The Witcher: Start with the Lord Marrying a Wife.

Chapter 573 Elemental Trial
On the right is an earth elemental spirit, whose body is composed of hard rock and soft soil, like a small, moving hill, and whose eyes gleam with a calm and profound incomprehension and scrutiny.
Emerging from the left is a water spirit, its form condensed from flowing water vapor, transparent and graceful, each wave of its hand bringing a refreshing, moist, and cool sensation.

The element that leaps like flames is fire. Its whole body is burning with intense flames, but it also emits a warm and subtle light that is both awe-inspiring and reassuring.
Finally, there is the element of wind, which is light and ethereal, like transparent wings dancing in the air, with each breath accompanied by subtle whirlwinds and natural sounds.

These pure beings are filled with obvious curiosity about outsiders, yet retain an instinctive wariness and rejection.

They are not inherently hostile, but because they are guarding their own origins, they are wary of any intruders, constantly conveying information through natural rhythms, while silently observing and trying to decipher David and Liliana's intentions.

David tried to concentrate his mind and merge his wizarding knowledge with his inner spiritual power, hoping to capture clues of "language" from these information waves that emanated natural power.

But he soon discovered that these communications were not in the human language or runic incantations he was familiar with, but rather through a series of extremely subtle and complex energy fluctuations and natural rhythms that were difficult to quantify—

Every breath, every temperature change, even the subtle vibration of every speck of dust in the air, carries the meaning of dialogue.

“This is not a simple dialogue; it is the most primal resonance between the origins of life,” David murmured, cold sweat beading on his forehead.

This method of communication made him feel that his wizarding logic had been challenged like never before. His method of dividing the world order by rational reasoning seemed pale and powerless here. "They did not use words, but used... energy spectrum to sing hymns."

For a moment, he tried to adjust his mental energy to a similar frequency, hoping to capture a clearer meaning through his inner stream of consciousness.

However, this effort not only failed to elicit a cooperative response, but also stirred up unease among some elemental spirits.

The fire spirit suddenly spewed out blazing flames that surrounded its body, as a show of force to scare away those who dared to overstep their bounds.
The water spirits swirled and created a powerful mist, forming a barrier.
The earthworm became increasingly stubborn, raising the rocks beneath its feet to form a defensive barrier.
Feng Yuan swiftly flew and darted about, constantly overturning fallen leaves to hinder the two's exploration.

Faced with the sudden attack, David quickly retreated a few steps and used his staff to guide the formation of a light blue shield.

His gaze was serious. "It seems we can't force communication using traditional thinking patterns; we can only wait for an opportunity to try and crack their unique information structure."

At this moment, Liliana stood not far away, her eyes deep and focused, like a small beast gleaming with green light in the shadows of a forest, intently observing the group of pure and mysterious beings.

Her brows sometimes appeared and sometimes relaxed, and the emerald green patterns that spread from her body surface extended like the veins of a tree, constantly connecting her with the pulse of the earth.

In a fleeting moment, she reached out and touched her arm, the lines of which seemed to convey a certain message: she possessed a more direct way of understanding these life rhythms than David, but had not yet chosen to intervene in the translation of words, simply waiting for the right moment to perceive the point of resonance between them.

The air grew thicker because of this ineffable yet incredibly rich exchange of information. The twigs that had been activated swayed in the wind, and as if sensing some secret, they hummed softly, silently telling the truth that had existed since the beginning of time.

Everything here, including the passage of time, seems to be slowly stretched due to the tacit resonance of these guardians, making every detail exceptionally clear yet heavy and oppressive.

The air in the core area of ​​the World Tree projection remained stagnant, and the entwined aerial roots seemed to breathe slowly, gently exhaling the pulse of ancient life.

In that dark and sacred space, David and Liliana almost became a frozen corner outside of time.

The wind elemental spirit continued to dance lightly in the air, its ethereal and transparent form like wisps of smoke appearing and disappearing in the morning mist.

At this moment, it becomes the most active and noisy source of information, conveying complex and subtle information fluctuations.

David took a deep breath, trying to concentrate all his mental energy to capture the rhythm and meaning of this "whisper" from the depths of the wind's soul.

