With Liyana's face as their pass, Xia Lun and the others smoothly entered the Forest of Libya.
Of course, even without Liyana, as long as Xia Lun could produce his student ID from Olifendor to verify his identity, the elves wouldn’t turn away outsiders.
These elves only intercepted those trying to smuggle contraband into the Forest of Libya.
"Contraband?" Mo Lini tilted her head in confusion.
"Over the past century, some kind of drug from the human realm has made its way into elven society, causing significant harm," Liyana explained. "Originally, it was an addictive substance concocted by human witches, popular among their nobility… By chance, it spread to the Forest of Libya, and it turns out elves are even more susceptible to its addictive effects than humans. The elven royal guard has outright banned the drug, but there are still those who smuggle it in for profit."
"Just some drugs… Are they really that dangerous?" Mo Lini blinked, still puzzled.
"Far worse than you can imagine, Mo Lini," Liyana said, her usual cheerfulness gone, replaced by a grave expression. "Countless families have been torn apart by this drug. Once someone gets hooked, their life is as good as over… No matter who they were before, they turn into raving addicts, obsessed with nothing but the next dose."
"R-really?" Mo Lini shrank back, a chill running down her spine.
Passing through the towering arboreal formations, the true splendor of the Forest of Libya unfolded before them.
Mo Lini’s eyes widened in awe.
The sight was uniquely elven—something impossible to witness in the human realm.
Paths stretched from the ground, winding up the colossal trees, leading to cities suspended in the canopy.
Hundreds of towering ancient trees, their massive trunks interwoven, formed aerial walkways bridging one giant tree to another.
The elves… had built their civilization among the treetops.
Not just on the ground—Mo Lini craned her neck and spotted houses nestled along the branches… This was a three-dimensional kingdom.
"Heh, these trees are the result of generations of elven cultivation. Impressive, huh?" Liyana grinned, clearly pleased by Mo Lini’s stunned reaction.
"Are we going up there next?" Mo Lini asked, excitement bubbling in her voice.
"Nope, my home’s still on the ground," Liyana shook her head. "Back when I was a kid, the cities above hadn’t even been built yet."
Mo Lini’s disappointment was palpable.
"Don’t worry, we’ll definitely visit later," Liyana reassured her.
Then, Liyana ducked back into the carriage and dragged Joli out.
"Hey! We’re almost home, and you’re still hiding in there?"
"I… I was teaching the little one some sword techniques," Joli muttered weakly.
Little Lan hopped out of Joli’s arms and landed back atop Mo Lini’s head.
Liyana said, "We’re almost at the village. Your father will be overjoyed to see you alive."
Joli’s father, Yorid, was Liyana’s elder brother and Xia Lun’s childhood friend.
In Xia Lun’s memory, Yorid had been a stern and serious man—the polar opposite of Liyana. Perhaps Xia Lun’s own demeanor had been subtly shaped by him.
Elven villages typically encircled the roots of these colossal trees, forming rings beneath the towering canopy.
The shade from the ancient trees’ foliage prevented much undergrowth, leaving only low shrubs—ideal for cultivating crops. The elves’ agricultural prowess far surpassed that of other races.
Moreover, most elves had an innate affinity for nature and could wield simple nature magic.
"We’re here."
The earth drake halted its steps.
Liyana strode ahead and called out loudly for her brother, "Yorid! Come out!"
Mo Lini glanced around. Ahead stood a single house, its front yard a neatly tilled field filled with unfamiliar crops.
A straw-hatted elven man emerged from the wooden cottage. His face bore a rugged handsomeness, weathered by labor, with streaks of white in his hair. Aside from his pointed ears, few traces of typical elven grace remained.
Yorid’s eyes lit up at the sight of Liyana. "You’re back, Liyana."
"Guess what surprise I’ve brought you?"
"Oh? Some treasure from your adventures? I don’t need those things," Yorid shook his head.
"No, no, this is someone you’ll definitely be happy to see… Joli! Get over here!" Liyana shouted behind her.
Joli stepped forward nervously, facing his father for the first time in years.
"I… I’m home."
Yorid stared at Joli, momentarily stunned, then trembled before pulling his son into a tight embrace.
"It’s good to see you alive, boy."
Joli stood frozen, a pang of guilt in his chest, before murmuring, "I… I’m sorry, Father."
"Listen, Yorid, Joli’s made something of himself now. He might not be great with a bow, but his swordsmanship is impressive…" Liyana interjected.
Yorid gave Joli’s shoulder a proud pat.
"That’s not… Aunt Liyana, please don’t exaggerate my amateur skills…" Joli flushed, feeling like a child forced to perform half-learned tricks for relatives.
