This wildly growing magic vine, as it approached the Gondola, suddenly bifurcated at the top, transforming into three huge green vines swaying in mid-air.
At first glance, they looked like three gruesome giant snakes, twisting and struggling.
Undoubtedly, this must be a mature Wood Creature. Angel was originally planning to search for a Wood Creature, and now that one appeared, he wasnāt in a hurry to leave.
Angel initially thought about communicating with this magic vine, but when the vine split at the top into three, he felt a subtle trace of hostility from those twisting vines.
Could it be that this magic vine intends to battle him?
While he was thinking so, rose-like thorns suddenly grew on the three vines, their sharp spikes glinting coldly.
After the thorns shone, the magic vine unhesitatingly waved its three vines, lashing towards the Gondola with lightning speed.
Judging by the direction of the vines, one was aimed at Angel, another at the Gondola itself, and another rushed towards the sandy prison.
Angel noticed that the momentum of the first two vines was relentless, but the vine towards the sandy prison had a moderating intent.
Seeing this, Angel could almost confirm that the main objective of this magic vine was to take away the sandy prison. Considering the intimate relationship between the Green Plains and the White Cloud Village, and seeing Arnott, who looked pitiful and trapped inside the sandy prison, how could Angel not understand? This magic vine likely mistook them as criminals who kidnapped Arnott.
āYou misunderstood, weāre on the same side as Arnott!ā said Dangross. It was quite savvy, usually not apparent, but it seemed quick-witted during such a crisis, understanding the magic vineās intent.
However, Dangrossās words did not make the magic vine pause for even a moment.
After all, in the eyes of the magic vine, Arnott was the most important. And Arnott, at this time, was startled by the unexpected incident, tears involuntarily welling up in the corners of its eyes in fear.
Arnottās pitiful appearance, seemingly having undergone all sorts of hardships, made it impossible for the magic vine to believe the words of Dangross, a flame being.
āSay something!ā Dangross shouted at Arnott.
Arnott was entirely scared, its mouth opened, but it failed to utter a word, though a teardrop fell instead.
This scene made the magic vineās hostility even more intense, its offensive turning extremely terrifying.
In its view, this blow was enough to flip over the strange Flying Boat and bind the human-form creature that appeared to lack any elemental aura.
However, the result imagined by the magic vine did not occur.
Just as the vine charged towards the Gondola, a black Ghostly Shadow rose slowly from the dark side of the Gondola, and a Blue Lantern Flower, bubbling, appeared at the bow.
The Blue Lantern Flower swayed in the wind, and the black shadow transformed into a cyan leopard shadow. A purer essence of nature than even the magic vineās aura emanated from the cyan leopard shadow.
āA fellow kind?ā The magic vine spoke for the first time.
The cyan leopard shadow, however, did not respond, but instead leapt from the side of the Gondola, with clusters of blossoms and vines growing from both its flanks. These plants consolidated at a speed visible to the naked eye, finally forming a pair of flower-and-grass wings big enough to obscure the sky.
The flower-and-grass wings gently closed, shielding the Gondola, blocking the three incoming vines outside.
The sound of vines striking against the flower-and-grass wings produced a crisp metallic clang, indicating the high defensive level of the flower-and-grass wings.
āWho are you, and why have I never seen you before?ā the magic vine questioned again.
The cyan leopard shadow still did not reply, instead opening the flower-and-grass wings slightly, revealing eyes that were indifferent and unfeeling.
In its bewilderment, the cyan leopard shadow flapped its wings and swooped down towards itā¦
This cyan leopard shadow was indeed Earl Mi. While Earl Mi battled the magic vine, Dangross let out a long breath, knowing Earl Miās strength, it understood they were temporarily safe.
āAbsolutely useless! Just frightened by the aura, you actually cried.ā Dangross grumbled at Arnott, stuck inside the sandy prison. āIf you had spoken just now, none of this would have happened.ā
Arnott sobbed for a while before saying in a faint voice, āIā¦ I donāt understand.ā
āWhatās there not to understand?ā
āWhy if I, I speak, none of this happens?ā Arnott asked timidly.
