We agreed to set sail, so you'd become the ruler of the deep sea?

Chapter 247 The City of Giant Trees in History

"Be careful……"

Edward only had time to let out a cry of surprise.

Like a ghostly dark elf, it had already approached Shane's side.

Just the next moment.

clang!
Under the astonished gazes of Edward, George, and many other dark elves.

The dagger that landed on Xia En did not cut through his flesh or pierce his body; instead, it was blocked by a seemingly slender finger.

The clash of flesh and weapons produced a sound like metal striking metal.

Immediately, the dagger deformed and twisted at a speed visible to the naked eye, and finally shattered into pieces!

This guy's physical body is incredibly strong!?

"Poor disguise."

After giving this assessment, Shane stepped forward, and the shadow solidified into a blade, slicing open the assassin's throat.

With a "hiss," blood splattered everywhere.

If this dark elf had used other methods, Shane might have actually suffered a small loss.

But he used an ability that was similar to [shadow walking]!

After using the [Twilight Black Pearl] to unlock the [Great Dark Heaven] skill, Shane completely mastered the [Book of Shadows] and gained a profound understanding of the power of shadow.

Therefore, the moment the assassin's ability was activated, Xia En sensed it and directly defeated it with his powerful body.

"Impossible, this power..."

"He too was favored by the shadows!"

However, what Xia En didn't expect was that the moment he unleashed the Shadow Blade...

The remaining dark elves' expressions changed drastically, and they looked at him with fear and disbelief.

It even carried a hint of awe.

In fact, the god worshipped by the dark elves is none other than the god of shadows from the Underdark.

Right now, however, Shane is demonstrating a shadow control ability that is even more sophisticated than theirs, which inevitably makes these people feel surprised and uncertain.

However, with Xia En and Yan Yan taking action, the outcome was already decided.

The assassins were not particularly strong, generally only around the fourth rank; otherwise, they wouldn't have needed to use disguise to lower George and the others' guard.

After his initial surprise, George quickly joined the battle, killing several assassins in succession.

The combat power of a fifth-tier swordsman was fully displayed.

To Xia En's surprise,

Although these dark elves already knew their operation had been exposed, they were certain of defeat based on the disparity in combat strength.

But not a single person surrendered; instead, they all chose to fight to the death.

Even worse, some committed suicide by poison when they were about to be captured, resulting in none of them surviving.

"Are they... assassins?"

Xia En stared at the corpses scattered on the ground, stroking his chin thoughtfully.

As the name suggests, "suicide squad" refers to warriors trained by certain forces to carry out missions that require certain death.

He and Yan Yan were newcomers and hadn't yet had a chance to provoke such a powerful force.

Clearly, the one who attracted these assassins was none other than Edward, the fifth prince of the Kingdom of Turin.

At this moment, Edward had just given George a quick treatment to make sure he was alright, and then immediately bowed respectfully to Shane.

"Thank you both for your help."

"This attack was aimed at me, and I'm truly sorry to have implicated you two."

Xia En waved his hand casually and said, "It's nothing."

"They want to kill us, so we have to protect ourselves, right?"

"But who are these dark elves? And why are they in the City of Giant Trees?"

Just now, Shane stepped forward and blocked the assassin's sneak attack, which is equivalent to saving Edward's life.

Edward was even more respectful to his savior, and he spoke frankly about everything he knew.

"They should be from the Shadow Assassins Society on the mainland."

"This is a well-known assassin organization."

"As for why you wanted to kill me..."

Edward hesitated for a moment, then said, "One possibility is that my brothers and sisters did it."

"Another possibility is that they want to disrupt the Elf Queen's coronation ceremony tomorrow?"

"It's also possible that it's a combination of both..."

His tone was also somewhat uncertain.

After all, the assassins committed suicide so decisively that it's hard not to suspect they had some bigger conspiracy.

"The coronation of the Elf Queen?"

Xia En frowned slightly.

He had found the word rather strange when he first heard it from the dark elves.

Isn't she the Elf Queen?
When did another elven queen appear?

And...ascending the throne?
Does this mean that this "City of Giant Trees" was previously in a state without a king?
Was it because something happened to the previous Elf Queen?