"Xia Lun said so himself."
Only then did Yorid notice Xia Lun standing nearby.
His reaction to seeing Xia Lun was even more stunned than when he’d seen Joli.
"Xia… Xia Lun? Is that really you? You’re alive?" Yorid’s voice was thick with disbelief.
"Long time no see," Xia Lun smiled. "It’s a long story."
"Long time no see," Aina, standing beside Xia Lun, greeted softly.
Yorid had attended their wedding years ago, so Aina remembered him.
Seeing Aina, Yorid finally accepted Xia Lun’s identity, murmuring, "This is… unbelievable."
"Father, you know Xia Lun too?" Joli asked curiously.
"‘Xia Lun’? No manners—you should call him Uncle Xia Lun," Yorid chided lightly.
"Huh?" Joli blinked in surprise.
"Alright, alright, no need to fuss over formalities…" Liyana pulled her brother aside and whispered an explanation.
"Ahem… Never mind, call him whatever. Xia Lun’s human—he won’t care," Yorid shot Joli a stern look.
Joli scratched his head, still confused.
e bizarre and supernatural had descended. The previous emperor was a thoroughgoing tyrant; no longer satisfied with human women, he had set his sights on a stunningly beautiful supernatural entity. He met his end in his bedchamber, drained of all his vital essence. As the legitimate eldest son and crown prince, Wang Hao was thus hastily enthroned, becoming the young emperor of the Great Zhou Dynasty. No sooner had he awakened the "Imperial Sign-In Intelligence System" than he was assassinated by a Son of Destiny—a classic villain's opening. The Great Zhou, ravaged by the former emperor's excesses, was in national decline. The great families within its borders harbored their own treacherous schemes, martial sects began to defy the imperial court's decrees, and border armies, their pay and provisions in arrears, grumbled incessantly against the central government. Fortunately, the central capital was still held secure by the half-million Imperial Guards and fifty thousand Imperial Forest Army who obeyed the court's orders, along with the royal family's hidden reserves of power, barely managing to suppress the realm. As the Great Zhou's finances worsened and supernatural activities grew ever more frequent, the court sat atop a volcano. Ambitious plotters everywhere dreamed of overthrowing the dynasty, and even some reclusive ancient powers emerged, attempting to sway the tides of the world. At the first grand court assembly, the civil and military officials nearly came to blows, fighting tooth and nail over the allocation of fifty million taels of silver from the summer tax revenues. The spectacle opened Wang Hao's eyes—the Great Zhou's bureaucracy was not only corrupt but also martially proficient, a cabinet of all-rounders. Some officials even had the audacity to suggest the emperor release funds from the imperial privy purse to address the emergency. Wang Hao suddenly felt weary. Let it all burn.
grated, and just when he finally managed to get into an elite academy, he discovered that he actually had a system, and the way to earn rewards was extremely ridiculous. So for the sake of rewards, he had no choice but to start acting ridiculous as well. Su Cheng: "It's nothing but system quests after all." But later, what confused Su Cheng was that while he was already quite ridiculous, he never expected those serious characters to gradually become ridiculous too. And the way they looked at him became increasingly strange... (This synopsis doesn't do it justice, please read the full story)
with countless casualties. As a top-tier gamer, Liu Xuan volunteered to join the fight, intending to dominate with his skills, but instead he obtained the hidden class: [Pacifist]. Unable to attack. Unable to use active skills. Fortunately, with each level gained, he acquired a new passive skill. And so, armed with a body full of passives, Liu Xuan slaughtered his way through the battlefield of ten thousand races! [You attacked Liu Xuan] [You gained the debuffs: 'Poison', 'Fear', 'Burning', 'Bleeding', 'Freeze', 'Silence', etc.] [Your attack speed has been reduced by 99%] [Your armor and magic resistance have been reduced by 99%] Warriors of the Ten Thousand Races: How the hell am I supposed to fight this?!
u Chenyuan transmigrated into a female-oriented novel about a real and fake heiress, becoming the CEO elder brother of both. Unfortunately, the entire Lu family—including himself, the CEO—were mere cannon fodder in the story. Determined to save himself, Lu Chenyuan took action. The spoiled, attention-seeking fake heiress? Thrown into the harsh realities of the working class to learn humility. The love-struck real heiress? Pushed toward academic excellence, so lofty goals would blind her to trivial romances. As for the betrayed, vengeful arranged marriage wife… the plot hadn’t even begun yet. There was still time—if he couldn’t handle her, he could at least avoid her. "CEO Lu, are you avoiding me?" Mo Qingli fixed her gaze on Lu Chenyuan. For the first time, the shrewd and calculating Lu Chenyuan felt a flicker of unease.
