Hearing Dao Lao's question, Elinna sighed deeply before responding, "Ah, it's a long story. According to the local legends, although Anselin is dead, she sealed her soul along with her dark magic somewhere on the planet Elve. It is said that if any Dark Elf can find Anselin's tomb and break the seal she placed, that person will inherit Anselin's powerful dark magic and become the strongest dark mage on Elve. So, not long after Anselin's death, the Dark Elves began eagerly searching for her burial site."

"Similarly, to prevent the Dark Elves from gaining Anselin's powerful dark magic again, the Light Elves also sent out a large number of troops to search for Anselin's burial site while fighting against the Dark Elves. The Light Elves hoped to hide Anselin's dark magic power or even make it disappear completely to avoid being dominated by that powerful force again. However, after so many years, neither side has managed to find any trace of Anselin's burial site."

Elinna continued with a self-deprecating tone, "I thought I could use my status as a priest to find Anselin's burial site more quickly. Hmph! After all, I'm just a priest, not an expert in tomb raiding or treasure hunting. So after all this effort, I still came up empty-handed, unable to locate Anselin's burial site."

"Why don't you check the Black Stone Castle of the Dark Elves? After all, it was Anselin's palace. It would be reasonable to assume she might be buried there after her death, wouldn't it?" Hao Yun asked, puzzled.

Elinna immediately shook her head in denial, "That's impossible. Many Dark Elves have thought of that, but since Anselin's death, they have never found any trace of her in the Black Stone Castle."

Hao Yun questioned further, "But I remember you mentioned before that the Black Stone Castle is the exclusive territory of the Dark Magic Association, and Anselin hid many secrets there. So, unless someone has her personal authorization, even the Dark Elves can't enter the Black Stone Castle at will."

"Given that, how did the Dark Elves search the Black Stone Castle and confirm that Anselin's body isn't stored there? Could it be that after Anselin's death, the zombie guards stationed at the Black Stone Castle opened the gates, allowing anyone to freely enter and exit?" Hao Yun continued to question.

"Of course not," Elinna shook her head again, then reorganized her thoughts and said, "To answer Lord Hao's question, we should start with the cause of Anselin's death. From what I've gathered from various sources, it's certain that Anselin died very suddenly and mysteriously."

"Oh? How so?" Dao Lao asked, intrigued.

Elinna ate another piece of Elve cookie, seemingly enjoying chewing while talking. Then she said, "It is said that on that day, Anselin was inspecting the front lines as usual. But when she arrived at a newly conquered plantation, she suddenly felt unwell and collapsed in pain. Then, strong dark energy began to gather around her, quickly enveloping her completely."

"Anselin struggled briefly in pain before being engulfed by the powerful energy, and she suddenly soared into the sky. Before anyone could react to what had happened, she and the energy exploded completely. With Anselin's sudden explosion, all the dark magic energy within her body poured out. This energy formed a huge black vortex in the sky that lingered for a long time. Finally, the massive vortex turned into a tornado-like black whirlwind and shot quickly towards the horizon."

Hearing about Anselin's death, both Hao Yun and Dao Lao were astonished. They couldn't believe that Anselin, the strongest force on the planet Elve, could die so abruptly and mysteriously.

Elinna spread her hands to indicate that Anselin's death was indeed bizarre, and her reaction upon confirming the news was the same as Hao Yun and Dao Lao's. She then continued, "According to later analyses by some high-ranking Dark Elf mages, it might have been because Anselin's dark magic was too powerful, causing her body to reach its limit. This led to a stronger backlash from the dark magic, resulting in her sudden explosion and death."

"As for the black whirlwind that appeared after Anselin's death, the dark mages believed it was the source of all the power Anselin once had. Unfortunately, the whirlwind left quickly, so no one knew where it went. But because of this, the legend I mentioned earlier began to spread."

Elinna paused briefly before continuing, "Now, let's return to Lord Hao's previous question."

"Due to the Dark Magic Association and Anselin's authority, the Black Stone Castle had long been regarded as a holy site by the Dark Elves. So, even after the castle's owner died, they continued to revere the place and would not allow anyone to desecrate it. Naturally, no one dared to enter the Black Stone Castle to search for Anselin's burial site."

"Don't forget, I mentioned earlier that the Black Stone Castle is the center of the Dark Elves, a symbolic holy site for them. Therefore, worshippers would come year-round, day and night, to worship from afar. Because of this, any changes in the celestial phenomena around the Black Stone Castle would not escape the eyes of the pilgrims. So, whether at the time of Anselin's death or after, any suspicious and unusual energy entering the Black Stone Castle would certainly be noticed by the many Dark Elves constantly keeping watch outside."

This narrative has been purloined without the author's approval. Report any appearances on Amazon.

"And," Elinna continued, her tone shifting, "according to many eyewitnesses at the scene of Anselin's death, that black energy whirlwind flew towards the forests within the Light Elves' territory, so—"

"So, you believe that Anselin's power might have ended up in the Light Elves' territory, which is why you came here?" Dao Lao interjected for Elinna.

"In a sense, that's correct," Elinna replied frankly.

"But the Light Elves have done so many bad things to your family. Don't you hate them?" Hao Yun asked.