During his last journey, Shane learned a rough outline of the origins of the elves on Emerald Isle from Lyra.

The elves on that island were actually just one branch of the elven race.

To escape disaster, they migrated to Emerald Island in several separate trips.

Unexpectedly, I still couldn't escape the Wrath of God.

Will other elven cities also suffer similar disasters?

Seeing that Shane was deep in thought, Edward continued to explain.

"There is an irreconcilable hatred between dark elves and elves."

"And I am a prince, so if I were to die in the territory of the elves, the Kingdom of Turin would certainly not let it go."

"Especially at the time of Her Majesty the Queen's ascension to the throne."

Shane nodded, finding Edward's guess quite reasonable.

However, he wasn't particularly interested in the love-hate relationship between the two races, so he turned to asking a different question.

"What is the background of this newly crowned Elf Queen?"

Edward pondered, "Actually, I don't know much about her. I only know that she is a newly emerging elf with extraordinary talent."

"She gained the approval of the Elf Mother Tree, the Goddess of Life, and a host of elders, and was ultimately elected as the Queen of the City of Giant Trees."

Xia En clicked his tongue in amazement.

The approval of the Fairy Mother Tree and the Goddess of Life carries significant weight.

No wonder she is qualified to become the Elf Queen.

Shaen also wanted to ask if there were any signs of strange events in the City of Giant Trees.

But at that moment, a group of elves burst into the temple.

Upon seeing the scene inside the temple, the elves couldn't help but frown.

The once sacred and tranquil temple was now littered with several corpses lying haphazardly, their filthy blood staining its sanctity.

However, the hostility on the elves' faces dissipated considerably after they recognized the corpse as belonging to a dark elf.

Shaen used his Eye of Truth to look at them and, after confirming that they were all genuine elves, stepped forward to explain.

"The thing is like this..."

……

……

Not long after.

The rain outside the temple stopped without anyone noticing.

The elves then led Shane and the others away from the temple.

They readily believed Shane's story.

After all, the dark elves had a long-standing feud with them, so it was quite normal for them to try to sabotage the queen's ascension to the throne. The elves, however, felt somewhat apologetic that Shane and his companions had been attacked on their own territory.

"We will catch the mastermind behind this incident as soon as possible and give everyone justice."

The leading elf made a serious promise.

Then, he looked at one of his subordinates behind him: "Coco, take them to the Holy Court to rest."

"Yes! Captain!"

The one who answered was a young elf girl, dressed in emerald green and silver armor, with her hair tied in a ponytail, exuding a rather heroic and spirited air.

Soon, the other elves were busy in the temple.

It was both to clean away the filthy bloodstains and to search for clues.

However, this has nothing to do with Shane.

"Everyone, please follow me."

Following in Coco's footsteps, the group traveled through the forest.

Taking this opportunity, Shane also took a good look at the "City of Giant Trees" that had not yet been submerged by the sea.

Just like the city's name suggests, the trees in the nearby forest are exceptionally large.

They are comparable to the trees on the island where the Cyclops once lived.

However, the reason why the trees on that island were so tall was because they were tainted by the blood of giants.

The towering height of this forest is entirely due to its extremely vigorous vitality.

Just walking through it gives you a feeling of exhilaration, and your steps become lighter.

Moreover, although these trees are tall, they do not give people a feeling of oppression.

Sometimes when you look up, you can see a clear, azure sky.

Because it had just rained, the air carried a damp, earthy smell, making it even fresher and more pleasant.

Shane also noticed that some strange treehouses had been built on the branches of the giant tree.

They are considered "unusual" because the materials of these trees are distinct and traditional, consisting of ordinary vines and branches.

However, the architectural style is novel and advanced, seemingly combining the advantages of many other architectural styles to form its own unique style.

Noticing Shane's gaze, Coco explained.

“Those treehouses, and the houses in the Holy Court, were all designed by Her Majesty the Queen herself!”

"It has not only become more stable, but it is also more comfortable to live in."

"The key point is... it's much nicer than those old-fashioned wooden houses!"