He felt a seemingly gentle yet chilling flow of information piercing his mind like fine needles. It was not just the elements themselves, but the deep-seated will reflected by the rules of the World Tree.

Just as he was trying to merge with this power, a sudden illusion struck, pouring down like a torrential rain, dragging him into the darkest and most painful scene of his memory.

Frostwolf Keep, once an impregnable fortress, is now nothing but ruins and bloodstains, trampled to pieces by iron hooves in the harsh winter.

The cold wind howled, and snowflakes mingled with the smell of gunpowder. Every gust of wind seemed to blow away the former prosperity and bring endless sorrow and despair.

David's eyes widened, but he couldn't escape the overwhelming images. He saw the city walls collapse with a deafening roar, and a troop of enemy soldiers, clad in long black robes and with ferocious, menacing faces, charged into the city like wild beasts.

He heard his parents raising their arms in command, their roars and cries of despair as they defended the position, but he was powerless to do anything but watch them fall one by one.

They risked their lives to protect the last line of defense, but ultimately could not withstand the cruel fate.

The air was thick with the smell of blood and cold rust, making his heart feel as if it were being squeezed tightly.

Even more shockingly, he carefully spotted the hidden emblem on the enemy's robes—a small badge composed of twisted black crescent shapes with a dark red gemstone inlaid in the center.

This emblem is unlike any known symbol of the Church or the Council of Elements, and exudes a mysterious and extremely threatening sense of unfamiliarity.

This discovery struck him like a heavy hammer blow to the chest, making every nerve tremble and making the chaotic and tragic scene even clearer and more vivid, as if it had actually happened, directly piercing the barrier of time and space.

David's body trembled slightly, cold sweat beaded on his forehead, and he instinctively gripped his staff tightly to steady his shaky mind.

“This…does this mean…that there is a more complex and insidious force behind our enemies?” His voice was low and hesitant, his eyes reddening from the intense emotions he was experiencing.

However, this sudden mental shock also completely severed his communication channels with the wind elemental spirits.

The gentle, rhythmic whispers that had filled the space vanished abruptly, leaving only a deathly silence and a suffocating atmosphere of unease.

The wind elemental spirits swooped down to avoid them, hovering warily, while the other three elements also withdrew their radiance due to the abnormal vibrations, enveloping the entire root projection area in a heavy and solemn atmosphere once again.

Liliana noticed David's expression change drastically and quickly stepped forward to support his shoulder.

"Are you alright?" she asked softly, but he only slowly shook his head without answering. She understood that this sudden hallucination had touched upon the deepest, unhealed scar in his heart, like a brand forever etched into the depths of his soul, impossible to erase or fade no matter how much he struggled. "We can't stop," she said resolutely, a complex emotion flashing in her eyes. "This is a trial, and it's also your test."

She sighed softly, "Perhaps that's why the will of this ancient tree reveals such a stern side."

David closed his eyes and gasped for breath to regulate his breathing. He knew he had to forcefully shut out these horrific images, otherwise he would not only lose his mind but could also put the entire team in danger.

He clenched his staff tightly in both fists, suppressing the turmoil in his heart with unwavering willpower, but it was not hard to feel those dark memories stirring like spreading vines, dragging him to the edge of an abyss.

Gradually, he used all his strength to stabilize himself, and when he opened his eyes again, his gaze was firm but with a hint of heaviness.

“I’m ready,” he said. “Next, we must find out the truth behind these symbols and build up our strength for a real counterattack in the future.”

Liliana nodded in support, and took out some handwritten rune scrolls passed down from ancient forest priests from her bosom. The symbols on them seemed to correspond to the information she was currently accessing.

These scrolls may hold one of the keys to breaking down communication barriers, but they are also fraught with unknown challenges. The deeper they go, the more severe the tests await them with each step...

David's heart pounded like a drum. The horrific vision of Frostwolf Castle still lingered in his mind, the blood and smoke seemingly permeating every inch of the air, igniting a raging fire of revenge within him.

The rage consumed his reason like a raging fire; he could almost feel his spiritual bridge crumbling, and the platform connecting him to the will of the World Tree could collapse at any moment.

At this critical moment, an extraordinary atmosphere permeated the Path of Roots.

