I reign supreme in the Western fantasy world for eternity.

Ji Tian leaned the Holy Sword against the corner of the wall. The Holy Mountain had shrunk to the size of a palm, but it still emitted a faint golden halo.

The bed was a rattan couch, a type of soft couch unique to the Elven race, covered with thick dry moss and soft fabric, giving one a gentle feeling of being enveloped by the forest when lying on it.

Elena moved to the inside and patted the empty space next to her.

"What are you standing there for? I'm not going to bite you. But speaking of which, your second apprentice seemed quite embarrassed and annoyed when Lilith asked him about his age today, and he kept watching your reaction."

Ji Tian sat down on the edge of the bed. "I'm also a little curious about how big it is according to the Elven calculation method."

Elena moved back, wrapped her arms around his neck, and looked at him. "Really just curious? You, as his master, don't even know how old your apprentice is?"

"I only know that her bone age is older than mine, but she never said her exact age, and I never asked."

Elena stared at him for a few seconds, seemingly trying to determine if he was pretending to be stupid. Finally, she shook her head, reached out and poked his shoulder. "You really are a master at playing dumb."

Before Ji Tian could refute his claim of being "wise in disguise," Elena continued to ask:

"What were your thoughts when you saw that elven village during the day?"

Ji Tian thought for a moment, "Apart from a longer lifespan, it's not much different from a human village. The same lively atmosphere, the same children running around in the village, the same couples bickering, and the same neighbors visiting each other. If it weren't for the pointy-eared creature reminding me, I would almost think I was still in a human kingdom."

Elena nodded. "I've also read some travel guides written by adventurers. Those who have been deep within the Elven Royal Court say that the closer you get to the center of the Royal Court, the more... how should I put it, the more 'elfin' the elves become."

They said that the elves and humans on the border were almost indistinguishable, but once they entered the core area of ​​the royal court, their words and actions seemed to be bound by some unseen rules.

Ji Tian almost instantly deduced the general reason based on Ophelia and the elves he had seen: "Bloodline level and purity?"

Is there also a distinction between high elves and low elves here?

Elena nodded upon hearing this and, while Ji Tian was thinking, she straddled his lap from behind. "The travel guide also mentions that most of the elves in the core of the royal court are ancient nobles with extremely long lifespans. They follow an extremely strict set of etiquette rules, while the elves on the border are mostly commoners, who live more freely."

Upon hearing this, Ji Tian fell into deep thought, and after a moment replied, "You're right, but... what are you doing?"

"It's too late to realize it now!"

Elena pushed Ji Tian, ​​who had fallen onto the bed with her force, aside. "Let's keep things quiet today. I'll take charge."

……

After a night of whispered sweet nothings and tender moments, dawn broke.

Elena groggily turned over and instinctively reached out to touch the person next to her, but her fingertips only touched the cool sheets.

She opened her eyes and saw that Ji Tian was already dressed and sitting cross-legged on the windowsill, closing his eyes to regulate his breathing.

"You woke up so early." Elena propped herself up, the blanket slipped down, revealing her fair shoulders. She gathered her long, loose hair, her voice still languid from just waking up. "I thought you would sleep a little longer after you transformed into a mortal."

Ji Tian opened his eyes, jumped off the windowsill, and walked to the bedside. "Hua Fan isn't sleeping. How's that matter going?"

Elena recalled their conversation from the previous night, and a smile unconsciously crept onto her lips. She put on her nightgown, threw back the covers, and walked barefoot onto the wooden floor to stand before him, reaching out to straighten his collar. "I've been thinking about this all night. What you said last night about cultivating immortality... Is it really too late for me now?"

Ji Tian held her hand. "Of course it's not too late. As long as you want to learn, it's never too late."

"So, where should I start?"

"Sense the spiritual energy first. You already have a decent foundation in magic, just in a different style."

Ji Tian touched her brow with his fingertip, casually drawing spiritual energy from the surrounding area and channeling it into her senses. "Feel it first..."

The two stayed in the room for about half an hour, until Lilith's energetic knocking came from the hallway: "Master! Sister Elena! Get up! There are honey pancakes for breakfast!"

Elena composed herself, stretched her neck, and felt a faint warmth within her body. "It seems like I can really feel it now."

"Of course, I personally imparted the power to you."

Elena glared at him and turned to open the door.

Outside the door, Lilith was indeed standing in the corridor, looking energetic. Her long, silvery-white hair was neatly combed, and the wooden stick that had accompanied her through many battles was hanging on her back.

She saw Elena and immediately smiled, "Good morning, Elena! The weather is especially nice today! Let's hurry up and set off after breakfast!"

Ji Tian walked out of the room, his gaze falling on the still-closed door next door. "You seem quite energetic. Where's Ophelia?"

Lilith pointed to the door. "Second Senior Sister is still inside. I called her just now, and she responded, but she didn't come out."

Ji Tian walked over and gently knocked on the door.

Several breaths passed before the door was opened.

Ophelia stood behind the door, her short, silvery-white hair slightly disheveled, with dark circles under her eyes, clearly indicating she hadn't slept well.

Her gaze lingered on Ji Tian's face for a moment before quickly shifting away, her voice a few decibels lower than usual: "Sect Master, good morning."

Seeing her unusually listless appearance, Ji Tian frowned slightly: "Didn't you meditate last night, and didn't you sleep well?"

"...I have trouble sleeping in different beds, and I also had some dreams."

"What kind of dream?"

Ophelia's eyelashes fluttered, but she pretended not to hear and stepped aside. "I'm going to wash up. I'll be done soon."

She walked briskly toward the restroom at the end of the corridor, her short, silvery-white hair swaying in the morning light. Her steps were still light, but she lacked her usual composure.

Elena stood behind Ji Tian, ​​watching with interest as his figure disappeared around the corner. She lowered her voice and whispered in his ear, "Could it be that he was dreaming about you?"

Ji Tian remained unfazed: "It's normal to dream about anyone."

Elena gave a light snort, took his arm, and walked downstairs. "You're quite easygoing. Let's go try some elven honey pancakes."

The Adventurers' Guild's restaurant is located on one side of the lobby on the first floor. Several wooden tables are polished to a shine, and several potted green plants with tiny white flowers are placed on the windowsill.

The air was filled with the sweet aroma of toasted bread and honey, mixed with the fresh scent of grass and trees unique to a forest morning.

The receptionist brought out a table full of food: honey pancakes, crispy bran bread, jam made from forest berries, a bowl of soup with a rich mushroom aroma, and a pot of hot tea brewed with herbs and flower petals.

Lilith couldn't wait to break off a piece of waffle and stuff it into her mouth, her eyes squinting with satisfaction.

"Mmm—it tastes much better than the bread in the human kingdom!"

Ji Tian picked up his teacup and took a sip. "Eat slowly, then we'll continue our journey."