Chapter 252: Lost Divinity of Mortals

Yumia looked at the distorted, demonic figure engulfed in flames, her expression tightening. "You have indeed fallen!"

"To protect the Song of Shadow and the glory of the Watchers, I must kill you!" Her hawk-like gaze instantly fixed on the demonic figure before her.

Terrifying energy fluctuations flickered.

Whoosh!

The entire forest rapidly withered and fell silent, as two figures radiating terrifying auras clashed furiously.

This time, Muir had combined with a life structure similar to the Ancestor Witches of this world, achieving a transformation and gaining a combat form. His Poisonous Hair, Spicy Legs, and Hand of Life had transformed into poisonous claws, low-temperature spicy flames, and life regeneration completely integrated into his body.

"Yes! I've weakened my talents, made myself more agile, sacrificed a lot so people could approach me. I'm not your match," Ilfan growled. "But no matter how strong you are, your legs and Poison Wheel's lethality against me has significantly decreased."

Ilfan roared, and both sides were quickly severely wounded in their fierce struggle.

However, the advantages and disadvantages of both sides gradually became apparent. Although Yumia's hands could self-heal, their limitations were too great, not comparable to Ilfan's integrated body regeneration. Yumia was accumulating more and more wounds.

"But if this continues, I'm afraid I'll die first." Muir's expression was grim. Although his resistance was strong, her spiciness was terrifying, already corroding his body, and the poison had begun to spread internally. He was barely suppressing these toxins. "I must seize this opportunity to leave, otherwise the poison will fully take hold."

He flashed, beating his fleshy wings, and ascended into the air.

"Flee? Ilfan, how dare you!" Yumia's voice, a mix of shock and fury, echoed. Her heart suddenly seized with urgency, and she swiftly picked up the Poison Wheel, throwing it into the air, but it struck nothing.

Days later, Ilfan, having recovered from his demon form and reverted to his ordinary elf appearance, hid to heal his injuries. He then skillfully donned women's clothing and walked through Silvermoon City, the Elven Royal Capital. Given his fair skin and the absence of a distinct concept of male physical appearance in this world, no one suspected him.

He made his way around, finally meeting Girna.

Girna was startled, recognizing the peculiar elf who had once brazenly challenged Elf Emperor Yumia in the Elven Royal Hall, the very renegade elf who had escaped Emperor Yumia's pursuit.

"Are you... Yumia?" Girna couldn't help but ask, her eyes wide with fear.

He instantly smiled. As expected, after a century of living together and sharing a bed, Girna could recognize him instantly and see through the impostor.

"Will you leave with me?" A hint of hesitation appeared on Ilfan's cold, handsome face, and a faint unease echoed in his heart. "But we will face a bounty from the entire elf race, and we might have nowhere to hide."

"Yes," Girna replied, her resolve firm. "But Shireen..."

Ilfan thought for a moment. "She'll be fine. She is the next Elf Queen I designated. I stopped managing the empire's affairs countless years ago; she handles everything. She is the true ruler of the Elf Empire. That Yumia won't harm her; she'll still be allowed to be the next Elf Queen, and she'll continue to guard the elves' glory. Yumia will only target me."

Half a day later, the Royal Palace detected the news of Girna's disappearance.

"Pursue them!" Elf Emperor Yumia, seated on her throne, slowly opened her eyes.

Year 38 of the Yumia Empire.

Despite vigorous attempts to conceal it, a shocking piece of news spread throughout the entire nation: Girna and the unique dark elf Ilfan had defected. The entire nation was thrown into turmoil.

"Isn't Girna His Majesty Yumia's confidante? Utterly loyal, even willing to die for His Majesty, how could she possibly leave with another elf?"

"And Ilfan, he's rumored to be an elf wanted by the eleven Elf Ancient Trees, who betrayed our elf race, destroyed our peaceful and tranquil paradise, and brought disaster, fear, and death to this world!"