The intertwined aerial roots trembled slowly, their interlacing to form a broad natural dome, shimmering with a faint blue light amidst the deep green, like a vast starry sky adorning the gaps between the branches and leaves.

The air was filled with the scent of damp earth and fragrant grass, but mixed in with it was an ancient, solemn atmosphere that was almost suffocating.

Suddenly, an invisible stream of information flowed quietly deep within David's mind, neither language nor sound, but a vast and impersonal will—

It transcended the boundaries of time and space, injecting the information accumulated over thousands of years by the World Tree into the core of his consciousness.

For the first time, this vast and mysterious flow of information has attempted to "converse," conveying its most fundamental and rigorous truths about life, destiny, and the laws of nature.

"Revenge," the voice whispered like an ancient forest in the wind, yet was as vast as the pulse of the universe, "is the source of the imbalance, the poison that corrupts the very foundation of life."

Every immortal flame ignited by hatred consumes you and corrodes the heart of the earth.

David's eyes were tightly closed. The message cut into his soul like a sharp blade, making him feel the irresistible and unquestionable power from the World Tree: "The natural cycle is the cycle of life and death, the great path that constitutes the coexistence and prosperity of all things."

If one is obsessed with destruction, like a raging flood or a wild beast without restraint, one will eventually annihilate oneself.

Only by letting go of revenge and dedicating your power to balance can you achieve true awakening.

These words, devoid of emotion, carry a heavy weight and strike at the deepest part of his heart.

He felt his mind being gradually stripped of the fog that enveloped his anger and pain, and the edifice that had tormented him day and night, tearing his soul apart, seemed to be silently crumbling.

His lips trembled slightly, but he could not utter a sound, and could only let his thoughts surge.

Liliana stood quietly to the side, her gaze gentle yet firm. A green line danced from her fingertips to her wrist, pulsating like breath. She silently supported his struggle, without interrupting this extremely private and difficult exchange of information.

The low-frequency hum in the air gradually became clearer; it was the life rhythm released by the re-aggregation of the elemental spirits, like a trickle of water flowing into a surging river, containing infinite possibilities and harmonious rhythm.

This was like the most primal and pure language between heaven and earth conveying a signal to the two of them: at this moment, this human being shrouded in the shadow of destruction needs to accept the baptism of natural laws and seek a new source of power, rather than sinking into a dark obsession from which he cannot extricate himself.

“I…” David slowly opened his eyes, his pupils deep and dark like a bottomless pool. He murmured, “Revenge… is not about forgetting, not about abandoning responsibility, but about… learning to transcend the self that only brings darkness and destruction.”

He said this with cold sweat beading on his forehead, but his expression gradually calmed down. "I think I must learn to listen to this grander, more eternal message and resonate with nature."

Liliana nodded slightly, and gently reached out to grasp his wrist. The emerald green veins on his wrist instantly pulsed even more intensely: "You have taken the first step, not only facing the past, but also choosing the future."

Her smile was gentle, yet full of warmth and strength. "This is a responsibility we share, and it is also a test we must pass on the road ahead."

At this moment, the elemental spirits around them gradually lost their previous wariness, and they jumped and spun around the two of them in a gentler and more graceful manner, as if welcoming long-lost friends.

And those aerial roots also emit a brighter and warmer glow, casting ripple-like illusions among the branches and leaves, reflecting the changing seasons, the cycle of life and death, and the birth and death of all things.

Space and time seemed to become more flexible and expansive, each breath resonating with the rhythm of heaven and earth, making one feel as if a purifying holy spring had been infused into the body—

This is a sense of belonging, a process of rebuilding, a baptism of past traumas, and the beginning of a profound and meaningful new beginning.

"May you remember this in your heart"—that invisible presence once again solidified into words that were warm and profound yet still ethereal and elusive: "Remember—all things have a spirit, and nature is the temple."

Only by respecting the cycle can we safeguard eternity. Killing cannot bring salvation; it only turns tragedy into a nightmare within the cycle of fate.

David nodded vigorously, gripping his staff tightly. Gone was his former impetuousness and anger; instead, there was a steadfast conviction refined from despair.

(End of this chapter)