Wizard: Grinding experience starting with Knight's Breathing Technique

Chapter 236 Divine Descent! (Long chapter, please vote and subscribe!)

The year 1091 of the Holy Radiance Calendar, the month of budding.

The 60th year of the Great Expedition.

One of the plane federations under the Wizarding Council, the Myriad Machines Plane.

In the sky.

A "mechanical sun" composed of countless metals, gears, and runes floats in the air.

The wizards and mechanical beings of the Myriad Machines plane refer to it as the "Eternal Forge".

Inside the Eternal Forge, endless fire elemental power gathers, reacts, and transforms into energy for the mechanical beings of the Myriad Machine Planes.

This is the most important place in the Myriad Machines Plane, the center of energy.

On the side of the Eternal Forge, the colossal legendary wizard Sky City stands guard.

In Sky City stands a towering, azure-blue wizard's tower that seems to pierce the clouds.

At the top of the tower, a wizard dressed in a blue robe, with deep eyes like an ancient sage, was gazing at the crystal ball floating before him.

This is Luther, the legendary wizard of the Ocean faction, the Blue Sage.

Since arriving in this plane of ten thousand machines, he has engaged in numerous battles with the Father of Plague, with each side experiencing victories and defeats.

The opponent is an extremely troublesome evil god whose plague power is all-pervasive, and even mechanical beings are at risk of being infected.

The infected mechanical creatures will collectively go out of control, forming a terrible wave of "mechanical crisis".

However, the recent incursions from the Father of the Plague have lessened, which makes Luther somewhat uneasy, as he feels that the other party is brewing some bigger conspiracy.

Besides being a legendary wizard of the Ocean School, the Blue Sage is also a rare wizard of the Prophecy School.

Now, he is using a crystal ball to try to see through the fog, to foresee some things, and to make his next move.

Now, the divination has reached its final stage.

On the crystal ball, bizarre and complex images flashed by one after another.

Finally, the scene freezes on an endless dark land, a plane that is predominantly blue.

"Nora..."

The father of the plague is a powerful evil god. Even with the skills of legendary wizards, this was the only information they could divine.

There's simply no way to divine the rest.

However, Deep Blue Sage had dealt with the evil god for many years, and he basically understood all of the evil god's tricks.

"He is about to send down the incarnation of a saint in Nora; this may be a good time to make a move."

Whether it is an evil god or a righteous god, through the correct descent ritual performed by their followers, they can descend upon a plane as an incarnation of a saint.

The strength of the descending avatar is related to the strength of the evil god himself, the level of the divine descent ritual, the quality of the offerings, and the size of the plane itself, among other things.

What connects all of this is the mysterious and profound power of faith.

The descent of a saintly incarnation by a deity is not something that can be done casually; the greater the distance, the greater the cost and expense.

Therefore, the Blue Sage felt that now might be a good opportunity.

"Wait, that guy must be able to guess that I would divine for Him. Could this be a trap He deliberately set up... just waiting for me to enter and catch me like a turtle in a jar?"

But if we don't try, we might miss an opportunity to severely damage or even kill Him.

By the way, why not ask the magical Coin of Destiny?

An ordinary-looking coin appeared in the palm of the Deep Blue Sage at some unknown time.

"Mysterious Destiny Coin, tell me what to do?"

The Blue Sage gently tossed the coin, which landed on the ground in a perfect parabola and spun continuously.

Finally, the coin landed heads up.

The Azure Sage's robes billowed without wind, and his eyes flashed with countless stars, reflecting the entire Myriad Machines Plane.

The next moment, the legendary wizard's expression hardened, and he transformed into an endless stream of azure particles, dissipating within the wizard's tower.

Only the coin of destiny lay quietly in its original spot, face up.

The design features a woman with an elegant and gentle smile.

I don't know how much time will pass.

It seemed that the painful wails of gods echoed throughout the multiverse, as if a great war, enough to change the world, was breaking out somewhere.

As the terrifying aftershocks of the tremor reverberated.

Inside the Wizard's Tower, the Coin of Destiny trembled, revealing its reverse side.

On the other hand, there was also the woman's smile, a smile that seemed to be full of certainty and determination, and... courage.

The legendary wizard's magical Destiny Coin only has heads.

……

In a certain place in the Dimension of Ten Thousand Machines, yellow sand filled the sky, and everywhere there were broken mechanical wreckage, parts, gears, and the rotting corpses of green-skinned monsters...

