Chapter 116: The Sacred Land

Over the next few days, Seth took Lando on an extensive tour of the Livfredrickson world. Beyond the central city of Dresas, they visited several other large cities inhabited by the Sylvan Elves. The local cuisine and scenery were exquisite, needless to say, and the museums and exhibition halls in these cities became must-visit spots for Lando. Fortunately, these places displayed real artifacts, unlike the virtual exhibits at the Silver Tower Academy.

Because the Sylvan Elves were powerful, with legendary figures stationed in almost every major city, Lando never intended to resort to petty theft. Under Seth’s guidance and with his father’s endorsement, he easily visited prominent families to admire their treasured collections and was treated to various delicacies and drinks.

Livfredrickson was truly a vast world; the average quality of souls collected here far exceeded that of previous worlds. The ratio of blue to green souls nearly reached one to ten.

When Lando felt he had taken full advantage of the opportunities, he parted ways with Seth and sought a private audience with Kuros.

“Uncle Kuros, there’s something I’m quite interested in during this visit,” Lando said straightforwardly. “I wish to see the Blossom of Fressen and its growing place in the Sylvan Elven lands.”

Kuros was a bit surprised by Lando’s request, and after a brief pause, replied, “I can’t promise you that right now. I need to consult with the High Priest. I’ll give you an answer tomorrow.”

Lando was not taken aback by this response. Calmly, he said, “Very well, thank you for your efforts, Uncle.”

Kuros smiled and nodded. After some polite conversation, Lando took his leave.

Once Lando had gone, Kuros spoke to the empty room, “What do you think?”

Natyra emerged from the shadows, calmly uttering three words: “Arcanist, of course.”

Kuros immediately understood the double meaning behind his wife’s words and offered a wry smile. “Yes, an Arcanist indeed.”

***

The next day, while Seth was excitedly planning the itinerary for Lando, a servant arrived to inform them that Kuros had summoned them.

Upon meeting Kuros, they saw him smiling warmly. “I consulted with the High Priest of our clan last night. He has agreed to allow you to visit the sacred grounds.”

Lando’s joy was evident. “Thank you, Uncle Kuros, for your efforts on my behalf. If you ever need anything I can help with, I will never hesitate.”

This pleased Kuros even more, who nodded approvingly.

Seth, standing nearby, looked puzzled. Lando explained, “I was curious about the sacred grounds of the Sylvan Elves and asked Uncle Kuros if I could visit.”

“Oh, the sacred grounds? There’s nothing particularly spectacular to see. When I was young, I lived there for a year. The High Priest then was a kind elder,” Kuros said. “Our sacred grounds are beneficial for the growth of children, so noble families send their promising young ones to live there for some time.”

Lando understood well. Even if the world’s power cannot be directly absorbed, living long-term in such a place brings immeasurable benefits.

In the afternoon, Kuros led Lando and Seth to the city’s teleportation array.

The exact location of the sacred grounds was a closely guarded secret within the Sylvan Elf clan; only a select few knew. Even those with permission could enter only via the teleportation array.

After a brief teleportation, they arrived in a vast basin surrounded by a two-way protective barrier. This shield prevented outsiders from spying inside and blocked any internal signals from reaching the outside world.

Lando checked with his little companion, Gray, and found its positioning functions were indeed disrupted, though he wasn’t concerned.

The teleportation array was situated in a small town. Kuros greeted the guards, who glanced at Lando and Seth before nodding and allowing them through.

As they wandered the town, many curious children aged five or six stared at them intently—likely the gifted youths sent by noble families.

Lando glanced at his system; unsurprisingly, the automatic extraction of soul essence accelerated here. Although not as rapid as in the World’s Heart, it still improved by three or four points per hour.

After some thought, Lando cautiously disabled this function. Though even the smallest gains were welcome, stirring trouble in someone else’s sacred grounds—especially one guarded by legendary warriors—was unwise.

The trio left the town and ventured deeper. Perhaps due to human intervention, the entire basin was devoid of vegetation, unlike the typical Sylvan Elf environment. Soon, they reached the basin’s center, where rows of small wooden cottages stood, all nearly identical in design.

Through his system, Lando sensed that the world’s power here was much denser—at least five times stronger than in the town.

Behind the cottages grew a dense patch of strange plants, their leaves and petals shimmering with ever-shifting colors, emitting a faint, ethereal glow. The sight was mesmerizing.

Before Lando could admire more, Kuros approached one of the cottages and gently knocked.

After a moment, a slightly hoarse voice called, “Come in.”

Kuros pushed open the door, revealing a simple interior: a chair, a table, and a bed.

An elderly man with white hair sat cross-legged on the bed, his gaze warm and gentle as he looked at Lando.

At first glance, Lando tensed—not out of fear, for the elder’s aura, though vast and immense, was peaceful, like a harmless forest. What truly unsettled Lando was the elder’s connection to the world itself, an overwhelming presence that made Lando feel like a mere ant before a towering mountain, stirring an instinctive trembling.

This sensation was somewhat familiar—like when he had received the World’s Heart blessing in the Four Kings world—but also subtly different.

“You must be the distinguished guest from Silver Tower. Truly a fine young man,” the elder said kindly.

Lando quickly bowed, “You flatter me.”

The elder smiled and nodded, then turned his gaze to Seth. “Young Seth, long time no see. You’ve grown much stronger—far surpassing your father in his day.”

Seth cast a subtle glance at his father before replying promptly, “High Priest Grandfather, thank you for your praise. I have missed you very much!”