Mo Han was boiling with suppressed rage; were it not for Anna, he would have sent that imbecile to have tea with Pluto long ago. After all that effort to cooperate, the fool knew nothing! However, since he still had use for Lui for the time being, Mo Han forced himself to swallow his anger.

Just then, Aire spoke up, "What is our next move? Must we truly mobilize troops against the Kanya Empire?" Upon hearing this, the Elven Queen turned her gaze to Mo Han, seeking his counsel. After a moment of thought, Mo Han spoke in a low voice, "Our only current advantage is that the Nether race still does not know we have exposed Lui's identity. Lui remains temporarily useful to them, so I believe they will contact him again. At that time, we can devise a way to capture this Nether agent and interrogate him about Anna's whereabouts. This is our only viable path for now."

"What about the Kanya Empire then, young brother Mo Han? What is your assessment?" the Elven Queen inquired. "The Nether race is constantly watching our movements. If we remain completely still, they will surely grow suspicious."

Mo Han nodded, saying, "Of course, we cannot remain passive. This situation is actually an opportunity for us. We must utilize it well."

Hearing Mo Han's response, everyone looked at him curiously, eager to hear what unexpected plan he held. Yet, Mo Han merely shook his head with a slight smile and said, "We can discuss that later. I imagine that even if the Elves decide to dispatch troops now, it would take at least a month or two to complete all preparations, wouldn't it?" After saying this, Mo Han cast a meaningful glance toward the Elven Queen.

How could the Elven Queen fail to grasp Mo Han's meaning? His implication was clear: stall for time if possible. She nodded and smiled, saying, "It would likely take at least a month and a half. If the period stretches too long, I fear the Nether race might detect something amiss."

Mo Han agreed, nodding, "That should suffice. We need more time to thoroughly discuss our counter-strategy. However, Your Majesty, I urge you to instruct everyone not to speak of tonight's events. It’s not that I distrust anyone here, but too many mouths lead to leaks, and if a flaw appears, we won't have time to patch it up later. Not a single mistake can be afforded. Externally, let us simply announce that Elder Lui will be entering secluded meditation with several elders to research methods for rescuing the Princess. If a few other elders can corroborate this, I believe it should settle any concerns."

Upon hearing Mo Han’s proposal, the Elven Queen nodded in agreement, and the other elven elders also approved of his suggestion. They held Mo Han in deep admiration now, so they naturally raised no objections to his plan.

The Elven Queen then ordered Lui to be secretly taken away into custody, dismissing everyone shortly thereafter to rest well. Starting tomorrow, preparations for military mobilization must commence. After all, the pretense must be flawless if they are to convince the Nether race that the Elves are genuinely preparing to march on the Kanya Empire. Otherwise, who knew if there were other Nether spies within the Elven Forest like Lui? They had to prepare thoroughly to make the Nether race even more convinced that Lui had not been exposed.

The next morning, Mo Han was informed that the Elven Queen and several elders were awaiting him in the council hall. Mo Han’s heart fluttered; could there be news regarding Anna? Mo Han pondered this inwardly, and with renewed hope, he hurried toward the council hall.

Upon entering, Mo Han immediately pressed the Elven Queen with anxious inquiries about any updates on Anna. The Queen, looking slightly worried, shook her head and replied, "Actually, we did not summon you here because of Anna; it concerns other matters."

Mo Han looked puzzled and asked, "Other matters? What could they be?" For Mo Han, Anna's situation was the paramount concern. If he felt this way, the Elven Queen, as Anna's mother, should be even more anxious. This made him curious as to what issue could possibly outweigh Anna's current predicament.

The Elven Queen then spoke slowly, "We summoned you today to ask you a question. Anna mentioned to me that your magical cultivation has reached the level of Great Archmage, is that correct?" Mo Han nodded in confirmation, a touch of bewilderment on his face, wondering why he was suddenly involved, yet he refrained from speaking, knowing the Elven Queen would soon provide an explanation.

Indeed, after seeing Mo Han nod, the Elven Queen smiled and continued, "Before her incident, Anna told me that you had discussed entering the Elven Forbidden Ground to aid your magical cultivation. Is that true?" Hearing this, Mo Han's heart suddenly sped up. The Queen bringing this up now—did it mean she might approve his request? He had only mentioned it casually to Anna yesterday, not daring to harbor any real hope, as that place was the most sacred and restricted area in the Elven Forest, not even easily accessible to the Elves themselves, let alone an outsider like him.

Considering this, Mo Han replied, "I was merely speaking casually to Anna at the time. Why does Your Majesty suddenly bring this up?" The Elven Queen responded, "This morning, I discussed it with several elders, and we agreed that you have rendered a great service to our Elven race by exposing Elder Lui. Our people have always repaid kindness shown to us. Therefore, we have decided that if you agree, we will grant you permission to enter the Elven Forbidden Ground as repayment for the favor you bestowed upon our race. What do you say?" Mo Han replied with a surge of pleasant surprise, "If it is possible, Mo Han certainly accepts. However, Mo Han exposed Lui's identity not for this reason, and I would not presume to force the issue, so I hope Your Majesty does not misunderstand."

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