It took Allison a good while to emerge from her shock, though the way she looked at Zhong Shenxiu remained decidedly odd. Even stranger, however, was her gaze fixed upon Lan Sha! "The crisis is resolved now. Are you still planning to leave?" Zhong Shenxiu asked softly, a faint, almost imperceptible smile playing on his lips.

Allison started, suddenly realizing that many of the elves were still unaware the Demon Bugs had been annihilated and were busily engaged in preparations. "Oh, excuse me, I must go inform the Empress immediately!" Allison said with a touch of anxiety.

Just moments before, she had sent Abigail to notify the Empress of the impending Demon Bug attack. Perhaps they were already beginning the complex process of relocating the 'Tree of Souls.' If possible, relocation should be avoided at all costs, as every move caused damage to the 'Tree of Souls'!

Allison’s haste now to convey the news of the Demon Bugs' destruction was no small matter!

Zhong Shenxiu merely shrugged, saying nothing. He was here now, and there was no immediate rush to see the 'Tree of Souls.' Besides, his mind was currently preoccupied with another matter: how to settle these elves, how to secure a peaceful sanctuary for them!

Zhong Shenxiu had already devised a plan: to create a suitable living environment for these elves within his 'Medium Pouch'! The environment he had constructed was already taking shape. The only missing piece was knowing the specific requirements of these elves, an opportunity Zhong Shenxiu could use this visit to optimize.

"Second Squad, halt your work immediately and hold your position!" Allison commanded, then turned to the bewildered Rojiere. "Rojiere, you are responsible for looking after these friends for now. I must go ahead..."

Before leaving, Allison found a young elf, about the same height as Zhong Shenxiu, to act as their guide. ) ) $ $ $ $ Inside the Great Hall of Spirits, Abigail was relaying the urgent news she had just received.

"Your Majesty, the Demon Bugs have located us. Large numbers are converging here. I implore Your Majesty to prepare for departure immediately!" Abigail knelt on one knee, her demeanor fraught with urgency.

Directly before her, seated upon a bench woven from vines, was an elegant and noble elf. Her attire clearly distinguished her from every other elf, radiating an ineffable aura with just a glance!

By appearance, she was a beauty of unparalleled grace—the supreme ruler of this domain: the Elven Empress!

Upon hearing Abigail’s report, a look of melancholy settled upon the Empress’s face. As the guardian of the elven race, she felt a deep sense of self-reproach for failing to provide her people with a secure existence!

"That will do, I understand," the Empress said wearily, then whispered something to an elf standing nearby. The elf immediately hurried out of the Great Hall of Spirits.

Just then, Allison rushed in, offered a customary bow, and announced, "Your Majesty, all the Demon Bugs converging here have been annihilated. Your command, please!"

That single sentence instantly rendered the entire hall silent. Everyone stared at Allison with expressions of utter astonishment; they almost doubted they had heard correctly! "Alison, repeat that, please!" The Empress herself was momentarily flustered; this was a development she scarcely dared to believe was true!

If the Demon Bugs could be destroyed so easily, the elves would not be so mentally exhausted, nor would they be constantly migrating.

"Your Majesty, all the Demon Bugs have been annihilated. The alert is lifted!" Allison declared with a voice tinged with excitement. Had she not witnessed it herself, she would never have believed it was true! "Allison, are you certain the Demon Bugs were destroyed, and not just hidden away?" Abigail asked, fighting to suppress her own shock.

Before flying here to report, she had taken a glance from the sky—there were tens of thousands of Demon Bugs! Even if they could be destroyed, it shouldn't have happened so quickly. Even if every elf managed to kill one with an arrow, it would still take an hour or two, and the situation was surely not that simple! "Yes, I am absolutely certain!" Allison replied with unwavering seriousness. She would never joke about a matter like this, especially since she generally disliked jesting. "Allison, could you recount the sequence of events?" the Empress requested. Allison nodded and began detailing precisely what she had witnessed.

"Friends brought by Rojiere?" The Empress's questions deepened after hearing the account. As far as she knew, Rojiere had been missing for five years; how could she have suddenly returned? And who were these strangers she had brought, capable of killing the Demon Bugs? The Empress did not doubt the truth of Allison's words, for elves possessed pure hearts and would never lie!

