Following Shi Bu, Arthas and the Lorewalker quickly arrived at the entrance of the Eternal Spring, with many monks and disciples from the monastery following behind them. This was the most manpower Shi Bu could gather in the shortest amount of time.
Although the sacred Water of Life had been corrupted by Sha, a single Sha of Doubt was not enough for the corrupted water to rapidly spread throughout the entire Jade Forest. Therefore, it decisively chose to first corrupt the sacred Green Dragon Temple, using this to strengthen its own power.
It was unknown what Yu'lon's situation was. After receiving Thassarian's message, Arthas immediately tried to contact Yu'lon, but unfortunately, this August Celestial did not respond.
However, Arthas was not overly worried that Yu'lon would be in a particularly dangerous situation, because if Yu'lon had truly been possessed or corrupted by the Sha of Doubt, then they should have already seen a complete Sha in the Green Dragon Temple by now, rather than the continuously spawning minor Sha energy they encountered along the way.
When the group arrived at the entrance of the Eternal Spring, they found the heavy wooden doors tightly shut, covered in twisted black and white Sha energy. Several corpses of Pandaren guards lay strewn before the doors, already corrupted by Sha energy, taking on an unnatural and ominous grey-white hue.
Seeing such a sight, the priests and monks of the Green Dragon Temple changed their expressions drastically. Although many weaker Sha were already spawning within the Green Dragon Temple, they were nothing compared to the tragic scene before them. Pandaria had not seen such a large-scale Sha resurgence in tens of thousands of years.
Many Pandaren could not suppress the anxiety and doubt in their hearts and began to whisper. Some even collapsed to the ground, continuously chanting scriptures, trying to free themselves from panic in this way.
"Everyone, quiet, quiet! Stay calm, don't panic, the Sha has not spread widely yet, we can drive it out again!"
Lorewalker Shi Bu noticed the commotion in the crowd and immediately calmed everyone's emotions. With Shi Bu's words, the previously restless crowd gradually quieted down, and these Pandaren all read strange feelings in each other's eyes.
Shi Bu sighed. Regardless, it seemed the Sha had already planted the seeds of doubt in these people's hearts. Even with someone directing the overall situation, this terrible influence could not be completely eliminated; they could only try to slow down the Sha's spread as much as possible.
"The Sha energy here is highly concentrated, indicating that the Sha of Doubt is trying to coalesce into a physical form. This is dangerous, but also an opportunity," Arthas glanced at the Sha energy seal on the closed door and the somewhat restless Pandaren corpses on the ground. "Watch our backs, don't let the Sha escape, leave the rest to me."
Shi Bu nodded. At this point, he could only trust Arthas's power.
Fortunately, Arthas would absolutely not betray his trust—the moment his words ended, a tide of Holy Light swept through the entire corridor in front of the door. The Pandaren, who had been surrounded by negative emotions, instantly felt their bodies lighten, and even their breathing became much smoother. When they looked at the fallen comrades on the ground again, they only felt normal sadness, no longer any doubt towards themselves or others.
And mixed within the Holy Light, an inconspicuous blue glow flashed by in an instant. The Sha energy seal on the thick wooden door was directly torn open with a huge crack, and a large amount of Sha energy gushed out, forming a fierce gale, trying to blow away the monks surrounding the corridor.
Although the Green Dragon Temple was not like the Shado-Pan, who often wielded weapons, they were also legitimate practitioners of August Celestial orthodoxy. Even if Yu'lon's lineage was not known for its conquests, it did not mean they were all weak and powerless.
Vast amounts of True Qi and magic poured in, forming an impenetrable net that tightly surrounded the Sha energy, preventing it from breaking through and entering other parts of the temple.
Seeing that the monks were handling it with ease, Arthas no longer hesitated. He directly smashed the entire door into splinters with a single hammer blow. The exploding wood fragments flew everywhere, and the residual Sha energy on them was directly burned to ashes by the Holy Light.
The once clear waters of the Eternal Spring were now stained with a grey haze. High Priestess Liu Yanxin was wielding her staff, fending off the surging water from Jinyu Sage Marin.
Liu Yanxin breathed a sigh of relief when she saw the door's seal broken. She gathered her qi to disperse the polluted water Marin had conjured, then leaped lightly from the spring platform to Arthas's side, "His Majesty, Arthas, thank you for coming to help!"
"What's the situation now?"
