Just as Mo Han was about to approach the Elven Queen’s chambers, several sharp screeches pierced the air, followed immediately by streaks of silver light flying at incredible speed directly toward Mo Han, who was suspended in mid-air. The shots instantly blocked all possible landing points, demonstrating the archer’s truly transcendent skill; anyone less proficient would have already been struck down.

Yet, what others would perceive as a fatal threat held no menace for Mo Han, the Sword Saint. With a low cry, Mo Han swept his weapon, unleashing a torrent of white Battle Qi toward the incoming silver projectiles. A distinct clanging sound echoed as every arrow fired at Mo Han was struck down by the Battle Qi he projected. From the shadows flanking the main building, a gasp rang out: "Sword Saint."

Mo Han landed swiftly and spoke urgently, "Chen Mo Han urgently requests an audience with the Elven Queen. Please announce my arrival. The matter is sudden, and I hope Her Majesty will forgive the intrusion."

No sooner had Mo Han finished speaking than the Queen's languid voice drifted from within the structure. "So late, Little Brother Mo Han. What pressing matter brings you to me?" Hearing her voice, Mo Han pressed on, his tone laced with anxiety. "Your Majesty, I suspect members of the Nether Race have infiltrated the Elven Forest. Furthermore, I fear for Princess Anna's safety. However, I cannot locate her chambers, so I came to you first to inquire about Anna’s residence."

In response to Mo Han’s words, a rustle came from inside the room, and moments later, the Elven Queen emerged, already fully attired.

The Elven Queen spoke with her melodious voice. "How did you discover the presence of the Nether Race in the Elven Forest, Little Brother? Are you certain? Did your Radiant Jade Token perhaps give you a warning? And how long ago did this occur?"

Mo Han nodded at her questions and replied urgently, "I was delayed on the road by an incident. I fear it may already be too late."

The instant Mo Han finished speaking, the Elven Queen ascended into the air, soaring rapidly toward the distance. The hidden Elven scouts, lurking in the darkness, emitted a strange sound—likely a signal—and immediately gave chase in the direction the Queen was flying. Seeing this, Mo Han understood that Anna’s chambers must lie that way. Without another word, he summoned his Battle Qi and followed in the Queen's wake.

When Mo Han reached the entrance of Anna’s building, he found the Elven Queen standing there, her face etched with worry. At her feet lay the corpses of several Elven guards. Judging by the bloodstains, they had been killed only moments before. Seeing this sight, Mo Han’s heart sank instantly.

He spoke, demanding, "Where is Anna?"

The Elven Queen turned at Mo Han’s arrival, sighed deeply, and spoke with concern, "It seems Anna has been abducted. She is likely not in immediate mortal danger. I have already ordered the entire Elven Forest sealed off; I only hope it helps." With these words, the Elven Queen fell silent.

Hearing the Queen’s reply, the tension eased slightly in Mo Han’s chest. As long as Anna was alive, there was still a chance to rescue her—far better than having no hope at all. Nevertheless, his mood remained heavy. Having spent so long with Anna, Mo Han considered her family; with her in peril, he could not possibly relax.

At that moment, the Elven Queen handed Mo Han a piece of parchment and spoke slowly. "Look at this. This is what they left behind."

Mo Han quickly took the note. It stated plainly that Anna had been kidnapped. If they wished to save her, the Elven Forest must mobilize its forces against the Kanya Empire; only then would Anna be returned safely, or else… The message ended there, but Mo Han could easily guess the implied threat.

After reading it, Mo Han was certain this was the work of the Nether Race. Only they would devise such a scheme. If the Elven Forest attacked the Kanya Empire, it would inevitably trigger a chain reaction across the continent, drawing in the other great empires. The entire realm would descend into chaos, the strength of all races would be severely diminished, and that would be the perfect moment for the Nether Race to conquer the Dragon Soaring Continent.

