Elven cultivators

Nine Netherworld City.

On a spacious square in the north of the city.

This place was originally a training ground for Mind Flayers' servant army, but it has now been transformed into a flat and open open space.

Tall lampposts stand at the four corners, with light-emitting stones inlaid on the tops of the pillars emitting a soft yet bright light.

Two or three hundred people gathered in the square.

They stood or sat, their eyes occasionally sweeping over their surroundings, their expressions filled with undisguised amazement and curiosity.

Unlike the elves' slender and tall figures, these figures have more diverse body shapes.

To the west is a group of Darkscale Clan.

They are slender, with skin covered in fine, dark blue scales, and three long, thin gill slits on each side of their necks that open and close slightly with their breathing.

On the east side are the cat people.

Their physique is similar to that of humans, with an upright height of mostly between 1.6 and 1.8 meters, and a slender and agile build.

Its pupils are vertical amber in color and gleam slightly in the dark. It has a pair of pointed ears covered with short hair standing upright on its head.

Cat-people have very little fur; only their forearms and calves are covered with fine, short, grayish-brown hair, while the rest of their skin is exposed, appearing as a light brown color from repeated sun exposure.

They were all elites selected from two races and would soon join the exploration teams of the Underdark.

Not long after they entered the city, they received news that the Silvermoon Clan's high-ranking officials wanted to meet with them, so they rushed here immediately.

"Moon Mark".

Chaoshi walked towards the cat-people, his gaze landing on the slender and agile cat-person woman at the head of the group.

The other party was the chieftain of this cat-people tribe, and also the tribe's best hunter.

Considering that this operation concerns the future of their races, both the Darkscale Clan and the Catmen's chieftains decided to personally lead the team.

During their time at the camp on the outskirts of Silvermoon Forest, the two chieftains, due to their similar circumstances, had many exchanges and had become quite familiar with each other.

Yuehen withdrew her gaze from surveying her surroundings, nodded to Chaoshi, and still looked surprised.

"I feel like this place is different from the Underdark I've heard about."

Chao Shi said, "That's because the Silvermoon Clan modified the surrounding area, making it almost like the surface world. The real Underdark is far darker, damper, and more terrifying than what you see now."

Yuehen revealed a thoughtful expression.

She didn't doubt Chao Shi's words.

After all, the latter's ancestors had spent a long time in the Underdark.

They certainly know more about the Underdark than she does.

"To be honest, I was also quite shocked when I first came here."

Chao Shi looked around, his gaze lingering for a moment on the walls engraved with runes, the neat stone slabs, and the buildings in the distance that were different in style but orderly. He sighed softly, "It's hard to imagine that the Silver Moon Clan could build such a city in the Underdark. They're amazing."

Moonhen deeply agreed.

Putting everything else aside, the concentration of elemental energy here alone was enough to surprise her.

She had once been fortunate enough to enter the Silvermoon Forest and was amazed by its incredibly high concentration of elemental energy. Now, she had discovered another place with an even higher concentration of elemental energy.

Other factions would be quite fortunate to have even one such stronghold.

The Silvermoon Clan, however, possesses two such locations!

It's even highly likely that there are three locations!

I've heard that the city of Krysorlong in the Eldron Plains has also fallen into the hands of the Silvermoon Clan.

As is widely known, the locations of Dragon Cities in various places are often also the locations of Earth Vein nodes.

Thinking about this, Yuehen couldn't help but be even more amazed.

This also gave them a deeper understanding of the immense power of the Silvermoon Clan.

Tide Stone's gaze was drawn to a group of elven soldiers passing by in the distance.

The elves were dressed in standard leather armor, the surface of which shimmered with a faint light.

The long sword hanging at his waist also had runes flashing on its hilt.

Even the short bow on its back is covered with fine patterns.

"Everyone is equipped with Glimmer-level magic gear, and not just one piece. The Silvermoon Clan is truly wealthy and powerful."

Chao Shi's tone betrayed his envy.

I heard that the soldiers of the Silvermoon Legion are equipped like this.

How many resources would it take to build such an army?