Regardless of what was said outside, the two had already hidden themselves deep within the lush forest.

"Let's get married." Muir smiled, looking at the woman he loved. They held a wedding in a deserted forest.

History turned a new page. The 'Garden of Eden' chapter in the *Holy Calendar* records:

In the forty-seventh year of the Yumia Empire, the elf traitors Ilfan and Girna stole the forbidden fruit of the ancient Life God 'Eden,' losing their divinity. They fell into sin and pleasure, descended to the mortal realm, and became barbaric and rude.

Gods declared that they had committed a sin requiring generations of atonement, named Original Sin, meaning the primal, innate sin. The ancient gods banished them from the elf race, placed bounties on them, and cursed their descendants: men would become greedy and tyrannical, and women would suffer in childbirth.

Muir began to pursue the life he desired, casting aside the mission of elven resurgence. The couple traveled across the planet, moving from one elf town to another. Muir once again donned female attire, and like two beautiful elf sisters, they journeyed everywhere, seeking out delicacies, cooking, then improving the food, and inviting Girna to taste it.

They visited the Killer Desert Canyon, witnessed the most beautiful desert sunrises, and under the guidance of Sand Elves, sought out the legendary delicacy: traces of the White Pearl Fruit Tree. They traveled by boat to the ocean, injured a nine-headed serpent, severed one of its heads, and cooked the most delicious dish. They sought out dragons and communicated with them, using their exquisite culinary skills to become their guests and enjoy delicacies unique to dragon pearls.

This honeymoon-like journey was very happy. Girna also became pregnant. As a Fourth-Tier being with a strong physique, she didn't feel much pain and continued to travel extensively with her growing belly.

"Perhaps the Elf Ancient Tree's curse about the pain of pregnancy is false. I haven't felt any pain, nor do I bleed every month, nor will I die from childbirth." Girna smiled, stroking her belly, feeling two twins, two brand-new lives, within her. These were lives conceived by elves themselves in this world, without relying on the Elf Ancient Trees!

"Our elf race, perhaps in the future, can truly stop relying on the Elf Ancient Trees. We are free!" She smiled. "We might transform into an entirely new race, a unique elf species!" She laughed. Neither of them wished to be enemies with the elf race; they simply wanted to live in seclusion, leading the peaceful life they desired.

The pregnancy was not for ten months. It took a full nine years for Girna to gradually give birth to her children. Or rather, what was born were not humanoids, but two blood-soaked spherical objects, one white and one black. They resembled the structure of elf fruits but were different, radiating a reddish, transparent glow, pulsating and beating like hearts.

"Hehehe!"

"Giggle, giggle!"

Gradually, the strange spheres began to play and frolic with each other, developing intelligence. After several days, they devoured the outer fleshy casings that enveloped them and transformed into two male infants.

The male infant hatched from the white sphere resembled an elf but was also subtly different. While elves were perfect half-plant, half-animal lives propagated by the Elf Ancient Trees, this infant seemed to be shifting towards a purely biological form. Its sharp, leaf-like ears became rounded, its appearance was no longer perfect, and it gradually became ordinary.

The other male infant, hatched from the black sphere, had sharp demonic ram horns, narrow eyes, and even fleshy wings on his back. He was still a creature of very perfect appearance.

"Two strange children, our descendants. Their power is weakening — they are only Second-Tier at birth, and might only reach Third-Tier upon adulthood."

Muir was stunned. "One child is an ordinary humanoid, seemingly unable to transform into a demon or a combat form, very weak. The other child, from birth, is in eternal demonic combat form? Unable to turn into a human form?"

One was extremely strong, the other extremely weak. This seemed to correspond to the two life forms he had inherited.

Girna suddenly looked at the demonic infant and playfully chided him, "It's all your fault for liking that demon transformation! It must have been conceived when you were in that form."

The two laughed joyfully, holding their two infants, feeling that a new chapter in their lives had begun.