It was said that the elves only had a single city.
Other places might have small settlements, but the only one that could truly be called a city was the one right next to the Dungeon beneath the World Tree.
Lin Jun’s understanding of the Elven Forest and their city mostly came from the drunken boasting of adventurers in taverns.
Some swore they had “been inside” or “visited,” while others insisted, “I have a friend who went in.”
But their descriptions were all over the place.
Some said it was a crystal palace hidden in the crowns of giant trees. Others claimed it was a three-dimensional labyrinth woven entirely from living trees. Still others swore it was an underground cave-city glowing with luminescent moss…
A thousand drunken adventurers meant a thousand completely different versions of the elf city.
And when one looked at their status panels—mostly Bronze and Silver ranks, with even a single Gold being rare—it was obvious how much “truth” their words contained.
This race, secluded in the southeastern corner of the continent and nearly cut off from the outside world, rarely had members who would willingly venture out.
Even so, that number far exceeded the outsiders who dared to trespass into the Elven Forest and actually made it out alive.If one really wanted to, one could probably dig up authentic records. But since Pujis were going to step inside personally, there was no need for Lin Jun to bother with such research.
On the road after leaving the Dungeon, Lin Jun encountered many elves.
Not passersby, but shadows silently hidden among the branches of colossal trees or behind cracks in the rocks—clearly organized scouts, most of them between Silver and Gold level.
In addition, the forest was scattered with all sorts of magic circles of unknown purpose, tucked into hidden corners.
Under Scout Puji’s composite detection skills, nothing could escape.
Still, no one tried to block Elawen’s path.
Lin Jun couldn’t tell whether such vigilance was only present on the road between the Dungeon and the elf city, or if the entire Elven Forest was like this.
If it was the latter, no wonder so few intruders ever came back alive.
In the latter half of the journey, Elawen stepped onto a spiral wooden staircase winding around a colossal tree, climbing upwards.
These trees weren’t as towering as the ones within the Dungeon, which stretched over a hundred meters tall, but they still stood several dozen meters high.
And there, Lin Jun finally saw elven architecture!
Treehouses suspended in the air, made of polished artificial materials combined with branches magically guided into shape.
The treehouses were connected vertically by spiral staircases, and horizontally between trees by bridges that shimmered faintly blue in the sunlight.
The rest of the journey passed through this treetop “sky market.”
The silhouettes of ordinary elves gradually became more common.
They lived in these treehouses—without exception handsome men and beautiful women. With Pujis perched on Elawen’s head, she blended into the crowd, suddenly appearing almost “plain.”
Of course, Lin Jun also noticed that none of them came close to matching the looks of that one named Siryann. Clearly, that man was far above the normal standard.
These treetop buildings weren’t crude at all. On the contrary, they made the wooden houses of Witherwind Town look shabby.
They had everything one could need—potion shops with hanging signs, bookstores radiating faint magical energy, general stores full of curious trinkets…
Scout Puji even “heard” from afar the sound of lilting, delicate music and murmuring conversation coming from a place that resembled a tavern—completely unlike the rowdy and rough style of the Rotten Willow Tavern.
At the end of the road, at the edge of the forest of giant trees, stood a palace on a cliff—vast, magnificent, glowing softly with magical radiance!
Atop a high bridge, Elawen pressed her hands on the Pujis clinging to her head, her voice carrying a faint trace of joy.
“Xiao Ji, welcome to—Isildorin!”
Ohhhhh!
Now this was what a palace should look like!
Lin Jun had been to a few cities and seen more than a couple of castles, but in terms of sheer scale and exquisite craftsmanship, this elven palace surpassed them all by leagues!
Well, perhaps not entirely fair to say. He hadn’t been to Oath City, the main city of humankind, nor had he seen the realms of demons and dwarves. Maybe they too had wonders not inferior to this.
Just as Lin Jun was wondering where exactly Elawen lived, she suddenly began leading Scout Puji and Feifei down the staircases again—all the way to the bottom.
Beneath the great tree was still forest, and in a sparsely inhabited corner stood a solitary hut. That was Elawen’s home…
Before they even entered, a voice of another elf rang out nearby:
“Elawen, you’re finally back! Do something about your bear—last week it ate the Moon-Glory flower I spent two weeks cultivating!”
Hearing this, Elawen rubbed her hands nervously, nodded repeatedly, and mumbled something so quietly even the Pujis on her head could barely hear.
Fortunately, the other elf seemed used to it. After venting, he turned and left.
Lin Jun didn’t understand elvish, but he noticed that every time Elawen met other elves, she clammed up completely.
Not only now—he had already seen it along the way. Whenever someone tried to talk to her, her mouth was as though stitched shut.
But the moment that elf walked away, Elawen sprang to life again, throwing open her door.
In the next instant, a white blur launched itself at her!
[Race: Fluffball Cub]
“Furball! Did you miss me?!” Elawen scooped up the fluffy creature—like an oversized dandelion puff—and buried her face in its thick white fur, rubbing hard, her voice sugary sweet. “Good child! Such a good child!”
“Where are Bubble and Douding?”
Still holding Furball, Elawen searched around the small hut, then stuck her head outside. Finally, a few hundred meters away, at the entrance of a hidden burrow, she found her other two animal companions.
[Race: Shadow Swamp Python]
[Race: Earth Bear]
What the hell kind of pets are these?!
Never mind the giant python—the Earth Bear, wasn’t that the same kind Dilan had encountered?!
Pulling up its panel, Lin Jun quickly spotted the signature skill—[Gravity Field LV4].
Oh ho!
A skill he didn’t have yet!
Elawen’s “friends”… actually seemed pretty good!
This Earth Bear was only a little over two meters tall—looked like a cub.
But still, with Beast Friend, couldn’t she raise some normal animals?
Other elves had pets too, but they were birds, squirrels, things like that. No wonder Elawen didn’t live up in the trees if she kept beasts like these…
And how was that LV12 Fluffball Cub still alive in the same house with them?!
“Oh! Bubble, Douding—you’re getting ready for hibernation, aren’t you? No wonder you hid here… Douding, you’ve gotten sturdier again…”
The Earth Bear sat in one corner of the cave, while Elawen buried herself happily in its thick, warm belly fur, giggling in delight.
The parrot Feifei fluttered down to the python’s head, chirping nonstop, occasionally glancing over at the Pujis…