Morning light was faint.
The train platform, covered with vibrant purple flowers, looked serene.
When Feng Qi arrived at the platform, quite a few Elf City residents were already waiting.
Their presence quickly drew attention from passersby.
Feng Qi wasn't surprised at all.
Compared to Elf City residents, they had very different traits.
Elf City residents, whose bodies housed parasitic elf power, all had an elf mark on their foreheads, and they could sense nearby elves.
It was easy to tell they didn't have any parasitic elves in them.
This was one of the reasons why Elf City had never been infiltrated by external forces.
Though people around were curious, seeing that none of the nearby elf plants raised any alarm and no one reacted strangely, there were no signs of anyone calling for help or alerting authorities.
In terms of crisis awareness, Elf City residents were generally weak.
Maybe it was their trust in the elf plants, or in the Elf King, but they didn't seem concerned about unexpected danger.
Time passed, and as they waited for the train, the red sun slowly rose in the east.
Looking at the red sun on the horizon, Feng Qi couldn't help but think of Mu Yan.
As an avatar of the sun's will, that guy was probably still trapped on the relic island in the void, unable to get out.
While waiting, a green dragon-like train rushed along the vine-like tracks from the north.
In the blink of an eye, the green dragon stopped at the Southern District station.
When the leaf-woven doors opened to the sides, travelers from the central zone began to get off.
Seeing the crowd, Feng Qi felt like he was back in the Eastern Region, and instinctively stepped back to avoid the rush.
When the crowd cleared, he looked at Xiao You and the others, called out, and followed the travelers onto the train.
After a while, the green dragon sped up, moving backward swiftly.
Sitting by the window, the wind blew his unkempt hair wildly across his face, and Feng Qi admired the scenery outside.
As the green dragon climbed higher, he saw a forest of redwood trees.
The trees in this forest were entirely red, their top branches spreading out to greet the rising sun.
There had been a simple description of these plants in the encyclopedia.
They were called "Sunward Trees," a type of energy plant cultivated by the Elf King specifically for humans.
They absorbed and converted the sun's heat into energy, which was then fed into underground energy pipelines and distributed to every home, supplying those plants that couldn't absorb natural energy on their own.
Like the music flower in his room.
That plant needed external energy to function and couldn't absorb the world's spiritual energy like most plants.
But the first generation of the Sunward Tree wasn't called that. It was known as the Blood Moon Tree, which absorbed the power of the Blood Moon to help the elf race grow.
After the domain field shattered and the elf race was nearly wiped out, everything changed.
The Elf King, now allied with humans, focused on working more closely with them and created many special elf plants to aid human development.
The Sunward Tree was one of those elf plants, adapted during that time.
According to the encyclopedia, Sunward Trees were one of the most numerous elf plants in Elf City, but they were mostly planted in the far edges of the five main districts.
The green dragon sped ahead.
After a brief climb, it didn't break through the clouds but flew just above the city's tallest buildings.
From this height, the cityscape was clearly visible.
Many plants from the encyclopedia appeared before his eyes.
Especially the city's plant-based defense system, which looked far more impressive in reality than in pictures.
Like the towering Rift Sky Trees in the distance.
These trees seemed wrapped in flowing red liquid, standing about fifty meters tall, and were one of the key aerial defenses of Elf City.
When domain creatures appeared in the sky above, the Rift Sky Trees would condense the high-pressure energy liquid flowing on their surfaces into compressed energy spheres and launch them into the sky to shoot down the invaders.
Looking at the Rift Sky Forest, Feng Qi could easily imagine how epic it would look when thousands of trees fired at once.
Next to the Rift Sky Forest were trumpet-flower-like sensing plants, which helped the Rift Sky Trees accurately lock onto targets. Like radar, these were common functional elf plants in the city.
The green train kept moving forward.
Ahead, trees swayed with the wind, their branches opening and closing like folding fans, scattering sparkling green light. These were a type of defensive elf plant called "Sky Canopy."
These plants were connected to the Elf King's consciousness, not truly independent.
In Elf City's history, the Sky Canopy Trees had made huge contributions.
For example, during a city-destroying crisis over one hundred years ago, the Sky Canopy Trees extended with the Elf King's will, and their branches linked together in the sky to form a shield that covered the entire city, blocking enemy spells.
In times of danger, the Sky Canopy Trees were the city's strongest barrier.
His eyes moved forward.
He saw tree-guardians that could uproot themselves, forming legs to move.
Flowers that could change the urban environment and improve the quality of spiritual energy inside the city.
Wind-riding grass, floating through the city like dandelions, able to reduce harmful substances in the air and improve air quality.
And more…
Traveling through the city's high-rises felt like stepping into a fairy tale.
Turning his head, he saw Xiao You holding down her wind-blown straw hat, curiously looking at the scenery outside, clearly amazed by the view.
Vibrant life, rising with the red sun, was sprouting throughout the city.
Everything was waking up, and it all seemed so beautiful.