āYouāre not Kelonkcro, donāt stutter,ā Dangross scolded, seeing Arnott shrink back, and explained begrudgingly, āThis magic vine saw you trapped inside this prison, and surely misunderstood us as your captors. So, had you explained it, the problem would be solved. But you didnāt say a word, and it really drives me crazy!ā
Understanding now that his actions might have led to the magic vineās misunderstanding, guilt showed in Arnottās eyes. āThen, what should we do now? Should I explain right now?ā
Dangross glanced at the heated battlefield nearby: āWhatās the use of explaining now, theyāre probably fired up for a fight.ā
Angel chimed in, āDangross is right, wait until Earl Mi suppresses the magic vineās hostility, then explain.ā
Arnott nodded, not thinking about whether Earl Mi could defeat the magic vine, and started rehearsing in his mind how to explain later to make the magic vine believe he wasnāt coerced.
Elsewhere, the longer the magic vine fought, the more alarmed it became, though it seemed they were stalemated. It couldnāt figure out why the aura of the leopard shadow was remarkably serene, while it felt its power gradually being suppressed. If not for the abundance of natural energy in the Green Plains, the magic vine believed it might already be at a disadvantage.
Moreover, what the magic vine found most unacceptable was that its opponent appeared to be a Wood Creature too.
Why was it helping those who kidnapped the Wind Elemental Spirit?
The magic vine asked many times during the battleās pauses, yet its opponent never replied, leaving it puzzled and frustrated.
āCalmed down yet?ā rang a voice from the other side, the speaker being that human-form creature the magic vine saw before.
The magic vine did not respond.
āSeems, still not,ā the calm voice continued, āEarl Mi, let it cool off some more.ā
Before the magic vine could understand what was meant, the aura of the leopard shadow it faced suddenly intensified, a terrifying aura from a completely different level pinned down the magic vineās still-flailing vines.
Simultaneously, the ground shook as a faint green fine vine rose from it, wrapping the magic vineās underground roots and pulling it entirely into mid-air.
āImpossible! When did you do this?ā the uprooted magic vine looked at the leopard shadow in horror, utterly unaware that its opponent had silently extended tendrils into the ground!
Earl Mi remained silent, utilizing much greater natural energy to bind it mid-air, rendering it immobile.
The magic vine understood it had hereby hit an iron wall. However, it wasnāt discouraged; this was, after all, the Green Plains. Though temporarily trapped, as long as it could notify other companions nearby, it believed rescue was possible!
Upon thinking this, the magic vine stopped struggling and began to spread a green mist from its body.
āThis is the natural seed, itās using the natural seed to send a message!ā At this moment, a voice mixed with sobs came from afar.
The magic vine cursed and turned around to see who exposed its plan.
It glanced over and was taken aback.
Why is it them?
The one speaking was the wind spirit it had always longed to rescueā¦
ā¦
āSo, they didnāt capture you? You went to the Baya Desert on your own, breaking a taboo, and they were just giving you a ride back to White Cloud Village?ā the magic vine asked, looking at Arnott trapped in the cage of yellow sand.
āThen why were you crying earlier?ā The magic vine was still worried that Arnott might have been coerced, so it asked again.
Arnott hesitated for a long time before saying, āI, I was just frightened byā¦by you.ā
At this point, Dangross chimed in, āThis guy cried the whole way, he cries whenever things donāt go his way. We didnāt do anything to him at all.ā
āI think Iāve heard thereās a crying wind spirit in White Cloud Village. Is it you?ā
Arnott was reluctant to admit it, but knowing full well that among the wind creatures, it seemed only it could cry.
Finally, Arnott nodded.
The magic vine took a deep breath and remained silent for a long time. Its eyes on the vine bore a fleeting frustration, but looking at little Arnott, it could only sigh helplessly.
Not wanting to see Arnott for a short while, the magic vine turned its gaze toward Angel, its eyes filled with apology, āSorry, I was reckless just now.ā
Angel still needed to integrate the various realmās monarchs to achieve strategic cooperation with the Barbarian Cave, so before reaching this goal, it was best not to offend the wood creatures of the Green Plains. So in the face of the magic vineās apology, he didnāt say much, āNo harm done, it was just a misunderstanding.ā
After resolving the misunderstanding, Angel had Earl Mi loosen the fine vine binding it.
