I reign supreme in the Western fantasy world for eternity.

Ji Tian's encouragement had a remarkable effect; even Ophelia, who usually had a poker face, nodded excitedly with a flushed face.

Her steps were much lighter than before.

The capital of the Elven royal court is called "Elwindel," which means "eternal sanctuary" in the ancient Elvish language. The capital's population accounts for 60% of the entire Elven race, making it the lifeblood of the entire race.

The main gate of the royal court is a huge archway formed by two ancient, towering trees that grow naturally and whose branches intersect at the top. Behind it is a wide bluestone avenue with pale gold patterns inlaid on the surface, and a faint light flows through the patterns.

Lilith looked up for a moment, then exclaimed sincerely, "So big..."

When Ji Tian and his group actually stepped into the city, they finally understood the significance of "60% of the population":

The streets are wide and flat, naturally interwoven with the roots of ancient trees, making them soft and springy to walk on.

The treehouses on both sides cascade upwards, with shops on the lower levels displaying colorful signs selling magical materials, elven handicrafts, and spices and fabrics from the human kingdoms. The upper levels are residential houses, with covered bridges spanning the street and connecting the adjacent ancient trees.

The air was filled with the fresh scent of grass and trees and the sweet aroma of freshly baked bread, mixed with the distant sound of an elf's harp.

The pedestrians were numerous, and the elves had hair of various colors, ranging from silver-white to dark brown. Their clothes were either luxurious or simple, but without exception, they all maintained a certain natural composure.

Occasionally, one could see a few human merchants tucked into the group, being led by a translator as they hurried along.

Ji Tian carried the Holy Sword, which had shrunk to three feet in length, at the front. The Holy Mountain had shrunk to the size of a fist and was embedded in the hilt of the sword, looking like a golden decorative gem from a distance.

But he had only taken a few dozen steps when all eyes turned to him.

"It's a sacred mountain..."

"Has the hero arrived?"

"The one carrying the mountain?"

A little girl tugged at her mother's sleeve, pointed at Ji Tian's sword hilt, and asked in a shrill voice, "Mommy, is that the Holy Sword?"

"Shh—" Her mother gently pressed her shoulder and bowed to Ji Tian.

Lilith smiled and waved to the little girl, then leaned closer to Ji Tian and asked, "Master, should we go to the palace now or contact the church members first?"

"have no idea."

"ha?!"

Ji Tian remained expressionless. "The church leaders didn't mention it when we left the old Holy Mountain, but based on the usual plot, someone should be contacting us now—"

Before the words were finished, a steady middle-aged male voice came from outside the elven horde: "Hero, I am the ambassador of the human kingdom to the elven royal court, and I have been ordered to come and meet you."

A middle-aged man of medium build, dressed in a dark blue official robe, emerged from the crowd with two attendants. He was around fifty years old, with gray hair that was neatly combed. He had a square face and eyes that revealed the tact and shrewdness characteristic of diplomats.

The ambassador walked up to Ji Tian, ​​glanced at the holy sword on his shoulder, then looked at his three teammates behind him, and bowed slightly: "My lord, I have been waiting for you for many days. There are too many people around here, please follow me."

Ji Tian nodded and followed the ambassador through several streets, turning into a three-story stone building.

The building's exterior walls are adorned with windows in the style of a human kingdom, and two magic lamps hang in front of the door, creating a stark contrast with the surrounding elven treehouses entwined with vines.

Upon entering the building, the ambassador gestured to his entourage to bring out a large wooden box and place it on the table, while he led Ji Tian and the others to the reception room to sit down.

"These are the standard armor and official nameplates for heroes, urgently sent by the church." The ambassador pushed the wooden box in front of Ji Tian, ​​and then took out another roll of parchment. "These are the certificates of outstanding graduates from the Royal Capital Magic Academy. Miss Elena and Mr. Ji Tian both have them."

Ji Tian opened the armor box, and a set of light silver armor lay quietly on the velvet. The surface of the armor shimmered with a faint golden light, and the texture was lighter than he had imagined and slightly cool to the touch.

Elena took her graduation certificate, unfolded it, looked at it, and chuckled as she said to Ji Tian, ​​"The academy really gives the church face."

Ji Tian stored the armor and nameplate in his storage space, then looked up at the ambassador: "What new developments have there been on the Demon Clan's side?"

"My lord, since news of your drawing of the sword on the Holy Mountain spread, the demons have become much more restrained in their actions on the border. But restraint does not mean abandonment. According to scouts, the main force of the demons is still gathering near the border between the Northern Territory and the Elven Royal Court, seemingly waiting for some opportunity. Currently, the most intense fighting is in the Third Border Fortress, where the demons have launched two probing attacks, both of which were repelled."

Ji Tian asked, "What should I do?"

"As is customary, once a hero arrives in the war zone, he can assist the local garrison in defense or counterattack. The specific tactics will be discussed between you and the local general; neither the kingdom nor the church will interfere. Please feel free to make any requests, and I will do my best to secure them for you."

Ji Tian nodded. "My requirement is 'After dealing with the demons, I need to go to the Ancient Tree of Life.' Just inform them verbatim. Is there a teleportation array for Fortress Three here? Let's go directly there."

The ambassador was slightly taken aback upon hearing this, not expecting Ji Tian to be so decisive. He sighed in admiration, "He truly is a hero," and replied solemnly:

"I have already applied for permission to use the Elven Royal Court's teleportation array for you. The Elven Royal Court's teleportation array leads directly to the teleportation point at Border Fortress No. 3. If you are ready, you can go there now."

"Let's go now."

"As you wish."

The teleportation array was located at the base of a giant tree on the north side of the capital, where the roots intertwined to form a natural stone chamber.

The elven space mage had been waiting by the magic circle for a long time. When Ji Tian and the others arrived, he didn't say much, but just made a "please" gesture.

Ji Tian grasped Elena's hand, and with his other hand held the Holy Sword horizontally in front of him.

Elena naturally moved closer to his side; Lilith nestled against Elena's other side, clutching the wooden stick tightly in her arms; Ophelia stood quietly at the back, her gaze sweeping over the runes on the teleportation array to confirm it was correct.

"Hero, please stand firm." The elven space mage's voice was clear and melodious as he raised his hand to activate the magic circle.

A white light engulfed the four people.

The next instant, the air suddenly became dry and biting, and the sound of the wind carrying the faint sound of distant horns filled the air.

Ji Tian opened his eyes. Beneath his feet was a gray-white stone fortress platform, the walls of which were covered with marks from arrows and scorch marks from magical burns.

Below the city wall are rolling hills and sparse woodlands, with a dark red sunset falling on the mountains.

His gaze swept across the fortress platform, landing on two familiar figures:

A woman in light silver armor held a thick holy book in her arms, her long silver hair gleaming softly in the twilight.

Anna, former priestess of the Hero Squad.

Beside her stood an elf carrying a longbow, her long, dark brown hair fluttering in the wind, and her sharp, amber eyes leaving a deep impression on Ji Tian.

Legolas, the former elven archer of the Hero Squad.