Elven cultivators

It was late autumn in the year 9410 of the Dawn Calendar.

The frost wind swept southward from the north of the continent, passing over the scorched land and collapsed city walls of the Thunder River Basin, carrying the embers left by the burning war into the hazy clouds.

The war between the Silvermoon Clan and the Steelmane Tribe ended faster than anyone expected.

Just three days after the Steelmane Clan declared war, the Silvermoon Clan's army appeared directly above Steelmane City in a way that almost defied common sense about warfare, bypassing all front lines and outposts.

On the same day, they killed all the high-ranking members of the Steelmane tribe, including Chief Urk and Chief Shaman Zul, thus destroying the ruling class of the Steelmane tribe in one fell swoop.

Steelmane City thus fell.

Following closely behind, the Silvermoon Clan army launched successive air raids on various strategic strongholds and resource points of the Steelmane Tribe in the Thunder River Basin, defeating the local garrison and occupying their territory.

In just two days, the entire territory of the Steelmane Tribe fell into the hands of the Silvermoon Clan.

From the start of the war to its conclusion, it took only five days.

The actual duration of the war was only three days.

A powerful force that dominated the Leiming River Basin, commanded hundreds of thousands of troops, and reigned supreme in the region simply vanished from the map.

When the news first spread, almost no one believed it.

To most observers accustomed to the power struggles on the mainland, this should be a protracted tug-of-war.

Small-scale skirmishes, probing, decisive battles, stalemates... until one side can no longer hold out and a winner is decided. This is the most common scenario in the power struggles between mainland forces.

But this time, the script didn't go in the direction people expected at all.

Only after the news was repeatedly verified and confirmed through multiple channels did the shockwaves that swept across the entire Eastern Continent truly erupt.

All factions, large and small, fell into an almost absurd silence.

They had considered the possibility that the Silvermoon Clan might win, but they hadn't expected them to win so decisively and quickly.

The war, which was expected to last for months or even years, ended in just three days.

Strictly speaking, the war had already ended the moment the Silvermoon Clan captured Steelmane City.

All that's left is the time spent cleaning up the mess.

Throughout the war, the Steelmane tribe offered no resistance whatsoever.

Shocked, many forces used various channels to inquire about detailed intelligence on the war, wanting to know how the Silvermoon Clan had managed to do it.

As more details of the war emerged from various channels, people gradually pieced together the full picture of this blitzkrieg.

What astonished them most was the existence of those three giant airships.

Intelligence indicates that each of these tower-shaped airships can accommodate tens of thousands of troops and can precisely deploy them to enemy territory over a distance of tens of thousands of miles in a short period of time.

Throughout the war, the Silvermoon Clan did not spend time laying out supply lines and establishing forward bases as in traditional warfare. Instead, they simply moved an entire army from the Primordial Spirit Realm to the Steelmane Tribe's backyard.

This method of troop transport completely overturned people's understanding of airships.

In the perception of most forces, although airships are much faster than land transportation, their size is always limited.

Even the largest cargo airships can only carry a thousand people at a time.

However, the speed of navigation is limited by the power core and the hull structure, making it almost impossible to travel 10,000 miles a day.

In addition, its large size makes it a prominent target, making it easy to observe in advance.

Therefore, it is used more for transporting supplies in military applications.

They were rarely used to deploy troops, let alone directly into enemy territory.

This is why the defense line, outpost, and fortress system has always been the core pillar of the defense strategies of major forces on the mainland.

But the Silvermoon Clan's new airships crushed all these old frameworks.

They realized almost immediately the significant military implications of this airship.

When an air vehicle capable of carrying tens of thousands of troops and moving fast enough to traverse most of the East in a single day appears on the battlefield, all traditional defenses become utterly ineffective.

The enemy no longer needs to break through your borders or cross your mountain passes; they can simply fall directly over your head.

This kind of strategic mobility is terrifying to even think about.

In an instant, countless forces began to reassess the military strength of the Silvermoon Clan.

Many people tried to find out the origin and structure of this airship, and some even secretly sent envoys to explore whether it was possible to purchase even one from the Silvermoon Clan.

I'm willing to spend any amount of money.

But the response they received was always "not for sale," leaving no room for further negotiation.

Among the many shocks caused by this war, there was another event that was just as impactful as the airship, and perhaps even more so in the minds of many.

