322: Chapter 323 Lilia's Parents

"The Canglan Empire is, of course, a place I must go."

However, Lin Muyang had not forgotten the primary purpose of this journey. Led by Lilia and Laigong, whose attitude had softened considerably, the group passed through a natural archway formed by massive buttress roots and officially stepped into the core royal residential area of the Sunlight Elf Clan—the Sunlight Palace.

To call it a palace was a stretch; it bore little resemblance to the gilded, intricately carved palaces of humankind. This place was more like a meticulously maintained, ancient forest sanctuary brimming with spirituality and artistic sensibility. As far as the eye could see, there were hardly any traditional houses built of brick, stone, or timber. Almost all structures were integrated with towering ancient trees that had grown for thousands, if not tens of thousands, of years.

Astonishingly thick trunks were cleverly hollowed out and expanded to form natural dwellings; exquisite treehouses woven from living vines and dotted with luminous moss and Sunlight Flowers were built among the branches, connected to each other by winding aerial walkways, light rope ladders, or natural staircases formed directly by aerial roots.

Looking up, beneath layers upon layers of green canopies, were orderly Elven homes perfectly fused with the giant trees, resembling a dreamlike city suspended amidst the forest. The air was filled with the fragrance of resin, flowers, and a faint glow of magic, serene and sacred.

Walking along the dappled forest path, Lin Muyang could clearly feel the gazes directed at them from all directions. The Sunlight Elves residing in the treehouses, regardless of age or gender, had mostly paused their tasks, watching this peculiar procession with curiosity, wariness, or pure inquisitiveness from windows, balconies, or gaps in the foliage.

Especially Lin Muyang at the center of the group—a living human, actually setting foot in this absolute forbidden ground of the Elf Race under the personal guidance of Prince Laigong! For many young Elves, this was an utterly unheard-of spectacle. They had only seen humans in the hateful narratives of their elders or on murals depicting human cruelty. Now, a real human stood before them, seemingly neither bound nor under escort, which filled them with both astonishment and confusion.

In the past, even if humans who infiltrated the forest were captured, they would never be brought within the bounds of the Sunlight Palace. They were usually tried and dealt with on the spot by patrols at outposts or the forest's edge. For someone like Lin Muyang to be politely invited in by the prince was unprecedented.

Lin Muyang could sense the complex emotions in those gazes, but his expression remained unchanged, and his steps were unhurried. He could understand the widespread hostility the Elf Race harbored towards humans due to history and past encounters, but he did not feel awkward or guilty because of it. His arrival was not to beg or justify himself, but to accompany Lilia's return and attend to official matters.

Laigong walked ahead, his demeanor having shifted from the initial tension to a somewhat complicated courtesy. This courtesy contained awe for Lin Muyang's strength, reluctant acceptance of his sister's choice, and a touch of the etiquette due to an unknown powerhouse. He was well aware that with his own strength, and likely even that of several Elders in the clan, it would be difficult to shake the other party. Under such circumstances, maintaining surface-level courtesy and restraint was the wisest choice. As for whether he fully agreed internally, that was another matter.

Before long, the group arrived at the most central and magnificent area of the Moon God Ancient Tree.

A main trunk over twenty meters in diameter, majestic as a mountain wall, had been combined by Elven artisans with naturally growing buttress roots and aerial roots at a height of about thirty meters from the ground. With divine skill, they had constructed a grand and imposing tree hall. It lacked the sharp edges and dazzling decorations of human palaces; its overall lines were fluid and elegant, as if the hall had grown naturally from the giant tree.

The hall's body was covered with thick moss and vines emitting a soft, moon-white glow. The large windows were polished from whole pieces of magic crystal, crystal clear. The platform before the hall was leveled from interwoven sturdy branches, its edges overgrown with lush Sunlight Flowers and glowing moon ferns, like a natural border.

This was the center of power and ceremony for the Sunlight Elf Clan—the Sunlight Royal Court.

From a distance, Lin Muyang saw several figures already standing before the grand gate of the Royal Court, which was carved from the heartwood of a ten-thousand-year-old ancient tree and inlaid with moon gems. At the forefront was a middle-aged Elven couple of dignified and elegant bearing.

The male Elf was tall and straight, wearing a dark green Elven king's robe embroidered with silver moon and star patterns, and a simple crown woven from laurel branches and mithril on his head. Handsome, with well-trimmed short stubble, his light green eyes were deep and wise. At this moment, he looked over calmly, his gaze steady, carrying the authority of long-held high position and a hint of imperceptible scrutiny. He was Lilia's father, the Sunlight Elf King—Elandir.

The female Elf nestled beside him made a flash of understanding cross Lin Muyang's eyes. She bore at least a seventy percent resemblance to Lilia, only time had added more gentleness, maturity, and a maternal radiance to her. She wore a floor-length silver-blue gown dotted with tiny pearls, her long hair elegantly coiffed, revealing a smooth forehead and pointed ears.

Her beauty was profound, a serene beauty tempered by time. At this moment, her eyes, identical to Lilia's, were surging with barely restrained excitement, joy, and thick, almost overflowing maternal love and longing. She was Lilia's mother, the Sunlight Elf Queen—Queen Yiselah.