Arthas surveyed the sacred spring covered in Sha energy and the chaotic sacred spring hall, then asked.
The Green Dragon High Priestess sighed slightly, "The Sha of Doubt, through some unknown means, infiltrated the sacred flowing water. Flowing Water Sage Marin bore the brunt of it, becoming the first victim of the Sha of Doubt's evil power. Afterwards, those who were originally meditating in the Eternal Spring were also bewitched and began fighting with the monks I brought for the ceremony."
She had intended to evacuate the hall immediately and gather manpower to suppress the Sha, but she had not expected that the monks guarding the door had already been possessed by the Sha. They killed the guards who had not yet reacted, directly sealed the door, and caused chaos throughout the monastery.
"Flowing water, drown you all!"
There was not much time for Arthas to understand the situation. The Sage controlled the corrupted water, turning it into a gushing torrent that directly washed over those not controlled by the Sha of Doubt. The corrosive sewage swept through, and many Pandaren and Jinyu who were still stubbornly resisting suddenly found it difficult to hold on, on the verge of being completely corroded by the corrupted water.
Liu Yanxin immediately threw her staff and simultaneously flew out. The staff, imbued with True Qi, violently collided with the corrupted water. As the staff was repelled, it also dispersed the water. The High Priestess used the wall to jump, caught the staff in mid-air, looked up at the Sha energy raining down, and quickly waved her staff, outlining a circular formation in the void.
As the staff pointed, a circular aura of True Qi repelled the impure entities, protecting the injured Green Dragon Temple people in the center.
Sage Marin, however, was relentless and attacked again. Violent currents of water began to furiously wash over the Ring of Serenity constructed by Liu Yanxin, attempting to break through this defense.
However, Marin did not realize that in the seam of reality and shadow, a ghostly blue deathly killing intent flashed out. Marin's mortal body was utterly powerless to stop Frostmourne's blade!
"Don't even think about interfering, you loyal dog of death!"
The Sha of Doubt condensed a huge claw, and Sha energy leaked from Marin's body, intending to block this fatal attack for Marin. However, Frostmourne's power was simply not something the Sha of Doubt could withstand. Although it knew that the Sha of Doubt had died at Arthas's hands, the Sha of Doubt never expected that the power gap between it and the person before it would be so vast.
For a moment, the Sha of Doubt even began to doubt whether it was truly a remnant of an Old God, because at this very moment, Arthas looked even more inhuman.
After failing to block Frostmourne's strike, the blade directly tore through Marin's body. The Sage's body was almost severed in two, held together only by Sha energy. And although Marin had been reduced to such a tragic state, not a single drop of blood flowed out. Liu Yanxin and Shi Bu both remained silent, knowing that their old friend was beyond saving.
Too deep a connection with the spring also allowed Sage Marin to be corrupted with extreme ease. Now, there was no wisdom or serenity left in the Sage's eyes, only endless madness.
Gigantic, materialized claws sprang from Marin's shattered husk. The Sha of Doubt's true form possessed Marin's body, completely transforming him into an inhuman monster. Under the stimulation of Sha energy, Marin's body gradually swelled until it nearly reached the ceiling of the hall.
"Face the doubts in your heart—"
The Sha of Doubt shrieked, letting out a chilling laugh, but the laugh only lasted for a moment before it stopped, because Frostmourne had already pierced through its chest again. The demonic sword tore through not only the body, but also the soul.
"I'm not good at answering questions, but I've dealt with quite a few guys who caused me trouble."
Frostmourne slowly rested behind Arthas. At this moment, the light in his eyes grew increasingly intense, and almost corporeal Holy Light surged around him. Gigantic light wings unfolded behind him, not like feathers, but more like some kind of tentacles, like suckers in the starry sky. Where the Holy Light tentacles swept, weaker Sha were directly incinerated to ashes by the scorching Holy Light.
And the Sha of Doubt, facing the full pressure of Arthas, now felt a strange emotion welling up within it—fear.
Unrivaled power, an almost immortal body, whispers that manipulate hearts, and Sha energy that pollutes everything.
The Sha of Doubt possessed these from the moment of its birth. He knew he was a remnant peeled from a great being, and he was aware that he was merely clinging to life under the oppression of the Titans. He was not an all-powerful, unassailable entity, but that was only when facing the Titans and their creations. When facing mortals, he was still an incomprehensible, indestructible, terrifying monster.