This is one of the battlefields between the wizards and the Plague Legion in the plane of countless machines.

Although the Father of Plagues was an evil god, he was also a true inventor. He used various plague magic spells, combined with powerful creatures from multiple dimensions, to control and modify them, forming a powerful plague army under his command.

In fact, aside from large-scale wars involving legendary wizards, the Plague Father does not need to personally intervene in most interplanetary invasions.

He is a god, the father of all the unclean, and it would be very beneath him to personally intervene.

Basically, a "Plague Overlord" comparable to a great wizard, leading a certain number of plague legions, can conquer most planes without demigods.

Below the Great Lords are the more numerous "Plague Lords," also known as the "Great Unclean Ones." These plague monsters, comparable to high-ranking wizards, are the terrifying nightmares of enemies on the battlefield.

This place was originally the base of a wizarding warband. Three days ago, the Plague Lord, who was not informed, led a large army to sweep through this area. Many wizards died on the battlefield, and many others evacuated.

Far from the battlefield, on the scorching ground, two alchemical spheres, one large and one small, rolled forward amidst the swirling sandstorm. The surfaces of the spheres were scarred, and the alchemical components varied in age.

"I wonder when the war will end. I really want to go back to the Endless Sea and see that vast, blue ocean. It would even lift my spirits," Stella said softly.

She looked at Herman's furrowed brow. "Herman, you're still worried about the Gray Tower, aren't you?"

"Yes, back when they left the Grey Tower, without the Third Ring Wizard in charge, Morpheus would definitely have bullied them..." Herman said.

"Don't think about it too much. Let's hold on for a while longer. Once the war is over, we might be able to go back... Besides, didn't you say that Levi is no ordinary person? Maybe he has grown up by now and can stand on his own," Stella said.

"That kid is indeed extraordinary. I even suspect that he is a Yuanhun Wizard who possessed another body and started cultivating again, haha." Recalling his companions in the Endless Sea, the Tower Master's voice began to lighten.

"Unbeknownst to me, sixty years have passed since I left..."

"yes."

The two balls sighed and disappeared into the yellow sand under the setting sun.

……

world.

The Peacock Kingdom.

The prosperous and wealthy southern region.

There is a valley that reeks of foul odor.

The valley was filled with rotting corpses, many of which were human. Some of these corpses were half-buried in the soil, while others were simply displayed in the open.

These corpses were left here by many southern lords and commoners after the great plague last year, who abandoned some of the people who died from the plague.

Although some doctors told these lords that the bodies should be cremated to prevent infection, few people were able to do so due to ignorance and lack of knowledge.

"What a perfect place for the gods to descend." Count Joelson held a blue ghostly claw in his hands, enjoying the alluring smell of decay.

"Unforgettable." For ghouls, filth and the stench of corpses are what truly whet their appetite.

Only in this way can one express their faith in the father of the plague.

Every follower of the Father of Plague, whether ghoul or any filthy, rotting creature, takes pride in being a “great unclean one” by the Father’s side.

"Come out, all of you! Don't steal any food. These are offerings for the Father God. And these offerings aren't enough. Go to the surrounding cities and secretly capture some more. Try not to provoke those human rangers. Although they are not very strong, this is a crucial moment to summon the Father God. We can't afford any unforeseen complications," Earl Joelson said.

Beneath the rotting corpses, wriggling creatures resembling rotten flesh emerged, with tens of thousands of white maggots surging within the decaying flesh, making it look like a honeycomb.

Then, this rotten flesh gradually coalesced and transformed into the figures of nobles.

The ghoul race, ranked from lowest to highest strength, consists of: ghouls (lowest rank), barons, counts, dukes, grand dukes, princes...

The vast majority of these figures were ordinary ghouls, with strength roughly equivalent to a first-ring wizard.

Earl Jorson could sense that perhaps a hundred years earlier, his men would have been powerful enough to sweep across the world.

However, with the resurgence of the demonic tide, this number of people is no longer sufficient.

Even if we set aside the church,

Recently, it seems that another force has emerged in the human world to fight against the dark creatures, repeatedly thwarting the ghouls' plans.

The legendary healer, Watson, is very likely a member of this hidden force.

The ghoul race needs the leadership of the Father God; otherwise, they cannot contend with these forces.

And that day is almost here.

three days later.

In the valley, ghouls swarmed in, followed by freshly made corpses.

These corpses were all arranged in a specific array pattern, forming an eight-pointed star array in the valley.

Earl Jorson directed his men's work methodically.

finally.