"Those are your parents?" Lin Muyang tilted his head slightly and asked in a low voice to Lilia, who had suddenly grown quiet beside him.

"Mhm!" Lilia nodded vigorously, her voice a bit tight, her small hand unconsciously clutching Lin Muyang's sleeve. The closer to home, the more timid one feels, especially returning in such a manner—having eloped for months and now coming back with her lover. Even someone as lively as her couldn't help feeling nervous now.

But soon, when she saw that her parents' faces held none of the imagined thunderous rage, but were instead full of eager anticipation and barely concealed concern, that nervousness was instantly replaced by immense warmth and guilt.

Father, Mother... they must have been terribly worried, right? These past few months, although she had been happy, she had never truly considered what torment her 'disappearance' would have caused her dearest ones. Seeing the glimmer of tears in her mother's eyes, Lilia's heart clenched tightly.

"Father! Mother—!"

Unable to hold back any longer, Lilia, like a fledgling swallow returning to the nest, let go of Lin Muyang, lifted the hem of her skirt, and with a few light leaps, sprang onto the Royal Court platform. With a tearful voice, she threw herself into the arms of her mother, Queen Yiselah, burying her face deeply in that familiar, warm embrace that carried the scent of sunshine, flowers, and grass.

"It's good that you're back, it's good that you're back... you child, you finally decided to return..." Queen Yiselah held her daughter tightly, her voice choked, gently patting Lilia's back as if to confirm this wasn't a dream. Heaven knew how she had endured these past months. The search parties she sent out returned empty-handed time and again; the torment of hope and despair alternating had nearly exhausted her.

Even when guards occasionally reported catching a glimpse of the princess, it was like a reflection in a mirror or flowers in water—fleeting—only deepening her worry. Now, truly holding her daughter, unharmed and even looking better than before, her heart, suspended for months, finally settled back into place.

A relieved and gentle expression also appeared on the majestic face of King Elandir. He reached out, his broad palm gently landing on his daughter's head, ruffling her smooth silver hair. Everything was said without words.

The heartwarming reunion scene lasted for a moment. When Lilia's emotions had calmed somewhat and she lifted her head from her mother's embrace, Queen Yiselah took a good look at her daughter, then raised her eyes to look at Lin Muyang's group standing quietly and waiting below the platform. Her eyes held curiosity and a trace of complex scrutiny.

Elf King Elandir's gaze also returned to Lin Muyang. Compared to the Queen's gentleness, his scrutiny was more pronounced, but he too had reined in his initial sharpness. During Lin Muyang's group's journey here, Laigong had clearly reported the general situation through some Elven means of communication, including Lin Muyang's unfathomable defensive capabilities, his identity as a visitor from another world, and his relationship with Lilia.

"Young man, you are Lin Muyang?" King Elandir spoke, his voice steady and powerful, carrying the aura of a monarch.

"I am," Lin Muyang nodded with neither humility nor arrogance, then introduced the two young women standing quietly beside him. "Your Majesty Elandir, Queen Yiselah. These are my companions, Gui Wanwan, Feng Ling."

King Elandir's gaze swept over Gui Wanwan and Feng Ling, and his heart stirred slightly. The black-haired, black-dressed girl's aura was profound and serene, far from ordinary. The red-dressed, golden-haired girl was even more noble and radiant, faintly emitting a majestic aura that made even his soul feel a trace of pressure—definitely not someone to be underestimated.

His daughter, after one disappearance, not only brought back a mysterious and powerful human youth but also made such extraordinary companions? His doubts and curiosity grew, but he showed nothing on his face.

As for the fact that Lin Muyang had other beautiful young women by his side... King Elandir glanced at his daughter, who was snuggled in her mother's arms but kept stealing glances at Lin Muyang, the affection in her eyes impossible to hide. He sighed inwardly with resignation. A grown daughter is no longer one's own; moreover, the strength and background the other party had displayed were extraordinary. As long as his daughter was willing and happy, he seemed to have little standing to interfere further. The deed was done.

"Guests from afar, and you have taken good care of Lilia," Queen Yiselah released her daughter and offered Lin Muyang a warm, gentle smile, as soft as moonlight and filled with a mother's tolerance. "You must be tired from the journey. Laigong, please escort Sir Lin Muyang and his friends to 'Dawn House' to rest. Do not neglect them."

She then looked at Lin Muyang again, her tone carrying consultation and apology. "Sir Lin Muyang, it has been a long time since we've seen Lilia, and we have some private words to share... Could we keep her for a while? Later, she can come find you, is that alright?"

"That is only reasonable," Lin Muyang smiled and nodded, showing understanding. Her parents and daughter hadn't seen each other for months; naturally, they had much to say. His presence as an 'outsider' would indeed be inconvenient.

Soon, elegant Elven maids approached and respectfully led Lin Muyang, Gui Wanwan, and Feng Ling away from the Royal Court platform towards the arranged guest treehouse.

The Elven King and Queen, with Lilia, turned and entered the solemn Sunlight Royal Court. The heavy ancient wooden door slowly closed behind them, sealing the family's private conversation and the warmth of their long-awaited reunion inside.