Her tone carried a hint of pride, clearly showing great respect for the empress who had not yet ascended the throne.

Xia En was also somewhat surprised.

The Queen of the Elves, and also has a talent for civil engineering?

Born with a body that can dispel ashes?

This skill is indeed quite rare for an empress.

Edward, standing to the side, had a strange expression: "So that empress had this kind of hobby..."

Coco glanced at him and said, "Her Majesty the Queen knows a lot!"

"Architecture is just one aspect; Her Majesty is proficient in clothing, magic runes, alchemy... she is skilled in many of them!"

"She manages the City of Giant Trees so well that no one can find fault with her."

Hearing this, Xia En was even more surprised.

From Coco's words, it's easy to tell that this empress seems to be an all-rounder.

Not only can you upgrade the technology tree, but you've also maxed out your management skills?

But, does such a perfect person really exist?

"The little girl is right."

Just then, a hoarse voice suddenly came from beside them.

Xia En turned his head and his expression immediately became somewhat strange.

The one speaking was none other than a large tree beside them.

The great tree opened its deep-set eyes and sighed, "If there is anyone who can lead the Elven race to greatness again, it is probably only this empress who is about to ascend the throne."

Good grief, so you were eavesdropping the whole time, weren't you!

Xia En couldn't help but complain.

This is a tall tree-man, seemingly in his prime, exuding a powerful vitality.

To be honest, this was the first time Shaen had ever seen a normal tree person.

Its vibrant atmosphere and lush green leaves were vastly different from the tree-people living in the sea in later generations.

"That's right, that little guy is indeed a genius."

Suddenly, the voice of a tree-man came from the side.

When they are firmly rooted and still, they become an integral part of the forest, indistinguishable from one another.

As Xia En gazed into the distance of the forest, he sensed several more similar auras.

He felt a chill run down his spine.

How many tree-people are hidden in such a large forest?
And each treant is a born siege machine...

When they all awaken, this forest will become an army powerful enough to sweep across most human kingdoms!
Xia En vaguely guessed the reason for this international conference.

This was both an opportunity for the Elven race to demonstrate their strength to the various kingdoms on the continent through the momentous event of the Queen's ascension to the throne.

This also reflects the human kingdoms' initiative to show goodwill towards the elves.

When one person ascends the throne, all nations come to pay tribute!

It must be said that in this era, the Elf race still holds the status of a world hegemon.

This made Xia En even more curious.

What kind of person would the empress of such a powerful race be?
Through the words of Coco and the tree people, Shane gradually formed an image of an omnipotent, beloved, kind and benevolent queen in his mind.

……

……

It didn't take long.

Shane and his group followed Coco to what they called the "Holy Court".

Despite being called the "Holy Court," it is actually a city located in the heart of the forest.

As mentioned earlier, the City of Giant Trees covers an extremely vast area, and in the center of the entire forest stands a colossal tree of unimaginable size.

When Xia En saw the giant tree, he was stunned for a moment.

Because it was exactly the same as the giant tree he had seen at the bottom of the sea.

Shaen's first thought was that this was the true form of the [Giant Tree God].

But then he suddenly realized that the huge, fleshy heart was the real [Giant Tree God]!
And this giant tree is likely the object it mimics and disguises—

The Mother Tree of the Elves!

On Emerald Isle, Shane had also seen an Elf Mother Tree.

But compared to the giant tree in front of it, that tree could only be described as "petite and delicate".

Anyone who sees this giant tree for the first time will be genuinely shocked.

Beneath the shade of giant trees lies a city where tradition and innovation coexist.

Here you'll find old-fashioned elven archers, dilapidated wooden huts, mages wielding staffs, adventurers carrying greatswords, steam-powered motorcycles, and innovative magic-inlaid equipment...

People from all over the world walk through the streets, speaking various languages ​​and wearing different styles of clothing.

It gives people a feeling that is both contradictory and harmonious.

If Xia En were to describe this city before him, it would probably be—

"It was the best of times, it was the worst of times."

"This city has reached a crossroads in the times."

"Heaven or hell, it's just a matter of a single thought."

(End of this chapter)