Winning followers through strength isn’t a bad idea.
However, being in the sprite stage, improving his strength would take time until reaching maturity. But who knows when that would be?
Is there any other way to mature quickly?
Dangross’s thoughts began to wander.
Angel knew that a single Hand of Magic wouldn’t hold Dangross down. He initially planned to reinforce discipline with a firm hand during Dangross’s struggle. However, to his surprise, Dangross resigned itself like a salted fish and stopped resisting, seemingly daydreaming.
Angel’s anger was stuck in his chest, unable to find an outlet to erupt. So, in his fury, he used the Hand of Magic to crush Dangross a few more times, who was oblivious and let himself be kneaded like a dough.
Watching Dangross with that unflappable demeanor, Angel finally could only take a deep breath and decide not to bother anymore.
At this moment, the Wind Elemental Spirit inside the sand cage began to recover from its dizzy "spiral eyes" and returned to normal.
Angel also noticed the abnormality inside the cage.
It seems that this little guy is about to wake up.
Just as Angel thought, the little whirlwind opened its eyes. The first thing it did upon opening its eyes was look around, and upon seeing itself confined in a cage made of flowing sand, a clear panic appeared in its eyes.
The little whirlwind tried to rush out, but as soon as it touched the yellow sand, the wind element within it began to be absorbed.
Angel was also curious about what it would do in this escape-proof situation.
Two seconds later, the disproportionately large eyes of the little whirlwind began to fill with mist.
Five seconds later, accompanied by a cry of "waaah," two fountain-like streams of tears burst from the little whirlwind’s eyes.
Angel: "..."
Leaving aside how a Wind Elemental Spirit could cry tears, Angel really hadn’t expected that the first thing this little guy did was start bawling.
This was the first Elemental Sprite he had seen that could cry.
Angel suddenly remembered that earlier, when he observed the little whirlwind’s eyes, he had noticed some slight moisture. Could it be that this little guy had already been brewing tears while it was unconscious?
The more the little whirlwind cried, the more aggrieved it seemed, and the louder it cried, even awakening the meditating Dangross.
"What’s going on with it?" Dangross looked at the little whirlwind in the cage with surprise and doubt.
Angel shrugged: "I don’t know, maybe it got scared and started crying?"
"Scared crying? What’s crying?" Dangross looked at Angel, puzzled.
"It’s an emotional outlet for sadness or joy."
"Huh? You can cry for both sadness and joy?"
Looking at Dangross’s curious face, Angel suddenly didn’t know how to answer. How could he explain the concept of crying to a Fire Elemental being?
"Can you cry when not sad or happy?"
"...You can too." Angel already felt that Dangross’s wrist might have been covered with question marks.
To help Dangross understand what crying was, Angel thought about it and decided that using a skit might be the best presentation. So, he gently pointed at Dangross, and a Power of Nightmare Illusion entered its body.
Dangross was instantly frozen, entering the world of Illusion Techniques.
Meanwhile, the Sand Hawk that had sunk underground to transmit messages suddenly leaped from the solidifying ground.
With dust wrapped around it, the Sand Hawk soared into the Sky Dome, landing directly on the bow of the Gondola.
Once the Sand Hawk settled, it heard the crying wail and turned to look at the little whirlwind in the cage: "Huh, why is it crying?"
Angel: "Do you know what crying is?"
The Sand Hawk nodded: "Although I can’t cry, I know the little grass on the green meadow can cry. I’ve also heard the Water Elemental Spirits cry the most, but their tears don’t gain sympathy because they are made of water."
Angel nodded understandingly. It seems Elemental Creatures also have the concept of crying, but Dangross, being a Fire Element being, doesn’t understand. Mr. Magu should also know what crying is, but in the Fire Element realm, teaching Elemental Sprites about crying is quite difficult.
The Sand Hawk watched the little whirlwind for a while and softly said: "It’s still young, probably scared to tears. However, this is the first time I’ve seen a Wind Elemental Spirit cry."
In his heart, Angel silently agreed: I agree.
The Sand Hawk ignored the bawling little whirlwind and turned to Angel: "I’ve already inquired about the opinion of The Sage."
"Oh, what is Mr. Platinum’s decision?"
"Since Mr. Pat intends to go to the White Cloud Village, The Sage hopes you can escort this Wind Elemental Spirit there and hand it over to His Highness Soft Wind."
Angel pondered for a moment; he roughly understood Platinum’s intent.
After all, the little whirlwind defied the rules of His Highness Sandstorm. Simply letting it go wasn’t good, but the little whirlwind was merely a little elf; excessive punishment would lead to ridicule.
Taking it to the White Cloud Village and returning it to Soft Wind Urano himself to handle not only punishes the little whirlwind but also demonstrates the Storm Ridge’s stance and gives a favor to His Highness Soft Wind.
Additionally, it also helps connect Angel with His Highness Soft Wind.
In short, it’s a win-win situation.
Once Angel realized this, he naturally wouldn’t refuse: "Alright, I can escort it back to White Cloud Village."
As Angel finished speaking, the little whirlwind in the yellow sand cage also heard it and immediately shook its head, crying and shouting: "I don’t want to go back, let me out, I don’t want to go back!"
The little whirlwind has Spirit Intelligence; its voluntary choice to leave White Cloud Village had already been guessed. So, the sudden outburst from the little whirlwind did not cause much stir.
The Sand Hawk turned his head sharply to the little whirlwind: "You don’t have to go back, but you trespassed into the Baya Desert and defied the Sandstorms’ rules. I can send you to His Highness Sandstorm to be imprisoned in the quicksand prison. For your offenses, only fifty years of imprisonment are needed."
"Fif-fifty years?!" The little whirlwind stiffened, tears still clinging to its eyes.
"Yes, so your choice is to be escorted back to White Cloud Village and let His Highness Soft Wind punish you, or I, by the rules, take you to see His Highness Sandstorm?"
The little whirlwind: "I...I don’t want to go back, and I don’t want to be imprisoned for fifty years."
"There’s no such perfect scenario." The Sand Hawk spat sharply, "I’ve decided for you, back to White Cloud Village you go! You’ll thank me then."
Though only a little elf, the little whirlwind was so intimidated that it started weeping again.
The Sand Hawk ignored it and spat out a glowing sand grain from its mouth to Angel: "This is from The Sage to be given to His Highness Soft Wind, containing The Sage’s words to him."
This sand grain seemed to be the medium for communication among desert creatures, similar to the sparks in the Fire Element realm.
Angel would have difficulty deciphering its content, but Soft Wind Urano should have no problem.
Angel accepted the sand grain and nodded: "Alright, I’ll pass it on to His Highness Soft Wind."