I had been curious about what the Frost Elf village looked like, and sure enough, it didn’t disappoint.

The Frost Elf lived in igloos, not wooden cabins like in my village. These igloos were small, simple structures at least two stories high, standing tall and proud. The houses were arranged in perfectly straight rows, like disciplined guards standing in formation to protect their king.

At the heart of the village was a large open square, spacious enough to hold at least three hundred people. The square, designed like a boxed observatory, bustled with activity as Frost Elves prepared for the upcoming festival.

What caught my eye next was unexpected, especially considering we were so far north, where the harsh climate should have made such things impossible. On the right side of the square was a verdant garden, lush and vibrant, filled with fruits, vegetables, and herbs. The plants thrived in abundance despite the unforgiving northern weather. Frost Elves with bluish hair streaked with yellow, green, or red highlights rushed around the garden, harvesting fruits and herbs as quickly as they could.

My gaze shifted beyond the village, to the towering ice mountain that loomed over everything like a frozen tidal wave poised to crash down.

No, it wasn’t a mountain.

It was a frozen tsunami, at least eighty stories high, casting an enormous shadow over the land behind the Frost Elf village. The sheer size of it was overwhelming, its crest seemingly frozen mid-motion.

Inside the wave, dark shadows — blacker than the deepest night — dotted the pure blue ice, writhing like vermin competing to see which would get the first bite. Deep, jagged cracks spread throughout the wave, as though some massive beast had clawed at it in an attempt to release the horrors trapped within.

“So, that’s The Great Barrier,” I mumbled, awestruck at the Guardian-made marvel.

Yet, it wasn’t the only sight worth noticing.

Standing proud and tall like a protector of the world, a massive golden tree rose before the frozen tsunami, its presence commanding awe and reverence.

Its branches stretched outward like intricate spiderwebs weaving the sky, their delicate patterns seemingly holding the heavens in place. Its leaves shimmered and danced like countless fireflies in the night, casting a warm, ethereal glow. The roots, thick and gnarled like wooden anacondas, protruded from the ground.

The sheer volume and size of the tree should have exuded vigor and life. Yet, there was something melancholic about it, as though the tree was silently weeping.

“The Great Tree graces us with its blessing,” Elfina said softly, her voice a blend of grace and reverence as she gazed up at the towering marvel. “It’s only thanks to The Great Tree that we are able to have such abundance.”

She turned to me with a small smile. “Come on, let’s get you all settled before the festival tomorrow.”

The Frost Elf had no markets of their own, nor did they need one. Each Elven race worshiped and was blessed by a World Tree, ensuring they never lacked food. Sharing what they had within their small, close-knit communities was second nature to them. This tradition, according to legend, predated even the first human.

It wasn’t surprising that the concept of trade only emerged when the Elf first encountered the Dwarf. Shortly after, they learned about the idea of markets from humans.

Unlike the Elf of most worlds, the Elf in this one were omnivores. They harvested fruits and plants but also hunted animals and monsters for meat. I was particularly intrigued to learn that the Frost Elf was making fruit wine.

It explained why the Dwarves from the expedition team seemed so eager to strike up conversations with any Elf carrying a basket of fruit.

I had also discovered an intriguing fact. This world had multiple World Trees, each one guarded and worshiped by a different Elven race.

But it raised more questions than answers.

What exactly was the relationship between the Elf and their World Tree? What abilities and blessings did these trees bestow? Were the abilities unique to each tree, or did they share common traits?

From what I learned so far, the Elf never experienced hunger under the protection of a World Tree. The Frost Elf’s verdant garden, thriving despite the harsh environment, suggested that one of the blessings was the ability to help flora and fauna grow healthily regardless of conditions.

But what other abilities did the World Trees possess?

And perhaps more importantly, could the World Trees serve as a countermeasure to Demonic Qi?

The questions swirled in my mind, unanswered. But for now, I had something else to focus on.

“Thank you for bringing our children home,” a young-looking Elven man said as we arrived at Elfina’s igloo. He had shoulder-length hair with the same yellow highlights as Elfina’s, and from his words, it was clear this was her father.

Standing beside him was a woman with twin tails streaked with red highlights, her warm smile making it obvious she was Elfina’s mother.

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“We’re her friends,” I replied simply. “It’s the least we could do.”

Elfina’s father nodded at us, then pulled her into a tight hug. His voice, though warm, carried a subtle tremor, like someone who had stayed up all night worrying.

“Thank the Guardians. Thank the World Trees,” he murmured, his relief palpable.

“I’m a little tired, Dad. I’ll go inside first,” Elfina said, her voice listless.

Her mother gently tapped her father’s shoulder. “Let our girl rest, dear. She’s had a long day.”

“Yes, of course.” He quickly released her and helped carry the sled into the igloo.

“Please come in, don’t be shy,” Elfina’s mother said, smiling warmly as she beckoned us inside.

To my surprise, her grip was stronger than I expected when she gently pulled us along. My curiosity piqued, and I couldn’t resist the urge to check her level.

[Level ???].

Elfina’s mother let go of my hand and flicked my forehead with surprising speed. Her movements were a blur, and the force of the flick was strong enough to push my head back slightly.

“Peeking at a lady’s level is rude, you know,” she said with a gentle smile that didn’t quite match the sharp reprimand in her voice. “Don’t do that unless you’ve reached at least the 2nd Ascension.”

High-level individuals can sense when someone inspects them. Another useful piece of information.

