Chapter 250: Lost Paradise

"This world is actually a planet."

When the elven palace was empty, Yumia heaved a long sigh.

She had been deified by the entire elven race, seated on the elven throne and regarded as an omnipotent, omniscient elven god. Only she knew that it was by standing on the shoulders of giants that she was able to bring civilization to them.

"I've finally reached the sixth tier."

She suddenly closed her eyes and whispered.

Everyone thought she was brilliant and far-sighted, having secluded herself to research agriculture, papermaking, animal taming, and herding in various fields, bringing a brilliant and astonishing civilization to the entire Yumia High Elf Empire. Only she knew that for over a century, all she had done was research and then begin practicing a cultivation system.

Her physical aptitude was absolutely top-tier; she was born a level five demon, exceptionally gifted. However, her comprehension aptitude was quite average, and she had only just broken through to the sixth tier after cultivating until now.

"But, it's also time to do my own thing," she thought suddenly, sitting on the throne.

Over the years, she had continued to study the theory of evolution, improving the species she was most familiar with—the Seven Marvelous Treasure Tree. She wanted to use the next rebirth altar to become a man!

"Gestating the seed of one's own species within a life fruit is like another form of evolution, different from the long process of species evolution. It utilizes vast life energy to nourish life forms, achieving instantaneous metamorphosis and evolution. This is the origin of 'demons'." She closed her eyes slightly, "However, due to the ancient life trees' monopoly and control, they only give birth to females. If I am born from them again, I'll have to find a way to alter hormone concentrations, perhaps even modify my species' form to deceive the ancient life trees, in order to become male."

For years, the corpses of the Seven Marvelous Treasure Trees had no longer been used for cooking; instead, they were stored for continuous structural research.

Now, she felt confident that her next rebirth, by altering the Seven Marvelous Treasure Tree's life form hormones, would allow her to become a male elf.

As she pondered, Gilna gracefully entered through a side door of the royal hall. "Are you going to eat? I want roast meat today. Sirin is also waiting and already making a fuss, saying she's starving."

"Alright, I'll go to the kitchen to prepare it right away."

Yumia looked at her and suddenly smiled gently, "When this matter is over, I want to marry you and make you my wife."

"What matter? What's a wife?" Gilna asked curiously.

"It's when two people who love each other live together," Yumia replied.

A confused look flashed in Gilna's eyes. "Then I am your wife, aren't I? We've been living together for centuries, and we like each other very much."

"That's not truly being together. Two girls, it's not the kind of love you're imagining," Yumia replied. "This world is restricted; the elven race was cursed by eleven ancient beings, forbidden from true love. I want to change that."

Gilna looked utterly bewildered.

Yumia, looking at her beloved girl, just smiled.

"The magic of love... it truly is captivating."

Sitting on the throne, a hint of longing appeared on her face as her gaze slowly drifted into the distance. She seemed to see herself long ago, falling hard from a life fruit high in the sky, transforming into a meteor, a beautiful elf emerging to save the Night Tribe and guide the entire elven civilization through ancient times.

She smiled with the pure, wistful innocence of a newborn infant:

"As I said back then, time is ruthless, always grinding down rough edges and turning people into what they once despised. When this war ends, I will finally return to my youthful self."

If it weren't for Gilna, she might have long grown accustomed to this body. But watching the beautiful woman she loved day and night gradually strengthened her resolve to fulfill this dream.

What meaning is there in living if one has no brilliant dreams or pursuits?

Her idea was simple: to marry Gilna and, in this lifetime, cook delicious food with her and travel across mountains and lands.

"Issue the order: prepare for expedition, to deal with Omega, the remnants of the Winged Elves from that time."

Another day, Elven Emperor Yumia sat formally on the throne in the main hall of the Elven Royal Palace, flanked by elven mages and ministers from all major elven tribes.

"It's time to begin... This death of mine will truly usher in my new life."

Yumia Empire, Year 37, January.

Elven Emperor Yumia, having reached the sixth tier, flew alone towards the Tree of Heaven, preparing to eliminate the last remnants of the "Nature Alliance" from years past.

High above in the sky, on a vast, ancient, gigantic tree, branch after branch supported tribal treehouses.

