Slumber Echo is the ultimate defensive measure taken by the Wood Elf Plane when facing a devastating crisis, by significantly reducing the core operating frequency, allowing the entire plane to 'synchronize' as much as possible with the surrounding dimensions, integrating into the background energy fluctuations, achieving near-absolute stealth.
It's somewhat similar to the synchronized resonance at the soul level between Blue Star Humans and Spiritual Realm creatures, making themselves closer to the spirit world rules.
However, the synchronization of the plane is not about aligning with the spirit world rules.
Instead, it's about aligning with the current Star Realm!
But the cost is enormous—all development is almost stagnant, and the great power of the elders will be deeply restrained, only able to maintain the most basic plane barrier and core existence.
Once entered, it may take hundreds or even thousands of years to safely exit.
Light flowed in Arlegolos's silver-grey eyes, clearly indicating he was also carefully considering the proposal.
He slowly shook his head, but his tone was not relaxed: "Complete slumber... that is the last choice, signifying complete abandonment and passivity. We still have the capacity to maintain a basic 'Curtain of Tranquility,' strengthening the disruption and shielding of plane coordinates. There are three points to note."
He held up three fingers, his voice brooking no argument:
"Mobilize all reserved Natural Essence to prioritize mending the barrier cracks caused by the use of the Root of the Barrier. Elder Galadriel, you are fully responsible for this matter; spare no expense to reinforce the 'Emerald Veil.'"
"Completely sever all tentative connections with all known and unknown sub-worlds. Cancel all minor energy probes into the outside world. Reduce Eriendor's 'presence' to the lowest possible level, making it 'background noise' in the dimensional turbulence. Elder Ilmarian, you will oversee the operation and deepening of the 'Curtain of Tranquility.'"
"All resources are to be tilted towards the World Tree core, halting non-essential energy consumption, especially large-scale spells and expansive activities within the plane. Elder Caris, please use the power of the roots to weave the most stable 'Root Cocoon' to envelop the core, assisting its slow self-healing. Elder Sorindil, supervise the distribution and flow of all life essence, ensuring every bit of power is used here."
His gaze swept over each elder, carrying an unprecedented solemnity: "During this period, any unauthorized energy or spiritual connection with the outside world without the full consent of the council... regardless of the purpose, shall be considered a betrayal of Eriendor, and I will personally carry out the purification!"
The "purification" he spoke of, in the Wood Elf context, often meant complete annihilation.
The elders nodded in silence.
No one objected.
Arlegolos's decision was clear, austere, and the only viable stop-loss and self-preservation plan currently available.
The failure at Eight Mile River was like a bucket of ice water, completely extinguishing their illusions of outward expansion and searching for "new sprouts."
Now, only retreating into self-preservation remains, awaiting a possibly long and indefinite recovery.
The psionic projection in the center of the council hall was extinguished by Arlegolos's wave of a hand.
The last trace of the image from the Eight Mile River world disappeared, along with the burning villages, the struggling War Trees, the despairing Yang Di, and the ruthless Shen Mu's legions... as if they had all been completely isolated in another distant, no longer relevant nightmare.
The light cast by the enormous dome made of living bi-color tourmaline leaves remained soft, but it only reflected deep fatigue and solemnity on the faces of each elder.
The Emerald Sanctuary returned to its eternal stillness, but beneath this stillness surged the imminent survival crisis and heavy burden of the entire plane.
Eriendor, this lost emerald land, was forced to close the slight crack it had quietly opened, sinking deep, deep into the depths of the Dimensional Sea, beginning a long and arduous period of "hibernation."
And that Lord of Deherim, Shen Mu, who ignited the beacon at the Eight Mile River Twilight Point and forced the Wood Elf Plane to pay a huge price to "clean house."
His figure, inadvertently, became a footnote in the memory of this high-level plane, filled with apprehension and vigilance.
As for Deherim's next step, it was unrelated to the Wood Elf Plane's temporary "retreat."
Shen Mu's gaze was focused on the newly acquired Elf Forest Outpost blueprint, and on Zhang Bo, who had miraculously survived after being stabbed by Yang Di himself and was now awaiting interrogation.
A brand new, more powerful Wood Elf troop sequence was about to take root in the land of Eight Mile River, and the source of this power seemed to have some mysterious connection to the distant Middle-earth...
Above the ruins of the Wood Elf Village.
The faint light of dawn pierced through the eternally oppressive mist of the Eight Mile River Twilight Point, dyeing the sky red, yet unable to dispel the dense aura of death clinging to this scorched earth.
