Overt Scheme

According to Jie Ning's guess, the Sacred Tree's repeated cycle of growth was the main reason it had endured for more than a hundred thousand years.

Of course, Jie Ning also estimated that this might be related to the fact that most of the Elves who had voluntarily sacrificed themselves over the years had not been particularly strong and could provide only limited soul energy.

After all, although the Sacred Tree represented the future, it was the existing strong who could protect the race's continued survival in the present.

However, in Jie Ning's view, the Elf Race's current situation could not be very good either. Otherwise, they would not be in such a hurry.

Sure enough, when Anmu heard Jie Ning's question, his answer quickly confirmed Jie Ning's thoughts.

Anmu smiled bitterly. "Ever since both the Progenitor and the Sacred Tree suffered misfortune, our race has been searching for a way to heal the Sacred Tree."

"However, without the protection of a god, the Elf Race quickly became prey in the eyes of many powerful beings."

"Since news of the Progenitor's fall spread, our race has constantly been attacked by experts from other races. Even now, many Saint Realm experts still attack the Elf Race because they have heard that we once had a God-level expert, hoping to obtain the so-called treasures of the gods."

"Now, including me, only five Saint Realm experts remain in the entire Elf Race. And because the younger generation cannot receive the Sacred Tree's blessing, most of their talents are far from ideal."

"If something happens to us old fellows as well, the Elf Race may truly become part of Bana Continent's history." Anmu spoke unwillingly.

As he listened to Anmu's account, some of Jie Ning's thoughts gradually took shape.

Jie Ning sorted through his thoughts, then handed the Seed in his hand back to Anmu.

Anmu stared blankly at the Sacred Tree Seed being returned to him, a faint sense of despair beginning to rise in his heart.

Fortunately, his mood took another sharp turn the very next moment.

"Let's go. Put it away for now. Lead the way, and we'll first take a look at your tribal grounds. I'm also curious about the place where your Sacred Tree grows." Hearing Jie Ning's voice, Anmu's mood brightened again.

"Yes, Your Highness. I will lead the way." Anmu walked ahead, intending to guide them, while the others hurriedly prepared to follow.

Seeing the group of Elves seemingly planning to walk there, Jie Ning froze for a moment. Then, in the next instant, he remembered that among them, only Anmu was in the Saint Realm.

Jie Ning secretly mocked himself for perhaps having become somewhat out of touch with reality.

The Divine Domain spread out and enveloped everyone as Jie Ning said to Anmu, "Point out the direction."

Anmu felt his body lose control and panicked for an instant, but he quickly reacted, steadied himself, and pointed in one direction. "Your Highness, it is this way."

With Anmu's demonstration, the others quickly understood that they could fly because of this lord. They barely managed to calm themselves, only for their hearts to leap into their throats again moments later.

Anmu could feel that they were flying toward the tribe at incredible speed, the scenery below vanishing from sight in an instant.

Before long, Jie Ning suddenly sensed an extremely dense aura of life in a forest ahead.

Jie Ning stopped above the forest and looked at Anmu. "Is this the place?"

Still somewhat shaken by Jie Ning's speed, Anmu heard the question and hurriedly looked around. After carefully confirming it, he said to Jie Ning, "Your Highness, yes. This is where our Elf Race lives."

After receiving Anmu's confirmation, Jie Ning led everyone downward.

Jie Ning flew to the front of a tall palace. This was clearly the core of the Elf Race.

The palace seemed like an extension of nature itself, displaying the Elves' exquisite artistic skill. Sunlight filtered through dense branches and leaves, falling across the palace's wooden surface in mottled patches of light and shadow. Its outer walls were made of a kind of wood Jie Ning had never seen before, its grain resembling a brilliant rainbow after rain and reflecting a subtle sheen beneath the sunlight.

Jie Ning could sense four somewhat powerful auras within the palace. Clearly, they were the four remaining Saint Realm experts of the Elf Race Anmu had mentioned.

Jie Ning did not conceal himself, and his descent from the sky naturally drew the palace guards' vigilance.

"What..."

"Stop!" Before the guard could finish shouting, Anmu hurriedly spoke to stop him.

"Elder Anmu." Seeing Anmu, the guards finally relaxed.