However, when Arthas's warhammer landed on him, the Sha of Doubt felt bewildered for the first time—how was he supposed to defeat this guy in front of him? With greater power? Deeper corruption? Or more tenacious life?
Creatures named Sha, creations peeled from the strongest Old God Y'Shaarj, had never encountered such a predicament since their birth. Even when facing the encirclement of Titan Guardians and their servants, the Sha could still use their power to destroy those seemingly sturdy steel constructs.
But how could this thing, which looked like a "human," possess such power? Weren't these fragile flesh-and-blood creatures supposed to be degraded products from the steel Vrykul after being corrupted by the Old Gods?
The pain brought by the scorching Holy Light made the Sha of Doubt struggle desperately. That light, which almost melted and purified everything, was truly destroying the root of his existence. If he continued to be "ravaged" by Arthas like this, he had no doubt that he would be the first Sha to be beaten to death.
However, when he tried to extend his corrupting tentacles into Arthas's mind, he froze. The feedback from the other end of the mental tentacles made him even more certain that the thing that looked like a human in front of him was definitely not human—
Whose good intentions would lead to an endless expanse of coldness and dead silence? That eternal will of death instantly discovered the Sha of Doubt's presence the moment he intruded, and the cold gaze projected down almost froze the Sha of Doubt's will in an instant.
"Ah—!!"
A painful roar came from Sage Marin's mouth. Although he was a corpse that had long lost its vitality, the Sha of Doubt, relying on his body, was still wounded in the soul by the cold touch of death.
The Sha of Doubt frantically tried to put distance between himself and Arthas. He attempted to smash through the hall's wall, but countless chains shot from the void tightly wrapped around his body. Even the highly corrosive Sha energy couldn't corrode these seemingly fragile chains.
"Commanding Power? What exactly are you?!" Marin's bloodshot fish eyes widened in an exaggerated manner. "How can Holy Light and this power merge together?"
Arthas said nothing. He summoned more chains imbued with Commanding Power, while the muscles in his arms visibly swelled. Accompanied by intensely burning light flames, he hurled his weapon. The Light of Dawn warhammer in his hand almost turned into a streak of light, knocking the Sha of Doubt to the ground before he could react.
When the Hammer of Wrath struck the Sha of Doubt, this artifact warhammer, imbued with the power of Holy Light, weighed almost a thousand jun. Coupled with the suppression of the Commanding chains, the Sha of Doubt had completely lost his ability to move, paralyzed on the spot and unable to move for a short time.
He could only watch as Arthas, wielding a longsword covered in runes, arrived before him in the blink of an eye.
"We are... not going to perish!"
The Sha of Doubt uttered his last words with difficulty, and Arthas plunged Frostmourne into Sage Marin's chest, granting him an eternal and peaceful death.
The cold power of death instantly destroyed the Sha of Doubt's soul, and the scorching Holy Light devoured his defiled body at that moment. After doing all this, Arthas released his grip on Frostmourne, allowing it to consume the residual power in the Sha of Doubt's soul. Although it couldn't consume as cleanly as Xal'atath, Frostmourne could still utilize a portion of it.
Having done all this, Arthas picked up the Light of Dawn from the Sha of Doubt's lingering ashes, shook off the ashes clinging to the warhammer, and restored it to its Holy Relic form before hanging it at his waist.
"His Majesty, Arthas!" Scholar Shi Bu stumbled to Arthas's side. He no longer had his usual calm and composure, looking at the man in front of him with an incredulous gaze. "You completely killed the Sha of Doubt?!"
This shattered Shi Bu's worldview. Everything he had learned since childhood told him that Sha could not be killed, only sealed and slowly eroded of their power. However, Arthas's clean and decisive resolution of the Sha of Doubt, which had almost devoured the entire temple, made him almost doubt whether everything he had learned before was true.
If the Sha of Doubt hadn't already been dealt with by Arthas, his current inner doubt alone would likely have allowed the Sha of Doubt to grow considerably.
"Not completely killed. These Sha are far more troublesome than I imagined." Arthas shook his head.
The Sha of Doubt was dealt with by him with the power of Xal'atath. That guy was completely consumed, so even if Y'Shaarj were to revive, he wouldn't be able to make up for this missing part.
However, Xal'atath's current condition was no longer suitable for dealing with the remaining Sha. That guy was much weaker than he had anticipated and couldn't handle all the Sha at all. Being able to swallow one or two was already the limit.