The giant crater that once dominated this area, proof of the War Tree's complete eradication, now appeared even deeper and colder in the morning light, like an unhealing scar on the earth.
Scorched soil mixed with congealed blood and ash emitted a nauseating, combined odor.
Fires in the distance had not completely extinguished, and wisps of black smoke stubbornly rose, painting the final bloody backdrop for this bitter victory.
Deherim's soldiers, like tireless worker ants, operated efficiently under the cold commands of their officers.
Bandak's heavy infantry, like cold millstones, continuously ground towards the edge of the city forest, guided by Khergit Mounted Archers.
There, the Green Leaf Group and the last remaining resistance of the Wood Elves still shrieked and counterattacked in despair, like cold water splashing into boiling oil; each outburst was accompanied by fierce firefights, shrill screams, and the dull thud of blades cutting into flesh.
However, facing the absolutely overwhelming steel tide and precise arrow rain, this resistance was destined to be futile.
The sounds of battle were sporadic and tragic, like the last few mournful notes of a symphony, quickly falling silent under the harsh slaughter, leaving behind a battlefield strewn with corpses and trampled weapons.
Lezalit's Swadian Sergeants acted as sheepdogs.
They indifferently used their scabbards to strike and their heavy shields to drive the surviving Blue Star Humans, who were scavenged from various ruins and corners.
These people were ragged, gaunt, and their eyes were hollow and numb, like startled sheep, gathered in a temporarily designated open space.
Fear and exhaustion rendered them powerless to resist; they could only huddle under the soldiers' cold gazes.
The number of people in the open space grew visibly, forming a suppressed, silent human sea.
Then, supervised by Khergit Mounted Archers or Swadian Heavy Cavalry, once rested, they set off towards Deherim.
After all, Deherim's construction work was also continuing.
The two newly built urban areas, the West Outer District and the East Outer District, could coincidentally accommodate these Blue Star Humans captured from the Green Leaf Group.
At the heart of the battlefield, Shen Mu merely cast a casual glance at the distant cleanup operation.
All his attention was now immersed in the architectural blueprint, shimmering with emerald green light, deep within his consciousness—the Elf Forest Outpost.
The scene in the blueprint formed a stark contrast, like heaven and hell, with the scorched ruins of the actual battlefield:
Forest platforms bathed in soft light, delicate structures elegantly supported by living tree branches, exuding an aura of eternal peace. Elven archers in silver-moon armor stood on hidden arrow towers, their eyes sharp, their posture as straight as pines, their longbows seemingly merged with the moonlight.
The outpost entrance, concealed at the base of giant trees, featured sturdy wooden constructions covered in moss, perfectly integrated with nature. Woodland Elf scouts in grey-green tight-fitting armor silently stalked through the shadows, moving as agilely as forest spirits, their twin blades gleaming with deadly cold light.
Unimaginable ranged skills, wind-like movement through the forest, extreme perception and utilization of the natural environment...
These images were deeply imprinted in Shen Mu's mind, carrying a completely different aesthetic of warfare—elegant, deadly, and efficient.
A strong sense of possession surged in Shen Mu's heart.
This was the forest power he truly needed!
Power sufficient to replace those Wood Elf Villages that had long become trash heaps!
Such an outpost must be erected on Deherim's territory as soon as possible; this would be a crucial link in his path towards a higher foundation of power.
With a slight thought, the system's cold prompt messages flowed through:
【Elf Forest Outpost template unfolding...】
【Selected location: East side of the territory's core area, adjacent to the 'Park Wetland' area (this area has some natural energy convergence points, recommended index: A-)】
【Construction countdown: Starts when ready...】
A barely perceptible curve played on Shen Mu's lips.
Resources?
Having integrated everything remaining from the Wood Elf Village, Deherim's treasury was bound to see an expansion.
As for special materials...
His cold gaze turned towards the outlines of the tall buildings deeper within Long City, not far away, where countless pre-apocalyptic industrial legacies lay dormant.
These would all be Deherim's "mines" on its future journey.
"My Lord."
Fatis's low voice pulled Shen Mu's consciousness back to reality.
The Knight Commander still guarded his side like the hardest bedrock, his eyes scanning for potential threats, especially in the direction of the giant deep pit, his vigilance not relaxing in the slightest despite the arrival of dawn.
"Speak." Shen Mu's gaze did not leave the system interface.
"Target Zhang Bo, the Eden Garde Devotees have stabilized his injuries. But he has lost too much blood and is in a deep coma. Bandak is having him strictly guarded, ensuring he cannot commit suicide or be interfered with by others. Estimated awakening time is uncertain."
