The mood lightened slightly.
Jing Wei then turned his attention toward the distance, where the Earth Elemental still stood, its massive form slowly settling after the battle.
"Rocky," Jing Wei called out.
The Earth Elemental responded with a low rumble, its body shifting as it turned toward him.
"Good work," Jing Wei said. "You can go rest now."
The elemental let out a softer sound, almost like acknowledgment, before turning and walking away. Its heavy steps caused the ground to tremble slightly as it moved into the distance, eventually disappearing among the rocky formations.
Meng Bai watched the entire exchange with wide eyes.
"How… how did you do that?" he asked, unable to hold back his curiosity any longer. "How can you talk to it like that?"
Jing Wei glanced at him.
"It is a technique," he said simply. "A dwarven one."
Meng Bai looked even more confused.
"I thought only elves and some special races could do that," he said. "Like forming contracts with nature spirits."
