Translator: CinderTL
Click.
In a study in Yun Port, a carved window silently opened, and a figure in a black robe quietly appeared.
"Are you injured?"
The question, tinged with undisguised surprise, was followed by a glance. The black Bat, hanging upside down from the study's ceiling, quickly landed and sat in a leather chair, transforming into the form of a Wide-Brimmed Hat Man.
He was eerily handsome, almost flawless. Yet blood trickled from his lips, and the crimson glow in his eyes had dimmed considerably.
"I miscalculated," he murmured, the blood slowly vanishing from his lips. He raised a hand and gestured outward.
Puff! Puff! Puff!
Black Bats flew in from all directions, merging into his body like water flowing into a stream. Gradually, the crimson in his eyes brightened, and his weakened aura began to recover slightly.
"Tsk tsk, for someone to wound you so badly that you've even lost part of your Origin..." The black-robed figure cackled, showing no sympathy or pity. Instead, his eyes flashed with a hint of mockery.
He knew the man before him well. His power allowed him to transform into countless Bats, constantly dispersing and transferring portions of his Origin to create powerful Clones that were almost independent of his true self.
But...
"Even if your Clone was killed, shouldn't you be less disheveled?"
The black-robed man probed again, his voice laced with suspicion.
The Wide-Brimmed Hat Man shook his head and lowered his hand.
Click.
The intricately carved window silently closed. Despite withdrawing most of his Clone, he was still nearly a third weaker, his strength significantly diminished.
"Something's wrong with him."
Narrowing his eyes, he recalled the final image transmitted by his Clone.
The Origin that should have self-detonated and separated was instead forcibly intercepted and held in place by some unknown power.
It was hard to believe this could have come from a human.
"So, what do you plan to do?"
The black-robed man, lost in thought, didn't press further. He merely licked his lips, his gaze lingering on the Wide-Brimmed Hat Man with a hint of greed.
As if oblivious to the subtle shift in the other man's expression, the Wide-Brimmed Hat Man casually gestured. A black Bat emerged from his body, landed on the ground, and in a matter of seconds transformed into a beautiful, youthful human woman with an exquisite and otherworldly face.
"If the plan failed, we'll try another approach."
"First, we'll control a group of people."
---
Buzz!
Beneath the scorching sun, the sky was a clear blue, dotted with white clouds.
"Let's go."
"May Master Feng Chen lead them safely back."
"May you achieve a glorious victory!"
One by one, the warriors on the city walls gazed expectantly and anxiously at the sky, silently offering their blessings and prayers.
Focusing their gaze, they saw seven or eight massive Flying Eagles soaring above the black city walls, each carrying at least dozens of elite warriors, all Third-Tier or higher.
"Lord Feng Chen, our destination is the Black Blade Tribe," Olon said in a deep voice from the back of one of the giant Flying Eagles, fully armored in silver heavy plate.
He held a massive parchment map in his hands, which fluttered slightly in the fierce wind.
"Mm," Chen Feng nodded, having specifically changed into a set of sturdy Black Armor gifted by the Holy City. He was sharing the same Flying Eagle with Olon.
The creature, measuring seven or eight meters in length, had brown feathers and an aura that reached the peak of the Fourth-Tier.
Through past conversations, Chen Feng had learned that this was a special exotic beast tamed and raised by the Holy City.
It required a diet of large quantities of blood and rare resources to mature to the Third-Tier, with a select few powerful individuals having the chance to break through to the Fourth-Tier.
Among them was an Eagle King, Adams' mount, with Fifth-Tier strength.
"How much further?"
"Three days' journey."
Olon gave a rough estimate. Chen Feng nodded, asking no further questions.
Everything was proceeding according to his plan. His second Dream Incursion had coincided perfectly with the Holy City's agreed departure time.
Having decided to confront the Serpent-Folk Tribe, he wasted no time in choosing his target: the Black Blade Tribe, the alliance headquarters of the Serpentfolk Army.
It was the largest tribe closest to the Holy City, making it the most effective target for a swift victory and a devastating blow to Serpentfolk morale.
As for the danger...
Buzz!
The Silver-Gray Colossus flashed through the clouds high above, sending a chill through Chen Feng's hand.
Looking down, he saw an exquisite silver dagger.
Intricate patterns adorned its surface, identical to the one Kali had used before. She had personally handed it to him just before their departure that day.
Carefully sensing its power, Chen Feng detected a hidden golden sharpness within, causing a slight sting to his Perception.
This is the power of the Holy Sword.
At a critical moment, one can draw the dagger from its sheath and unleash a slashing strike.
