Two days later,
Aldrian and Sylphia were in the Buddhist sect territory, specifically in Dongtian City. They wore inconspicuous black robes that concealed their features as they teleported to the city, appearing directly in front of a house.
When they arrived, an elf wrapped in a brown robe was drying clothes, hanging them on a string line in front of the house. The mont they appeared, the elf seed to sense their presence and instantly turned her head toward them.
When she saw their faces, her eyes widened and she attempted to prostrate before them.
"Your Majes—"
"At ease, Miss Vera. You don’t have to do that," Aldrian’s voice stopped Vera from continuing, and he used his energy control to prevent her from lowering her body any further. Realizing she couldn’t move, Vera simply obeyed Aldrian’s command.
Vera sighed because she knew why Aldrian and Sylphia were here. More than three weeks ago, they had visited her, and at that ti, they discussed what she would do in the future,whether she wanted to continue hiding from her family or not.
They all understood that as ti passed and Evin grew more mature, she would inevitably begin to question her mother’s origins and past.
At that ti, no one could predict what Evin would do. She might reject any connection to her elven roots, or she might try to contact her maternal family. If she did try to establish contact, trouble could follow. The Valrein family might easily piece things together and realize that Evin was their mixed-blood descendant.
That uncertainty about the future had weighed heavily on Vera’s mind ever since Aldrian asked her that question.
For Vera, ideally, she would prefer to keep Evin’s existence hidden from her family. But she knew that, given the uncertainty of the future, a reunion might be inevitable. She also couldn’t be sure whether the Valerin family would eventually find them. Although it had been a long ti, there were still occasional rumors that the Valerin family continued searching for her.
Now that the ti of the prophecy had already passed, she feared the Valerin family would shift their focus more toward finding her.
Because of that, she had made her decision after the discussion with Aldrian and Sylphia, a decision to return to her family. It was the best choice for her now. No longer would she have to live in hiding, carrying the weight in her heart and mind.
There would be no hidden danger or unexpected trouble if she ca back and made everything clear on her own, compared to the risk if the Valerin family found her or Evin first.
Moreover, with Aldrian and Sylphia supporting her, Evin would be safe.
"Mister—no, Your Majesty."
Suddenly, Evin’s voice rang out.
She had heard her mother speaking with soone from inside the house. Curious, she ca to see, and when she realized it was Aldrian and Sylphia, her spirits lifted. Her mother had already told her about Aldrian’s true identity, so she corrected the way she addressed him. Even so, in her heart, she still saw Aldrian as her usual ’generous mister.’
Her voice instantly drew Aldrian and Sylphia’s attention as they turned their heads toward Evin. They smiled, and Aldrian walked over to her.
"Evin, you don’t have to call that. Just call big brother, I already consider you my little sister," he said softly, gently stroking her head once he stood in front of her.
Hearing that, Evin’s eyes brightened.
"Really?" she asked.
Aldrian nodded in response.
"Of course. You don’t need to feel bad about calling that, just like you call her big sister," he added, gesturing toward Sylphia.
Evin looked at Sylphia with a smile still on her face. She had already called Sylphia ’big sister’ in the past, back when Aldrian had gone to the Everlasting Silent Forest.
"Then... big brother," she said, still slightly hesitant but smiling. She had always wanted to know what it felt like to have an older sibling, and now that she could call soone that, she was truly happy.
"Evin, I want to take you and your mother to a nice place. Would you like to co with big brother?" Aldrian asked, making Evin tilt her head curiously. But then she simply nodded with a smile.
"I’ll follow big brother. If you say it’s a nice place, then I’m sure it will be," she replied, which made Aldrian nod before turning to Vera.
"Miss Vera, are you ready? Do you need to change or bring anything with you?"
"No, no, my lord. I only have this attire, and there’s nothing of value for to take from this place. I’m already ready to go," Vera answered.
"Alright then. I’ll teleport all of us to my palace. ’They’ will co there later, so you can finally et them," Aldrian said.