Looking further up, the firmament was now incredibly clear, a truly vast and magnificent sight. Each emerald green leaf was the size of a lake, crystal clear, shimmering with a captivating luster, and possessing the immense power to absorb stars.

"Unimaginably huge leaves, what an incredible life form! No wonder from the ground, one can clearly see a mottled sky formed by countless tiny leaves." She stepped through the air, one step at a time.

She could have launched a surprise attack, but she arrived openly and honorably.

"It's Yumia!"

The entire Winged Elf tribe, seeing that figure, plunged into panic and uproar.

A beautiful Winged Elf with pure white wings appeared; it was Omega. This formidable figure from years past had also reached the sixth tier, having indeed secretly descended to the mortal realm to learn cultivation methods and practice using the magic net.

"Yumia..." Omega stared intently at the terrifying presence, gritting her teeth and showing a determination to fight to the death.

"Boom!"

The two quickly engaged in battle in the sky, fighting further and further away.

After a full half-day, Yumia's blood-soaked body fell from the sky. The entire elven empire, witnessing this scene, immediately began to wail.

"Elven Emperor Yumia is dead!"

Countless people trembled, their faces showing despair. No one could have imagined that such a powerful Elven King would be defeated.

Omega stood in the sky, staring blankly at her hands. "Yumia, what in the world were you thinking?"

She knew clearly that Yumia had not used her full aura nor her terrifying weapon, the Wheel of Poison.

"Her Majesty has died!"

The entire High Elf Empire was in utter chaos.

The entire Night Elf Empire was even more terrified, and the Night Life Ancient Tree itself fell into a state of tension. It clearly understood that once Elven Emperor Yumia died, other elven tribes might begin to move against the royal elven lineage—the Night Elves—to seize power.

"Don't worry!"

Soon, Sirin came out to comfort everyone. "Elven King Yumia possesses an undying body. She can be reborn in the elven altar; she has always been able to be reborn before. Everything will be fine."

Above the firmament, at the Night Elf Ancient Tree.

The Hero Altar brewed once more, and an inexplicable radiance shimmered anew.

Yumia spoke to the Night Elf Ancient Tree:

"This time, I've changed my life form, requiring more energy. I will be born directly as a sixth-tier being. But our elven empire has enough resources to supply this energy-intensive rebirth."

Within the life fruit, more than half of the elven empire's savings from over the years were stored.

Gradually, life began to form, re-gestating. After an unknown period, a life suddenly began to take shape.

*Rustling!*

A human figure slowly appeared. It was a man, tall and well-built, with a body proportioned to the golden ratio, possessing the aesthetic beauty of a Greek statue.

"You—"

The Night Elf Life Ancient Tree was instantly stunned.

This world had never known male elves.

In the perception of countless elves, such beings simply did not exist. Therefore, it had never taken precautions and had not expected Yumia's rebirth to transform herself into a male elf, thus escaping its confinement.

"Yumia..." the Night Elf's faint, ethereal voice resounded. "So, this was your goal?"

Yumia smiled.

Suddenly, the ancient life tree's voice slowly spoke. "Come, let's talk. Haven't you always wanted to know what lies beyond the firmament?"

He paused, then flew up above the firmament.

*Rustling!*

A leaf slowly unfurled, opening up a path.

He passed through the leaf-sky, reaching the very top of the firmament. His feet gently stepped on the emerald green, overlapping leaves, producing a soft rustling sound. Beneath him was a massive spherical green globe, made entirely of leaves.

"So this is the sky that envelops the entire planet?"

Standing on the leafy firmament, he gazed out into space. It was pitch black, with a star-studded galaxy, indescribably intoxicating and vast, making him feel incredibly tiny.

"Oh, Yumia, who stole the forbidden fruit of life, this land made of piled green leaves is our dwelling. There is no war here; we, the eleven ancient trees, usually chat here... We call it Paradise."

Coil after coil of celestial serpents slowly emerged, entwining themselves on the leaves.

There were eleven in total, seemingly representing the eleven ancient trees, appearing in this manner. Though they plundered one another, they had no intention of killing each other, and could even frequently chat at the very top of the firmament.

