On this day, Nancilia and Marilyn received news: the Great Demon King was coming to inspect Giantree City! Without delay, the two of them immediately led the elder council of the elves to welcome His Majesty's visit.
"Greetings, Your Majesty!"
"No need for such formality," the Great Demon King replied. "I'm here for a casual visit, nothing more."
Quick to respond, Nancilia continued, "We didn't intend for everyone to make such elaborate preparations. Without Your Majesty's guidance, Giantree City wouldn't be the thriving place it is today. Our people are simply eager to express their heartfelt gratitude to Your Majesty!"
The Great Demon King nodded. "I've been closely observing Giantree City's progress. Your people’s achievements in pharmaceuticals, cultivation, and various other fields are commendable."
With those words, accompanied by a retinue of over a hundred esteemed elf elders, the two elf city lords embarked on a comprehensive inspection of Tree City.
"Ah!"
“It’s the Demon King!”
"The Demon King has arrived!"
"All hail the Demon King, we pay our respects!"
"May the Demon King's legacy endure, and may the Chaos Federation prosper!"
As Zhang Nu moved through the city, he experienced the adoration and awe of the elves. From the youngest ones who appeared to be only three or four years old, to elderly elves leaning on their canes, every elf regarded him with a mixture of fascination, respect, and reverence. All of them regarded him with fanaticism, awe, and worship. Most of these elves were common folk who had never seen the Demon King before, and they were extremely excited at this moment. Regarding this, Zhang Nu was very satisfied. He realized the immense respect he held within the elven community.
The elven tribe stood as one of the central pillars of the Chaos Federation. When it came to the elven capital, its significance might not have matched that of the Darkness City, but it undoubtedly stood as the most vibrant city in the entire federation.
Giantree City's total population had already surpassed six hundred thousand, divided into two main regions: the Giantree City district and the Giantree Forest district. The forest area, known as the Giantree Forest, was exclusively reserved for the elven community, providing a tranquil environment. In contrast, the city area encompassed a mix of Elves and various other races, creating a bustling and prosperous atmosphere. For the elves, it had been a perfect place to reside. Those who enjoyed a lively, fashionable, and convenient lifestyle could settle in the city area. Meanwhile, elves who preferred a quiet, ancient, and primitive way of life could choose to live in the forest area. Regardless of their choice, all residents could benefit from the Tree of Miracle, which enhanced their abilities, thanks to the economic prosperity brought about by Giantree City.
During his tour of Giantree City, Zhang Nu had noticed that alchemy and agriculture had been industrialized here. The city was generating a net value of no less than 10 million Demon King gold for the Demon King every day. Of course, this was merely the scale of the net value created. Whether it could be converted into gold depended on finding appropriate markets to absorb such a massive production capacity. However, with the development of the Dark Dragon merchants guild, this no longer posed a problem.
In fact, as long as Giantree City's current industrial output was fully utilized, it would have been enough to double the Demon King's net fiscal income. Considering the aspect of time and population, Giantree City's potential had been far from being fully tapped.
Marilyn explained, "We have not only planned for a large-scale elven workshop but also established an elven academy. The academy is about to start its classes."
Zhang Nu inquired, "Elven academy? What is its purpose?"
Marilyn replied, "We aim to educate our people in magic, martial arts, alchemy, and agriculture, systematically enhancing the abilities of the citizens and future generations of Giantree City. Additionally, we have learned many lost magics, martial arts, alchemical formulas, and ancient formations from Your Majesty's elven sanctuary. We can teach these skills to our people, allowing the knowledge bestowed by Your Majesty to create better value for you."
"I see," nodded Zhang Nu, pleased with the high level of awareness displayed by the elven tribe.
After a brief inspection, Zhang Nu left the city and arrived before the Tree of Miracle. The elven tribe had cultivated over ten miles of land here. The resident ancient tree elven legion was consistently engaged in farming activities when they were off duty. Moreover, there were more than a hundred thousand elven farmers from Giantree City, making it the primary food supplier for the Chaos Federation.
As of now, Giantree City had become the main food supplier for the Chaotic Federation. Various cities and tribes could purchase food from Tree City, ensuring they could focus on developing their respective advantageous industries.
Marilyn added, "The farm's yield still exceeds the demand. With the help of the Dark Dragon Chamber of Commerce, we can easily sell any excess materials and food."
"So, we plan to further absorb more people from the Chaos Forest. By integrating more elves into Giantree City, we can increase our investments."
Shaking his head, Zhang Nu remarked, "It's not enough. The elven population in the Chaos Forest does not exceed one million. Currently, Giantree City has gathered nearly five hundred thousand elves. At most, we can bring in another two to three hundred thousand residents. This population is inadequate for constructing a large-scale elven capital and production base. The Chaos Federation needs more Elves, and so does Giantree City."
Nancilia and Marilyn, leading the elven high-ranking officials, were deeply shocked. The Demon King's intention was crystal clear: the elven population in the Chaos Forest was insufficient. The Demon King aimed to transform Giantree City into an unparalleled elven capital. What could a mere million elves accomplish in this grand endeavor? The hearts of the elves swelled with admiration. They did not know of any elven kingdom elsewhere. All they knew was that within the few hundred thousand miles nearby, there had not been a decent-sized elven force for thousands of years. Millions of elves had to live in the cracks of other massive forces, sometimes even becoming pets in various empires. If possible, they all yearned to unite all the elves. The only method Giantree City could think of was to use Nancilia's influence, having her, in her capacity as the Elven King, summon elves from all corners to join them.