The mont he finished speaking, their surroundings shifted instantly, transporting them to a completely different place. Vera and Evin stood stunned as they looked around, overwheld by the sudden change.
Evin’s eyes sparkled. What she saw left her breathless with awe.
A magnificent palace stood before them, surrounded by a vast, lush garden filled with countless varieties of flowers. For soone so young, it was the most beautiful sight she had ever seen. The view completely captivated her heart.
Vera felt the sa. She could imdiately sense the richness of the heaven and earth energy in this place. Now she understood, the eting would take place in Aldrian’s palace.
The very palace that could only be seen from a distance. The place known as the true center of the continent.
She had never been told that the eting would take place here, and this visit made her feel truly honored. From what she had heard, only a few people had ever been allowed to step into this place.
To her, it truly felt like the depiction of a real heaven.
"Welco to my ho. While we wait for our other guests to arrive, Miss Vera and Evin, please feel free to enjoy this place," Aldrian said with a smile.
"Wah, big brother, this is your ho?! It’s so big and beautiful," Evin said in an amazed tone, which made Aldrian smile.
"Do you like it?" he asked.
Evin nodded eagerly.
"Mhm, I really like it."
Aldrian gently stroked her head, then looked at Sylphia and nodded. Sylphia, understanding what Aldrian ant, turned to Vera and Evin.
"Let’s go. I’ll show you around until it’s ti for our guests to arrive," she said.
With that, Sylphia guided them to another part of the palace, explaining the place as they walked. To Vera and Evin, it truly felt like a joyful outing.
Seeing that Sylphia had taken them around, Aldrian turned and walked toward the guest room. He would wait there, as he could already sense that their guests had arrived at the Xin family’s secret realm.
-------------------------------
An hour later, the teleportation formation near the palace glowed briefly before several figures appeared on it—five elves and one mber of the Xin family.
The mont they arrived, the eyes of the five elves trembled with emotion. They had finally set foot in the palace that was revered throughout the continent because of the person who lived within.
Even from a distance, the palace radiated a majestic aura that revealed the greatness of its structure. Now that they stood so close, the palace’s majesty was even more palpable, it made their very souls tremble. They couldn’t help but feel deeply moved and honored to be here, especially since this visit ca by personal invitation from Aldrian himself.
Before they could admire the palace further, a voice rang out from the Xin family mber.
"Let’s go. I will take Your Excellencies to His Majesty," said the elder of the Xin family, a peak Emperor-stage cultivator.
He began walking ahead, and the elves followed behind him in silence.
As they walked, they continued to take in their surroundings, admiring both the majestic scenery and the richness of the energy in the air. They had never experienced such dense spiritual energy, not even near the World Tree in the Ivory Empire. The atmosphere felt so pure and refreshing that they didn’t want to leave.
After about thirty minutes of walking, they finally arrived before grand double doors. The elder of the Xin family stepped forward and knocked twice.
Knock, knock!
"Your Majesty, I have brought Duke Valerin and his entourage," the elder announced.
After a brief pause, the elder gave a small nod to himself and opened the doors.
The mont the double doors open, the group was greeted by a luxurious guest room, the sa one where Aldrian had once received the leaders of the major territories.
Aldrian sat on the master seat, appearing relaxed as he enjoyed his tea. He looked up at the incoming guests and offered a faint smile. Among the five elves were four males and one female. From Aldrian’s observation, two of the male elves were guards. The remaining three appeared to be Duke Valerin, his wife, and most likely their son.
"Co in, Your Excellency. I’ve been waiting for you," Aldrian said.
"Ah—yes, Your Majesty. But please, you don’t have to address that way. I feel unworthy of such respect. Just use my title and na, Your Majesty. Also... thank you for the invitation. It is truly an honor to be here," Duke Valerin replied, his voice carrying a slight nervousness.
He and the other elves also bowed respectfully to Aldrian.
"Alright then. First, let’s take a seat. I know you must be wondering why I invited you here, so let’s have a chat."
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