For them, war, invasion, and enslavement were merely a game of chess to control the elves under their command, with wins and losses. But in their long lifespans, they didn't truly care about the outcomes, not until their lives were genuinely threatened.

He looked at them, these eleven most ancient and great life forms.

One after another, the Eternal Life Ancient Trees spoke, their voices rising and falling:

"We are your gods; you are the lives we created, and we bestowed upon you wisdom."

"In our long lives, we are capable of tolerating everything."

"If you wish to enslave us, the ancient life trees, we will comply."

"If you wish to create a magic net, we will also comply."

"If you wish to establish an elven empire, we will assist you. We are willing to watch our children move towards glory and see what kind of splendid flowers you will bloom."

"In our long lives, Yumia, you are perhaps just a fleeting ripple, a reason for the Night Life Ancient Tree to boast before us. You may have once ruled us, but this too will pass, just like your lifespan. However, if you can transform to become a long-lived being like us, we will sincerely welcome you to join us and become the twelfth great being."

"We are tolerant."

"We understand everything. Over the long ages, the upper limit of what we can accept and accommodate is beyond your imagination."

"And in the world we created, there is no gender, no desire; it is a land of ultimate bliss, full of joy, happiness, and contentment."

"We blessed you, and you blessed us... We coexisted peacefully. But the elves betrayed the gods! They stole the forbidden fruit! They desired the most primal, greedy desires, they wanted independence!"

The voices were distant, like a stern interrogation from majestic gods above the firmament.

Yumia looked at them. "I want to be with Gilna. We deeply love each other."

"You can be together even now."

A voice replied.

Yumia shook his head and said, "That's not what I truly want."

Yumia knew clearly that these ancient life trees had no way to stop him.

Although they were seventh-tier beings, they were ultimately unique plant-like life forms, possessing immense life force but lacking combat ability. They could only protect themselves by giving birth to elves. It was like a powerful ant queen who lacked combat ability but could reproduce many ants to defend herself—a special kind of life form.

The surrounding ancient life trees fell silent.

They spoke again:

"You will regret this. You stole the forbidden fruit. Desire is the original sin of life, and the beginning of all other evils."

"As a woman, you stepped into a forbidden zone. From now on, all females will suffer because of you."

"We offer you one last chance: commit suicide, revert to Yumia, and become the Elven God Yumia you once were."

Yumia shook his head, looking down at his young, well-built male body. He suddenly strode away from this firmament, from the vast green spherical land made of piled leaves.

A curse echoed from behind him:

"We will punish them with the pain of childbirth!"

"Every month, they will bleed, and they will experience the long suffering of bringing life into the world, perhaps even dying from it!"

"And you, Yumia, the strongest Elven King, you used the tolerance of us, the Eternal Life Ancient Trees, to betray us, betray your own mothers! You will lose all your glory! You will become a prisoner, permanently confined."

Yumia shook his head, not afraid in the slightest.

He clearly understood that he had already won. No one could be inherently superior.

Just as the ancestral shamans of ancient times, he had overthrown their absolute rule and achieved a freedom akin to that of the Primeval World! The freedom of acquired beings! From now on, the elven race would no longer live at the mercy of others but would live independently. What if the ancient trees no longer propagated new elves?

As long as he existed, he could continue the race, though it would be somewhat challenging to propagate a race for an entire nation.

"But for Gilna, I won't do that," he said with a gentle smile. "These ancient life trees no longer have any leverage over me. Unless they completely break ties, they will still obediently propagate the next generation of elves for me and gestate life fruits, just as before."

"From today on, since I've become a man, I'm changing my name. I'll be called Illidan," he mused, then added, "Illidan Stormrage."

He immediately smiled, then descended into Silvermoon City with increasing joy, heading for the Elven Royal Palace.

His heart filled with immense joy. He even wanted to tell Gilna the good news, share his happiness with her, and tell her that elves in this world are actually divided into male and female.

But in the next second, his expression gradually froze.

For he saw another Elven Emperor Yumia, another Watcher, Shadowsong, the God of Elves, sitting calmly on the elven throne, wearing her clothes.

She spoke, her voice and even her tone identical, saying to him:

"I am Elven King Yumia. Which tribe are you from, elf?"