Sovereign of Chaos

Chapter 9: Invitation From The Pure Girl Lily Storm

The next day, early morning.

Ethan rose early, washed his face briefly, grabbed a broom, and stepped outside.

He gazed at the pale sky and enjoyed a moment of tranquility. Dressed in a simple, clean azure robe, his serene and indifferent expression made him appear several years older than he was.

In front of the small house where Ethan and his grandfather had lived, there stood a massive pagoda tree that required three grown men to wrap their arms around its trunk. The tree's branches spread wide, and it towered over thirty feet high, leaving a striking impression from afar.

Occasionally, passersby would marvel at the sight, and some ill-intentioned individuals would attempt to secretly chop it down to sell. However, after countless strikes, only a few chunks of bark were removed, leaving mere scratches on the trunk before they gave up.

Ethan remembered his grandfather's frequent admonitions: "This is a spiritual tree, a tree of fortune. Cherish and protect it."

Ethan was skeptical but had to admit the tree's bark was indeed incredibly sturdy.

Standing tall like a spear, Ethan rotated his wrist, holding the broom, and swept the dead leaves from beneath the pagoda tree.

As he moved, the pagoda leaves gathered around him. In a moment, Ethan abruptly stopped and revealed a hint of a smile.

"Why, Ethan, you're quite diligent today," a silvery laugh chimed in.

Before him stood a girl of about eleven or twelve, her waist-length ponytail swaying gently. Dressed in a light green silk dress, she was slender and elegant, her smile endearing. Though young, she possessed an innate, captivating charm.

"Lily, you're one to talk! You're up early to attend school, aren't you?" Ethan scratched his head, grinning.

In Stone Town and even Mistwood County, most girls attended school to learn various subjects. Those from affluent families studied music, chess, calligraphy, and painting, while others listened to lectures for a few years to become literate. Boys, on the other hand, focused on different pursuits. Although they also attended school for a year or two, they mostly trained at martial arts schools to build strength and stamina.

"No, I have the day off," Lily Storm replied, her bright eyes twinkling. "Ethan, can you do me a favor?"

Ethan smirked, "What do you need?"

"Help me chop down trees."

"Chop down trees?" Ethan was surprised and teased, "When did our pagoda tree bother you?"

"It's not that. I need help chopping trees in my family's woods. My grandma said there are thousands of trees to be cut down, so..." Lily pouted, giving Ethan a pitiful look.

"Are you planning to clear the forest?" Ethan hesitated, aware of the vast forest owned by Lily's family. Their primary income came from the timber harvested each year from the large woodland area in Storm Clan's Village.

"No, I still have to work at Blue Cloud Forge in town," Ethan pondered for a moment. "Cutting down thousands of trees isn't a task for a day or two. It would take months for one person to finish. Let me go to town first and notify Uncle Henry. Is that alright?"

Lily beamed, revealing her little fangs. "Go ahead; I'll wait here for you."

"Alright," Ethan nodded, turning to sprint toward the path leading to town.

"If you're not back in an hour, I'll—" Lily threatened, shaking her small fists at Ethan's retreating figure, "I'll chop down your pagoda tree!"

Hearing this, Ethan stumbled and nearly fell into a nearby pond.

…

An hour later, Ethan arrived punctually at the agreed-upon location.

With Ethan's current casting skills, he could finish a day's work at Blue Cloud Forge in less than two hours, making it unnecessary to spend an entire day there. So, Henry had let him go without hesitation, reminding him to return every week to complete his work.

"You're back rather quickly," Lily blinked.

"Let's go to the mountain," Ethan suggested.

As neighbors, Ethan and Lily's families lived a mere hundred yards apart. Soon, they arrived at the foot of the hill behind Lily's house. Lily's grandfather, Joseph Storm, was a prominent landowner in Storm Clan's Village, with extensive properties, mountains, and forests. In Stone Town, trees represented wealth; fine wood like mahogany could be crafted into high-quality furniture, while even the most inconspicuous shrubs could be bundled and turned into firewood.

Joseph's forest covered an area of over ten square miles, with hundreds of thousands of trees. To facilitate identification, each tree was assigned a number. Every year, trees with a specific number were cut down, ensuring a continuous harvest without over-exploitation.

When Ethan and Lily reached the mountain, a group of ten people had already gathered in a clearing halfway up the slope. Most of them were around Ethan's age, between twelve and eighteen years old. Leading them was Charles Storm, Lily's father, who was addressing the group on safety precautions.

Dressed in a dark blue robe, Charles nodded to Ethan and Lily before addressing the crowd. "This year, we need to cut down the sixth batch of trees. Any tree marked with the number '6' should be felled. The sixth batch consists of the rare and sturdy 'Iron Blade' trees. Each tree will be worth ten copper coins. Is that clear?"

Ten copper coins per tree? Hearing this, everyone's faces lit up with excitement, even Ethan couldn't help but raise an eyebrow.

"We understand!" The group shouted, their faces beaming with anticipation.

"Right," Charles added, frowning. "Try to work in pairs when cutting down trees. In recent years, there have been reports of big cats on the mountain. It's better to be cautious, as I won't be held responsible if anyone gets hurt. Don't say I didn't warn you."

"Big cats?" A timid thirteen-year-old boy paled at the mention.

"What are you afraid of? There are so many of us; we can handle a little tiger," boasted a fifteen-year-old, slapping his chest and glancing at Lily with pride. "With my strength at the third level of the Strong Blood Realm, I'll be more than ready for a big cat."

Ethan, standing next to Lily, almost laughed out loud. Impressive as it might sound, the big cat would surely have the last laugh. The braggart was Justin Storm, a notorious blowhard from Storm Clan's Village and one of Lily's most persistent suitors.

"Yeah, Snotty-nosed kid, where can we find such a good deal? Ten cents for a single tree!" Another young man chimed in, attempting to persuade him.

"Alright. Let's team up then. I'm still a greenhorn, and I don't want to be eaten by a big cat just like that," the timid boy stuttered.

Charles heaved a sigh of relief and announced, "If no one has any objections, collect your saws one by one."

"Wait," Ethan suddenly interrupted. "Uncle Charles, do you have any knife?"