I reign supreme in the Western fantasy world for eternity.

This area bordering the Elven Kingdom and the Demon Realm is sparsely populated.

After leaving the border fortress, the official road gradually narrowed and became rugged, and the dense forests on both sides changed from neatly cultivated trees to a primitive forest landscape:

Ancient trees reach for the sky, their roots emerging from the soil, and vines and pebbles that lie across the road force the group to frequently detour.

Occasionally, I would pass by treehouses in those villages, most of which were empty, with doors half-closed, vines climbing all over the windowsills, and only a few unknown birds had built nests under the eaves.

A wooden sign at the village entrance reads "Relocated," and ashes and scorch marks remain at the base of the wall, indicating that it was destroyed by monsters incited by the Shadow Demon.

After completing their mission of disrupting the border, the Shadow Demons clearly did not retrieve the monster "materials" they had scattered. As Ji Tian and his group traveled through the wilderness, they encountered groups of three to five monsters wandering around every few miles.

Ji Tian walked at the front, glancing slightly at each suspicious bush or blind spot before continuing on as if nothing had happened.

"Master, could you please not look at the trees by the roadside like that when you're walking?" Lilith finally couldn't help but ask in a low voice, "I always feel like something might jump out from behind the trees at any moment."

"Your intuition is very accurate."

"ah?!"

"Because there really is something there."

Lilith followed his gaze but saw nothing. "Where?"

"There are still a few wolves lurking behind the bushes, ready to ambush us."

"Then why don't you fight them?"

"Because their realm has reached the point where they should break through and undergo the baptism of heavenly tribulation."

As soon as he finished speaking, a thin, almost silent arc of silver-blue electricity suddenly appeared above the bushes in front of him. The arc fell straight down and precisely struck deep into the bushes, followed by a few short whistles, and then complete silence.

Lilith's eyes widened.

No, is that right?

Is there a type of heavenly tribulation called "the one who sends down the lightning tribulation thinks you should undergo the tribulation"?

Actually, Lilith wronged Ji Tian this time. Those monsters were indeed on the verge of breaking through, or rather, all the monsters driven by the Shadow Demon were like that.

It's highly likely that those Shadow Demons possess items that enhance monsters and cause them to lose most of their sanity.

The group continued on their way.

Ji Tian taught Elena and Lilith some basic spells on the way.

He explained it very simply.

"First, gather a wisp of spiritual energy at your fingertips, yes, like this, then let it circulate along the meridians and return to your dantian. Now press it in your palm and try to keep it there without moving."

Lilith squatted on the ground, frowning as she stared at her palm. After a long while, a faint, silvery-white light appeared on her palm: "I've got it! It really is! Master, look!"

"I saw it."

"Can't you just say 'not bad'?"

"good."

Lilith was too lazy to argue anymore. She lowered her head and continued to stare at the faint light, her gaze as curious as if she were looking at a newly hatched bird.

Elena stood beside her, and following Ji Tian's guidance, she also gathered a wisp of spiritual power at her fingertips, transforming it into a glowing bird that circled twice above Lilith's head before dissipating.

"Elena, how did you learn it so quickly?"

"Because I listened attentively in class."

Lilith pouted and then lowered her head to continue practicing her own routine.

Ji Tian then learned from Ophelia's divination about suitable places to live nearby before saying:

"It's time to go. We need to reach another place to rest before dark."

……

When they saw the Elven Royal Court again, a city woven from towering ancient trees, it was already dusk on the third day.

The city gate was quieter than the other gate we had bypassed last time, with few elves coming and going; only two elven guards in rattan armor stood by the gate.

The road signs outside the city gate are inscribed in Elvish and Common: Southwest Gate.

Ji Tian had already recognized the markings on the city wall and casually led everyone into the city, but he noticed that Ophelia slowed down her steps just before stepping through the city gate.

He turned his head and glanced at him: "What's wrong?"

Ophelia resumed her normal pace, shook her head, and said, "This way, that's my father's family's territory."

Ophelia's gaze fell again on the path in the distance, which was mostly obscured by the canopy of ancient trees.

The road branched off from the main road, winding its way into a more secluded forest clearing, where wildflowers along the roadside had grown to knee-high.

"...The treehouse over there might still be there."

Ji Tian followed her gaze to the fork in the road: "Want to go back and take a look?"

"In no mood."

That's what I want.

Ji Tian didn't know where Ophelia learned her ability to say one thing and mean another, but fortunately, he had his own understanding of the matter of "going home," and immediately spoke up:

"Take us a look around, if you know the way."

"...I'm quite familiar with the place where I grew up, so I've rarely gotten lost."

Elena, who had already sensed something amiss, took Lilith's hand and walked to Ji Tian's side: "We're not in a hurry, we can leave tomorrow."

Lilith chimed in, "Yes, yes, I'd love to see where my second senior sister grew up!"

Ophelia, who had just felt a little embarrassed because she had met Ji Tian for the first time by getting lost and didn't expect him to remember her for so long, nodded upon hearing this and led them away from the main road, along the path that was almost completely covered by weeds into the forest.

The air became humid again, and after walking for about half an hour, the outline of a treehouse appeared in the twilight.

The treehouse is built at the fork of a sturdy old tree. It is not very big. The wooden staircase winds its way up from the ground. Some of the steps are rotten, but the overall structure is still intact.

On the windowsill sat a ceramic jar, the plant inside long since withered, its branches retaining their former shape in a fragile yet stubborn manner.

The door was ajar, and the hinges were loose; a gentle push would likely produce a slight creaking sound.

Ophelia stood at the bottom of the steps, looking up at the treehouse, and after a long while, she stepped up.

Her footsteps were light as she trod on the decaying wooden steps, as if she were confirming something.

Ji Tian followed behind, and before she even pushed open the door, he could already sense the breathing sounds coming from inside.

The door was pushed open, and everything inside remained exactly as Ophelia had left it: the sewing basket on the windowsill, the small wooden table in the corner, and the scissors in front of the dressing mirror.

A figure stood by the window with his back to the door, his hair the same color as Ophelia's, and his dark blue robe with several ink stains on the cuffs seemed to be something he hadn't had time to change out of.

He turned around, his gaze sweeping across the twilight filling the room, landing on his daughter at the door and the people behind her.

"...You're back? Not bad, and you've made quite a few friends."