The group finally saw the legendary Elf Queen, Queen Vivian.

She wore a magnificent, pure white dress, and held a staff made of the branch of life that was as tall as a person. She raised it, and the ninth-level wind orb on it emitted an extreme green light, shining on everyone and making everyone feel surrounded by a gentle power.

Her long, golden curls reached the ground. As a long-lived being, even though she was hundreds of years old, her appearance was as delicate as a young girl's. Her emerald green eyes were so beautiful that they were unforgettable at first glance, making her a true beauty among mortals.

Countless elves stood before her, and at her call, they respectfully opened their arms to receive the baptism of life force.

"Tonight will be the most sacred and glorious moment for the Elven race. We invite everyone to participate actively."

"The Elf race, never to decay!"

The elves below all shouted in unison:

"The Elf race, never to decay!"

They stood on the flat ground, surrounded by trees, quiet and peaceful.

Suddenly, a campfire appeared among them.

The flames were golden, like the sun had been plucked from the sky, burning intensely, their light dancing and twisting as if enjoying the revelry of the night.

The elves held hands, forming circles around each other, enveloping one another, and chanted in the ancient and sacred language—Elvish—around the campfire.

The songs of the elves have always been on par with those of the merfolk, but with an added sense of holiness and awe. Even if one cannot understand the lyrics, the beautiful songs are so enchanting that they are like a gentle breeze, captivating the listener and leaving them unable to extricate themselves.

Quan Ji and the others looked at the scene before them, which was indeed warm and beautiful—if they hadn't known what was going to happen next, it would have been beautiful.

Queen Vivian sang with the elves.

The birds and animals around the forest were all attracted and danced along with it.

Sophia said, "This is the elven hymn 'Ode to Life,' which tells the story of the elves and the gods."

"Legend has it that when the gods created the elves, they discovered that this race had an innate affinity for life. So the gods created the forest for the elves to live in, and planted the Tree of Life using the laws of life in the world. This towering tree maintains all the order and operation of the forest and is the core of the forest."

"The elves were appointed as guardians of the Tree of Life because of their friendly nature and powerful talents."

"The gods told the first Elf King that the beginning and end of life are predetermined by the Tree of Life. The Tree of Life nurtures life, but it also takes it away."

"But the energy that the Tree of Life deprives of life is too much for even a powerful race like the elves to handle."

"Then the gods were merciful and stripped the Tree of Life of its life, abolishing it. From then on, the Tree of Life only held the law of life. To thank the gods and the Tree of Life, the Elf King composed this 'Ode to Life'."

"As for whether the legend is true, we have no way of knowing."

Quan Ji listened silently, and thought that the legend was probably true most of the time—since she left the Holy Glory Empire, almost every legend she encountered was true.

The elven festival continued before them. After singing the hymns, they knelt before the Tree of Life and prayed devoutly, waiting for the Tree of Life to respond to the birth of new life.

thump--

thump--

A strong heartbeat can be heard on the Tree of Life.

Everyone looked in the direction from which the heartbeat sound came, and their expressions changed drastically!

On branches where sunlight cannot reach, golden cocoons envelop powerful energy, with a dense aura of the abyss spreading outwards, and terrifying black mist emanating from them—it is completely unlike any life form that would be born from the Tree of Life!

Just then, a man dressed in black robes suddenly appeared behind Queen Vivian. The man was incomparably handsome and possessed immense power, even stronger than when they met two days ago.

Dark Flame.

Kwon Ji's nominal father.

The current Archbishop of the Abyss.

The abyssal power emanating from him was extremely strong, seemingly spreading from his heart outwards, giving people a sense of dread.

Quan Ji took a deep breath, and everyone became even more careful in hiding, wanting to see what this man really wanted.

The Abyss never does anything without a purpose; why would they help the Elves if there's no profit to be gained?

Moreover, judging from the situation of the Archbishop of the Abyss, the Elven Festival seems to be of great importance to them.

The Archbishop of the Abyss, his gaze cold, said, "The gears of fate began to turn the moment the young lady came into contact with the laws of the gods. The revival of the Abyss begins today. Elf Queen, there's no need to delay any longer. Let's get to the point."

Faced with such a powerful being, even the Elf Queen Vivian was under immense pressure, fearing that she would be surrounded by the abyssal power of the opponent.

But she did not lose the demeanor of a queen.

She still stood tall and proud:

"Regarding this matter, I will certainly not disappoint you."

"However, the Elven Festival is related to the rise and fall of the Elven race and its glory, so please wait a moment, Archbishop."

Anyway, everything is already set in stone.