In just a second after the ten fluttered leaves melted at the Tree of Life, a connection was built between them...

The Elf Matriach is the very first who felt and know the significant of the new connection as she have much more deeper and stronger at the Tree of Life. After all, she was the chosen one of the Tree of Life to lead this clan generation.

Meanwhile, Cole was shocked and surprised as the Elf Matriach.

This sudden connection felt like soul contract...

Yes, the deep connection they both felt are intertwining of soul...

Both of them are familiar with it. The Elf Matriach could always feel the connection she have with the Tree of Life while Cole was now very familiar with it as he already subdued number of beast and others already.

However, although the connection are almost the same, its not entirely like the one he knew.

When he create the soul contract between him and his target, he don't change anything in it, making an equal connection. There's no superior and inferior between them, they are equals with one another. In some other word, the connections between him and his tamed beast are equal subordinates, not Master and servant one.

Still, eventhough it was an equal connection, his tamed beast address him as Master sometimes, even Celia the Divine Dragon who was known for their stubborn and brazen character. This just illustrate that they, or she to be specific, accept his superiority among them.

"I uh... I also don't know what happen..." Cole try to explain himself.

For a second, the Elf Matriach thought that Cole have some hidden agenda and conspiracy of subjugation of Tree of Life, and him helping them are just a foil.

However, she's a wise one and knowledgeable herself. With his knowledge and also experience, subjugation through soul have a high chance of failure specially if the victim struggle and denied the process. And she could feel that in the process of soul subjugation that their sacred tree... didn't even struggle at all. In fact, she even perceived that the Tree of Life was very happy, as if it receive and stumbleupon a great blessing, and accept it with all of its entity.

She knew that there's no conspiracy at all. She knew that he also don't expect this happen.

So she just nod at Cole, acknowledging his explanation.

∞

One hour later, the Tree of Life are still on the process of breakthrough.

Breakthrough, depending on many aspects, normally still take days. It was only becuase Cole have the Messiah Tree Martial Spirits' [Breakthrough Aid] that make his breakthrough quite easy and fast.

However, the others don't have this even the Tree of Life.

But this time, Elven Matriarch who was seriously watching the whole process jolted in her position and her face looks more serious. She then look at Cole, doubt are very apparent on her eyes. Her face expression turn into deep resolved and walk towards Cole's position.

"By the verdict of our elves' sacred Tree of Life, the whole Elm Tribe of Woodland Elf Clan swear our out most loyalty to you, our Lord." The Elven Matriarch said to Cole solemnly, very seriously while also bowing to him in elven way.

"..." Silence...

Three seconds passed, despite being puzzled themselves and still full of question, the five Grand Elders still bow in their own unique, elven way.

Elves could doubt and could even deny some commands of their Matriarch but not the word of their Tree of Life, it was the greatest and absolute for them.

So eventhough they were full of doubt, they still follow suit solemnly.

As for the new appointed Lord himself, he get the greatest shock of the day that he actually need several minutes to recover.

This is not good joke! This is like winning a lottery eventhough he don't play it! He need his time to recover.

Suddenly, Grand Elder Rose brought something out of her Spatial Ring.

"This is bad Matriarch–" she pause for a second and look at Cole with uncertainty, "and Lord, the scouts found some foreign individuals in the territory. They were currently traveling towards the direction of our main location. It seems like they were here with bad intention!" She informed the whole group.

The Matriarch and the four other Grand Elders immediately raise their head and look at one another seriously.

They then look at Cole simultaneously.

"Our location are very well hidden from the outside world. In addition of secluding of our whole tribe for many years and cutting off connection with the outside world, our location should not be easy to locate. We assume that those foreign individuals catch one of our hunter we send in hopes of finding assistance and read his/hear memory to obtain this information. We, I assume that those foreign personnel are all bandit or intruders!"

Despite hearing that there's intruders, Cole didn't actually worry about it. This is not because he underestimate those intruders but he believe that this elves are powerful themselves.

He once heard that the strength of an elven clan are greatly dependent on their Tree of Life. With it having the strength of Tier-6, this particular tribe should be a powerful one. This Elven Matriarch, in his estimation, should be Tier-6 at most and Tier-4 at the least.

However, eventhough Tier-4 are his lowest estimation, it must be known that this kind of strength are already the same with the Five Element Sect's current Sect Master.

This was where his confidence come from. This tribe who hid for many years should have accumulates enough strength.

This Elm Tribe won't fall easily.

Cole nodded his head, "One should remain here and guard the place and the rest will follow me to resist invaders."

The elves nod their head in agreement to his proposition.

"I volunteer to remain here," Grand Elder Daisy proposed to the group.

The rest agree.

"Protecting our sacred Tree of Life falls to your hand." The Matriarch said very seriously.

