Elven cultivators

Leiming River Basin, east of Gangzong City.

In the spacious parking area, the senior members of the Steelmane Tribe had been waiting for a long time.

Chief Urk stood at the front of the crowd, with Chief Shaman Zul half a step behind him, and behind them were the elders of the tribe.

The group all gazed at the airship slowly descending in the distance.

It was a dark gray airship, smaller than a typical commercial airship, but with clean and crisp lines, and a crimson claw mark inlaid on its bow.

That's the symbol of the Bloodclaw clan.

The airship landed smoothly, the gangway was lowered, and a figure stepped out of the cabin door.

It was an extremely robust wolf, towering more than half a head taller than its kin, with broad shoulders and back like an anvil, and gray-white fur that was particularly thick on the sides of its neck and arms, as if covered with a layer of frost.

Before the wind stirred up by the airship's landing had completely subsided, Urk and his group strode up to greet them.

"Lord Scar, you must be tired from your journey."

Ulke smiled broadly and adopted an extremely humble posture.

The fact that the leader of an entire tribe and a top-tier legendary expert would treat this wolf-born individual with such deference speaks volumes about his prestige.

In fact it is.

Scar was not only a core member of the Bloodclaw Clan, but also a true saint.

In the Dawn Continent, the word "Saint" itself represents an insurmountable mountain.

Even Urke dared not be negligent in the face of such an important figure.

Scar nodded slightly, glanced around, and casually said, "Ulke, this place looks even bigger than when I last came."

Ulke laughed: "The number of airships coming and going has increased a lot in recent years, so we expanded the site."

Scar glanced at him, forcing a smile: "It seems the Steelmane tribe is doing quite well."

"It's all thanks to the full support of your clan," Urk said with a smile.

This wasn't just a polite remark.

If it weren't for the Bloodclaw Clan's backing and the large amount of weapons and equipment they traded with, the Steelmane Tribe wouldn't have been able to grow so rapidly.

Following Scar off the airship were several familiar faces.

Byron landed in the middle of the group, his gaze sweeping over Steelmane City below, his expression one of relaxed superiority.

Urk smiled and nodded at Byron: "Lord Byron, it's been a long time."

Byron grinned. "Yes, it's been a few years since I've been to Steelmane City. I plan to stay a few more days this time. I hope Lord Urk won't find me annoying."

Although he was only a senior legend, as a high-ranking member of the Bloodclaw clan, his status was not much lower than Urk's, so he was more relaxed and casual when facing Urk.

"Of course not, we'd love to welcome you." Urke replied with a smile, gesturing to lead the way. "It's windy here, not the place to talk. Please follow me."

The group then headed toward Steelmane City, passed through the city gate, and walked along the main road, soon arriving at the inner fortress.

Upon entering the inner fortress council chamber, a servant served golden ale, then closed the door and left.

After the heavy wooden door closed, only a few key figures from the Steelmane Tribe and the Bloodclaw Clan remained in the hall.

Scar leaned back in his chair, picked up the ceramic cup in front of him, and instead of drinking, his gaze fell on Urk's face.

"Ulke, I'm sure you've guessed why I'm here."

Urke put down his cup, his expression darkening. "It's about the ancestral totem, isn't it?"

Scar nodded calmly: "The ancestral totem of the Golden-backed Ape-man was stolen. What happened?"

Urk and Zul exchanged a glance, and then Zul spoke up, saying, "This was a mistake on our part. We had already set up an ambush in the Tide Sound Plain and were about to succeed when the Silver Moon Clan suddenly appeared."

"Moreover, it was the Fallen Dragon Sword Saint himself who took action, and we even lost a legendary expert in the process."

Upon hearing the name Anton, Byron unconsciously clenched his fingers for a moment, then relaxed them.

Back in the Dark Fortress, he had a conflict with Anton over the Goldenback Ape, but it was only because of Grant's appearance that it didn't escalate into a physical fight.

At that time, he actually looked down on Anton.

A mere elven clan chief from a remote place dares to challenge the Bloodclaw clan head-on; he's simply courting death.

Unexpectedly, Anton rose to prominence as rapidly as the rising sun, his fame resounding throughout the continent, and he even became a legendary powerhouse at the pinnacle.

When he encountered Anton again on several later occasions, he had lost his former pride and didn't even dare to challenge Anton.

Whenever Byron recalled this experience, he felt both jealous and angry.

That's why, when he heard that the Steelmane Tribe was going to war with the Silvermoon Clan, he volunteered to come to the Thunder River Basin with Lord Scar.

Scar didn't notice Byron's subtle change in expression; his attention was entirely focused on what Zul was saying.

"Anton Silvermoon." Scar's eyes flickered slightly. "The Meteor Dragon Sword Saint... I've heard of that name in the North as well."

He looked up at the two of them. "So that's why you declared war on the Silvermoon Clan, intending to take the things back?"

