Chapter 142: The Vile Ilio

Unsurprisingly, all four little fairies overslept the next day.

Sayah didn't wake them up in the morning, letting them sleep until noon.

When Shu Li finally woke up, he was still groggy and felt like he couldn't breathe. Looking down, he saw Decio's leg sprawled across his chest.

No wonder I kept having nightmares! This little buddy's sleeping posture is terrible—he's crushing me!

Shu Li decisively pushed Decio's leg aside, patted his chest, and took a deep breath.

Decio woke with a start, his red hair sticking up like a bird's nest. He yawned and sat up. "Morn... morning..."

Shu Li glanced at the hourglass on the bedside table, froze for a moment, then urgently shook Angele and Budno awake.

"Wake up! It's noon!"

"Huh? Noon already?" Angele rubbed his eyes and sat up.

Budno, clutching his beloved little pillow, remained sound asleep.

His sleep quality was always excellent; no matter how you tried to move him, he wouldn't wake up.

Left with no other choice, Shu Li resorted to his ultimate weapon. He leaned close to Budno's ear and whispered in a devilish tone, "Your fruit has been stolen. You have no more fruit..."

This trick never failed. Budno's eyes snapped open, and he frantically looked around.

"Fruit! My fruit! Don't steal it!"

Shu Li gently patted Budno's cheek. "No one's stealing your fruit. It's time to get up."

Hearing that no one was taking his fruit, Budno immediately flopped back onto the bed.

Shu Li's face darkened with exasperation.

Angele stretched lazily, then noticed Budno still in bed. "I'm starving!" he exclaimed. "Let's hurry and get up to eat!"

Budno's ears twitched, and he struggled to open his eyes. "I'm so hungry too..."

Grumble—

His stomach rumbled in perfect timing.

Shu Li nudged him. "If you're hungry, get up already."

Fifteen minutes later, the four now-larger young fairies rushed frantically toward the dining hall.

"Oh, the little fellows are finally awake?" the elves they passed teased with amused smiles.

"G-good afternoon," Shu Li greeted them, forcing a smile.

"Starving, aren't you? We saved you some food. Hurry along!"

Shu Li quickened his pace, and the group dashed into the dining hall together.

Sayah greeted them with a smile. "Good afternoon, little darlings."

"Good afternoon, Sayah," Budno replied, collapsing onto the table. "I'm so hungry~~~~~~" he whined pitifully.

"Just a moment," Sayah said.

She turned to the kitchen and soon returned with a large platter piled high with a feast: fresh fruits and vegetables, toasted bread, boiled eggs, deer milk, flower nectar, fruit jam, and more.

The hungry young fairies' eyes lit up as they eagerly began to eat.

Ilio sauntered into the dining hall, carrying several wooden sticks. He approached the table, smiling warmly at the four young fairies who, despite their ravenous hunger, maintained impeccable dining etiquette.

Shu Li, sensing something amiss, set down his half-eaten fruit and glanced up. His heart skipped a beat when he noticed the sticks in Ilio's hand.

What's Ilio going to do with those? Is he going to spank us?

Is it because we woke up late today?

But if he really wanted to spank us, one stick would be enough. Why bring five?

A flash of insight struck Shu Li, and he understood.

Sure enough, Ilio announced, "Eat quickly. After lunch, we're heading to the Martial Training Ground for swordsmanship practice."

"Huh?"

The other three young fairies nearly choked on their food.

Ilio gave them no chance to protest. He distributed a stick to each of them, kept one for himself, and casually slung the remaining stick over his shoulder with a flourish. He winked at them.

"Don't keep me waiting too long."

With a light step, he left the dining hall.

The little fairies who now held wooden sticks suddenly lost their appetite.

Practicing swordsmanship with the Elven Kingdom's strongest warrior meant only one thing: getting beaten up.

So, this is a disguised punishment?

Waaah...

After finishing their meal, the four young fairies dawdled, carrying their wooden sticks as they made their way to the Martial Training Ground.

The Martial Training Ground was an outdoor courtyard, about the size of two basketball courts, with walls lined with various swords and bows.