The green train continued heading toward the city center. Feng Qi felt like every beautiful scene he saw along the way could be frozen into a stunning landscape painting.
At the end of his sight was a tall mountain.
Just then, the green train swooped down, crossing over the bustling high-rise district and into a tunnel lined with purple flowers.
The plants here glowed faintly with purple light, and as the green train arrived, they spread their branches toward it, like friendly hosts welcoming their guests.
It was just like a ride through an amusement park tunnel—various glowing plants blooming in the dim light, showing off their beauty, but without making the passengers feel uneasy.
The residents of Elf City were clearly used to this.
To them, elf plants had never been enemies, but an essential part of life.
Many passengers on the train reached out their hands, playfully stretching them out the windows to high-five the plants' extending branches.
Xiao You leaned out, mimicking the other passengers, and stretched her hand outside the window.
As the train exited the dark tunnel, Feng Qi was surprised to see Xiao You now holding a purple fruit.
Looking up, he noticed many passengers also had a purple fruit in their hands.
"Boss, eat!"
Xiao You sat back down, then solemnly held the purple fruit up to Feng Qi with both hands, though her eyes clearly showed she wanted it herself.
"You eat it." Feng Qi reached out and rubbed her head, smiling.
"Okay." Xiao You nodded seriously and took a big bite.
A sweet fragrance spread in the air. Xiao You closed her eyes in delight, chewing as she exclaimed,
"So good!"
Feng Qi rubbed her head again, then turned his gaze back outside the window.
As they left the dark tunnel, the green train dived downward, and his view suddenly opened up to a vast farming plain.
White rice swayed gently under the sunlight.
The scent of fruit drifted into the carriage with the wind, and he could see many human figures using elf power to help the plants grow.
This plain was nestled against the mountains, with beautiful surroundings.
The food produced here was delivered to the five main districts—it was one of the major food sources for Elf City residents.
Xiao You's favorite rice lately, "White Wave Rice," came from this very farmland.
The train drew a spiraling arc through the sky, diving low over the fields, stirring up strong winds that rippled through the white rice like waves.
Xiao You held her straw hat with one hand while nibbling on the purple fruit, her eyes full of wonder and longing for the view outside.
"Xiao You, do you want to live here?"
Feng Qi smiled and asked.
"Yeah, there's so much yummy stuff here… but I'll go wherever you go, Boss. You're my real home."
"Stick with me and you'll go hungry three times a day. Don't forget how many times we've run out of food on our journey. Life was hell back then—nothing like the comfort here," Lei Ting chimed in, leaning his head over from behind.
Xiao You was clearly used to Lei Ting's teasing. She calmly shook her head, not even bothering to respond.
The farmland slowly faded from view as the train moved on.
Now the green train entered a forest.
The tall trees were lush and swayed gently in the wind like a green ocean. The ground was covered in moss, like a soft green carpet dotted with colorful flowers and mushrooms.
What surprised Feng Qi was that this forest was home to many animals from before the Great Cataclysm.
Monkeys, rabbits, squirrels, and more.
Not only animals but plants from before the catastrophe still thrived here.
It felt like an ecological sanctuary, preserving species that once belonged to human civilization but were now nearly extinct.
His guess was confirmed.
A sign flashing by clearly labeled this area as a protected park.
There was even a path for people to walk along.
This forest felt like a mix of a pre-Cataclysm zoo and a wetland park.
Maybe because of the constant absorption of Elf City's rich spiritual energy particles, the animals and plants here had changed a bit.
The animals seemed agile and full of strength.
The plants were all unusually lush.
The green train took about five minutes to pass through the forest, revealing in the distance a neatly arranged grove of five-colored trees.
In the sunlight, the five-colored trees were emitting white mist, which rose and gathered into clouds.
These elf trees were called "Weather Trees."
Feng Qi had studied them in detail in the encyclopedia.
Weather Trees could adjust the city's temperature and weather. For example, when it got too hot, the Weather Trees' surfaces would turn into a crystal-clear blue, like ice, and the mist they released would freeze into crystals, cooling the city down fast.
When it got too cold, they would turn fiery red, spraying out flaming clouds to warm up the city.
Besides that, when the air was too dry, Weather Trees could bring rain.
When the temperature was just right, they looked like they did now—covered in colors.
Weather Trees were like the city's air conditioners, keeping the environment perfect, no matter the outside weather.
These plants played a big role in the growth of elf plants.
Back when Feng Qi read about them, he was really envious.
If Star City had Weather Trees like these, they could greatly improve crop and livestock yields, meaning more food for the scavengers.
The train moved on, and along the way, Feng Qi saw what seemed like a perfect city.
Every type of elf plant had a specific use, blending perfectly with human civilization, providing all kinds of support for the residents.
As the sun leaned west and began to sink,
the green train passed through another dark tunnel.
What appeared before his eyes felt like a sudden step into a fairyland.
