Heading to the Tree King Palace

Hearing this, the other three in the living room looked at each other in confusion.

After all, Starlight and the others had been in Star-Song Forest for less than three days. Why would she specifically request an audience with them by name?

Po Kong scratched the back of his head, looking like a child who had done something wrong. “Could it be she noticed our little stunt in the archives? Is it too late to run? I don’t want to end up in a cell for no reason...”

Although he said this, he didn't look nervous at all; on the contrary, there was a hint of anticipation in his expression.

Xia Duo couldn't help but roll her eyes at him, putting her hands on her hips as she spoke. “Run now? Too late! If they really wanted to hold us accountable, why would they go to the trouble of sending a letter? The Ranger Force would have surrounded us the moment we got near the World Tree!”

Starlight, on the other hand, didn't dwell on Po Kong’s joke. In his view, regardless of the reason, being able to meet her was definitely a good thing.

After all, many things were still unclear. Having the help of an elder should save them a lot of trouble, or at the very least, they could ask how to leave Star-Song Forest under the current circumstances.

“Wuka, when did Aunt Angela’s message arrive?” Moen asked curiously, gently turning the shimmering leaf in her hand.

“Let me think... It should have been the morning of the day before yesterday. I was just about to go out and water the plants when I saw the leaf stuck in the door,” Wuka replied certainly after a brief moment of thought.

“Two days ago?” Starlight keenly caught the timing. “Isn't that exactly when we were leaving Night Lotus Valley? How could Senior Angela know our whereabouts?”

Moen’s fingertips brushed over the faint golden patterns flowing across the leaf as she spoke thoughtfully. “It can be done using the perception of the World Tree. However... this level of attention requires a lot of energy. It seems we’ve been closely watched the entire time.”

“Sigh, don’t overthink it~ We’ll find out once we go to the Tree King Palace. Aunt Angela wouldn't hurt us anyway. It’s just a pity; I wanted to rest a bit more before going.”

Hearing Xia Duo’s thoughts, Moen and Starlight also nodded. Since she had prepared for this meeting two days ago and they were already back, there was no reason not to go.

“Alright then~ Wuka, I’ll have to trouble you to watch the house. We’ll be back soon.” Moen bent down and rubbed Wuka’s head.

After giving Wuka her instructions, the group, who hadn't even had a chance to warm up the sofa, hurriedly left the treehouse and headed toward the towering World Tree.

Their goal this time was very clear: the core of the World Tree—the Tree King Palace.

According to Moen’s description, the Tree King Palace held a pivotal position among the elves, serving as another major institution alongside the Council of Elders and the Ranger Force.

All selected Nature Priests within Star-Song Forest, including her, were directly under the jurisdiction of the Tree King Palace. To some extent, its existence was somewhat similar to the Mages Guild in human society.

However, the responsibilities of the Tree King Palace went far beyond that. It was also responsible for managing the sacrificial rituals of the entire elven race and maintaining the sacred connection with the World Tree.

Because of this, although its members were relatively limited in number, every single one possessed extraordinary abilities and status, enjoying many privileges and great respect.

The actual leader of the Tree King Palace was the strongest of the elven race whom they were about to meet—High Priestess Angela.

Unlike the mysterious and unpredictable You, the strongest of the Night Elves, High Priestess Angela was a living legend. Her name was sung in every corner of the human world, and countless stories were based on her, vividly recounting her bravery and wisdom.

In the distant past, when darkness covered the land and the Demons ran rampant, she was the one who stood forward. Alongside a group of like-minded warriors, she used her extraordinary power and unwavering conviction to deal a heavy blow to the Demons, winning over a thousand years of peace and tranquility for the entire continent.

It was this glorious history that laid a solid foundation for the development of modern human society, allowing civilization to take root and flourish on this land.

However, after Angela chose to retreat into seclusion, news of her vanished like morning mist, and she was almost never mentioned again.

Thus, when Po Kong learned that this legendary High Priestess was still alive, he couldn't help but feel an indescribable sense of surprise and excitement.

The four didn't delay at all, taking only two hours to reach the base of the World Tree.

When they truly stood beneath it, Starlight finally understood the meaning of a “towering tree that pierced the heavens.”

Starlight looked up, and the sight before him exceeded all his imagination.

What stood before him was not just a simple tree, but a witness to time and life. Its main trunk was as thick as the sturdiest wall between heaven and earth, thrusting straight into the clouds.

The brown wood grain appeared even deeper under the light, like the carvings of time itself, recording everything the World Tree had ever experienced.

Starlight could clearly feel waves of dense life energy slowly flowing out from the trunk. It was the purest gift of nature, making one instinctively feel a sense of awe.

Unlike other elven institutions, the Tree King Palace was the only one to establish its headquarters inside the World Tree.

More precisely, only members of the Tree King Palace or those permitted entry could step into the core area of the World Tree.

Under Moen’s lead, they came to a thick root system. Although it looked no different from any other part of the tree, only members of the Tree King Palace knew that a passage was hidden here.

Moen waved her hand gently toward the front, her mouth seemingly chanting some ancient incantation, and the scene before them changed dramatically in an instant.

Around the originally ordinary root, a colorful, radiant light screen suddenly emerged.

As she moved her hand, the light screen began to slowly dissolve, like fine snow melting in the rising sun, revealing the mysterious passage hidden behind it.

Inside this passage, brown fibers formed a long staircase, but every step emitted a faint glow, as if leading them into the very heart of the World Tree.

Just as the four were about to step into that mysterious passage, two undeniable, majestic auras suddenly emerged from deep within the trunk. Subsequently, two tall and imposing figures seemed to condense from the wood, blocking their path.

These two figures possessed the delicate features of the elves, but their eyes were hollow and their faces were as stiff and lifeless as iron-hard stone. Only a mechanical voice slowly echoed through the quiet air.

“This is the forbidden grounds of the Tree King Palace. Outsiders, please state your business immediately.”

Faced with this sudden obstruction, the four felt a chill in their hearts, but they quickly regained their composure.

“Wood Spirits... but they seem a bit different from Wuka,” Starlight immediately recognized the identity of the two figures.

Moen, as a Nature Priest, stepped forward and gave a slight bow to the two tall figures, speaking softly.

“We have come at the invitation of High Priestess Angela to see Her Excellency on urgent business. This is the token of the Mother Tree.”

As she spoke, she took that emerald-green tender leaf from her bosom and held it high in her palm.

The tender leaf in her hand turned into a streak of emerald light, slowly drifting toward the guards before them. The two guards seemed to perform some form of verification, a flash of light passing through their hollow eyes.

After a moment, the mechanical voice rang out again, but this time it held a bit more softness and respect.

“Verification successful. Guests of the High Priestess, please enter.”

As the words fell, the two figures each took a step back and merged back into the solid trunk of the World Tree as if they had never appeared. The four were then able to step into the passage leading to the depths of the Tree King Palace.