Once the magic vine regained its freedom, it felt an additional sense of remorse toward Angel, and intended to invite Angel to its temporary resting place as a guest.
āVisiting isnāt necessary, we have more important matters at hand.ā Angel paused before stating their purpose, āWe were actually heading to Wind Island, but along the way, we noticed some strange occurrences.ā
Originally, Arnott was supposed to explain these matters, but now the magic vine didnāt even want to cast a glance at Arnott, so Angel personally took the field, recounting what they observed along their journey and his own conjectures.
āā¦Do you know if anything has changed in White Cloud Village?ā Angel asked.
After listening, a confused look flashed in the magic vineās eyes, āHas there been any change in White Cloud Village? How come I havenāt noticed?ā
After speaking, the magic vine looked up at the drifting clouds in the sky. To its perception, everything seemed perfectly normal.
āYou donāt know?ā Angel queried in suspicion.
The magic vine confidently said, āI didnāt sense anything unusual, could you have misjudged?ā
The magic vineās tone was sincere, and Angel believed what it said. But judging from earlier clues, some anomalies definitely emerged in White Cloud Village.
āIf there really were no anomalies, how could Arnott have so easily ventured into the Baya Desert? And, how could this lone white dove remain on the cloud?ā Dangross interjected.
The magic vine pondered it carefully, and it seemed to make sense.
āDo you know which wind creatures inhabit this cloud layer?ā Angel pointed to the clouds floating above them.
āThe clouds drift and disperse; I havenāt really paid much attention.ā The magic vine paused, āBut three days ago, a tornado passed by this vicinity, with distinct wind creature auras within it.ā
āWhere did it go?ā
āThat way.ā The magic vine maneuvered a vine, pointing toward the thickening clouds.
āThatās in the direction of Wind Island!ā At this moment, Arnott asserted its presence.
āSo, does it mean the nearby wind creatures returned to Wind Island?ā Dangross turned to Arnott, āCould it be that thereās some gathering at your Wind Island, and Prince Roufeng called all the external wind creatures back?ā
Arnott shook its head blankly, āI donāt think so.ā
Angel, āEven if there were such a situation, the elemental sprites wouldnāt have been left unattended.ā
Dangross, āThen what could possibly be happening?ā
While Dangross pondered, the magic vine spoke, āHow about this, I can ask The Sage for you; it may know something.ā
Angelās eyes lit up, as he originally planned to do this, unsure of how to bring it up, but with the magic vineās proactive suggestion, he naturally didnāt refuse, āThat would be much appreciated.ā
After deciding to inquire with the Sage of the Green Plains, the magic vine immediately released a large amount of green mist. These mists sunk into the earth and, with a speed imperceptible to the naked eye, drilled into the roots of various plants in the earth veins, passing from one to another until finally reaching the core of the Green Plainsā¦
About an hour later, the Sageās reply returned.
This speed was similar to the spark messaging in the Region of Fire, evidently much slower compared to the wind or earth creaturesā transmission methods.
After sensing the Sageās reply, a puzzled look appeared in the magic vineās eyes, it addressed those who had been waiting on the boat, āThe Sage replied saying it isnāt currently aware of whatās happening on Wind Island; it only got information that nearly all the wind creatures in White Cloud Village have returned to Wind Island.ā
āFurthermore, Prince Fergens sent a message to Wind Island asking if they needed help. Subtle Prince Roufeng later responded, declining Prince Fergensā offer, but without explaining what occurred on Wind Island.ā
Upon hearing the magic vineās account, Angel came to understand why the wood creatures of the Green Plains seemed perfectly normal because they too were unaware of the occurrences in White Cloud Village.
It was certain that Roufeng Uranos summoning nearly all the wind creatures back to Wind Island indicated something significant was going on.
But it was peculiar to refuse Fergensā assistance.
This implies, Roufeng Uranos possibly didnāt want this matter getting out, even refraining from informing their close allies, the Green Plains.