The sacrificial array for the divine descent was ready, and Earl Joelson was excited; he had been waiting for this moment for a long time.

With the guidance of God the Father, they no longer needed to hide.

Ghouls stood around Earl Joelson as they waited for night to fall and darkness to envelop the land.

Then, Earl Joelson placed the ghoul's arm at the very center of the sacrificial circle.

These ghouls had solemn expressions, no different from the prayers of the church.

Compared to humans, these monsters may have a purer faith in their gods.

After all, apart from their father god, they are despised, rotting monsters in most planes.

Only God the Father, like a true loving father, treats every believer equally and with tolerance, without distinction of rank or status.

In comparison, the God of the Holy Radiance Church is a false benevolent father.

"You are the source of all evil."

"You are the embodiment of all plagues."

"You are the father of the great impure one!"

"The great progenitor of ghouls, the father of plague, the god of despair and corruption!"

"Descend!"

Accompanied by the prayers of all the ghouls.

The pitch-black night sky grew even darker and deeper, making even the stars appear dim.

A long time passed.

There was no response to prayers.

This made Earl Joelson hesitate.

The other ghouls were also suspicious, but since the count didn't tell them to stop, they didn't dare say anything.

It wasn't until after praying dozens of times.

The magic array didn't react at all.

"Boss, what's going on?" one of the ghoul barons couldn't help but ask.

"Don't ask, keep praying. It must be that we are not devout enough. Increase our efforts," said Earl Joelson.

"OK."

Time passed slowly in the valley.

The divine intervention ritual appears to have failed.

"Impossible... My rituals, prayers, and all the steps are strictly in accordance with the Book of Ghouls, which was personally compiled by the Ghoul Prince. He has been to the Father God and was even given the title of the Greatly Unclean by the Father God. Perhaps the offerings were not enough..."

Earl Jorson pondered to himself.

Just as he was preparing to send ghouls to continue kidnapping people from nearby territories, he was about to send them back.

Among the stars overhead, one seemed to have turned a bleak green.

The next moment, the divine descent array shone brightly, and all the corpses, flesh, intestines, rotten bones, and all sorts of decaying matter began to tremble and buzz.

Then, these things began to coalesce and surged toward the ghoul prince's claws in the center of the magic circle.

Before long, a mountain of flesh, tens of meters high, began to form in the center.

Rotten intestines burrowed into the belly of the mountain of flesh like earthworms, and countless maggots formed the muscles of the mountain of flesh. Pale white bone spurs protruded from the mountain of flesh, and a strange long tongue emerged from the belly of the mountain of flesh, sniffing around like a snake. Green miasma emanated from the mountain of flesh and accumulated in the valley.

When that terrifying, unsightly monster finally materialized, all the ghouls were filled with fanaticism.

This hideous green mountain of flesh, in their eyes, was so tall and majestic, so kind and gentle. Its hands, covered in oil, fungi, and viruses, seemed to be able to touch the boundless void. Even the stars were extinguished in the face of such corrupting power.

Earl Jorson collapsed to the ground with a thud, as did the other ghouls.

They shouted in unison.

"By God the Father!"

The head of that mountain of flesh, with its indistinct facial features, revealed a smiling face that resembled that of a kind father.

"My dear children, thank you so much..."

The Mountain of Flesh gazed at the starry sky, his heart filled with peace: "The plague will not be defeated, nor will it be eradicated. Luther, we will meet again..."

……

Black-Patterned City.

Li Wei spent half a year here.

For the past six months, Li Wei has not gone on any campaigns in the south or north.

He simply stayed in Blackpaty City, silently collecting and absorbing all the knowledge about the ancient holy civilization in the city.

On the other hand, he was studying the ancient sacred methods.

He once considered trying to learn the ancient holy methods, but ultimately gave up.

He always felt that while the Ancient Saint Technique seemed capable of giving birth to powerful Ancient Saints, it was not as perfect as the Knight Breathing Technique.

Therefore, he plans to wait until he has collected more ancient sacred methods before deciding whether to practice this method.

Shortly after, Monka's voice rang out from outside.

"My lord, I have urgent business to discuss with you," Monka said, his voice urgent.

"Come in," Li Wei said calmly.

"What is it?"

"The White Scale Tribe of Levin City and the Swift Tribe of It City are heading towards our Blackspot City. It is said that these two tribes recently pledged allegiance to the Azure Armor Ancient Saint, and now they may be acting on his orders to put pressure on me..."