That was Anton Silvermoon, the patriarch of the Silvermoon Clan and the Meteor Dragon Sword Saint, who killed a Saint in a head-on confrontation.

Anyone who hears this news will immediately wonder if they are hallucinating.

Most people took it as an exaggerated rumor spread on the battlefield.

After all, the gap between the legendary rank and the saint is like an insurmountable chasm, a fact known throughout the entire Dawn Continent.

There has never been a legendary-ranked individual who defeated a saint, let alone killed one.

However, the veracity of this news is not difficult to verify, since the slain saint was Skar of the Bloodclaw Clan.

The latter is a renowned powerhouse throughout the entire Dawn Continent.

Upon confirmation of the news, not only the eastern part of the continent, but the entire Dawn Continent was in an uproar.

Back when Anton hadn't yet ascended to legendary status, he had already severely injured a legendary dragon.

That was the battle that made him famous.

But at that time, Anton at least had the advantage of the magic array and the terrain.

Moreover, it was only a severe injury, not a kill.

But now he has killed a saint in a direct battle, without any advantage of terrain or ambush.

This is absolutely unbelievable!

In a short time, Anton, who had already gained fame after the war in subspace, became even more renowned.

Although Anton has not yet been promoted to sainthood in a strict sense, in the eyes of many people, he is no different from a saint.

It is worth mentioning that one of the standards for a first-class power in mainland China is having a Saint-level combatant.

The Silvermoon Clan has undoubtedly satisfied this requirement.

The other two criteria are having sufficient economic strength and resource reserves to support a protracted war, and having a well-organized Black Iron Legion with a strength of at least 30,000 men.

The former Silvermoon Clan was already satisfied.

As the dominant force ruling the Eldron Plains and Green Highlands, the Silvermoon Clan possesses resource reserves far exceeding those of ordinary forces.

Not to mention the addition of the Leiming River Basin.

Once they successfully control the Thunder River Basin, the Silver Moon Clan's capabilities in this area will only reach new heights.

Needless to say, their economic strength is unparalleled.

The Silvermoon Clan's trade network, spanning across the continent, generates enormous revenue every year.

As for the latter, although the Silver Moon Legion's strength was still less than 30,000, when combined with the Puppet Legion, whose combat power was in no way inferior to the Black Iron Legion, the total strength far exceeded that.

As a result, after this battle, the Silvermoon Clan was tacitly recognized by many forces as a newly emerging first-class power.

Beyond the realm of public opinion, more concrete changes are also rapidly emerging.

All the smaller factions that had been secretly observing or even colluding with the slave-hunting team quickly withdrew their hands, fearing they would become the next Steelmane Tribe.

Those slave-hunting teams that had once openly ambushed and killed half-elves vanished overnight.

The routes in the eastern part of the mainland, which used to be frequented by slave hunting teams, suddenly became unusually clean.

At the same time, the number of half-elf tribes coming to seek refuge has seen an unprecedented surge.

Tribes that had previously hesitated to venture out due to the treacherous journey and the threat of being ambushed by slave hunters packed up their belongings and set off after hearing the news of the destruction of the Steelmane tribe and the complete withdrawal of the slave hunters.

For a time, the Silver Moon Clan's reputation was unparalleled.

……

Grey Rock Fortress, Council Chamber.

The firewood in the fireplace was burning brightly, and the orange-red flames reflected on the stone wall, giving the dark patterns on the edges of several tapestries a warm hue.

Around the long table sat Titus, Thorvin, and a group of elders, a thin layer of white foam already forming around the rim of their ale glasses, but no one was in a hurry to pick them up.

After a long silence, an elder finally let out a long sigh.

"I never expected... that the Silvermoon Clan would end the war in just three days."

These words were like stirring a smoldering ember, instantly enlivening the atmosphere in the council chamber.

The other elders chimed in, discussing the matter amongst themselves.

"The Silvermoon Clan is too powerful."

"What exactly is that giant airship mentioned in the intelligence? It can transport tens of thousands of troops!"

"The Silvermoon Clan is truly a force to be reckoned with."

Listening to the surrounding discussions, Titus, Thorvin, and Hagrid exchanged glances, their expressions all incredibly complex.

When they first heard that the Steelmane Tribe had declared war on the Silvermoon Clan, they were worried that the Silvermoon Clan might lose.