"Yes, Your Majesty. They look outwardly like ordinary humans, but they possess an indescribable aura," Allison added, relaying her own impression.

"You just said that they deployed only one bird of an unknown species and instantly wiped out those Demon Bugs, is that correct?" the Empress inquired again.

"Yes. I have never seen such a bird before. Its feathers were blue, its body could shrink or expand, and its speed was like lightning," Allison described based on her memory. "Where are they now? I wish to see them," the Empress stated decisively after a moment of thought.

"Your Majesty, you need not go yourself; I will summon them here!" Allison quickly interjected when she saw the Empress rise to her feet. "No, I will go and meet them myself!" The Empress’s expression was resolute, and she was already stepping toward the exit. ) ) $ $ $ $ Meanwhile, Zhong Shenxiu and his company were proceeding slowly, led by the young elf guide.

The elves who had been bustling about earlier had stopped their activities upon hearing the "all-clear bell" and wore expressions of bewilderment. "Huh? What is that..." Zhong Shenxiu suddenly froze, his eyes fixed straight ahead.

Following his gaze, they saw several elves adorned with green leaves and arms wrapped in vines. Each was carrying a jar, seemingly on a mission. What truly captured Zhong Shenxiu's interest was that the leaves and vines on these elves appeared to be growing from their bodies!

...Could this be the legendary 'Plant Magic'?

Rojiere found Zhong Shenxiu’s sudden halt strange. Seeing his intense stare directed at the elves ahead, she quickly explained, "They are the ones specifically responsible for tending the Tree of Souls. The jars in their hands contain the 'Water of Life'!"

Within their elven clan, there was more than one 'Tree of Souls,' and each tree had dedicated elves tasked with its care and management! These elves were different from the combat-oriented types; they inherited plant-based abilities from childhood. As they aged, their ability to control flora grew stronger, and their affinity with plants became unparalleled by others, making them the best candidates to guard the 'Tree of Souls'!

Perhaps readers wonder if all elves possess this plant-based ability. The answer is yes, but this ability must be practiced from a young age.

Naturally, there was a limitation: any elf mastering this ability would be unable to learn other types of magic; they could only choose one. Because of this restriction, not all elves mastered plant control—Rojiere was an example!

"Can you call one of them over for me?" Zhong Shenxiu asked Rojiere.

Hmph!

Rojiere was momentarily stunned, wondering what the young master intended to do.

She began to feel troubled. Those elves, being responsible for the 'Tree of Souls,' held a higher status than she did; how could she possibly summon them? More importantly, judging by their actions, they were clearly on their way to water the 'Tree of Souls'—a major affair for the elves—how could she interrupt them so casually! Fortunately, the sounds echoing around them provided a timely reprieve.

"Your Majesty, Your Majesty!" The surrounding elves rushed forward to pay their respects upon seeing the Elven Empress arrive.

"Your Majesty, those are the friends Rojiere brought!" Allison pointed toward Zhong Shenxiu and his group.

Distracted by the voices, Zhong Shenxiu's party turned to look toward the Empress, just in time to see her offer a benevolent smile.

"Welcome to the Elven Tribe!" The Empress displayed no airs of superiority, walking forward with natural grace, and took the initiative to greet the members of the 'Ethereal Mercenary Group.'

"Rojiere pays respects to Her Majesty!" Rojiere snapped out of her daze and quickly bowed, for regardless of her own power, she was still a member of the Elven Tribe.

"Rojiere, stand up. Introduce your friends to me," the Empress said, her smile radiating kindness once more. "Yes!" Rojiere quickly stood up and acted as the intermediary between the two parties.

When she heard that Zhong Shenxiu was the leader of the group, a flicker of surprise crossed the Empress’s face, but it quickly vanished, and she smiled again. "Truly a promising young man! However, Zhong Shenxiu did not immediately speak, instead gazing intently at this Elven Empress.

This was certainly impolite behavior, yet the Empress did not mind at all. She suddenly shifted her gaze toward 'Lan Sha' resting on Rachel's shoulder, exclaiming with surprise, "Is this that magical bird?"

It was just as she was studying 'Lan Sha' that Zhong Shenxiu finally spoke, and his opening words stunned the Elven Empress!