However, Mo Han knew that the Elven Queen’s wisdom surely allowed her to see through the Nether Race's conspiracy. The question was what she would decide now: would she prioritize her daughter’s safety by agreeing to their demand to march on the Kanya Empire, or did she have other plans?

While Mo Han was contemplating this, the Elven Queen suddenly spoke. "You mentioned you were delayed coming here. Can you tell me what held you up?"

Mo Han, having no choice, recounted meeting Elder Lui, how he had been obstructed, and the conflict that ensued between them.

After hearing Mo Han’s account, the Elven Queen spoke with deep implication. "Perhaps Elder Lui had his reasons. How do you view this abduction of Anna?"

Mo Han paused in thought before responding slowly, "I believe this situation is far more complex than it appears on the surface. There must be an insider. Otherwise, no matter how powerful the Nether Race is, they could not have spirited Anna away so completely undetected."

The Elven Queen’s eyes held a flicker of admiration at Mo Han’s analysis. She looked at him and said calmly, "Oh? On what grounds do you base that assumption? I am keen to hear your reasoning."

Mo Han, seeing her openness, did not hold back. "First, how did the Nether Race bypass the external Elven guards? When I entered, I noted numerous magical barriers protecting the outer perimeter of the Elven Forest. Coupled with the guards’ vigilance, accurately locating a specific position within such a vast forest without alerting them should be extremely difficult."

"Second, the time between my discovery of the Nether Race presence and Anna’s kidnapping was barely the length of half an incense stick. For the Nether Race to pinpoint Anna’s exact location within the massive forest, kill these Elven guards, and abduct her in such a short span—it is simply impossible without inside assistance."

Mo Han paused before continuing, "Third, these Elven guards should be similar to Your Majesty's own hidden sentinels. Yet, the Nether Race managed to locate and eliminate them precisely. This indicates they knew the guards’ deployment locations beforehand. Without an insider informing them, this is impossible. There were quite a few of these guards, and they were skilled fighters, otherwise they wouldn’t have been..."

"And there is a fourth, very crucial point. If my guess is correct, this building should also be protected by magical barriers, and of no low grade. Yet, the Nether Race infiltrated, killed the guards, and left without triggering a single alarm. This leaves only two possibilities. One: the Nether Race operative has achieved a terrifying level of power, enabling them to accomplish this. Because outsiders cannot possibly understand the barrier’s attributes, let alone infiltrate it secretly. I confess I do not possess that level of strength."

Hearing this, astonishment flashed in the Elven Queen’s eyes, and she praised him. "To deduce so much at once is truly remarkable. Anna was right; you are extraordinary. I harbored some doubts before, but now I believe you. What is the other possibility you mentioned?"

"The other possibility," Mo Han stated with confidence, "is that the barrier was tampered with before the Nether Race arrived, rendering it incapable of sounding an alert. Only someone intimately familiar with the barrier's structure and properties could achieve that without leaving any magical trace."

The Elven Queen nodded. "So, you truly are a dual cultivator of Magic and Martial Arts, just as Anna described. No wonder you see things so clearly. To think that aside from the Dragon Race, a human could actually practice both paths—it seems anything is possible. It is truly eye-opening."

Mo Han smiled gently. "I have always believed one maxim: There is nothing that cannot be done; there is only what cannot be imagined."

"'Only what cannot be imagined; nothing that cannot be done,'" the Elven Queen repeated his words, a smile playing on her lips. "Well said. These are words I have never heard before, and only you could utter such curious phrasing. Yet, I must admit, it holds profound truth."

Mo Han merely smiled and remained silent. The Elven Queen then continued, "Since you have deduced so many inconsistencies, do you perhaps already have a candidate in mind for this insider within the Elven clan?"

Mo Han smiled back. "I imagine that even if I didn't say anything, Your Majesty already has suspicions. How you choose to deal with it is your decision. Right now, all I care about is finding a way to rescue Anna. Perhaps we can track down the Princess through this insider. It is the only clue we currently possess, and we must grasp it tightly."