Grand Elder Daisy nod, "Don't worry, Matriarch. Unless I die, no one can pass through here." She said.

The rest smile at Grand Elder Daisy for a moment before they face Cole and said, "Let's go now, Lord."

"Alright," he said and he chanted another [Gate] that was connected to the hall.

Despite already seeing and knowing that this Lord have the ability to create spatial passage, it still make the elves amazed for a second.

Everyone except for Grand Elder Daisy all hop and pass through the [Gate].

But when they reappear at the hall, the Elven Matriarch immediately frown in worry. Cole, their Lord, are just alright since from now on, they will be under his command.

But what about the others?

Space type cultivator and equipment might be rare and those who could use spatial passage in a whim is even rarer, they were, nevertheless, exist. If they could make a passage towards their sacred and hidden ground where they Tree of Life reside like Cole did, then it will be a bad thing.

She can't help but tell this worry of her to Cole.

Cole laugh for a second after he heard the Elven Matriarch.

"Don't worry, what I did is only possible because I have this," he pointed at one of the crystal embedded to the black cover of [Summoning Grimoire], "Ethereal Space Crystal."

Unique and special items like Ethereal Space Crystal emits their own unique aura. In the case of Ethereal Space Crystal, it emits a very faint and unique ripple of Space-Energy. No matter how faint it is, with the strength of the Matriarch level, she should be able to tell the uniqueness of the item. However, the moment both the Ethereal Space and Time Crystal are fused with the [Summoning Grimoire], that faint and unique ripple vanish.

If Cole didn't know this items beforehand, even him will be fooled and think that both the crystals were just an ordinary ornament, like how gold are ordinary to them.

"E-Ethere-eal Space Crystal..?" Even the compose and calm Matriarch stuttered when she heard the name of that ordinary looking crystal.

Ethereal Crystals are all unique items that was rare as Phoenix's feather and Qilin's horn, those are the items that could only be encountered and not sought no matter how hard they are. Ethereal Space Crystal, to be specific, are the must have item usually used for grand teleportation between realms and world surface!

It was an item of legends and hearsay. To think that they could encounter one...

Fortunately, he were their ally or they will be on countless trouble should they antagonize him.

Space are famous for its movement unpredictability, they were as slick as an eel. They were hard to be captured!

Without more further explanation, the elves worry vanish. The Lord was just a unique among others, others can't copy his abilities easily. It will be only possible if they also have Ethereal Space Crystal. But how rare Ethereal Space Crystal? It was nigh impossible.

The Elven Matriarch can't help but give a second glance the book which defy gravity and floating by itself in front of Cole. Then she saw another one crystal on the cover...

"By the way, can you tell me your names? I don't want to address you as simple as Elven Matriarch and Grand Elders in my head."

"How could we forget..." The Elven Matriarch silently mutter, "I am known as Mayana Elm, the current Matriarch of hidden Elm Tribe." She look at the Elders and said, "You know Grand Elder Daisy,"

"Lord." Grand Elder Daisy bow in elven way.

"The other three are Grand Elder Plum, Grand Elder Sakura and Grand Elder Fern," she pointed the two other female elder and single and the only male among them.

"Lord," they greeted simultaneously.

Cole nodded his head to them. "Alright. I don't have other request in the moment except stop calling me Lord. It's alright just addressing me by my name."

"As you wish, Master Cole."

"Now, we must find and intercept those intruders!" He said.

"I'm on it," Matriarch Mayana respond and immediately close her eyes, feeling something.

Cole look at the gesture confused.

"The forest we are in are called the Dark Forest. Cultivators and the like thought that this was a inferior forest infested with low level beast and natural resources. Due to this, they don't even bother to exploit of its resources. Instead, they treat this as training ground for new cultivators. By now, the Dark Forest already awaken its guardian and protector, a great dryad called Amaya. The Matriarch are trying to communicate with it as the whole forest is within its range of territory, it knew every minute changes of the forest." It was Grand Elder Fern who said this quite long information to Cole.

Dryads... It was the same with the one at Flowerhead Forest but untainted by Devil-Energy produced by World Devourer Saint.

"The intruders pass through Forest Wolves' territory. They're currently facing each other in battle!" Matriarch Mayana said moments later.

"Can we assist them?" He asked.

If the situation agree, he wanted to intercept the intruders now that they were embroiled with the Dark Forest another powerhouse, the Forest Wolves. However, he don't want to encounter a situation where they'll be misunderstood, thinking that they were striking while they were wounded.

"We could. Although intruding with each another territory are bad, that kind of silent agreement usually vanish for a moment when facing a common enemy. Besides, our Elm Tribe have a good relation with the Forest Wolves, we won't be understood by them!" Mayana answered.

Cole nodded, "Then let's go!"