"That's right." Urk nodded emphatically and said with certainty, "Lord Ska, rest assured, in terms of military strength, our tribe is several times larger than the Silvermoon Clan. In terms of top-tier combat power, although that Meteor Dragon Sword Saint is extremely strong, Zul and I are quite confident that we can defeat him together."

Scar nodded slightly upon hearing this, offering no further comment.

Based on the intelligence he possessed, Urke's judgment was not without merit.

Although the Silvermoon Clan has gained considerable influence in recent years, it has only been around for a short time, and its military strength is indeed inferior to that of the Steelmane Tribe.

As for Anton, he is one of the best among the peak legendary powerhouses, but he is not a saint after all. If he were to fight two against one, his chances of winning would be very slim.

From any perspective, the Steelmane tribe has the best chance of winning this war.

Byron listened to their conversation, a hint of joy flashing in his eyes.

He lost face in front of Anton back in the Dark Fortress.

Seeing that elf and his clan suffer a setback now, even if this debt isn't settled, it's enough to make him feel good for a while.

In fact, after this battle, Anton and the Silvermoon Clan might be completely wiped out.

"I have already mobilized troops from all parts of the territory and gathered them at the border area. Within ten days, the entire army will be in place to launch a general offensive."

Ulke spoke firmly, but then quickly changed the subject.

"However, according to our scouts, there is no indication that the Silvermoon Clan has amassed troops in the border area of ​​the Green Highlands. They are probably still holding meetings to discuss how to deal with this war."

"Perhaps the Silvermoon Clan will surrender before our army has even fully assembled."

As he finished speaking, a mocking smile appeared on Urke's face.

"Don't worry, Lord Scar, I will soon retrieve the ancestral totem of the Golden-backed Ape and hand it over to you."

"Since you put it that way, then I'll look forward to it."

Scar nodded in satisfaction, picked up his beer, and took a sip.

The five major forces are currently locked in a fierce battle in the Holy Dragon Mountains and have no time to spare for other places. Now is a good opportunity for the Bloodclaw Clan to grow stronger.

However, the northern part of the mainland has long been divided and controlled by Bloodhowl Fortress and Heart of the Mountains, leaving little room for development.

If they want to continue to grow stronger, they can only seize opportunities to expand outwards.

The western part of the continent has the Free Alliance, and the southern part has the Tide Temple.

Needless to say, the central part of the continent is even more dangerous. Even without the Emerald Court, the Bloodclaw Clan wouldn't dare to get involved, for fear of being dragged into the war between the five major powers.

Only in the east is there enough space for them to annex.

However, if they march eastward across a great distance, the supply lines will be stretched too long, putting a lot of pressure on logistics.

The best solution is to find a reliable ally to work together to solve the problem of supplying materials.

The Steelfur Tribe was the partner they chose.

With the Bloodclaw Clan providing formidable military strength and the Steelmane Tribe offering logistical support, their cooperation makes dominating the eastern part of the continent a realistic possibility.

Thinking of this, Scar suddenly had a thought.

Perhaps he could step in and help eliminate Anton, taking this opportunity to demonstrate his strength to the Steelmane tribe and pave the way for future cooperation.

The more he thought about it, the better it seemed. Just as he was about to speak, he was suddenly interrupted by a sharp, urgent chime.

Ska frowned, but out of the corner of her eye she noticed that Urk and Zul's expressions had changed.

"What's wrong?" Scar asked.

Urke's expression was one of surprise and uncertainty: "It's the warning bell of enemy invasion."

Scar and Byron were both taken aback, but quickly understood.

This is the heartland of the Steelmane tribe. How could an army possibly have slipped past the watchful eyes of the surrounding towns and outposts and penetrated deep into this place undetected?

"Lord Scar, Lord Byron, please wait here for a moment while I go see what's going on," Urk said in a deep voice.

Before Scar and Byron could respond, he and Zul hurried outside.

Scar watched the two walk out of the hall, his eyes flickered, and he followed them.

"Let's go see what's going on?"

Byron snapped out of his daze and immediately followed.

The two were only a few breaths behind Urk and Zul when they arrived at the inner fortress wall.

The moment they looked up at the sky, their faces showed expressions of utter shock.

Three enormous structures hovered in the sky above the capital city.

Their size is so enormous it leaves one speechless.

Each one is like a tower magnified countless times, its entire body gleaming with a cold, dark golden light, casting heavy shadows under the sunlight.

The three towers are arranged in a triangular formation, enveloping the entire Steelmane City in their massive silhouette.

The entire Steelmane City fell silent at that moment. Everyone stopped what they were doing, looked up at the sky, and remained motionless, as if they had been nailed to the spot by some invisible force.

Urke stood on the city wall, also looking up at the three enormous structures, his eyes wide open, unable to utter a single word.

The face that had been full of confidence just moments before now showed a look of bewilderment and shock.

"...What is that?"