The unique design of the Frost Elf igloo caught my attention. While it was still made from blocks of ice, there was a small space dug beneath the floor. The floor itself was a single wooden slab with numerous tiny holes drilled into it, allowing cold air to sink through and settle in the space below.

There was no fireplace or chimney, yet the house felt warm. The reason became apparent as I examined the walls, which were etched with intricate Conservation Runes that kept the heat contained inside the house.

At first, I didn’t notice any obvious heat source until my eyes landed on a perfectly cut basalt cube positioned in the corner. Every inch of its surface was meticulously engraved with Heat Runes. Placed beneath a five-tier shelving unit filled with baskets of herbs, the cube appeared to serve as both a stove and a heat source.

Elfina’s mother guided us to the table in their living room and gestured for us to sit.

“Would you two like some fruit wine?” she asked with a warm smile, placing two cups of purple wine in front of us.

“Thank you,” we both said, accepting the cups graciously.

I took a sip of the wine and immediately understood why the Dwarves were so mesmerized by it. Heavy yet fresh, spicy yet light. Each sip left a tingling and numbing sensation on the tip of my tongue, a sensation that only intensified the desire for another sip.

But the real kicker came after pausing for a few seconds. A mix of sweetness and saltiness wrapped around my esophagus, marching slowly toward my brain, bringing a chilling sensation with every step.

“Great wine,” I said, genuinely impressed.

“This… hic… is amazing. So… tasty,” Sera slurred, clearly drunk out of her mind.

She had barely taken a mouthful, and her face was already flushed red. I’d never realized my sister was so weak to alcohol. It was definitely something to keep in mind when we went to NorthStar.

“Oh my, sorry about that. Let me get you some fruit juice instead,” Elfina’s mother said with an amused chuckle as she got up to fetch a different drink for Sera.

I sighed internally. I still needed Sera to help me make a video, and letting her pass out now wasn’t exactly ideal.

Time to detox her.

Reaching over, I took Sera’s hand and channeled my Qi into her. My Demonic Qi greedily devoured the alcohol content in her bloodstream as it coursed through her body.

But the moment it reached her throat, a strong repelling force flared up, pushing back against my Qi and attempting to devour it.

Ah, right. Almost forgot about that.

I shook my head at my own oversight, amused by how I kept forgetting small yet crucial details. Was I getting old, or just distracted?

The murky lump of Demonic Qi still sat stubbornly in my sister’s throat. Narrowing my eyes, I funneled more of my Qi to attack it directly.

Unlike my own Demonic Qi, which was easier to control, the Qi inside Sera was chaotic and unruly, much like the energy I had encountered in the Bearowl I killed. It was parasitic, full of an insatiable desire to devour life force rather than acting as a supportive energy created from it.

As I pressed harder, beads of sweat appeared on Sera’s face, and her rosy cheeks heated up.

Then, the Demonic Qi inside her made a desperate attempt to resist. It flared into a crimson haze, lashing out as though it were alive, trying to infect anyone nearby.

Sera’s body arched, her eyelids fluttering uncontrollably as the blood rushed to her head, turning her face an unsettling shade of red like an overripe tomato.

This reaction caught me off guard. I’d never seen Demonic Qi behave so aggressively before. But no matter. The moment it revealed itself outside of Sera’s body, it had sealed its fate.

“Hold on, Sera. This will be over in a second,” I said, my voice firm but comforting, though I wasn’t sure if she could hear me through her struggle.

I reached out and grabbed the crimson haze with my hand, activating [Plundering Qi]. A navy-blue vortex formed in my palm, greedily devouring the unruly energy.

Within moments, the Demonic Qi was ripped out of Sera, scattering the crimson energy that had surrounded her. The vortex consumed it all, leaving no trace of the parasitic force behind.

*Ding

[World Walker’s Comprehension Level up: Level 4 –> 5]

[Plundering Qi Level up: Level 2 –> 3]

My mind raced as I processed the implications of this new type of Demonic Qi.

As I had suspected, this wasn’t the same variant I had fought against before. Members of the Demonic Cult required physical contact to spread Demonic Qi or to steal Qi from others. But this new strain was different. It was coded with Runes to act independently.

It stayed dormant within the host for as long as possible, slowly siphoning away their life force. When the time came, it would surge through the host’s body and explode, spreading Demonic Qi everywhere and infecting anyone nearby.

Turning infected people into living time bombs while draining their life force? I thought the Demonic Cult was bad, but this...

This was a whole new level of insidiousness.

A sinking feeling settled in my gut. Discovering the origin of this new Demonic Qi wasn’t just a priority anymore. It was something I had to do.

“What was that?” Sera asked suddenly, snapping her eyes open.

“Just getting rid of the thing that was hurting your throat,” I replied, releasing her calloused, scarred hand. “How are you feeling?”

She touched her throat gingerly and closed her eyes as if checking for any lingering discomfort. After a moment, her eyes flew open in surprise.

“It doesn’t hurt anymore,” she said, her voice tinged with disbelief. “It doesn’t hurt anymore! Does that mean...”

Before she could finish, Elfina’s parents rushed toward me.

Her father grabbed my shoulders, his grip tight with desperation. “Child, please, help us get rid of that crimson fog!” he shouted, his voice urgent and trembling. Their eyes bore into me as if I were their last lifeline.

“Who is infected?” I asked grimly, my mind already calculating the potential fallout. This new type of Demonic Qi was like carrying time bombs inside people, and having multiple bombs ready to go off was a nightmare scenario.

“Our great tree,” Elfina’s mother replied.

And just like that, the situation went from bad to worse.