Pioneer Lord: I Have Conquering System

When Ash found Levi, he was in the treehouse in the middle of a card game with several others.

Leiden the Giant Goblin was grinning, while Mier and the Lord both had their faces covered in paper slips.

Zat sat beside them, watching everything with a gloating expression, all but saying aloud, ’So you have days like this too, Boss.’

Levi looked sullen. When he’d first taught Leiden how to play, the guy had been hopelessly bad. But after just two rounds, he’d somehow mastered the game—and, more importantly, he’d picked up all of Levi’s cheating tricks as well.

It had led to the current situation, where he was caught in his own web and getting beaten so badly he’d nearly lost his pants.

He glanced at the last two threes in his hand. There was no doubt he was going to lose this round, too.

Just then, Ash came into view. The Lord instantly threw his cards on the table. "I’m done, I’m done! Important matters to attend to."

Mier, who had been on the verge of winning for once, shot him a resentful look.

"Is there something I can help you with, Queen Aixi?" Levi asked casually.

"I have something to discuss with you," Ash said with a smile. "And just call me Ash."

Levi had just been looking for an excuse to escape the card game and hadn’t expected her to actually have business. "What is it?" he asked, his curiosity piqued.

"Just some minor details about distributing the spoils of war and offering our thanks."

Ash lied so smoothly it was impossible to tell.

This matter was of immense importance to the Wind Speech Tribe; the fewer who knew, the better. That was why the Lord of High Cliff Castle was the only one they had chosen to share this with.

Levi, thinking it was genuinely something important, stood and dusted himself off. Before leaving, he ordered the other card players to get back to work.

’After all,’ he thought, ’if the boss is busy, his subordinates can’t be lazing around.’

A palace stood in the center of the Wind Speech Tribe’s settlement. Elf council meetings were usually held in the main hall, but Levi realized that wasn’t their destination as they continued deeper into the palace.

"Aren’t we going to talk in the hall?" he asked, puzzled.

’Could it be? Has the Elf Queen taken a fancy to me? Is she looking for a private place to confess her feelings?’

"They’re waiting for us up ahead," Ash said succinctly.

"Levi, have you heard of the Tree of Life?" Ash asked suddenly as they walked.

"Ah, the Tree that birthed all life, the center of the world, the garden of the Gods..." The moment he spoke, Levi couldn’t help but recite the well-known poem in a lyrical, chanting tone.

His tone was long and drawn-out, filled with an epic flair.

But in this age of the Elves’ decline, it sounded rather ironic.

After finishing his recitation, he realized his mistake. ’For these Elves, the Tree of Life is held in higher regard than even the Gods. I don’t want to cause a rift over a poem.’

But it turned out he was overthinking things completely.

This Elf Queen didn’t seem like a devout follower of the Tree of Life at all; she showed no signs of being offended.

"That poem describes the earliest of times. Afterward, for reasons unknown, the Tree of Life transformed into the sun and the moon, leaving behind only two seeds. Our ancestors planted them, giving rise to the Sun Tree and the Laurel Tree. They became known as the Twin Holy Trees, symbols of the rise and fall of the Elf Race."

"But ever since Magic Power waned like a receding tide and the Gods went into seclusion, the Twin Holy Trees began to wither. No matter what our ancestors did, they couldn’t stop their decline."

"The Elves lost their Holy Tree forever. Or perhaps, it’s more accurate to say the mother tree abandoned her children."

Ash walked ahead, and though Levi couldn’t see her face, he could hear the helplessness and sorrow in her voice.

"Hold on." Levi rubbed his temples. As carefree as he usually was, even he could tell something was up. "You’re not about to tell me some big secret, are you?"

He felt a headache coming on. ’Secrets usually mean trouble.’

’And by the looks of it, this is a big one. It’s obvious these Elves are intentionally keeping Fulina in the dark.’