In hindsight, those worries were completely unnecessary.

The military strength of the two sides in the war was completely unequal.

"The Silvermoon Clan has really kept a deep secret," Thorvin couldn't help but remark.

Titus nodded in deep agreement.

Who would have thought that the Silvermoon Clan's military strength had become so formidable?

Looking back now, the Silvermoon Clan probably didn't even muster half, no, a third of their strength when they attacked Blackrock Territory.

Everyone underestimated the strength of the Silvermoon Clan.

Titus had lived for so many years and witnessed the rise and fall of many powers, but he had never seen anything like the Silvermoon Clan before.

From an elven clan living in the remote forest to now standing at the top of the eastern continent and having directly defeated a regional overlord, it took less than two hundred years.

This can no longer be understood using common sense.

And there's Anton.

The speed at which this Meteor Dragon Sword Saint's strength increased was also beyond the comprehension of ordinary standards.

He was not even two hundred years old, yet he was already able to kill a saint head-on.

It's unimaginable how much it will grow in the future.

Before this, the most well-known young genius on the mainland was the Five Star Pillar who founded the Meteor Dragon Society.

Many people believe that these five people will inevitably become saints in the future.

The youngest saint on the continent will be born from among these five.

But now it seems that this title will have to be handed over.

"The Silvermoon Clan is now a first-rate power. After this battle, I'm afraid no other power in the east will dare to challenge them."

An elder said with a sigh.

Hagrid grinned: "So, in that case, we were lucky to have made connections with the Silvermoon Clan back then, and we managed to latch onto a powerful force."

Titus picked up the now-cold ale, tilted his head back and drank it all in one gulp, then slammed the glass back onto the table and said in a deep voice:

"You were really lucky."

"Establishing a partnership with the Silvermoon Clan was the best thing we've done in all these years."

His gaze swept over the elders present, and he declared firmly, "From this day forward, Grayrock Fortress will have only one stance: to follow the Silvermoon Clan closely and hold on tightly to their coattails."

The dwarf elders exchanged glances and nodded in agreement.

……

Star City, Southwest District.

Night had fallen deep, but the Stone Ridge Tavern was bustling with activity.

The aroma of ale mingled with the smell of grease seeping from the cracks in the oven, spreading throughout the room with the heat from the fireplace.

"An airship capable of transporting tens of thousands of people? I really don't understand how this thing was built. Even the Heart of the Mountains doesn't have that kind of technology."

"I didn't expect the Silvermoon Clan to have such a hidden trick up their sleeve."

"Anton is truly skilled. He has only been the clan leader for less than a hundred years, yet he has already elevated the Silver Moon Clan to the ranks of first-rate powers."

"Not only that, his strength is even more outrageous. Tsk tsk, a legendary Saint Killer. When I heard this, I almost doubted whether I had heard it wrong."

"I bet that in less than two hundred years, Anton will definitely become a saint."

In the shadows of the corner, a man wrapped in a gray cloak sat at a wooden table by the window.

The hood was pulled down halfway, covering his forehead and most of his eyebrows and eyes, revealing only his well-defined jawline.

The beer in front of him was almost untouched, with a layer of fine bubbles forming on the glass, giving it a dim sheen under the light.

Listening to the surrounding discussions, Grant's expression became particularly complex.

He has been traveling around for years, seeking opportunities for a breakthrough.

After overhearing news that the Steelmane Clan had declared war on the Silvermoon Clan, he prepared to head to Eldorlon Plains to see if Anton needed any help.

But before he could even enter the eastern part of the continent, the war had already ended.

Furthermore, I heard the shocking news that Anton had killed the saint.

Thinking about this, Grant's feelings became increasingly complicated.

When he first met Anton, the other man had only recently become a legend.

He could tell then that Anton was exceptionally talented and had unlimited potential for future achievements.

But he didn't expect this "future" to come so quickly.

He could kill a Saint even before he reached the Saint level.

This strength has far exceeded what people of the same age can achieve.

Even today, he is not as good as Anton.

This made him feel happy and admiring for Anton, but also somewhat disappointed.

"I also need to work harder and advance to Sainthood as soon as possible."

Grant sat in the tavern for a while longer, until the ale in his glass had completely lost its bubbles, before he stood up, placed a few copper coins on the table, and pushed open the door to walk into the cold autumn wind.