Chen Feng estimated its power already surpassed the Sixth-Tier.
"I wonder how they managed this."
Narrowing his eyes slightly, Chen Feng found himself curious about the Holy Sword's true form and how the Holy City had sealed its power within this silver dagger.
Moreover, he inexplicably sensed the malevolent rejection mark from the Serpent Spirit Secret Realm rapidly fading.
It was as if the Power of the Holy Sword had shielded him from karmic consequences, blocking the gaze of some entity.
Suddenly, he understood why the Serpent God Temple's Saint had been so shocked when Kali had brought the Power of the Holy Sword to help him break the barrier.
Even the Serpent God Temple would be disrupted by this power, making it impossible to track his movements.
With these thoughts racing through his mind, he played with the silver dagger for a moment before finally attaching it to his black armor's waist.
The group then sped away, some glancing back at the Holy City.
Uncertain if they would return alive, most had already resolved themselves to die before setting out.
As if sensing something, someone on the Holy City's palace also gazed into the distance for a long time, faintly making out a few tiny figures.
The young man on the throne exuded a sense of twilight, his breath weak.
The Golden Armor man and the green-vined woman on either side wore different expressions, but both harbored a hint of worry.
"May everything go smoothly," the woman murmured.
Whoosh!
Several days later, a fierce wind whipped across the vast plain. Dozens of Winged Serpents circled in the sky above.
This expansive flatland lay at the foot of a Dwarf Mountain, bordering a lake. Stone walls enclosed the area on all sides, creating a solemn and imposing barrier. Every dozen meters, a black stone tower rose, each manned by two Serpentfolk sentries armed with longbows and quivers, vigilantly scanning the surroundings.
From above, one could see rows of wooden huts packed tightly within the stone walls, with the constant sound of footsteps echoing through the camp.
Black-scaled Serpentfolk, armed with spears and clad in armor, patrolled the perimeter. Red-scaled, silver-scaled, and even Serpentfolk with mixed-colored scales also appeared, their numbers estimated to be at least a thousand.
"Why haven't we launched a full-scale assault on the Holy City yet?"
"I don't know. Could it be because of that Outlander?"
"Is he really as powerful as the rumors say?"
Whispered discussions rippled through the scattered Serpentfolk warriors. Not only members of the Black Blade Tribe were present, but also warriors from many smaller tribes that had pledged allegiance to them.
Most Serpentfolk were clueless about the higher-ups' decisions, but they were all confident and clear on one point:
"The Holy City is just a turtle shell. If our Saint Masters attack together, we'll surely break through it."
"Exactly! If we can capture the Holy City soon, the Serpentfolk will finally rule the entire continent!"
"No matter how strong that Outlander is, he can't compare to the Saint High Priests of our tribes."
Similar voices rose and fell. Some Serpentfolk spotted a trembling human slave in a corner, and with cruel laughter, they snatched up a whip and lashed out, showering the slave with insults and abuse.
This scene was just a microcosm of the brutality unfolding in every corner of the Black Blade Tribe's wooden huts, a daily occurrence.
Contrary to the jubilant mood of the Serpentfolk, the atmosphere within the wooden hut at the center, isolated by a Barrier, was heavy with worry.
"The Temple sent word: the Outlander has arrived and has temporarily vanished without a trace. We must be extremely cautious."
"If even the Savage Bone Saint fell, do you think he might come to assassinate us?"
"It seems we must prepare for the worst. Perhaps we should temporarily retreat our forces and regroup after he leaves?"
"Impossible. Those smaller tribes are scattered across remote locations. If we retreat now, it will take ages to reassemble them."
Great Priests and Elders from various mid-sized and large Serpentfolk Tribes gathered inside the hut, nearly a dozen in total. Even the weakest among them possessed Fifth-Tier strength, with the three leaders seated at the head of the table. One wore a black robe and remained silent, another donned a red-scaled hood, and the third, a burly figure, was clad in silver armor. They were none other than the Great Priests of the Black Blade, Huorong, and Silver Wood Tribes—all Saint-level powerhouses.
"Rong Yan, what do you think?" the Black Blade High Priest asked in a low voice. Among the Eight Great Tribes, the Black Blade and Huorong Tribes had the closest ties.
"Many of the smaller tribes don't know the truth about the Outlander," the aged Serpentfolk with a red hood and fiery red scales said, shaking his head with a serious and sighing tone.
The Black Blade High Priest frowned, his heart filled with a simmering mix of disbelief and rage he couldn't accept.
Man'gu, a Sixth-Tier Saint who was slightly stronger than himself, had been chosen by the Winged Serpent King as a Temple Saint.