Upon hearing this, the Demon King commented, "This is indeed a good method. However, I have an even better one."
The elven leaders were stunned. The Elven King held tremendous sway; could the Demon King have a more effective means? Zhang Nu did not explain. He approached the Ancient Tree of Miracle. Placing his hand on the giant tree, a prompt appeared:
[Upgrade the Tree of Miracle? The upgrade costs "Level 4 Special Building Upgrade Scroll" x1, “gold” x40 million, “elemental gems” x5000 each, “light gem” x4000, “life gem” x4000, “soul gem” x2000!]
Tsk tsk! Expensive! Bloody expensive! If it weren't for the recent windfall and the fairly abundant reserves of elemental gems, Zhang Nu really would not have the confidence to upgrade this building. However, at this moment, he did not hesitate at all. Amid the elves' confusion, the Demon King directly chose to upgrade.
In the next moment, all the elves present felt a pulsation in the earth. The mightiest power of the Goddess of Nature seemed to be summoned from the depths of the universe.
"What did His Majesty do?"
"I feel an immense power!"
"His Majesty has triggered a tremendous energy!"
"So powerful, is this something a mortal can summon?"
"I felt it too, my goodness, this power is as if the Goddess herself has descended!"
When the entire Elven leadership was still in shock, Nancilia seemed to realize something: "Could it be... the ancient tree!"
Then everyone noticed the new changes in the Tree of Miracle. Spreading out from the earth, countless golden patterns were rapidly expanding, from the roots to the trunk, from branches to leaves. The giant tree was growing wildly during this process.
The Ancient Tree of Miracle, originally towering at 800 meters, was further increasing in size!
800 meters!
1,000 meters!
1,500 meters!
1,800 meters!
Finally, it reached approximately 2,000 meters, gradually ceasing its growth. Its height had more than doubled, and the diameter of the area it covered with its crown was about 15,000 meters.
At this moment, even an ordinary person could easily see this giant tree from hundreds of miles away. The golden patterns on the tree were spreading wildly. The originally verdant tree trunk turned golden, and the leaves took on a golden-green hue. The vitality emanating from it was stronger than before, and the direct influence range significantly increased. The indirect influence range expanded to several hundred, nearly a thousand miles.
[Tree of Eternity] Level 5 special building. Within a radius of 50 kilometers, +120% recovery rate for all units, -50% aging rate for all units, +300% training efficiency for elves, -80% aging rate for elves, +75% attribute bonus for elves. Accelerated the growth rate of animals and plants. Unlocked new summonable elven population. Unlocked summoning of Eternal Barrier. Unlocked production of Eternal Sacred Fruits.]
Upgrade successful!
Upon upgrading from the Level 4 Tree of Miracle to the Level 5 Tree of Eternity, Zhang Nu noticed a significant increase in the tree's functions. Various attributes were substantially enhanced, including unlocking a total summoning population of up to sixty thousand.
Two additional abilities were gained: The first one was the ability to summon the Eternal Barrier. This was a powerful Level 5 barrier that not only had robust protective effects but could also promote elven life and production and weaken invading enemy units.
The second ability was to produce Eternal Sacred Fruits. The Ancient Tree of Eternity's preciousness and its influence on the elven race's fortune primarily stemmed from its ability to produce these fruits.
The conditions for producing Eternal Sacred Fruits were extremely harsh. Each fruit required a cultivation period of 1,800 years. When elves with exceptional aptitude consumed an Eternal Sacred Fruit, they had the chance to activate and strengthen their elven bloodline, thus becoming an Elven King. This meant that as long as this ancient tree was protected, the elven race would not have to worry about a gap in their kingship. Therefore, the Tree of Eternity was regarded as the ultimate sacred object in the minds of the elven race.
"This is the Tree of Eternity!!"
"Lord Demon King has created the Ancient Tree of Eternity for us!"
Countless Elves were ecstatic! The sacred item that the former Elven Empire had treasured so dearly was now present in the humble Giantree City. For the elves, this was an immense honor and privilege. It moved even the most indifferent elves to tears, making them worship fervently.
The Ancient Tree of Eternity had many functions. For instance, its leaves could be directly turned into valuable herbs. Its sap had the power to heal various illnesses and dispel curses and toxins. Every part of this tree was a treasure. Its impact was far-reaching. The presence of the Tree of Eternity could subtly increase the spiritual density of the surrounding area and improve the environment, influencing a significant portion of the Chaos Forest.
However, the Tree of Eternity could not remain hidden. Its sudden appearance would soon be sensed by various forces. Such a precious item, once known to the world, would inevitably attract covetous eyes.
Once the Elves from all corners of the world found out that the Ancient Tree of Eternity had appeared in the Chaos Forest, even without active summoning or calling, they would brave all difficulties to come and seek refuge. Conservatively estimating, within a year or two, the elven population in the Chaos Forest would multiply at least fivefold. In the future, more elves would arrive, making Giantree City truly a super elven city comparable to an elven kingdom.
And the more elves there were, the greater the value they could create. With one substantial investment, the Demon King could enjoy endless long-term returns. This was the significance of Zhang Nu's significant expenditure and the use of a "Level 4 Special Building Upgrade Scroll" to upgrade the Tree of Miracle!"