"I’m not going to tell you. You’re going to see for yourself." Ash quickened her pace, her golden boots going CLACK-CLACK-CLACK on the floor, offering Levi a view of her long, slender, pale legs.

After venturing deep into the palace and passing through a round archway, the space suddenly opened up before them.

Before them lay an exceptionally spacious cavern connected to the palace. The stone walls and floor were covered in glowing, phosphorescent plants, illuminating the entire cavern as brightly as day.

In the center was a descending tunnel, like the gaping maw of the Abyss, waiting to devour anyone who drew near.

"Don’t tell me this is where you found the Magic Crystal Ore?" Levi asked, pointing to the various pickaxes and tools scattered on the ground nearby.

"Correct. This pit leads down to a Magic Crystal Ore deposit," Ash nodded, making no attempt to hide the truth.

"The miners were all called away because of something that came up. So right now, there’s no one here but us."

Levi nodded.

"Good day, Lord Levi." Several Elves, who were clearly of advanced age, had been waiting by the side for some time.

They wore exquisite Elven clothing, with daggers hung at their waists as adornments. But the most striking feature was the large, round stone each wore on a cord around their neck.

’It looked as out of place as a modern person wearing a necklace of animal teeth.’

"Good day, Elders."

Levi studied them with curiosity. One of them held a stone sphere identical to the ones they wore, and he had a feeling it was meant for him.

"Levi, since you know about our Magic Crystal Ore, you must also be aware of its dangers."

"These specially crafted stone spheres are Magic Items. They can protect you from the harmful effects of the ore."

Ash took the fist-sized stone sphere, which was threaded onto a red cord,

Not one to be reckless, Levi simply lowered his head, and Ash placed it around his neck for him.

"Alright, tell me. Why did you really bring me here?"

With the stone sphere around his neck, Levi asked bluntly.

’If these Elves can’t give me an answer I’m satisfied with, there’s no way I’m following them underground.’

’Who knows what’s hidden down there? What if they’re planning to trap and kill me, the Lord of High Cliff Castle?’

"It has to do with something that happened," Ash began. "As time passed, the mine grew deeper and darker. We were digging downward for more Magic Crystal Ore when suddenly, a fissure appeared in a wall—one large enough for two people to pass through."

"We sent people in to investigate, to see if it was dangerous. But what they found was beyond our wildest dreams. For the Elves, it is a treasure more precious than any amount of gold or silver could ever be."

Levi could see Ash trying her best to maintain her queenly composure, but she couldn’t completely hide the excitement on her face.

And it wasn’t just her. Every single person there, except for the Lord himself, was trembling with excitement.

’I really can’t imagine what could get these Elves so worked up,’ Levi thought. ’They’re already sitting on a whole Magic Crystal Ore mine.’

’After all, a Magic Crystal Ore deposit is nearly as valuable as a gold mine.’

’The fact that all their Warriors are outfitted in fine Plate Armor proves they’ve made a fortune from this mine.’

"So, what is it?"

"It’s hard to explain. It’s better if you just come and see for yourself."

Heather took the lead, walking to the edge of the pit.

The pit was far safer than Levi had imagined; it wasn’t the bottomless chasm he had pictured.

Instead, it was simply a tunnel leading underground. The dark passage was brightly lit by unknown, white-glowing crystals embedded in the walls.

"In fact, this tunnel has been here for a very long time," Ash explained as she strode into its depths. "We only discovered the Magic Crystal Ore afterward."

The Lord, ever bold, saw the Elf Queen take the lead and, not wanting to be left behind, fell into step beside her.

Several Elf Elders followed close behind the two of them.

The tunnel was wider than imagined, allowing two people to walk side-by-side, and was just tall enough that Levi didn’t have to uncomfortably stoop.

The group advanced in silence. Levi had no idea how long they would be walking, but he noticed the walls around them were no longer smooth. They were now covered in marks from pickaxes, and thick wooden beams had been installed to reinforce the tunnel.

Visit and read more novel to help us update chapter quickly. Thank you so much!