Chapter 745

Chapter 745: Whispering Pines

The flowers on the mountain were in bloom.

Purple Judas trees swayed in the breeze, with blue flowers interspersed among them, making the landscape more vibrant and beautiful.

Compared to the vast expanse of purple, these blue and white flowers were fresher, easing the long-standing purple fatigue.

A young lady dressed in pure white robes sat under a tall pine tree, gazing at the light purple forest below the hill. Listening to the cheerful chirping of birds overhead, she lifted her head to see sunlight filtering through the sparse leaves, shimmering like flickering scales.

Another spring had come and gone, making the climate warm and pleasant.

After October last year, perhaps due to the lower temperatures, she found herself increasingly comfortable sleeping in her bed, spending less and less time active. Later, she spent several weeks in continuous sleep.

She remembered that when she last woke up, the window was still covered in snow, the usually light purple forest blanketed in white, utterly silent except for the occasional sound of icicles dripping.

She didn’t expect her latest hibernation to end in April before she finally woke up.

Fortunately, the higher-ups in the Zhaoye Palace knew about her condition and instructed others not to disturb her, leading to her unusually long sleep.

Not long after waking up, Lolan Hill received a letter from the Xiangyu Sect, informing her of the dynasty’s grant and asking her to visit Luo Capital sometime this year.

“Hmm, when did I become a princess?” Lolan Hill loosened the letter, looking up at the treetops, feeling as if she wanted to continue sleeping and not move at all.

Thus, she took a brief nap under the tree again before finally waking up. She glanced at the page attached to the letter, which bore the seal of the Red Phoenix, then put the letter away.

Well, she might as well give the Dragon Pulse Witch some face, considering the commotion she caused that day was quite significant.

If it were just a regular witch, things would have been fine, but given the scale of the disturbance, it was akin to the Five Phoenixes of old, making it difficult to suppress.

Lolan Hill wasn’t foolish; she naturally understood that once her witch identity was exposed, it would cause some trouble within the dynasty. Hence, she found an excuse.

She wondered if her real name had been revealed.

Thinking about the dynasty’s rewards, Lolan Hill pressed her hand against her thigh, straightening her body slightly, pondering the situation.

In her mind, it should be fine. After all, if the dynasty knew she was the great sage of Clancia or the cause of the world’s changes, everything wouldn’t be so calm. How could she have slept peacefully in the Zhaoye Palace for nearly a year?

As the elf princess said, after the sea route to the endless sea was cut off, the East Continent had been out of contact with the West Continent for a long time. They might have heard of her name, but only as Lolan Hill, and no one had seen her appearance, so they wouldn’t immediately connect the dots.

Still, it was a bit strange. Even if the current emperor didn’t know, the Dragon Witch should be aware. Perhaps she had other reasons for not revealing the truth.

It seemed she needed to visit Luo Capital and meet this Dragon Pulse Witch, one of the Five Phoenixes, the Red Phoenix. She was part of Tides’ faction, and Tides had a good relationship with Su Qin. She had heard many stories about them and was looking forward to meeting them in person.

After resolving everything in her mind, Lolan Hill stood up and walked along the path on the mountain peak, occasionally stepping onto thick roots with her toes, her hands spread wide, walking steadily across the narrow roots.

This brought back memories of her childhood, when she used to walk alone to school, crossing the long stones on the street as if on a single-log bridge, finding a subtle joy and happiness in it.

Time passed, and before she knew it, years had gone by.

—

A month later, Lolan Hill was flying over the sky on a larger blue-black bird, accompanied by a Firecrest Dai Ju.

During this year, the dark-crested blue crow beside her hadn’t been idle. It had now ascended to the level 5 Necromancer Sequence, growing much larger, able to carry the silver-haired girl. After all, Lolan Hill was very light, like cotton. If it were a strong man of equal height, the blue crow probably couldn’t fly far.

With the wind blowing through the wilderness, her hair and dress fluttered. Lolan Hill looked down at the mixed yellow woods and fields below, feeling a sense of nostalgia. Unconsciously, she had been away from the Xiangyu Sect for nearly two years, and she had been in the East Continent for almost three.

She wondered how everyone in the sect was doing and where the few people she knew had gone.

The golden-yellow leaves covering the mountains made it feel like autumn, and the weather was indeed cool. Lolan Hill felt the gentle breeze on her fingertips, her mood becoming lighter.

She missed everyone and her own little courtyard. She remembered trying to grind soybeans in the courtyard the year before, preparing to make tofu. Unfortunately, the two little ones ate all the bean dregs while she was out.

She never managed to make the tofu and briefly considered disciplining the two culprits, but she couldn’t bear to scold them. In the end, she locked them up for a few days as punishment.

She would try again when she returned.

Her thoughts slowly dissipated, and Lolan Hill gently descended into the mountain below with the dark-crested blue crow.

The barrier parted when it touched the token at her waist, and she entered, the lush green pines reappearing before her eyes.

Compared to when she left, the sect seemed livelier now. The workshops were filled with disciples wearing golden-yellow robes, excitedly chatting with each other, seemingly new recruits.

The sound of a bell rang from a distant palace, and the disciples began heading there to start their studies.

Lolan Hill wore a simple white dress with a dark blue waist and collar, looking very beautiful.

Opening the long-sealed courtyard gate, the familiar small courtyard reappeared before her eyes, and the two birds chirped happily. The Firecrest Dai Ju led the way to the pavilion by the pond, checking if its nest was still there, while the blue crow, now smaller, flew to the eaves of the pavilion, surveying the courtyard and the surrounding pine forests.

Lolan Hill smiled faintly, taking out her key and token, entering the pavilion again. The place where she used to listen to the rain and read books came into view step by step.

Looking at the accumulated dust, the young lady rolled up her sleeves, thinking to herself.

Perhaps, she would need to do a thorough cleaning today.

(End of Chapter)