Mo Han heard this and spoke indifferently, "I already told you, I am a friend of your Princess Anna. My name is Chen Mo Han. If you don't believe me, you can go back and ask your Princess Anna. The deaths of your kin are truly not my doing. I hope you can investigate clearly. I genuinely do not wish for conflict with you; I hope you will consider this carefully."

Upon hearing Mo Han's words, the elves hesitated. Putting aside whether Mo Han was the murderer, given the strength he currently displayed, even if they decided to fight, they might not be able to stop him. On this continent, no one could detain a Sword Saint unless he chose to remain.

Moreover, even if they were lucky enough to defeat Mo Han, the loss among their own ranks would be devastating.

With this thought, all the elves turned their gaze to Elder Lu Yi and the middle-aged elf, waiting to see how they would decide.

Seeing a turn in events, Mo Han immediately pressed his advantage, continuing, "Furthermore, with my strength, if I intended to kill your kin, would it require such trouble? You only need to look at the wounds on your companions to understand. If I wanted to act, it would absolutely not be this complicated."

Mo Han's tone radiated powerful confidence, a confidence he certainly had the foundation to back up.

After all, not everyone could achieve the realm of a Sword Saint.

Elder Lu Yi’s expression fluctuated as he listened to Mo Han, seemingly lost in thought. The surrounding elves, hearing Mo Han’s words, also displayed looks of doubt. Indeed, what Mo Han said was true; if he truly wished to kill these few elves, it would require far less effort. Hesitation flickered across everyone's faces.

They were clearly beginning to believe Mo Han.

Besides, with their current strength, it was uncertain if they could even keep Mo Han here. Lu Yi observed these expressions, then spoke in a low voice, "Even if this has nothing to do with you, it is not for us to decide. This concerns the lives of our Elven kin. We still hope you will accompany us back to the Elven Forest to accept an investigation. As long as it is proven you did not do this, we guarantee your safe departure."

Hearing Lu Yi's request, Mo Han nodded. "Very well, but I must first inform my friends; they are still waiting for me in Keman City. After I notify them, I will go with you to the Elven Forest for the investigation."

Hearing Mo Han’s reply, Lu Yi readily nodded and said, "We will wait for you here. Since an investigation must take place, when you have finished notifying your friends, come here to meet with us. We hope you will honor your word."

This was Lu Yi’s best possible tactic. Given Mo Han’s strength, even if he wanted to refuse, if Mo Han desired to leave, they were utterly incapable of stopping him. It was better to feign generosity and use honor to restrain Mo Han, which would be far more effective.

Mo Han heard this and nodded.

Saying no more, he directly turned and headed toward Keman City, while the elves began to tend to their fallen comrades' bodies, preparing to take them back to the Elven Forest for burial.

Returning to Keman City, Mo Han briefly explained the situation and his intentions to Daili and the others. Daili and the rest initially wanted to accompany him, but Mo Han refused. The outcome of this trip to the Elven Forest was uncertain, and bringing Daili along would only be inconvenient. If trouble arose, being alone would make things easier, particularly for a swift departure. Therefore, Mo Han asked Daili and the others to wait for him in Keman City, promising to rejoin them once the matter was cleared up.

Hearing Mo Han's explanation, although the Flying Cloud group remained uneasy, they understood the logic behind his words. To avoid distracting Mo Han, they reluctantly agreed to his arrangements. After bidding farewell to Daili and the others, Mo Han departed in the direction agreed upon with Lu Yi.

As soon as he reached the dense woods, Mo Han noticed the bodies of the elves that had been on the ground were gone; they had presumably been moved. However, Mo Han observed that Elder Lu Yi seemed to be holding a golden plaque in his hand, and the elves around him displayed looks of anger upon seeing it, making Mo Han wonder what had transpired.

Seeing Mo Han arrive, Lu Yi quickly concealed the golden plaque and spoke calmly, "You have arrived. Shall we leave now?" Mo Han nodded silently, signifying his assent. Lu Yi said no more, simply turning and heading toward the Elven Forest, with the few accompanying elves following behind. The group moved swiftly toward the forest.

By the time Mo Han and the others reached the Elven Forest, it was already late at night. Under the guidance of Lu Yi and the others, Mo Han smoothly entered the forest and was subsequently assigned a private room. Lu Yi informed him that he would report Mo Han's situation to the Elven Elder Council tomorrow for investigation and advised Mo Han to be mentally prepared. Then, Lu Yi instructed Mo Han to rest well but not to wander about before turning and leaving.

Seeing this, Mo Han could only nod in reluctant agreement; their request was, after all, reasonable. He set up a protective barrier around himself and began meditating in the room. Although Mo Han had been pleased for a time after his martial arts skills broke through, his magical cultivation had progressed sluggishly, showing almost no advancement. Mo Han could not pinpoint the reason, though he knew he must have encountered the bottleneck inherent to every mage.

Mo Xiuyi had also told him that becoming a Saint Magus required certain prerequisites, all of which needed to be grasped through self-realization; no one else could offer assistance. This was why so many Great Magus Masters existed on the continent, yet so few reached the rank of Saint Magus Master—these opportunities were truly rare and unpredictable, not something attainable simply through diligent practice.

Current cultivation mostly served only to increase the amount of magic storage within the body, offering almost no help in advancing one's cultivation level. But even increasing magical reserves was better than doing nothing, so Mo Han never stopped his practice. He dedicated some time every day to meditation, convinced he would eventually break through the realm of Great Magus Master and step into the ranks of the Saint Magus Masters.

The next morning, when Mo Han awoke from his meditation, he found the day already bright. Glancing at the clear sky outside the window, Mo Han dissolved the magic barrier he had placed around himself, intending to take a walk.

Just then, he heard rapid footsteps approaching—likely two people—running quickly toward the door of his chamber.

Simultaneously, a beautiful female voice sounded at the entrance: "Is the guest you brought back yesterday staying here?" Hearing this voice, Mo Han’s lips curled into a smile, as he recognized it as Anna's.

Indeed, the guard at the door immediately replied respectfully, "Reporting to Your Highness Princess, the guest who arrived last night is resting inside. Does the Princess have any commands?" Anna responded joyfully, "No need. You all wait outside the door; I can go in myself."

"This... this might not be appropriate, Your Highness. Elder Lu Yi gave strict orders that no one is to meet the guest before the investigation is concluded. Furthermore, if anything were to happen to Your Highness, we would be held responsible. We ask for the Princess's understanding." The guard at the door politely refused.

"It seems you now only obey Lu Yi and pay no mind to me, your Princess?" Anna's voice turned cold.

The guard quickly stammered, "Your Highness, please do not misunderstand. I meant only to ensure your safety and did not intend to offend you. Please calm your anger."

"I know my own affairs and do not need you to manage them. Open the door for me. Moreover, the person inside is my elder brother; he would absolutely never harm me," Anna stated calmly, a faint air of authority in her tone.

The guard hesitated for a moment before turning and opening the door. He then respectfully stepped aside, and Anna’s figure swiftly entered. Spotting Mo Han standing inside the room with a smile on his face, Anna exclaimed with delight, "Brother Mo Han, I knew you wouldn't lie to me! You really came to see me!" Her tone betrayed unconcealed excitement, even tinged with a hint of coquetry, completely lacking the stern authority from moments before.

With that, Anna rushed excitedly to Mo Han’s side and tightly embraced him. Seeing this scene, the guards outside were utterly stunned, uncertain of the true relationship between Mo Han and their Princess. At that moment, the elven handmaiden who had followed Anna spoke softly to the two guards, "Her Highness likely wishes to catch up with her friend. We should leave first."