So this time, he chose to "kill" a Sha with his own hands. He destroyed its form with Holy Light and eroded its soul with death. If it were a normal life form, even an elemental one, it would have died completely. But the Sha's life was more tenacious than he imagined.
The Sha of Doubt was indeed dead; at least, without a form or soul, the Sha of Doubt could no longer gain power like this. However, unlike Xal'atath's complete consumption, this thing still left some kind of mark on the world.
Arthas could capture the existence of this mark, but he couldn't perceive its exact mode of existence or location. This might be somewhat similar to Xal'atath's situation. Even if Old Gods died, it didn't mean the end. His methods of completely eradicating C'Thun and Yogg-Saron were mostly opportunistic; one utilized the super-technology left by the Titans, and the other drew in the scouring of the Underworld, completely dispersing Yogg-Saron.
However, he didn't get no useful information this time. At least he confirmed one thing: if he eliminated the remaining five Sha and then destroyed y'shaarj's heart, those Sha would be no different from dead. Losing their fundamental foothold in the real plane, they wouldn't even be close to "weak," because their very existence in reality would be a problem.
He also had to thank the Sha of Doubt's tentacles that reached into his mind. If the Sha of Doubt hadn't tried to corrupt him, Arthas wouldn't have been able to follow the clues and discover this characteristic of the Sha.
Thinking of Nyalotha, which N'Zoth could create after his escape, a realm between reality and illusion, Arthas's understanding of Old Gods deepened. Now, he only needed to find the remaining Sha and destroy y'shaarj's heart before N'Zoth, then Azshara alone wouldn't be able to just watch that guy escape.
....
At the center of Jade Forest, atop the meticulously and piously constructed Green Dragon statue by the Pandaren, Arthas leaned on the Holy Relic, awaiting the arrival of an August Celestial.
Soon, the graceful, emerald-like figure appeared in the sky.
"You did it, Arthas," Yu'lon's voice carried a hint of weariness, but more so, joy and delight.
"You suppressed the Sha of Doubt's power, didn't you? That fellow shouldn't have been so weak," Arthas revealed the truth.
He had long noticed that the Sha of Doubt's power was far less than the Sha of Doubt manifested in the Temple of Chi-Ji, and the population of Jade Forest was much larger than that of Krasarang Wilds; more emotions and consciousness should have nourished the Sha of Doubt to be stronger.
It was precisely because of this that the Sha of Doubt couldn't even put up a decent resistance before being slain by Arthas.
"You are indeed very perceptive," Yu'lon swayed its body, and auspicious clouds surrounded the top of the statue. "The power of that terrifying fellow is almost the bane of me and my companions. Even Snowy, the strongest and fiercest among us, struggles to truly suppress them."
Yu'lon had been contending with the Sha of Doubt's power, but she had employed a small trick, making the Sha of Doubt believe it had completely suppressed her. However, in reality, Yu'lon was able to use this to hold back most of the Sha of Doubt's power, but even this consumed most of Yu'lon's energy, leaving her with no strength left to even help her own temple.
If Arthas hadn't appeared in time, the situation at the Green Dragon Temple would likely have been much worse than it was now.
"The Alliance has already dispatched troops to combat the Sha in various locations. We have found the positions of the remaining Sha during this time, excluding those sealed by the Shado-Pan. The most troublesome ones are the Sha of Fear and the long-missing Sha of Pride," Arthas stated the Alliance's recent discoveries in Pandaria. Some of their people had already gone north to Kun-Lai Summit to deal with the Sha within the Shado-Pan.
Yu'lon asked, "The Sha of Fear should still be under Niuzao's supervision, despite the ferocity of the Mantid, breaching the gates of Niuzao Temple is no easy task."
"The Mantid are a branch that evolved from the ancient Aqir. They may have truly inherited some legacy of the Dark Empire," Arthas knew that things were not as simple as they appeared on the surface. He conjured an image. "This is what my subordinates discovered at the Terrace of Endless Spring. Take a look."
"Sha energy corruption? Has that sacred pavilion also fallen into evil hands? This is truly not good news..."
Yu'lon clearly saw everything displayed in the image: corrupted water continuously gushed from the formerly sacred and clear spring of the Terrace of Endless Spring. Some of the ancient Guardians protecting the Terrace of Endless Spring had already been corrupted, and the uncorrupted Guardians were struggling to resist.