"It's not just equipment." Moonshadow's eyesight was much sharper than Tidestone's. "Look at the leather boxes on their waists; they contain the legendary talismans."

"It's said that thing is just as effective as a magic scroll."

"I once heard an elf say that every soldier in the Silvermoon Legion carries more than ten talismans with him."

Upon hearing this, Chaoshi couldn't help but swallow.

Although talismans are cheaper than magic scrolls, they are still not something that can be easily purchased.

For their tribe, they only buy a few to save their lives when they go on missions, and they feel bad for several days after using them up.

However, in the Silvermoon Legion, talismans became standard equipment for soldiers, readily available for use.

It can only be said that the Silvermoon Clan's resources far exceeded his expectations.

"Moonmark, do you think the Silvermoon Clan can truly accept us?" Tide Stone suddenly asked.

Yuehen glanced at him but didn't say anything.

Chao Shi carefully chose his words and continued, "As you know, elves are very proud and have never liked to interact with other races. I once met elves from the Emerald Court, and when they looked at other races, they couldn't hide their inherent sense of superiority."

"I'm afraid that if I join the Silvermoon Clan, my clan will be treated harshly."

Moonshine sighed and said, "I understand your concerns, but I think the Silvermoon Clan and the Emerald Court are different."

"The Silvermoon Clan has only been around for a little over a hundred years, rising from humble beginnings to where they are today. They do not have the deep-rooted arrogance of the Emerald Court, and their style of doing things is more pragmatic."

"You've had a lot of contact with Silvermoon Clan elves during this time, so you should have some understanding of this by now."

Chao Shi thought for a moment and nodded.

That's absolutely right.

The Silvermoon elves he encountered, whether they were members of the liaison office or soldiers of the Silvermoon Legion, were all quite peaceful in their dealings with people.

While they weren't exactly enthusiastic, at least they weren't arrogant or condescending.

He always explains what needs to be explained clearly and never shirks his responsibility to provide assistance. He handles matters officially and efficiently.

This pragmatic attitude actually made him feel more comfortable.

Moonmark continued, "At least for now, it's easier for us to be accepted by the Silvermoon Clan if we join them. As long as we demonstrate sufficient ability, the Silvermoon Clan will surely treat us well."

"Besides, joining the Silvermoon Clan is better than our previous situation, no matter what."

Chao Shi was silent for a moment, then sighed, "You're right."

Since the successive destruction of Dragon Cities in various regions, the Dawn Continent has fallen into unprecedented chaos.

Whether it was to compete for resources and territory, or because long-standing grudges and conflicts of interest suddenly erupted, forces from various regions quickly began to fight each other.

Weak tribes like the Netherscale Clan not only have to survive in the struggles between powerful forces, but also constantly guard against the covetousness of other forces, making their lives increasingly difficult and precarious.

This was only because many racial factions had joined the coalition and focused their efforts on attacking the Annihilation Fortress; otherwise, their situation would have been even more difficult.

In the Dawn Continent today, the living space of weak races like them is being constantly squeezed.

Without relying on a more powerful force, it is impossible to survive.

So when the Silvermoon Clan extended an olive branch to them, Tidestone accepted almost without hesitation.

After all, the Silvermoon Clan is the dominant force in the Eldron Plains, and is also led by the renowned Meteor Dragon Sword Saint.

Apart from the five top powers at the very top of the pyramid and a few first-rate powers, no one on the entire Dawn Continent would easily provoke the Silvermoon Clan.

With the Silvermoon Clan as our backer, it's worth it, even if we have to pay a price.

"I heard a lot of people died at Annihilation Fortress?"

"It's not just many people. As far as I know, quite a few forces sent troops there and they were completely wiped out. They must be in a terrible mess right now."

"It's been over three years, why haven't we taken Dark Annihilation Fortress yet?"

"It's not that simple, those are dragons."

The two chatted for a while and then sighed.

I heard that the Silvermoon Clan did not send troops to participate in the war, but only supplied supplies to the allied forces at a low price.

In retrospect, this approach may have been a stroke of foresight.