At that moment, several figures quickly flew out from the palace. As soon as they appeared, they looked first at Jie Ning and Anmu behind him.

"Elder Anmu, who are these two honored guests?" The leading Elf first gave Jie Ning a polite smile, then asked Anmu.

After all, only Jie Ning and Arannis were unfamiliar humans among the group. Yet seeing Anmu's respectful attitude, she felt it was best to remain cautious.

"Elder Biss, this is His Highness, the God of Life. The other is His Highness's wife." Anmu hurriedly introduced them, afraid of causing a misunderstanding.

The expressions of the Elves immediately turned serious, and they quickly addressed Jie Ning respectfully. "Greetings, Your Highness."

Jie Ning looked at the four newly appeared Saint Realm experts of the Elf Race. They were all handsome men and beautiful women. Sure enough, an elderly appearance like Anmu's was the exception.

Feeling Jie Ning's gaze upon them, Biss and the others did not dare move in the slightest.

Fortunately, Jie Ning only looked them over briefly before withdrawing his gaze and speaking to Anmu. "Since we have arrived among your Elf Race, Anmu, you should first have a proper discussion."

"Afterward, just take me directly to the place where your original Sacred Tree grew."

Jie Ning's tone was calm, but Anmu did not dare delay. He excused himself to Jie Ning.

Then he hurriedly pulled the other four Saint Realm experts of the Elf Race aside, briefly explained the situation, and discussed several possibilities with them.

Although Jie Ning was not paying particular attention to them, he could still sense their emotions gradually rising.

Soon, led by Elder Biss, several Elves came before Jie Ning and respectfully said, "Welcome to the Elf Race, Your Highness."

Biss then asked, "Your Highness, the place where the Sacred Tree grew is behind the palace. Would Your Highness like to rest first?"

"No need. Let's go over directly." Jie Ning was now filled with curiosity about the Sacred Tree's former growing place.

"Please follow me, Your Highness." Receiving Jie Ning's reply, Biss did not dare delay and immediately led the way.

Very quickly, the group passed around the palace.

Behind the palace lay an enormous valley. Its entrance was narrow and long, but it soon opened up, revealing the entire valley at a glance.

Jie Ning entered the valley and found that it sloped downward in the shape of a funnel. The life aura throughout the valley was exceptionally abundant, and Jie Ning could sense that the air here was especially rich in Wind and Water Elements.

The Wind and Water Elements continuously converged and collided in the air, turning into wisps of thin mist.

At the center of the valley was a crescent-shaped lake. On the land within the crescent stood a small mound, and in that mound was a pit. Clearly, this was where the Elf Race's Sacred Tree had originally grown.

The first thing Jie Ning did upon entering was look at the pit, but he soon shifted his focus and began observing the overall layout of the valley.

There was nothing remarkable about the pit itself. Simply put, the Earth Element within it was exceptionally active.

However, it was the valley's overall structure that truly amazed Jie Ning.

Although the air is rich in Wind and Water Elements, the valley's overall structure exerts an extremely strong pull on the Earth Element in the ground, keeping it gathered here. That is why the Earth Element within this pit is so active.

After observing for a long time, Jie Ning could not help feeling regretful. Although the layout of this place was indeed extraordinary, it was not what he wanted.

Behind Jie Ning, everyone stood quietly.

Arannis looked at the beautiful valley before her and found it rather wondrous as well, so she began looking around.

She could sense that the aura of Wind Elements in the valley was especially dense, but the Wind Elements here seemed somewhat mischievous. One moment, they were beside Arannis's ear; the next, they had mixed with the Water Elements at her side and drifted away.

Instinctively, Arannis wanted to use her spiritual power to catch that mischievous Wind Element. Very quickly, it seemed as though she was about to catch it.

But perhaps the other Wind Elements felt the game should not end so soon. They lined up together like a bridge, and in the blink of an eye, the Wind Element Arannis had been pursuing had already appeared in another direction.

Without realizing it, Arannis's competitive spirit was stirred, and she continued chasing it.

Unknowingly, the Wind Elements around Arannis gathered into a vortex.

"Hm?" Sensing the elemental fluctuations, Jie Ning immediately discovered that Arannis had entered a state of enlightenment.

Jie Ning's Divine Avatar quickly appeared. The Divine Domain enveloped all the Elves present and carried them out of the valley, while his Sanctuary Main Body remained behind to guard Arannis's side.

