Cang Chen and Elder Luo You were momentarily speechless.
“Your Highness, Lady Zi Tong arrived at the most critical moment. Otherwise we would certainly have killed him,” Cang Chen explained.
“Enough excuses for failure. Tell me, what do you plan to do now?” the Fourth Prince asked coldly.
“Your Highness, this fellow came to our elf territory to rescue that human woman called An Yun. I reckon that after Lady Zi Tong saved him, there is a high chance she will try to help him with this. If that happens, Your Highness could use it to make an issue,” Cang Chen suggested.
“Good, I understand. He thinks he can take someone away from our elf race? Delusional!” A venomous glint flashed in the Fourth Prince’s eyes.
…
At the entrance to the imperial palace.
Lin Yun had not waited long when Zi Tong came running out from the palace gates.
“Lin Yun, I have already spoken to Grandfather. Come with me,” Zi Tong said, her face bright with a smile.
With that, she led Lin Yun inside.
As they walked through the palace grounds, Lin Yun’s sense of the Origin Heart grew ever stronger.
When they were almost at the side hall, Lin Yun pointed to a magnificent building far to their left.
“Zi Tong, what is that palace over there?”
He could now confirm through the Tree of Origin inside him that an Origin Heart lay within that very building.
“That is the most important treasure vault of our elven royal family. Normally no one may enter without Grandfather’s personal permission,” Zi Tong explained.
“The treasure vault?” Lin Yun murmured.
So the Origin Heart was kept inside the vault, treated as a treasure?
Obtaining it would be even more difficult than he had thought.
Zi Tong smoothly brought Lin Yun into the side hall.
The moment he stepped inside, Lin Yun saw the extraordinary elderly elf seated at the front.
“Lin Yun, this is my grandfather, the patriarch of the elven royal family,” Zi Tong introduced.
“Junior Lin Yun pays respects to the Patriarch,” Lin Yun said, cupping his hands in greeting.
“Lin Yun, for the sake of having once saved Zi Tong, I pardon your crime of trespassing in elf territory. Speak plainly. Why have you come?” the patriarch asked, looking at Lin Yun.
“Thank you, Patriarch. I came this time to rescue my friend An Yun. She was being hunted and had no choice but to enter elf territory, where she was captured and imprisoned. I hope the elf race will release her,” Lin Yun replied.
“An Yun? Yes, I know of that female cultivator,” the patriarch acknowledged.
Yet he did not immediately agree to release her.
Zi Tong quickly spoke up. “Grandfather, Lin Yun saved my life. Now he only wants to take one person away from our elf race. Let it be my life exchanged for that human cultivator An Yun’s life. This is how we repay kindness. You always taught me to remember favours owed. Please grant this, Grandfather.”
“You little girl, you certainly know how to speak up for outsiders,” the patriarch said with an amused shake of his head.
In truth, to the patriarch, Lin Yun’s request was not a major matter. Releasing An Yun would cause no real loss to the elf race.
He had originally thought Lin Yun might demand something far greater in return for saving Zi Tong’s life.
But then the patriarch changed tone. “Releasing her is not difficult, but our elf race has its own rules. Humans and elves are irreconcilable enemies. If I let her go so easily, how will I explain it to the billions of elves under our rule?”
His words immediately made Lin Yun feel that the patriarch might be unwilling after all.
Zi Tong hurriedly acted spoiled. “Grandfather, I owe him my life. Just let me repay this debt of gratitude.”
At that moment, a voice rang out from beyond the hall.
“The Fourth Prince requests an audience.”
“Let him in,” the patriarch called towards the entrance.
The next instant, the Fourth Prince strode in with large steps.
“Father, we absolutely cannot release her! Any human who trespasses on elf territory must face severe punishment. This is clan law! Humans are the reason our elf race has fallen so low. We can never compromise with them. If Father releases her, how will the billions of elves view the royal family?” The Fourth Prince rejected the idea the moment he entered.
He then turned his gaze to Lin Yun. “Furthermore, Father, I suspect this boy is a human spy sent to gather intelligence on our elf race. We cannot let him leave either! I propose we imprison him alongside the woman and turn him into a captive for our elf race to study!”