At least the clansmen won't die in vain.

These vassal races who pledged allegiance to the Silvermoon Clan did not have to worry about being conscripted as cannon fodder in the war and sent to the front lines to die.

Just as the two were talking in hushed tones, a series of steady footsteps suddenly came from the entrance of the square.

Chaoshi and Yuehen stopped talking at the same time and turned to look.

A group of figures emerged from behind the archway.

Leading the way was an elven youth with long, light-gold hair casually tied back, and a flowing, moon-white robe that gave him an ethereal air.

He has a youthful face, yet he possesses a calm and composed demeanor.

Two exquisitely beautiful elven girls followed behind him.

A group of elven officers followed closely behind, their demeanor showing obvious respect for the young elf in charge.

Chaoshi and Yuehen immediately recognized one of the two elven girls.

Eleanor Silvermoon.

The chieftain's assistant, however, was now quietly following behind a young elf.

Upon seeing this, they immediately recognized the latter's identity and were taken aback.

I thought that the clan leaders who would return today would be either Eleanor or one of the three elders, but I didn't expect that it would be the clan leader himself.

This is the man who single-handedly killed the Shining Dragon and started the war against dragons.

Even in the Dawn Continent, this name has already resounded far and wide, and has been sung by countless people.

For a moment, Chaoshi and Yuehen couldn't help but tense up.

They exchanged a glance, then quickly walked over and stopped about three steps away from the newcomer, bowing their heads respectfully.

"Lord Andon."

"Lady Eleanor"

Seeing that the two men's gazes turned to Roman, who was standing to the side, and they looked hesitant, Eleanor spoke up at the right moment: "This is Roman. She will lead the exploration team you will be joining."

It turned out to be my immediate supervisor.

Chao Shi and Yue Hen felt a chill run down their spines and quickly turned to Roman, bowing respectfully once again.

"Lord Roman."

Roman simply smiled and nodded slightly in response to the two of them, without saying a word.

Even in such formal settings, she could still discern who held the reins.

Anton's gaze fell on the Scaled Clan and the Catman in front of him. His gaze was calm and profound. He did not deliberately release any pressure, but it made the two of them involuntarily tense up.

"Eleanor has already told me about your situation."

"The Scaled Clan excels at water exploration and location tracking, while the Cat People are skilled in reconnaissance and tracking—both abilities that are very helpful in exploring the Dark Regions."

"Welcome to this exploration mission."

He paused, his gaze sweeping across the two faces.

"I promise you here that as long as you make contributions, the clan will certainly not treat you unfairly."

Chaoshi and Yuehen exchanged a glance, both seeing joy in each other's eyes.

"Don't worry, Chieftain," Chao Shi quickly replied, "We will do our utmost to complete the mission."

"I will never let you down," Yuehen followed, her tone solemn.

Anton nodded: "Next, you will train with the Silvermoon Legion's Dark Banner Team to adapt to the environment of Nine Nether City. After the training is over, you will begin to explore the outside world."

"I look forward to your results."

Chaoshi and Yuehen responded in unison, their expressions revealing their joy and excitement.

The fact that the clan chief and legendary swordsman personally met with them and made promises undoubtedly demonstrates the clan's emphasis on exploring the Underdark and reflects the high regard they hold for the clan members.

This gave them a huge sense of reassurance.

The previous worries, anxieties, and unease vanished instantly, replaced by excitement and boundless enthusiasm.

They couldn't wait to set off and explore the Underdark, to prove their abilities as soon as possible.

Seeing the changes in their expressions, Anton smiled slightly, said nothing more, and turned to leave.

Eleanor followed behind him, and together they walked out of the square.

Roman stayed on.

She walked up to Chaoshi and Yuehen, grinned, and said, "From today onwards, I will be your direct supervisor. If you have any questions, you can come to me directly without beating around the bush."

"Let's go, I'll take you to your lodgings first, and then we'll familiarize you with the environment of Nine Nether City."

Chaoshi and Yuehen quickly agreed, calling their respective tribesmen to follow Roman, and the group left the square in a grand procession.