Looking far into the distance, Feng Qi saw the core foundation of Elf City—a towering golden ancient tree that reached into the sky, the "Elf King."
It stood like a giant umbrella in the center district, with sprawling golden branches hanging down, covering the fertile land below.
The swaying branches scattered golden specks of light, as if a gentle golden rain was falling from the sky.
The scene was visually stunning.
Even the quality and density of spiritual energy in the air here were incredibly high, surpassing most of the domain fields Feng Qi had visited.
Taking a deep breath, he could clearly feel a cool sensation flowing through his body.
Staring at the Elf King, he only now truly understood how terrifying it was.
That burning vitality, like a raging flame, could be clearly sensed even from a great distance.
"Such powerful life force. This Elf King's strength is beyond anything you can handle."
The long-silent voice of the demon blade suddenly rang out.
"Blade bro, how would it compare to you at your peak?"
Faced with Feng Qi's question, the demon blade was silent for a moment before saying,
"Even at my peak, I probably wouldn't be its match. As for Jian Ji, without that miracle artifact on him, he wouldn't stand a chance."
Staring at the golden sky-piercing giant tree, the demon blade's answer gave Feng Qi a deeper understanding of the Elf King's power.
Thinking it through, Jian Ji and the Elf King couldn't really be compared.
Jian Ji had only grown strong relying on the support of one race.
But the Elf King was a super lifeform nourished by the power of two races.
Whether in terms of resources or growth speed, Jian Ji couldn't compete with the Elf King.
Super beings like the Elf King might even be scarier than that chimeric demon species he'd seen in the future dream.
He could imagine how boundless the Elf King's future could be.
Living under the protection of such a super being, it was no wonder the humans of the Central Region enjoyed such good living conditions.
This growth system had no weaknesses, only the unknown.
He used to think the whole-clan growth model of Old Mizou was the most promising, but now he saw the solo-strong model could also be the right path.
The Elf King combined with the elf species, allowing both itself and the human race to grow together.
Unlike Jian Ji, who became strong alone while his people couldn't keep up, hoarding all the resources for himself.
The green train sped toward the bustling central district, filled with flourishing plants.
A sea of vibrant life gathered, golden particles spilled through the gaps in the train, and the spiritual energy in the air rose even more.
At this moment, Feng Qi felt truly amazed.
The saying "in the domain world, nothing is impossible" was once again proven true.
The solo-strong growth model he thought was the weakest had been turned by the Elf King into a path full of life and charm.
The green train swooped downward, entering the central district.
More people filled the streets, and greenery was everywhere, making it feel like a forest city.
The Elf King grew larger in his view, the visual impact even more intense.
Standing there, the Elf King seemed god-like. Feng Qi could imagine the strong sense of security it gave the city's residents.
To most people in Elf City, from the moment they were born, the Elf King had been a supreme being, like a guardian deity.
The green train weaved through the gaps between tall buildings, as night slowly fell over the land.
Passing through layers of golden rain, the train finally stopped at the central district's platform.
This station was several times larger than the one in the southern district, with vine tracks stretching in all directions, connecting the central district to its surrounding areas.
At the same time, green trains departed from the central station, while others arrived from different districts.
Getting off the train, Feng Qi noticed that every passerby had a floating light orb above their right shoulder.
This was the elf seed manifesting outside their bodies, a sight unique to the central district.
Under the Elf King's main power, elf seeds in this district could appear externally in the form of energy orbs. This phenomenon was called "elf soul body" in the encyclopedia.
Elf seeds were like pets parasitizing the human body. They didn't have much thought, but could enhance humans in many ways and bring great convenience to daily life.
Passersby along the way gave them curious looks.
Without an elf soul body floating beside them, they really stood out here.
But no one looked at them with suspicion or alertness.
It was clear that under the Elf King's protection, the people in the central district felt extremely secure, never suspecting any outside enemies could infiltrate.
Feng Qi couldn't help but envy this kind of confidence.
For people in the Eastern Region, a sense of security was a luxury.
The repeated disasters from falling domain fields always left people worried that the next catastrophe might strike them.
Domain infiltrations happened all the time.
Every year, Star City's military wiped out many domain alliance strongholds, but new ones always popped up somewhere else—they could never kill them all.
Star City's defenses did give its people some safety, but it couldn't compare to what the residents here enjoyed.
You could even say that the people in Elf City already had a spiritual belief to rely on.
Standing at the edge of the central station, gazing at the golden giant tree at the horizon, Feng Qi sincerely hoped that the Elf King would always stand with humanity.
This was the first time he'd ever felt such a strong liking for a domain creature at first sight.
The happiness and contentment the Elf King brought to the humans here matched closely with the beautiful future he dreamed of.
A strong wind blew, golden rain falling through his view, lifting his long hair.
Standing in the golden rain, his thoughts stirred, spreading in ripples through his heart.
He really didn't have the heart to destroy the peace and beauty before him.
He could only hope for a better future.