"Hate? Of course, I do. However, since I have more important things to do now, temporarily putting aside personal grudges to achieve my goal is in my best interest, isn't it? Besides, I'm a priest now, not a demon. Unless absolutely necessary, why resort to violence? Compared to ruthless revenge, I'd rather fulfill my mother's wish and save the beings on Elve from war. Repaying evil with good is the best way to resolve conflicts and promote better peace and development in society, isn't it?" Elinna said.

Elinna's reasoning seemed sound, but it did not erase the suspicions Hao Yun and Dao Lao had about her. Moreover, since they had met, Elinna had shown a willingness to cooperate that left Hao Yun and Dao Lao bewildered. Although they were wary of Elinna from the start and skeptical of her words, they had to take her information, especially regarding the Mould Spirit Energy, very seriously.

After much deliberation, Hao Yun and Dao Lao decided to continue the conversation on the topic Elinna had introduced. They intended to gather more information about the Mould Spirit Energy and discern which parts of Elinna's statements were likely true and which had potential loopholes.

Just as Hao Yun and Dao Lao were about to ask more about the Mould Spirit Energy, Serwinf hurriedly ran upstairs, looking flustered. "Great Priestess Elinna, something's wrong! Our scout team has spotted another mixed raiding party of Dark Elves and zombie troops at the outskirts of the Misty Forest. Please come quickly to hear the battle report and organize our defense."

Elinna frowned upon hearing this. "Oh? They're back so soon? Hmph, it seems those Dark Elves are really targeting the Misty Forest this time!"

Elinna put down her wine glass, gracefully bowed slightly to Hao Yun and Dao Lao, and said, "Excuse me, my lords, but it seems I must leave due to another enemy attack."

She was about to head downstairs but didn't forget to add, "Oh, right, my lords. The reason I mentioned the Mould Spirit Energy earlier was partly to warn you to be careful and not fall victim to it. On the other hand, I hope to team up with you to investigate whether Mould Spirit Energy truly exists on Elve."

"You want to team up with us? Why?" Dao Lao asked, both puzzled and wary.

As Elinna elegantly walked towards the staircase in the corner of the hall, she smiled and replied, "Because if Anselin's dark magic is related to the Mould Spirit Energy, I wouldn't dare to claim it for myself. Moreover, whether the Mould Spirit Energy is connected to Anselin's dark magic or not, discovering it would be a significant achievement. You two lords might have a chance for promotion, and the Nether Spirit Realm might show leniency towards me for my meritorious service."

Feigning interest in Elinna's proposal, Dao Lao also pretended to be concerned, asking, "But what if we find out that the Mould Spirit Energy doesn't exist on Elve?"

Elinna spread her hands and said, "The worst-case scenario is that I find Anselin's dark magic and, after inheriting her power, successfully escape again. On the bright side, because we jointly prove that I didn't engage in any Mould Spirit Energy-related events after helping it initially, even if I escape, I wouldn't be a threat to the Nether Spirit Realm or the entire Divine Spirit Realm. I would then live a life on the run, with the stigma of betraying the Nether Spirit Realm and the Divine Spirit Realm, until I'm caught by divine priests again—no! You will never catch me again. This will never happen a second time!"

Elinna's confident response suggested she believed the situation would unfold exactly as she described.

Watching Elinna confidently leave with an air of control, Hao Yun frowned and said, "What does she mean? She acts as if she's not worried about being captured at all."

Dao Lao, stroking his white beard, replied with some frustration, "Sigh! If Elinna's first scenario holds true, then her punishment might indeed be as she described. Elinna knows Judge Yan's temperament well and understands her importance in his eyes. As old acquaintances of Judge Yan, we are also aware of his protective nature."

"So, if we find Mould Spirit Energy based on Elinna's information, Judge Yan would surely use it as an excuse to be lenient with her. This matter might end abruptly under Judge Yan's influence."

"What about the second scenario?" Hao Yun continued, "I mean, if Elinna truly gains Anselin's dark magic power and comprehends its ultimate secrets, will she become an unparalleled dark mage with abilities as stealthy as the Mould Spirit Energy claims?"

Dao Lao stroked his white beard and replied, "Honestly, even if Elinna possesses the stealth abilities akin to Mould Spirit Energy, I don't think she has the capability to escape from Elve's SU-052 timeline. To capture Elinna and prevent any possible resurgence of the Mould Spirit Energy, Master Gu and his forces have already dispatched divine troops to tightly seal this timeline, especially focusing on Elve. So, now even the Mould Spirit Energy, with its stealth abilities, would find it nearly impossible to escape under the watchful eyes of the divine troops, let alone Elinna trying to escape using dark magic."

Hao Yun nodded, understanding the gravity of the situation. "So, no matter what power she gains, Elinna is essentially trapped here."

"Precisely," Dao Lao affirmed. "The divine troops have fortified their watch, ensuring no anomalies slip through. Elinna might gain formidable power, but escaping from this loc

kdown is an entirely different matter. The vigilance of the divine troops is unmatched, especially with Master Gu overseeing the operations."

The conversation weighed heavily on Hao Yun's mind. Elinna's ambitions were clear, but so were the barriers preventing her from realizing them. The intricate play of power, magic, and divine intervention created a complex web that even a powerful dark mage would struggle to navigate.