Thassarian's Scourge squad was the first to discover the abnormality at the Terrace of Endless Spring, but the situation inside was beyond what their limited manpower could handle. Coupled with the potentially lurking Mogu and Naga, all they could do was maintain surveillance.
"My subordinates told me that the Guardians there seem to have fallen into an inexplicable panic, and that spreading fear is causing them to constantly turn on each other. If this continues, I'm afraid all normal people inside will be dead within a few days."
"Panic? But the Sha of Fear should be far away in the Mantid Plateau... Even the Sha's main body couldn't cross an entire continent to affect the Terrace of Endless Spring."
"That's the problem," Arthas replied. "The Mogu, Mantid, and Naga may have reached some agreement. The Mantid are fearlessly assaulting Niuzao Temple, even going so far as to directly plant their Amber Holy Trees there. I suspect that the Sha of Fear—at least a part of the Sha of Fear—has likely already been released by them."
Logically, after the Sha of Fear was freed, the first target would likely be the Mantid, but currently, the Sha of Fear hasn't done so. This can only mean that some external force has influenced his judgment of the situation. He believes that the benefits the Mantid can provide are far less than directly invading the Terrace of Endless Spring.
"This is terrible," Yu'lon sighed. "I really want to help you eliminate the Sha of Doubt that might be entrenched in the Terrace of Endless Spring, but the power I can wield now is probably even less than that of the Guardian Cloud Serpent, Zhulong, of the Terrace of Endless Spring."
She glanced at the massive Green Dragon statue standing in the heart of the Jade Forest. "My time is running out. This statue, built for me by the Pandaren, was supposed to be the birthplace of a new Green Dragon, but the battle with the Sha of Doubt has consumed too much of my power. I can't even guarantee the completion of this ritual."
Yu'lon turned her gaze back to Arthas. "I need to fall into a deep sleep to recover my strength. Perhaps before that, I can still help you... help the children of the Jade Forest do something."
She opened her dragon maw and spat out an emerald orb radiating vitality and vigor. "Take this, child. This might reduce some trouble for you when you fight the enemies at the Terrace of Endless Spring."
Arthas, however, shook his head. "Thank you for your kindness, but you need this more than we do right now. You have already done so much for the Jade Forest. For now, you should rest well. Our true enemy is still hidden in the heart of Pandaria."
Yu'lon was somewhat puzzled. "But... the influence of the Sha of Fear?"
"I happen to have some subordinates who know no fear," Arthas chuckled softly. "What we truly need is your help and the help of the other Celestials to open the gate that leads into the Vale of Eternal Blossoms. The true secrets of the Sha of Pride and Y'Shaarj are buried there."
"Then I can provide help at any time," Yu'lon had no objection, nor did she ask Arthas where he had learned these secrets. "As long as Niuzao and Snowy can free themselves, we can open the gate connecting Kun-Lai Summit to the Vale of Eternal Blossoms. That should meet your needs."
The Vale of Eternal Blossoms is not completely sealed; many ancient Pandaren sects and organizations actually still operate in this area. However, for ordinary Pandaren, this long-sealed area has almost become a legend. Coupled with Pandaria's vast land being sufficient for the Pandaren to survive, they gradually forgot the gate that allowed normal passage to the Vale of Eternal Blossoms.
But to defend that place from N'Zoth's minions, sending just one or two small teams or a few airships is not enough. The Alliance needs a permanent passage that can accommodate their troops and supplies.
Furthermore, developing the vast underground palace of the Vale of Eternal Blossoms is not something that can be done by one or two people alone. y'shaarj's heart is still buried beneath those magnificent palaces. The Naga and N'Zoth are not aware of the exact location of the Titan underground palace; they are still painstakingly searching for any possible clues. The Mogu heading to the Terrace of Endless Spring might be to search for ancient Mogu Empire records about the underground palace.
The Titan underground palace is even older than the Vale of Eternal Blossoms. These things have almost become a legend to the Mogu. Even their current leader probably doesn't know about the treasures and horrors buried beneath.
....
"Too weak," Grommash said, shaking his sturdy arm as a limp Jinyu corpse slid off the blade of his axe. "How can these guys protect their secrets with just this?"
"Perhaps no one has thought about attacking this place for tens of thousands of years?" Ogrim said noncommittally, also casually sending a few surrounding Jinyu flying.