After listening, information about the two tribes flashed through Li Wei's mind.

The White Scale Tribe and the Swift Tribe are the two largest tribes within a radius of tens of thousands of miles, besides the Black Spotted Tribe, and both have ancient serpent-level powerhouses in charge.

Since Monka led his tribe to take over Blackspot City, the various factions have been fighting over territory for many years without any resolution.

Originally, Li Wei had planned to wait until he had time to take Monka to wipe out these tribes, integrate them, and form a powerful army to fight against the Ancient Saints in the future.

However, he was too busy with his research to pay attention to it.

Unexpectedly, the other party has now come knocking on our door.

"Prepare for battle. I will fight as one of your generals. Do not reveal my true strength for now," Li Wei said calmly.

"Very well, it's all up to you, sir." During this time, Li Wei and Kane often discussed the unification of the Ancient Holy Empire at Monca's residence.

At first, Monka thought the Ancient Saint was joking, but later he realized that the other party was actually serious...

This nameless ancient sage truly wanted to unify the ancient sage empire and accomplish this feat that no one had achieved since the first ancient sage.

……

Outside Blackspot City.

Monka rode a colossal beast resembling a rhinoceros, his cold, lizard-like eyes gazing at the vast army ahead.

Beside Monka, a fire lizardman clad in armor and covered in crimson scales rode a giant beast, his expression serene.

"Mongka, Chief Xunmeng and I are here today on the orders of the Azure Armor Ancient Saint. Our three families have been fighting for many years, evenly matched, with no clear victor. Continuing like this is meaningless. The Azure Armor Ancient Saint has his eye on this territory. Take my advice and surrender. This world will eventually be divided up by the Ancient Saints. Below the Ancient Saints, all are but ants," said Chief Bailin.

"Bai Lin, your tribe has produced ancient saints in its history. Are you willing to submit to others and become their dog? Even though I, Monka, am no match for an ancient saint, I would rather die in battle than lead my people to surrender," Monka said defiantly.

Who could blame him when he had a hidden ancient sage by his side?

Otherwise, someone as pragmatic as Monka would have surrendered long ago.

"Monka, how can your clan possibly stand against the combined strength of our two clans? Stop your futile struggles and surrender immediately!" the Swift Chieftain urged.

"Stop talking nonsense, all of you come at me at once, let me use my endless scorching power to bake you dry!" Monka said confidently.

On the city wall, the old lizard Kane, one of the commanders of Monka's army, looked tense.

"This battle is likely to end badly. How can Monka alone be a match for two ancient serpent-level experts... Wait, what's that fire lizard kid doing on the battlefield? Isn't that ridiculous?"

During this time, Li Wei interacted with Kane as a seeker of knowledge, with a very gentle and humble attitude, completely different from the arrogant and domineering temperament of the Salamanders.

Kane assumed from the outset that Levi was also a cultured person like himself.

Who would have thought that this kid would actually follow Lord Monka to the battlefield without a word?

"Since that's the case, then there's nothing more to say. We've already given you your chance," the White Scale Clan Chief sneered.

"Delay will only lead to trouble. We must take Blackstriped City as soon as possible and return to report." After saying this, the Swift Chieftain led his lizardman army to charge towards the battlefield.

The velociraptor lizard clan is born with incredible speed, and the velociraptor clan chief has even cultivated the "Ancient Sacred Technique of Sky Rift." He instantly transforms into a blur, wielding a longsword in his hand. The sword light tears through the battlefield, striking straight in!

"Hahaha, that was awesome!" The Swift Chieftain laughed heartily, thoroughly enjoying the slaughter.

On the other side, Monka was already locked in a fierce battle with the White Scale Chieftain. One was black, the other white, and they fought fiercely on the battlefield. No lizardmen dared to approach them.

"This is the power of an ancient serpent warrior. Although it is far inferior to that of an ancient saint, it can still easily fight its way in and out of these ordinary lizardmen armies." Kane had witnessed battles at the level of an ancient saint, so he was not particularly surprised by such a small skirmish.

The Swift Clan Chief killed a Black-Striped Clan member with his longsword. Suddenly, he noticed that in the midst of the army, there seemed to be a powerful fire lizard warrior clad in armor, fighting fiercely within his own ranks.

"court death!"

The Swift Chieftain suddenly plunged into the battlefield; he was so fast that most attacks couldn't land on him.

"Sky-Splitting Slash!"

He used his ancient sacred methods to develop this invincible slash!

A dazzling sword light blasted a path through the air, unstoppable.