Swords and bows were the weapons the elves excelled at, and training focused primarily on these two.

Since coming to the Elven Kingdom to study, Shu Li had been under Ilio's tutelage in swordsmanship. After ten years of training, he still only managed to get beaten up.

Angele, Decio, and Budno had learned swordsmanship from a Fairy Teacher and were visiting the training ground for the first time to receive instruction from Ilio.

Before they arrived, Shu Li had given them a warning.

"Don't let Ilio's usual smiling demeanor fool you," he said. "He often teases the little fairies, but when it comes to swordsmanship, he's incredibly strict and shows no mercy. Getting beaten up is a common occurrence."

The three little fairies' scalps tightened at this news, and they felt an urge to flee back to the Divine Tree.

Shu Li wrapped his arms around them, his eyes gleaming. "Good brothers, we share fortune and face adversity together!"

"Good brothers, we share fortune and face adversity together!"

The companions, their spirits buoyed, gripped their wooden sticks tightly, straightened their backs, and strode into the Martial Training Ground.

Ilio stood gracefully in the center of the Martial Training Ground, a warm smile gracing his handsome face. He held a wooden staff in his right hand and beckoned the little fairies forward with his left.

"Come on, all of you! Let's go!"

The little fairies grinned at the challenge.

Four brothers, united in strength, ganging up on Ilio—how could they possibly lose?

As it turned out, they couldn't win. Not even close!

Ilio's feet seemed rooted to the ground, never shifting an inch. He wielded his wooden staff with astonishing agility, leaving the four little fairies battered and breathless.

"Ah—I can't take it anymore!" Budno collapsed onto the ground, feigning death.

Decio plopped down beside him, equally unwilling to move.

Angele fared slightly better, standing stubbornly, though his legs and arms trembled violently.

Ilio showed no mercy; every strike of the wooden staff sent searing pain through their bodies.

Shu Li was the only little fairy still capable of fighting. Having trained under Ilio for ten years, he had mastered many techniques, including how to evade his attacks. By moving swiftly and staying agile, he could avoid getting hit eighty percent of the time. The remaining twenty percent depended entirely on luck.

Seeing his boss still fighting fiercely, Angele refused to give up so easily. Catching his breath and enduring the pain, he raised his wooden stick and rejoined the fray.

Ilio raised an eyebrow, effortlessly parrying Shu Li and Angele's attacks while taunting Decio and Budno, who lay on the ground.

"Oh, who was it who said they'd gang up on me?"

"Giving up so soon?"

"Did your Fairy Teacher even teach you anything?"

"Can't even last ten minutes? Looks like you have no talent for swordsmanship."

"Is this what you call being 'good brothers'? Sharing the good times but abandoning each other in trouble?"

You want to be heroes?

Then show the courage of a hero!

Decio, unable to withstand the provocation, roared and struggled to his feet. He raised his wooden stick and charged at Ilio.

Budno gritted his teeth, tears welling in his eyes. He used his wooden stick to prop himself up, swayed a few times, then swung his stick and joined the battle.

Shu Li dodged an attack, retreated a few steps, wiped the sweat from his face, and barked orders: "Angele, attack Ilio's back! Decio, flank left! Budno, flank right! I'll take the front!"

With those words, he thrust the wooden stick at Ilio's chest.

"Not bad, you're starting to use tactics," Ilio remarked, a rare compliment. "Too bad your attacks are so weak!"

The wooden stick in his hand moved with blinding speed, leaving only afterimages as it danced left, right, forward, and back, forming an impenetrable defense with no openings. Even while defending, he managed to counterattack.

Shu Li refused to be discouraged. Calmly directing the others, he seized every opportunity, constantly adjusting their tactics in a desperate attempt to strike Ilio.

The other three little fairies gradually adapted to the rhythm of the battle, obeying Shu Li's commands and coordinating seamlessly.

An hour later, four exhausted little fairies lay sprawled on the Martial Training Ground, drenched in sweat and panting heavily.

Waaah...

It hurts so much!

I'm so tired and sore, I can't even move my fingers.