"Your Highness..." Having been taken out of the valley by Jie Ning's Divine Avatar, Biss and the others still maintained respectful expressions.

They could see that His Highness's wife had entered a state of enlightenment, and they could not help feeling somewhat envious. Enlightenment was something one could only encounter by chance, especially for those in the Saint Realm. A single moment of enlightenment could often allow them to advance considerably along the path of laws.

With Arannis entering enlightenment, Jie Ning's mood improved considerably. Looking at the Elves, he no longer intended to beat around the bush and said directly, "I can solve the matter of your Sacred Tree."

Biss and the other Elves exchanged excited looks. Though they had known it would likely be possible, this was the first definite answer...

"However..."

That turn of phrase immediately calmed the Elves down again. In the end, Biss asked, "May I ask what Your Highness requires?"

"There is no need to rush that. As for the Sacred Tree's current condition, I have two methods." Jie Ning merely smiled at Biss's question before continuing.

"Please explain, Your Highness."

"The first method is for me to directly use divine power to stimulate this Seed's germination. But after the effect of my divine power is exhausted, it should grow as your previous Sacred Trees did, and eventually become a Seed again."

"The second method is for me to first restore this Seed to health, then allow it to grow step by step. That way, it may have a chance of returning to the form of the original Sacred Tree recorded in your history."

"Which one do you choose?" Jie Ning looked at the Elves with a smile. "Of course, you can discuss it first."

Biss clearly had already made up her mind. She cautiously asked, "If we choose the second method, does Your Highness need us to do something?"

Jie Ning was clearly not surprised by their choice at all. He answered frankly, "If you choose the second method, then until this Sacred Tree fully recovers, it will need to remain by my side for a long time. And I cannot stay here with you..."

"If, during that time, you need the Sacred Tree's blessing, you will have to go to the Life Duke's Territory where I reside."

"Your Highness, how long will this period be?" After hearing Jie Ning's explanation, Biss did not consider the first option at all and directly asked further.

Jie Ning made a rough estimate in his mind before answering, "At least sixty to a hundred years. The exact time will depend on what happens afterward."

Biss and the other Elves breathed a sigh of relief. They had already discussed this period of time beforehand. Such a short duration was an unexpected delight.

The Elves confirmed it with one another again, and in the end, Biss still spoke up. "Your Highness, we choose the second method."

Jie Ning confirmed with them, "If you choose the second method, this Sacred Tree will take root in my City of Life throughout its growth. Are you certain?"

Biss answered decisively, "We will trouble Your Highness. We only wonder whether the Life Duke's Territory can accept Elves like us as residents."

Jie Ning smiled. "Naturally."

"The Life Duke's Territory welcomes everyone, including Elves."

In truth, there had never been a first choice from the beginning. The so-called first plan was merely drinking poison to quench thirst, and the Elf Race had already learned countless lessons from it.

Only the second choice was their true remedy, and these few naturally understood which option they should choose.

As for whether Jie Ning might deceive them, the current Elf Race was not worth deceiving for a God-level expert.

Jie Ning had not deceived these Elves. Whether it was the two methods or the recovery time for the Seed, he had told them the truth.

But he was indeed making plans for these Elves. He was merely using an Overt Scheme.

From the moment he learned from Anmu that a complete Sacred Tree could grant Elves abilities similar to an Innate Divine Ability, he had already thought of bringing the Elves back to the Life Duke's Territory. At the very least, he wanted to "persuade" a group to go there.

That way, perhaps the Life Duke's Territory would have its own Elves in the future.

Ideally, Elven bloodlines would be integrated into the Life Duke's Territory's inheritance.

But whether the descendants can gain such abilities will depend on your own capabilities, Jie Ning thought.

In the end, it will depend on whether this so-called Sacred Tree can give me enough of a surprise.

In the valley, Arannis opened her eyes. Looking at Jie Ning beside her, she wore her usual smile.

"Let's go home."

"Okay."

Alright, this part of the story ends here. The next chapter returns to the main plot.

The Elves will still have a role later on. I believe readers familiar with Coiling Dragon have all noticed this race's unique nature. This is just a lead-in.

Their specific role will officially appear in the middle to later stages.

Also, please vote.