunlight, like a dewy pearl on a flower at dawn.
Zhang Wu held it out to Fang Zhou. Seeing the bewilderment in Fang Zhou’s eyes, he quickly explained, "This petal is a token from the Flower Elf Queen. When she learned I was returning to the Sea City Military Academy, she gave me ten of these. She implored me to find and recruit ten valiant warriors for the Flower Elf Clan to help them resist the impending Demon infestation. These petals are my credentials to identify trustworthy and exceptionally strong cadets. Anyone holding one of these tokens will receive the Flower Elf Clan’s warmest hospitality and utmost courtesy upon entering the Forest of Nature. If you can help them eliminate the Demon threat and restore peace to the forest, they are willing to pay any price—even their most precious treasures—to express their gratitude."
Fang Zhou solemnly accepted the petal and promised, "Don’t worry, Senior Zhang Wu. Since I’ve accepted this, I’ll definitely find an opportunity to visit the Forest of Nature before I advance to Black Iron. Even if I can’t completely eliminate the threat for the Flower Elf Clan, I can at least hunt a few more Demons."
After a moment’s thought, he asked with some confusion, "Senior Zhang Wu, I heard that the second-year Seed Students are mostly Upper Rank Apprentices. Some have even become Black Iron Professionals. With such outstanding strength, are you still unable to completely clear out the Demons for the Flower Elves and give them back their peaceful home?"
Zhang Wu shook his head, a complex look in his eyes. "Fang Zhou, the answer isn’t that simple," he began slowly. "It’s true that we’ve organized several hunts for the scattered Demons in the Forest of Nature, and each one was a great success. The low-level Demons that dared to intrude didn’t stand a chance against us, so the forest’s periphery is relatively safe. However, the real problem lies deep in the heart of the forest.
"In those dark depths, there are several mysterious spatial rifts. They act like bridges connecting the Forest of Nature to the Mythical World. Due to limitations from spatial ripples and energy levels, these rifts prevent more powerful Demons from crossing over, which protects the Forest of Nature from more severe incursions. But this is a double-edged sword. The same laws also restrict us. This means that even the strongest from Sea City Military Academy, who possess overwhelming power, cannot easily pass through these rifts to get to the root of the problem for the Flower Elves. All we can do, without damaging the forest’s fragile spatial structure, is to continually issue missions and calls to arms, encouraging academy cadets to aid the Flower Elves in fending off the Demons that occasionally seep through the rifts."
Zhang Wu’s gaze then shifted to Fang Zhou, his eyes glinting with praise and anticipation. "Fang Zhou, you don’t need to worry. Your strength and potential are plain for the entire academy to see. Once the academy decides to open up the mission to guard the Forest of Nature to first-year Seed Students, you will undoubtedly be among the first chosen.
"Moreover," he added with a slight smile, "given your extraordinary combat power, the Flower Elves might see you as a special friend and willingly gift you some of their precious Moonlight Spring.
"The Forest of Nature, a spatial fragment torn from the Mythical World, is not just a battlefield fraught with danger; it’s a treasure trove brimming with resources of the Natural Attribute. Although, due to spatial frequency limitations, only a small number of Blue Star Professionals can enter at any given time, every cadet who secures a spot leaves overjoyed with their haul."
Fang Zhou nodded lightly, his eyes shining with eagerness. As first-year cadets, we only had our Awakening a few months ago. Even among the top one hundred Seed Students, we’re still green, our combat power far from mature. The Sea City Military Academy is well aware of this and hasn’t opened combat missions to us yet. However, I’m confident that with my strength and unique Talent, it won’t be long before I can stand shoulder-to-shoulder with second-years like Gu Yueyuan, Liu Diewu, and Zhang Wu, taking on all kinds of combat missions to earn Cultivation Resources and contribution points.
As his thoughts wandered, Fang Zhou asked another curious question, "Senior Zhang Wu, since the Forest of Nature is so dangerous, why doesn’t the academy’s high command simply move this group of fragile Flower Elves to Blue Star and settle them within our academy? Surely we could find a sanctuary for them here, a place where they could live and prosper, far from the chaos of war."
Facing Fang Zhou’s question, Zhang Wu slowly shook his head, a hint of helplessness in his eyes. "The situation is far more complex than you imagine," he said. "An academy instructor once asked me to convey this very idea to the Flower Elf Queen, suggesting they abandon the Forest of Nature and relocate to Blue Star. We promised to create a new home for them, rich in natural energy—a paradise where the Flower Elf Clan could thrive. However, the Flower Elf Queen politely declined our offer."
"Why?" Fang Zhou pressed, a flicker of confusion in his eyes.
Zhang Wu explained, "There are many reasons, but the most crucial one concerns the Source of Life for the Flower Elf Clan—the Moonlight Spring. This spring isn’t just the ambrosia that nourishes them; it’s the lynchpin that maintains the ecological balance of the entire Forest of Nature. It cannot be easily moved. Its source has become deeply embedded in this unique spatial fragment, fused with it, and it’s impossible to completely relocate it in the short term. Even if the Queen yearned to lead her people away from the shadow of the Demons, she could not abandon their Source of Life. Right now, the academy’s think tank is working tirelessly to find a way to move the Moonlight Spring’s source without damaging it, ensuring the survival and prosperity of the Flower Elf Clan. Until then, to protect their Source of Life, the Flower Elves have no choice but to remain steadfast in the Forest of Nature, even if it means facing greater dangers and challenges."
