The [Sun Ancient Tree] possessed two Skills that were completely different from those of the [Celestial Rong Ancient Tree]. Zhang Yi opened the Skill tab for the [Sun Ancient Tree] to examine them.

[Solar Transformation Level 6]: Absorbs luminescent and heat-emitting objects, converting them into Fire Attribute Magic Power that is stored within the trunk. When facing enemies, this stored energy can be converted into the purest Fire Attribute Magic Power for attacks.

[Warm as Spring Level 7]: Absorbs external energy and converts it into Fire Attribute Magic Power. Within a five-kilometer radius of the [Sun Ancient Tree], the climate will perpetually remain as warm as spring.

These two Skills were what set the [Sun Ancient Tree] apart from the [Celestial Rong Ancient Tree]. After Zhang Yi advanced to become a Fifth Transformation Demigod, these two Elf Ancient Trees of different attributes also advanced along with him. Not only did their power increase, but the rate at which they produced Little Elves also rose.

Previously, a single Elf Ancient Tree in the Divine Realm could only produce one hundred Little Elves per year. But things were different now. The Elf Ancient Trees had advanced from Middle Class to High Level. As a result, a single tree could now produce one hundred and fifty Little Elves per year. Together, the two Elf Ancient Trees could produce one hundred more Little Elves annually than before.

Ever since the school-provided Teleportation Gate connected his Divine Realm to the Small Magic Plane, the flow of time in every candidate’s Divine Realm had been synchronized with that of the plane itself. Two and a half years had now passed.

Originally, Zhang Yi’s Divine Realm only had a Clan of 1,200. Of those, the combined forces of Wood Elves, Fire Elves, and Mountain Dwarves numbered just seven hundred. But things were different now. The population of his Clan had increased by another 1,200 members, bringing the total to 2,400—a full doubling of his previous strength.

Among the 1,200 new Clan members, three hundred were from the Elf Griffin Cavalry Corps, a group he had chosen previously. Another six hundred came from the Little Elves born from the two Elf Ancient Trees, who had since matured into Physical Elves. An additional two hundred were newborn Elves from within the Divine Realm itself, born as a result of a procreation policy mandated by an Oracle from the great God of Nature. The final one hundred were new children born to the Mountain Dwarves.

While the Clan within Zhang Yi’s Divine Realm grew, the population of Elves in the Small Magic Plane had also exploded. Two years had passed, and the construction of Moon City was long complete. In addition, two new Elf Cities—Green Grass City and Lake City—had been established in positions that provided mutual support with Moon City. On a map, the three cities formed a defensive triangle with Moon City at its safest, innermost point, protected from invasion by the other two.

After two years, the Elf Alliance had also developed into a behemoth, having absorbed all the small Elf Tribes in the southern part of the Moonlight Forest. Over thirty small tribes and several medium-sized ones chose to join the Alliance. Under the command of Elf Queen An Nobel, the entire southern Elf Alliance was run like a fortress. The two new cities, extending toward the center of the forest, were built specifically to establish contact with the surrounding tribes. After experiencing the superior quality of urban life offered by Queen An Nobel’s policies, the smaller tribes began to voluntarily disband and relocate into the cities. Effortlessly, the number of Elves who chose to join the Elf Alliance had already surpassed ten thousand.

Two and a half years passed quickly. For Zhang Yi, it meant his final exam was half over. Yet, that same period passed very slowly. For a long-lived species like the Elves, getting them to understand and accept so many new concepts within two years was the best possible outcome of Zhang Yi’s multi-pronged approach.

With so many Elves joining the Alliance and inhabiting Moon City, Green Grass City, and Lake City, Zhang Yi abandoned his original policy of dumping goods. These Elves could now be considered his own subjects; the only thing preventing them from becoming his Clan was their faith in the great God of Nature. Unfortunately, his power was still weak compared to the three great Divine Beings of this Small Magic Plane, so he could not yet reveal his existence.

He abandoned his initial methods, which bordered on colonial exploitation. Now, promoted by Elf Queen An Nobel, a unified monetary policy was implemented across the Elf Alliance. At the behest of the great God of Nature, all the Dwarf Blacksmiths put their minds to the task. Ultimately, the Dwarf Blacksmiths and Elf Mages jointly developed a type of paper money made from a blend of plant fibers and fallen leaves from the Elf Ancient Tree. This unique composition, incorporating fibers from the Elf Ancient Tree, served as a natural anti-counterfeiting measure.

Thus, bills in denominations of one, five, ten, and one hundred began to be issued, each bearing a portrait with a strong resemblance to the great God of Nature. The Elves of the Elf Alliance began using this new currency, replacing their primitive system of bartering. Thanks to Queen An Nobel’s promotion and a brief trial period, all the Elves came to understand the convenience of paper money and completely abandoned their old ways. Now, they wouldn’t go back to bartering even if they were forced to.

By using this paper money, they saw the face that strongly resembled the great God of Nature every day, which unconsciously increased their faith in Zhang Yi. He often heard notifications from his Divine Realm:

[Notification]: An Elf used paper money and saw the face of the great God of Nature, developing a greater appreciation for the wonderful life they now led and increasing their faith in the great God of Nature!

[Event]: Congratulations! You have received Faith Value x3.

[Event]: Congratulations! You have received Faith Value x5.

...

This influx of Elves into the three cities also provided a massive recruitment pool for the Elf Army. Not counting the forces within Zhang Yi’s Divine Realm, the Elf Corps of the Elf Alliance alone had already recruited a full four thousand Elves. This might not have seemed like much, but this was a professional, full-time army. It was completely different from the typical militias on the Small Magic Plane, whose members had to split their time between farming and fighting.