Ilio is a monster! We can't possibly beat him!

Shu Li, fully aware of Ilio's combat prowess, calmly accepted the outcome.

Decio, however, burned with frustration, secretly vowing to grow stronger, master swordsmanship, and defeat Ilio.

Meanwhile, the infuriating Ilio squatted before them, his face flushed but his breathing steady, poking them with the wooden stick.

"Get up and keep fighting! Is that all you've got?"

The four little fairies glared angrily, but unable to rise, they could only endure Ilio's merciless taunts.

Seeing their simmering rage, Ilio decided to quit while he was ahead. He stood up, stretched languidly, and said, "Today's the third day of Danlov's Meditation. I'll go check if he's awakened."

With a casual flick of his wrist, he tossed the wooden staff. It landed perfectly in the weapon rack in the corner of the Martial Training Ground. He strolled out with leisurely steps.

The poor little fairies longed to follow, but they were utterly immobilized.

It took them over half an hour to recover enough to drag their exhausted bodies out of the training ground, supporting each other as they went.

Angele watched Shu Li with deep sympathy.

So this is how Sperien spent his half-month in the Elven Kingdom? No wonder his strength improved so rapidly.

If they wanted to become Heroes, they would have to endure the same grueling training as Sperien.

They had to admit Ilio was right: their Fairy Teacher had been too gentle, unwilling to let them suffer even the slightest injury.

A resolute glint shone in their amber eyes.

Saint Mage Danlov's Meditation was still ongoing. Breaking through to the Mage Sovereign realm in one leap would not be easy.

After over an hour of Ilio's training, the battered little fairies limped back to their rooms to rest.

After applying the medicine, Shu Li pulled out his notebook and began writing furiously, meticulously recording the events of the past few days.

Once he finished his diary entry, he retrieved a stack of ancient texts and immersed himself in research, losing track of time until evening fell.

"Sperien, are you going to... that place?"

The three little companions came running to him, their eyes gleaming with intrigue.

Shu Li, who was about to head out for dinner, stared at them in exasperation. Could you at least try to look less excited?

Normally, he wouldn't venture to Vanaku until nearly midnight. But these past few days, to track the adventurer team in the Ergoga Desert, he had been forced to leave much earlier.

"I am going, but not right now," he said. "I need to eat first."

Angele asked with a grave expression, "Sperien, tell us the truth. Is Vanaku really safe?"

Shu Li patted the white hair on Angele's head reassuringly. "Don't worry. The Mother Tree will help me conceal my aura. As long as I don't reveal myself, the Dark Elves won't detect me."

Budno sighed. "If only we could enter the Mother Tree's Root System Space too."

Decio nodded in agreement. "Then we could go with Sperien!"

"No, if we all went, it would only increase the risk of exposing our target," Shu Li said firmly, trying to dissuade them.

He had been worried about this all along and refused to agree under any circumstances.

Knowing that their current strength would be of no help, the little companions dejectedly hugged Shu Li and nuzzled him.

"You must be careful!"

Shu Li hugged them back. "I will."

After dinner, Shu Li donned his senior-level equipment, draped a hooded cloak over his shoulders, waved goodbye to his three companions huddled by the window, and resolutely stepped into the Mother Tree's trunk.

'Onomisys, why didn't you warn me?'

The little companions were asleep in the hollows of the tree roots. The Mother Tree should have known perfectly well, yet she hadn't given him any warning.

'You didn't ask.'

'Uh—'

Shu Li suddenly remembered what the Mother Tree had told him:

‘Some things I cannot tell you unless you ask.’

How strange, he thought.

But soon, Shu Li stopped dwelling on the matter.

As he passed through the Mother Tree Root System Space and teleported to the Ergoga Desert, he immediately sensed a terrifying aura.

Releasing his perception, he was astonished to find himself in a desert oasis. A few trees grew along the lake's edge, their roots intertwined with the Mother Tree's.

What truly horrified Shu Li, however, was the sight of countless massive, crimson Fire Dragon Lizards swarming the surrounding area.

Shu Li: QAQ