They received orders from Arthas to lead elite troops to assault the Terrace of Endless Spring from naxxanar. In front of Death Knights and Liches, these fallen ones, who could be considered powerful among mortals, were simply no match.
And the Sha of Fear's infallible talent for manipulating the fear in mortals' hearts was merely a source of amusement to these guys.
"Killing these guys almost makes me feel guilty," Kargath said, licking the blood off his runeblade fists, then frowned. "Bah, softies corrupted by the Old Gods, even the dead would find this taste revolting."
"Change your barbaric habits," Grommash said, showing disdain for Kargath's actions. "We didn't resurrect you to show off your brain that was ruined by drinking fel blood."
Kargath's rough face broke into a chilling smile. "This isn't barbarism—this is tactics!"
With that, countless blood blossoms sprayed from the surrounding fallen ones, and their boiling blood corroded their bodies like acid. A large number of enemies immediately collapsed, while those still barely standing felt their weapons become incredibly heavy, making it difficult even to lift them.
The blood Kargath used for the ritual was not only corrosive; virulent plagues also spread wildly within it. In just a moment, large numbers of the fallen fell like harvested wheat.
"Oh? It seems fel blood didn't just burn out your brain." Grommash watched the scene with interest. Kargath, who had been infused with a large amount of Magtheridon's fel blood, seemed to have a far greater talent for blood magic than them.
"Alright, stop wasting time, a 'big guy' is coming," Ogrim warned, then turned his gaze to a few figures behind the fallen ones' formation, who were also confronting the fallen ones.
However, from the faint Sha energy emanating from them, it was not difficult to see that these powerhouses had not completely escaped the Sha of Fear's clutches. The only reason they were still holding on was that their willpower was stronger, and they were desperately clinging on.
The three Orc Death Knights left their subordinates to handle the aftermath, while they charged ahead, directly piercing through the already scattered fallen ones and striding quickly towards the tall Jinyu who were still barely rational.
Only when he got closer did Ogrim realize that the condition of these three Guardians was much worse than he had initially expected.
Although the Sha of Fear's power had not completely consumed them, judging by their unnervingly pale eyes and the intense Sha energy rising from their bodies, rationality had long since been stripped from them. The only reason they were still fighting the fallen ones was that they considered everyone an enemy.
"Must…protect, the Holy Platform." The Jinyu Guardian Corlan swung his heavy Shadowsteel Greatsword, beheading a Guardian who had fallen into infighting due to panic, and then fixed his gaze on Ogrim and the other two who had broken through. "Evil…eradicate."
"It seems we've been taken as opponents," Ogrim glanced at the three Jinyu whose aura was clearly different from ordinary people, then looked at the spring core far at the top of the stairs. "We have to deal with them before we can achieve our goal."
The irrational Jinyu Guardian lunged at them. The runes on Grommash's axe flashed, and he leaped, his axe blade heading straight for Corlan's head. Corlan did not dodge but merely tilted his head slightly, raising his sword to parry Grommash's axe handle, then pushed hard, trying to send Grommash flying with the momentum.
Grommash's body lost its balance from the push, but he showed no panic. Instead, he gripped the axe handle, using Corlan as a pivot, and flipped to land steadily behind Corlan. At the same time, one hand summoned dark magic, clamping down hard on Corlan's neck.
However, Corlan showed no signs of the expected choking. Black and white Sha energy lit up on his blade, and he swung his greatsword in front of him, dispersing Grommash's magic. He was about to turn and sweep, but Grommash's movements were even faster than his.
The Orc moved the hand gripping the far end of the axe handle directly to the near end, treating the long-handled battle axe as a short axe. The axe blade lightly slashed, leaving a wound deep enough to reach Corlan's internal organs in his waist and abdomen.
Seizing the opportunity, Grommash lowered his shoulder and charged fiercely. The ramming spike on his shoulder armor directly plunged into Corlan's chest, breaking an unknown number of bones, and sending this highly skilled Guardian flying, crashing into a nearby pavilion wall. The falling bricks and stones immediately buried Corlan.
At this moment, Grommash looked at his companions. Ogrim had just lifted his warhammer from a headless corpse, while Kargath roared as he tore a Jinyu elder holding a staff in half at the waist.
Grommash grinned, and deep red runes began to appear on the ground beneath his feet, spreading out the death magic representing decay and withering. The fallen ones who still wanted to continue fighting were quickly swallowed by the death magic, turning into a puddle of mud.