He couldn't fathom how that vile Outlander had managed to kill him, even repelling the sliver of power the Winged Serpent King had answered his prayers with.
"How long until the reinforcements from the Five Great Tribes arrive?" the burly Serpentfolk in silver heavy armor suddenly asked, his Serpent Eyes gleaming coldly.
While the Outlander was indeed formidable, he was deeply dissatisfied with this so-called Holy City assault plan.
The original plan had called for all Eight Great Tribes to contribute, but in the end, only their three tribes were exhausting their resources and the forces of their vassal tribes.
If this dragged on any longer, his Silver Wood Tribe would have no choice but to withdraw.
"Because of the distance between north and south, and the treacherous terrain of Heaven's Fall Mountain..."
"The Five Great Tribes' messages are still en route. They may not arrive in the south until next month."
A Fifth-Tier Serpentfolk Elder replied in a trembling voice, his heart filled with unease.
Bang!
As expected, the Silverwood High Priest slammed his fist on the table and rose to his feet, his face blazing with fury.
"Then retreat!"
"Let them explain themselves to the Temple!"
The aura of a Sixth-Tier Saint surged forth, shaking the wooden hut to its foundations and causing dense ripples to spread across the barrier that separated the interior from the outside world.
The atmosphere froze in trembling silence. The oppressive pressure of the Silverwood High Priest's rage caused several Serpentfolk Elders to tremble and bow their heads slightly.
Seeing the situation about to spiral out of control, the Black Blade High Priest suppressed his own irritation and spoke up in time.
"Yin Cang, the Five Great Tribes are utterly despicable."
"We Three Great Tribes are united. If they don't arrive, then our armies won't move either."
The Black Blade High Priest was also deeply displeased by the underhanded tactics of the Five Great Tribes in the north.
Meeting his gaze, Rong Yan, the Great Priest of the Huorong Tribe, nodded slightly and added his persuasion.
"That's right, Yin Cang. After all, this is a decree from the Temple."
"If we retreat now, wouldn't we just be letting the Five Great Tribes off the hook and giving them the moral high ground?"
The two men played off each other, barely managing to soothe and appease the other.
"When will the Temple arrive?"
Yin Cang, the Silverwood High Priest, asked in a low voice, barely suppressing his anger as he remained standing.
"The Temple has sent word that an angel has answered our prayers and bestowed two portions of Angelic Power."
"The two Holy Envoys we dispatched are already on their way and should arrive no later than the day after tomorrow."
The Fifth-Tier Serpentfolk Elder of the Black Blade Tribe replied respectfully, producing a special secret order he had received just that day.
At these words, everyone in the wooden hut froze. Then, bright light flashed in their Serpent Eyes.
"Hahaha, excellent!"
The Black Blade High Priest suddenly laughed, his irritation melting away.
Angelic Power, and two portions at that.
If the Envoys arrived in time, his Black Blade Tribe would be safe, and the Serpentfolk Army wouldn't have to worry about sudden attacks from Outlanders or the Holy City.
Similar thoughts crossed the minds of Rong Yan and Yin Cang, the two Saints. Their expressions softened, and the latter slowly sat back down, saying no more.
"It seems this war should end soon," the Black Blade High Priest chuckled, and the others understood his meaning.
The power of the Angelic Power was undeniable. They might even have a chance to achieve a major victory, perhaps even capturing the Holy City in one fell swoop.
If they truly succeeded, the glory would belong solely to the Three Great Tribes.
As for the Five Great Tribes, who had been deliberately delaying their advance...
"I almost hope they don't show up at all," Saint Silvercang sneered.
Black Blade chuckled in agreement, simultaneously berating his Elders for failing to report this matter earlier.
As the discussion continued, the Serpentfolk present grew increasingly confident. Some even proposed luring and killing the Outlander and the Holy City's Legion Commander.
"That's an excellent idea," the Black Blade High Priest laughed heartily. He hadn't forgotten the humiliation he had suffered outside the Holy City's Black Wall, defeated by the Colossus Creature and the Outlander.
If they could publicly kill or enslave the vile Outlander, turning him into a sacrifice for the Serpent God...
He might even receive further blessings and advance even further.
His Serpent Eyes grew brighter, their cruel, cold light intensifying.
The others were about to begin making detailed arrangements when...
BOOM!!
A sudden explosion tore through the sky, shaking the earth.
Every Serpentfolk Elder and Priest froze, their expressions shifting from shock to furious shouts.
"This is bad!"
"Stop them!!"
(End of the Chapter)
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