The entire royal palace was inspected by Xiao Xun, not a single tree resembling a sacred tree was found. "I should have brought Vicuna along, she would definitely recognize it."
A dull thud suddenly echoed through the air.
Danger! Xiao Xun instinctively took a step back.
Silently, a spear landed precisely where Xiao Xun had been standing.
Xiao Xun was once again saved by his premonition of danger.
Just then, two shadowy figures with wings on their backs emerged from the palace.
One of the figures picked up the spear, "Strange, I clearly sensed someone just now, why did they disappear? Brother, did you lock onto their aura?"
"I did lock onto them, but they vanished in an instant."
Hearing their conversation, Xiao Xun raised his arm and sniffed his armpit, thinking, "I don't smell anything. I just showered last night."
The two figures muttered for a while longer, and then another shadow said, "Forget it, they've probably run far away. We're just responsible for guarding the palace, and other matters are none of our concern."
With that, the two figures spread their wings and flew away.
Xiao Xun had been watching from the side, but he was puzzled. Who were those two? It was too dark to see clearly, but he could distinctly see their pointed ears, proving they were elves. But did elves have wings?
The King's sleeping quarters, the council hall, the rear garden, even the maids' residences were all searched by Xiao Xun, but to no avail.
Just as Xiao Xun was about to give up, a hurried cry came from outside the palace gate, "Border war, urgent report! Urgent report! Urgent report!!!"
Xiao Xun followed the messenger from behind.
The path from the palace gate to the council hall was a flat expanse. Xiao Xun didn't dare to make a move here. However, it was late at night, and the hall was empty. The general, holding a token, hurried towards the King's sleeping quarters.
Finally, in a quiet corridor, Xiao Xun found his opportunity.
With a swift motion, he delivered a blow with a brick. The messenger's head twisted, and he collapsed to the ground.
Xiao Xun dragged the messenger aside, changed into his clothes, and then swaggered towards the entrance of the council hall.
Xiao Xun shouted at a guard leader, "The Scourge Legion has reached the city's outskirts! Go and notify them to summon all the most powerful experts within the palace to the city walls to defend!"
The guard hesitated and said, "Without the King's orders, no one can abandon their post."
"Stop the nonsense," Xiao Xun said coldly, "This is a state secret, and you have no right to know. Hurry!"
"Yes, sir! Please hand over the general's order as proof!" Upon receiving the order, the guard hurried away.
Not long after, more than a dozen experts arrived.
Xiao Xun saw that all these so-called experts were elves with wings, just like the ones he had seen earlier. This made him frown.
"All of you go and defend the city walls! Prevent the Scourge Legion from breaking in."
The elf who had discovered Xiao Xun earlier stepped forward, "If we leave, what about the King's safety?"
"Hmph!" Xiao Xun snorted coldly and said, "Now that the Scourge Legion is at our doorstep, and His Majesty is protected by a Archmage, do you... dare to disobey orders?"
"We dare not disobey, but we have the right to apprehend people!"
The elf suddenly waved his hand, "This person is the assassin from just now, seize him!"
Without any hesitation, several elves pinned Xiao Xun to the ground.
"What are you doing?" Xiao Xun's expression remained unchanged, and he shouted, "I am a border messenger!?"
"Border messenger!" The elf laughed. "With your arrogant attitude, one would think you were a legion commander."
Xiao Xun spat contemptuously and then shouted, "Since you don't care about your own homes, I won't play with you anymore!"
Saying this, Xiao Xun recited an incantation and used his spatial ring to vanish from his spot.
The remaining elves looked at each other, discussed for a moment, and then went to report to the King.
Meanwhile, Xiao Xun returned to the camp, called Vicuna, and since the Tree of Life had not been obtained, he could not leave yet.
The two arrived at a place not far from the palace gate. Xiao Xun's anger flared when he saw the palace. "What does that tree look like? Didn't you say it was in the royal backyard? I've searched every single tree, and none of them resemble the Tree of Life you described."
Unexpectedly, Vicuna replied, "I haven't seen what the Tree of Life looks like either. I've only heard of it in legends, and the legend says that the tree is in the royal backyard."
"Forget the backyard, I've even searched their secret chambers. You're fooling me with a legend, and I almost died under the spears of the guards."
Speaking of guards, Xiao Xun asked Vicuna, "By the way, do your elves have elves with wings?"
Vicuna nodded, "There were many before, but now very few. And most of them are not tall. They belong to a different kind within the elf race. Some are only the size of a normal person's finger. Some have dragonfly wings, some have butterfly wings, but without exception, they are all exceptionally beautiful."
She then looked at Xiao Xun, "Why does Your Highness ask me this all of a sudden?"
Xiao Xun described the elves he saw that day to Vicuna. When he mentioned that they were even taller than him, Vicuna was stunned. "Absolutely impossible. In the entire history of the elves, there have never been elves that large. What you saw must be another species."
Since Vicuna said so, Xiao Xun had nothing more to say, but one thing greatly increased his doubt, although he did not voice it.
That doubt was, what was the use of the Tree of Life? Why was it only the Tree of Life that could resist the Scourge?
Despite his doubts, he knew there was no better solution at the moment, and judging by the situation, the Tree of Life was indeed a treasure.
Thinking of this, Xiao Xun made up his mind. Whether the Tree of Life was useful or not, since it was a treasure, he would get it first.
If one method failed, he would think of another. If stealing didn't work, and he didn't know where to snatch it from or what it looked like, then he would resort to a more drastic measure: blackmail.
To ensure Saint Roman, Xiao Xun was willing to go to any lengths. Blackmail was simple, as long as he knew what the King valued most.
This was easy to find out. A casual visit to a nearby restaurant would reveal the King's weakness, which the entire city knew.
A very beautiful and captivating queen.
A smile tugged at Xiao Xun's lips. Since the celebration ceremony for Pearson was the day after tomorrow, he planned to abduct the queen under everyone's watchful eyes, frame the Scourge Legion, and then "rescue" the queen himself in exchange for the Tree of Life. This would kill two birds with one stone – not only would he obtain the Tree of Life, but he might also gain a great favor.
However, Xiao Xun had another important matter to attend to, so he only briefly discussed an action plan with Bai Yang and the elf elder Vicuna. The specifics would be decided upon his return.