Mo Han nodded upon hearing this, saying, "You could say that. This Light Jade Token was given to me by one of the Guardian Elders of the Church of Light, which is why I possess it. However, besides being a symbol of status, the Light Jade Token actually has another function that is known only to the high-ranking officials of the Church of Light. Once I explain it, I hope everyone present will help me keep it a secret." Hearing Mo Han’s explanation, everyone in the room grew curious, nodding one after another, quietly awaiting Mo Han’s continuation, clearly eager to know what other purpose the Light Jade Token served. Seeing this, Mo Han began to explain, "The other function of this Light Jade Token is to identify members of the Nether Race, much like the Church of Light's sacred artifact, the Holy Grail of Light. Both can detect the unique darkness aura that emanates from the Nether Race. The only difference is that the sensory range of the Light Jade Token is not as extensive as the Holy Grail of Light. The token only reacts when a Nether Race member comes close to it, whereas the Holy Grail can sense them from a great distance." Mo Han paused here.

It seemed the people in the room had understood Mo Han’s meaning.

It was then that Arui spoke up, asking, "Did this Light Jade Token perhaps sense something yesterday?" Mo Han nodded. "That's right. Yesterday, when I was trailing those few Elven guards to the city gate, the Light Jade Token in my pocket reacted. Therefore, I am certain that a member of the Nether Race entered Keman City. That is why the token reacted. It’s just that when I tried to pinpoint the Nether Race individual’s location, the token’s alert vanished. I circled the city gate area once, but there were no further reactions, so I had to give up."

"Could the Light Jade Token’s indication be mistaken?" Lui asked Mo Han.

Mo Han stated with absolute certainty, "That’s absolutely impossible. This Light Jade Token is equivalent to one of the Church of Light’s sacred artifacts; such an error cannot happen. Furthermore, I have tested it before, and it is indeed extremely accurate, which is why I am so confident."

Hearing Mo Han’s explanation, everyone in the room nodded.

Indeed, the chance of a sacred artifact giving a false reading was practically zero. Moreover, Mo Han had personally verified the token's function. The Elves present likely knew something about Mo Han exposing the Nether Race's conspiracy during his mission to the Beast Tribes, so everyone believed his explanation.

Seeing this, Mo Han continued, "That’s why I found it so strange. The sudden appearance of the Nether Race near the edge of the Elven Forest, in Keman City specifically, is peculiar enough on its own. Compounding that, an Elven guard was murdered that very night after the Nether Race appeared. I strongly feel these two incidents must be connected, which led me to this deduction, and I personally believe the possibility is quite high."

Hearing Mo Han’s reasoning, Lui and the others in the room fell silent, but their expressions revealed they tacitly accepted Mo Han’s inference.

The Elven Queen, meanwhile, looked at Mo Han with clear admiration. She smiled and spoke, "Young Brother Mo Han's deduction is truly incisive, his insight unique; even I must commend you. Your reputation is well-earned."

Anna, standing behind the Elven Queen, beamed with happiness upon hearing her mother praise Mo Han, as if she herself were the one being complimented.

Just then, the Elven Queen continued, "We have troubled the young brother today. Several elders and I need to discuss some matters, so we will have Anna escort you back to settle in first. You can also take the opportunity to look around and let Anna show you the sights of the Elven Forest. We will properly thank you this evening."

Seeing that they had business to attend to, Mo Han naturally agreed to the Queen's suggestion. Frankly, he also preferred not to stay confined with these rather stiff Elven Elders, so he readily accepted, leaving with Anna. Having Anna for company was far better than lingering with these old fossils.

After leaving the council hall, Anna said happily to Mo Han, "Brother Mo Han, I knew you were the most capable! Even Mother praised you today; I’m so delighted! Seeing Elder Lui's face today made me happy too; that man constantly clashes with Mother. You essentially vented my frustration for me."

Mo Han became slightly curious upon hearing this. "Oh? Elder Lui’s authority shouldn't surpass the Elven Queen's, should it? How can he keep opposing your mother day in and day out?" Anna shook her head and explained, "It’s not quite what you imagine. The Elven Elders have always been composed of the most venerable figures in the Elven race, elected from among the many Elves. They are specifically responsible for participating with the Elven Queen in deciding major affairs concerning the Elven race. However, their power is indeed subordinate to the Elven Queen's, and they cannot directly interfere with the Queen's final decisions. They are a rather unique faction within the Elven race."

Mo Han understood at this point; the Elven Elders were probably akin to a council or parliament on Earth, representing the sentiments of the general Elven populace.

Anna continued, "Although their status is below the Elven Queen, they do not directly obey her command. If an Elder errs, only the Grand Elder of the Council of Elders can issue punishment; the Elven Queen cannot directly discipline them. Due to these factors, some Elven Elders' ideologies have gradually shifted; they constantly desire more power, leading to friction with successive Elven Queens. Their influence has, in fact, been slowly increasing, completely deviating from the original intent of establishing the Council. Elder Lui today is the representative of those Elders who seek greater power. Fortunately, the constraints imposed by Elder Arui and Elder Bella keep him from pushing things too far for now."