Grommash gathered the absorbed energy in his palm, stabilized for a moment, and then raised his hand towards the fallen Corlan. The black-red death energy transformed into a ray and blasted into the rubble. Corlan's originally lifeless body twisted and stood up under the control of death magic.
"This guy will make a qualified servant," Grommash said, looking at the undead Corlan with satisfaction.
The other party was now casually trying to stuff his exposed intestines back in, but after trying for a long time and realizing they would still hang out and impede his movement, he gripped the blade of his steel sword and directly emptied all the obstructive organs, revealing a bloody, hollow abdomen. His lifeless eyes looked at Grommash, and he slowly walked towards the Orc.
Ogrim had no intention of resurrecting the Jinyu elder who died by his hand, but Kargath, seeing Grommash's spell, also began to try to piece together and revive the Guardian he had cut in half.
"Although these guys have been corrupted by the Sha, at least they were dutiful in life," Ogrim said, shouldering his warhammer and appraising Corlan, who had been resurrected by Grommash.
"So I'm giving them a chance to personally get revenge on the Sha," Grommash said indifferently. "Their souls are still in the Sha of Fear's hands. It's no different now than before."
"That's true."
As Death Knights, their eyes could see more than just physical changes. These Guardians fell into madness because their souls had been consumed by fear, and the source of that fear was the Sha of Fear, who was trying to pollute the Terrace of Endless Spring and absorb its ancient magic.
"Alright, Kargath, stop pondering. It's time to get down to business."
The Sha of Fear was in a deep slumber, having been sealed for so long that much of his power had dissipated; even when he first broke off from Y'Shaarj, before absorbing the fear and terror of living beings, he was far more powerful than he was now.
When he fled from Niuzao Temple, he should have attached himself to the Mantid to absorb some power first, even though Mantid, having evolved from the Aqir, offered far less emotional energy than other mortal races.
But the Sha of Fear couldn't afford to be picky; freshly escaped, his power was insufficient to invade the eastern parts of Pandaria, so rooting himself among the Mantid to recover his strength was the best strategy.
However, after escaping from Niuzao Temple, the first thing he saw was not the overwhelming Mantid army, but rather a few Naga heavily corrupted by the Void.
They offered him a better choice; they were willing to help him reclaim his full power, and even find the heart of y'shaarj, giving him a chance to re-ascend and transform himself.
And to recover his strength more effectively, the Terrace of Endless Spring was a better option than the Mantid.
This sacred spring connected to most of the water veins in Pandaria's flourishing life zones; as long as the seeds of fear could be sown here, all of Pandaria could provide power to the Sha of Fear.
The Sha of Fear, without hesitation, invaded the Terrace of Endless Spring with the Naga's help, and effortlessly took control of its guardians, leaving only the troublesome Cloud Serpent still circling in the sky and mountains.
After accomplishing all this, the Sha of Fear directly devoured the Naga and fell into a deep slumber—he knew better than anyone where these Naga came from; there was no reliable alliance between Old Gods, and N'Zoth was very likely after the heart of y'shaarj as well.
If N'Zoth obtained the heart of y'shaarj, the Sha of Fear would likely become his food; he didn't want to be a piece of meat on someone else's chopping block, and since the Naga had already helped him reach the Terrace of Endless Spring, they had lost their value.
As for the location of the so-called heart of y'shaarj, it wouldn't be a problem to search for it slowly after he had corrupted all of Pandaria.
However, after sleeping for some time, the Sha of Fear suddenly discovered that the energy supplied to him by the Terrace of Endless Spring was rapidly decreasing, and that familiar sense of weakness swept over him once more, causing him to awaken again.
Upon re-extending his perception to the outside world, he found that the fear that had originally permeated the Terrace of Endless Spring was slowly dissipating, replaced by an atmosphere of indifference and deathly silence.
This made the Sha of Fear immediately realize he had been attacked, but when he prepared to stretch his body and eliminate the invaders, he found that he wasn't just feeling weak, but was truly weak!
"What is this...?" The Sha of Fear laboriously moved his bloated body; spreading fear in the Terrace of Endless Spring had greatly benefited him, and accordingly, his physical body had grown massive, but it shouldn't have been this bloated and difficult to control.