However, he was killed by the powerful fire lizard with a single sword strike.

"Interesting. You can withstand one of my sword strikes. I didn't expect Monka to have invited a powerful expert at the Ancient Serpent level." With a burst of power, the Swift Clan Chief's figure suddenly disappeared.

Riding his giant beast, Li Wei calmly watched as the Swift Chieftain circled around him like a phantom, attempting to confuse him.

"Fancy and overly complicated!"

A tidal wave of sky-splitting slashes surged toward Li Wei.

Bang! Bang! A series of explosions followed.

Li Wei did not directly overwhelm his opponent, but instead fought against him with the strength of an ancient serpent.

At this moment, the Swift Chieftain's initial confidence turned into insecurity.

"Such incredible speed! It's comparable to my Sky-Splitting Power. Are the ancient holy techniques of the Fire Lizard Clan also skilled in speed?" The Swift Clan Chieftain was filled with doubt.

In the end, Li Wei was completely unharmed.

The Swift Chieftain was panting heavily, his forked tongue flicking out, his body trembling from exhaustion.

He knew he was no match for this fire lizard expert; even if the opponent wasn't an ancient saint, he wasn't far off.

He began to retreat rapidly, becoming a blur, attempting to escape right under Li Wei's nose.

Li Wei gripped the reforged Frostmourne, pointed the sword at the sky, and unleashed the power of Ashes!

With a single sword strike, an annihilation crack began to appear in the Swift Clan army ahead.

All the lizardmen who were in the path of the ash sword light died!

"Don't run away!"

Li Wei drew back the Blood Feather Bow, and a Blood Forbidden Cone appeared on it.

He easily drew back the level-three blood weapon, the bow was full as a full moon, and the arrow was like a shooting star.

He seemed like a true ancient warrior, unleashing an arrow with a single strike!

The swift clan chieftain, who had turned into a phantom and fled ahead, groaned as the Blood Forbidden Cone pierced his body, causing him immense pain.

Then, one after another, the Blood Forbidden Cones were driven into the body of the Swift Clan Chief.

Finally, he knelt on the ground, staring ahead with unfocused eyes, and breathed his last!

Seeing their tribal chief suddenly fall in battle, the other Swiftmen warriors were shocked and didn't know what to do for a moment.

The White Scale Clan Chief also noticed something was wrong.

"Dead? How is that possible? In this Black-Striped Tribe, who could kill the Swift Chieftain, renowned for his speed and agility?"

The next moment, a blood-red figure rushed to the front of the battlefield and joined forces with Monka to gang up on the White Scale Clan Chief!

"Bai Lin, surrender! Look at your men, they're all terrified..." Monka shouted.

"Impossible! I..."

Before the White Scale Clan Chief could finish speaking, he was blasted away by Li Wei's punch, crashing into the ground and causing it to crack.

"White Flame!!"

The enraged White Scale Clan Chieftain was enveloped in white flames, a manifestation of the [Phosphorus Fire Power] burning within his body!

If he surrenders, he will face the retribution of the meticulous and ruthless Ancient Saint in Blue Armor, and that will be true despair.

"If you can't see the situation clearly, then die!" Monka's scorching slash, carrying a heat wave, clashed with the white scales that were emitting white flames.

Li Wei did not continue fighting, but silently returned to his formation to watch the show alone.

"The strength I've shown now is about enough, a relatively strong ancient serpent-level powerhouse of the fire lizard race... If I get any stronger, a new ancient saint will suddenly appear, and I'm afraid other ancient saints will come to watch."

It's important to understand that the Creeper civilization hasn't produced a new Ancient One for a very long time. Each time a new Ancient One appears, it's an absolutely major event, and news of it quickly spreads throughout the entire Ancient Empire.

Li Wei still wanted to develop for a while longer, and wait until his Crimson Emperor Dragon Breathing Technique or Scarlet Dragon Breathing Technique reached the fourteenth level before he could unleash his full potential.

In the end, the White Scale Clan Chief, who refused to surrender, was killed by Monka. Monka was covered in white smoke and panting heavily, holding the White Scale Clan Chief's head high in the air.

"All White Scale Clan and Swift Clan! Surrender! Or face execution!"

Monka shouted loudly, his vertical pupils radiating killing intent like a god of death, his aura as an ancient serpent-level expert sweeping across the battlefield.

The ordinary warriors of the White Scale Clan and the Swift Clan eventually laid down their weapons...