Fatis's report was concise and precise, as if describing the status of a tool: "Yang Di is being rescued; his vital signs are weak, and his mind is on the verge of collapse. The Eden Garde Devotees are trying hard, but the effect... is likely limited. His last consciousness seems to have suffered severe damage at the planar level."
"Understood." Shen Mu's voice was devoid of emotion: "Keep a close eye on Zhang Bo; I won't allow him to die before he speaks. As for Yang Di..." He paused, his tone like a ruling on how to dispose of trash: "Let fate decide."
"Yes!" Fatis responded without hesitation, then whispered a few words to a nearby messenger, who then retreated to relay the order.
Just then, a Swadian Sergeant responsible for battlefield cleanup ran over quickly, knelt on one knee before Shen Mu's horse, and presented an object that was charred black, with edges almost carbonized, but whose main structure was still intact.
"My Lord! This was found during the cleanup of the battlefield ruins! It was under the scorched earth layer of the ruins, about thirty paces northeast of the War Tree's deep pit!"
Shen Mu's gaze fell upon it.
It was a small wooden box, of peculiar material, neither quite wood nor not wood; despite enduring intense fire, its main body was not completely incinerated.
The box's surface was covered with strange patterns, now mostly covered by black ash, but a faint, almost extinguished stream of light could still be vaguely seen flashing by.
This stream of light was not the glow of fire or elements, but rather like the echo of a dying life, extremely faint yet pure.
【Item detected: Severely contaminated and physically damaged 'Ancient Tree Seed Embryo' (Life activity < 0.1%, Planar imprint residue has been pulverized)】
【Source speculation: The last pure origin (fragment) spontaneously stripped by the Wood Elf Plane's Nature's Will before the Wood Elf Lord's core was forcibly plundered, accidentally lost and buried deep during the war...】
【Value judgment: Dying state. Contains an extremely faint trace of primitive natural life law. Can attempt to extract for 'Elf Forest Outpost.'】
A cold, essence-piercing understanding surfaced in Shen Mu's eyes.
So that's how it is.
That elder of the Wood Elf Plane's so-called "sub-node with infinite potential" was probably this thing?
The War Tree itself was merely a "festering sore" forcibly activated by Yang Di.
And this last pure seed... was now like a rotten stone casually discarded in the mud.
The curve on Shen Mu's lips took on a hint of biting mockery.
He did not reach out to take it, only gestured with his eyes.
Fatis immediately stepped forward and took the broken box with his hand, which was clad in mithril armor.
The box felt cold in his hand; that faint sense of life was almost imperceptible.
"Keep it separately and send it to Deherim for Ms. Liu Na." Shen Mu's voice was calm and unwavering, "She can do whatever she wants with it."
"Understood." Fatis responded concisely, handing the charred wooden box to a Holy Tree Knight behind him, who was responsible for escorting special items. The knight carefully took it.
The faint light before dawn seemed to brighten a little, illuminating the tired yet still resolute and cold faces of Deherim's soldiers, and also illuminating Shen Mu's young, austere face, which at this moment reflected the deep foresight of one who held the future.
He took one last look at the giant deep pit, which symbolized failure and an end, then turned his horse around, the Holy Tree Steed's hooves treading on the scorched, blood-soaked earth.
"Order."
Shen Mu's command spread clearly in the cool morning air.
"After the entire army completes battlefield cleanup, assemble and rest. Heavy armored units will escort the captives back to Deherim's core area first, to be registered and screened by Sun Zhiru's team. All captured materials will be initially organized by the Internal Affairs Manager Manid. Bestour's Khergit Mounted Archers will leave one squadron as outer scouts; the rest will return with me. Target—"
His gaze turned towards Deherim, where his foundation lay, and where new power would be born.
"Prepare for the construction of the Elf Forest Outpost."
Fatis accepted the order, and the Holy Tree Knight Order's commands were quickly relayed, ruthless and efficient.
Deherim's war machine, having completed a hearty destruction, did not stop operating, but began to rumble low and steadily towards a new, more ambitious direction.
At the rear of the formation, on a closely guarded stretcher, Zhang Bo, his chest slightly rising and falling, was still unconscious, almost transparently pale.
And in a temporarily erected tent further away, Yang Di let out a faint whimper, like a beast whose throat had been choked.
The Wood Elf Village was a thing of the past, and the plane behind it had been forced to close its gates.
And Deherim's new forest claws were already on the blueprint, casting a cold, sharp light on this Long City. (End of Chapter)