Monka watched all this with satisfaction. He had never imagined that one day he would be able to personally take the head of the White Scale Clan Chief.

"Perhaps, that lord's dream of unification... is not a pipe dream; he is actually realizing this goal little by little."

At this moment, the long-dormant passion within Monka was reignited.

He looked towards the rear of the battlefield, where the great man had already ridden away slowly on his own, riding a giant beast.

"With your help, I, Monka, will be able to unify this border region of the empire within ten years. Once my ancient holy magic advances further, the two ancient saints, Monka and I, may be able to sweep across the empire together..." Monka envisioned the future.

What's most terrifying about that person is that he has never shown his full strength so far. He only used one move to deal with me, but where is his limit? Monka didn't know.

Of course, it probably isn't as powerful as those ancient saints at the front, otherwise you wouldn't need to hide in this remote place and keep a low profile.

Monka even thought that the adult might be a close relative of the ancient saint of the Burning Heaven Ancient Saint who had been hidden away, but due to some issues, they turned against each other and eventually went into hiding to plot revenge.

……

The next day.

Li Wei sat in his study, researching the ancient sacred methods he had obtained from the White Scale Clan and the Swift Clan.

The White Scale Clan calls it the [Phosphorus Fire Ancient Sacred Method], while the Swift Clan calls it the [Sky-Splitting Ancient Sacred Method].

The former requires long-term consumption of the flesh and blood of a subterranean beast called the Phosphorous Fire Beast, while the latter requires the Void Rift Insect.

Both of these ferocious beasts are extremely ancient and difficult to hunt; they are both descendants of ancient beasts.

Li Wei speculated that the bloodline of the Phosphorus Beast could ultimately be traced back to Mobius, one of the four ancient kings, while the Sky Rift Worm was most likely the Sky King Otheros.

"All the ancient holy methods of this ancient holy empire are actually quite similar. Ultimately, they all rely on ferocious beasts that have inherited the bloodlines of the four ancient kings for cultivation. By devouring these ancient bloodlines, these lizardmen are constantly regressing to their ancestral state, eventually transforming into ancient saints at the level of ancient beasts—that's their limit. But clearly, the four ancient kings are far stronger than ancient saints, very likely comparable to Yuanhun wizards, or even great wizards..."

The Xeno'jiiva dragon, judging from its appearance, represents fire. Could it be the subterranean king Mobius?

The Emerald Dragon is known for its speed and is also a highly venomous dragon. It could be the Sky King Oseros.

Of course, it's also possible that other dragons besides these four ancient kings have been here. My guess might not be correct; we'll know once Monka sends someone to retrieve the Sky-Splitting Worm and the Scaled Fire Beast for me, and we can test their bloodlines.”

……

Rocky Prairie.

This place is far away from Blackpatial City. On the vast grassland, a giant blue city stands tall.

This is Qingjia City.

This city is the largest city in the western part of the Ancient Holy Empire.

Compared to Black-Patterned City, Azure Armor City is more magnificent and imposing.

This is the city of the Azure Armor Ancient Saint. A hundred years ago, the Azure Armor Ancient Saint became a saint here and later became the twelfth Ancient Saint.

The ranking of the ancient saints in the Ancient Saint Empire is based on a comprehensive ranking by the people, taking into account the strength of the tribes led by each ancient saint and their battle record.

Although Qingjia Ancient Saint is ranked twelfth, he is still very young, only a little over two hundred years old, and has a lot of room for improvement in the future.

On the throne in the city lord's mansion, a lizardman covered in blue scales was dozing off, resting his chin on his hand. The ministers below stood silently, not daring to utter a sound.

Suddenly, a winged reptile messenger flew into the hall, then prostrated himself there, trembling, and said, "Great Sage, news has arrived from the front: the White Scale Clan and the Swift Clan... have been defeated and surrendered."

The ancient saint in blue armor, who had been feigning sleep, opened his sharp eyes and then asked softly, "Where are the two clan leaders?"

"They all died in battle."

"Heh, they're quite clever. They know that surrendering would mean a fate worse than death, so they chose to fight to the death. Two Ancient Serpent-level beings, can't they take down Blackpaty City?"

"My lord, it is said that... a powerful member of the fire lizard clan has come to the side of the Black Pattern City Lord. He seems to be of the Ancient Serpent level as well."

"I see. In that case, among you all, is there anyone willing to go to Blackpattern City in my place?"

8000 words, last day! Requesting monthly votes, recommendations, and subscriptions!

(End of this chapter)