Mountain-like shadows obscured the sun, and four massive beasts, even larger than the Sha of Fear, held thick chains of domination, binding the Sha of Fear firmly in place; no matter how the Sha of Fear struggled, the icy will from the chains and the overwhelming might of the beasts held him immobile.
"This guy's awake, Archlich, this commotion is still a bit too big."
Ogrim said to Kel'Thuzad discontentedly, "Didn't you say he shouldn't wake up?"
"It truly exceeded my expectations. According to my research, these Sha rapidly weaken after losing emotional sustenance, but it seems the primary Sha of Fear can still hold on for a while," Kel'Thuzad marveled while drawing more complex runes and lines on the water's surface.
"But don't worry, with the Master's power and these Gronn, this guy is completely immobilized now."
After completing the magic circle, Kel'Thuzad examined the entity of fear before him, clicking his tongue in wonder, "This guy is completely different from Yogg-Saron; he has no physical flesh, almost entirely composed of vast energy."
"What are you things...?" The Sha of Fear desperately wanted to control his power to destroy everything before him, but he couldn't sense any fear.
From Kel'Thuzad, he instead detected an extremely strong curiosity, though this curiosity seemed insignificant under the undead's icy will.
And Kel'Thuzad had no intention of answering a prisoner's question; he merely said to Ogrim, "The seal is complete; this guy's self-awareness will grow weaker and weaker. Once he falls into silence again, we can take him away."
"What about the Terrace of Endless Spring?"
Ogrim glanced at the pool water beneath his feet; a lot of the Sha of Fear's power still lingered here, plus the dark magic they had used, making it a veritable cesspool of toxins.
Arthas had ordered them to handle the Sha of Fear and all possible collateral effects, but this request was somewhat difficult for these Death Knights and Liches; they were familiar with defilement and corruption, but asking them to purify the Terrace of Endless Spring...
"Don't worry about it," Kel'Thuzad bound a stream of water with magic; this water also seemed to be curiously observing him, which reminded Kel'Thuzad of his Mr. Bigglesworth, and his jaw clacked twice, as if in a smile.
Waving his hand to return the stream to the pool, Kel'Thuzad explained, "Without the Sha of Fear, the Terrace of Endless Spring's self-purification ability will slowly cleanse the corruption here, and as for the little bit of pollution we left behind, it's even more negligible."
What Kel'Thuzad hadn't said was that, given his Master's caution, after they left, those who would take over here would likely be Paladins, Priests, Druids, or Shamans; those guys were truly responsible for the aftermath.
"I'm returning to Naxxramas; the Sha of Fear is entrusted to your care," Kel'Thuzad instructed one last time before leaving with a teleportation spell, "Keep an eye on Grommash and Kargath; don't let them kill the Sha of Fear."
Ogrim cast a helpless glance at Grommash, who was enthusiastically preparing to chop off the Sha of Fear's claw as a trophy with the undead Jinyu Corlan, "I understand; I promise the Sha of Fear will be, at most, half-dead."
Kel'Thuzad said no more; as long as the Sha of Fear wasn't completely dead, it was fine. These orcs had been so idle from mining in the Outland that they were practically bored to tears; besides Ogrim, few orcs could endure such monotonous work.
The Sha of Fear was an important experimental material, and the largest Old God entity they could capture at the moment; although it was only a small fragment of Y'Shaarj, if it were larger, even the Scourge would have difficulty containing it.
After Kel'Thuzad left, Grommash raised his axe and gestured on one of the Sha of Fear's giant claws; when Ogrim wasn't paying attention, he chopped off a massive Sha energy claw with one swing of his axe.
The discomfort of having its body severed caused the Sha of Fear to shake violently, but with four Death Gronn suppressing him, he couldn't cause any trouble at all.
"This claw is really good; it looks even more intimidating than a Gronn's."
Grommash held this massive piece of Sha energy, but his joy didn't last long before Ogrim's large hand smacked him on the back of the head.
"What are you doing?" Ogrim stared expressionlessly at Grommash.
Grommash bared his teeth at Ogrim, then said, "Doing an experiment."
Then he threw the claw to Corlan; the moment Corlan received the Sha energy claw, a strange black and white mask suddenly appeared on his face, which was a precursor to Sha energy corruption.
But undead found it difficult to generate emotions like fear, especially since Corlan's soul had long since vanished, leaving only a remnant body. The Sha of Fear's will was thus stuck inside Corlan's body, neither ascending nor descending, awkward for a long time, and ultimately only a few weak little Sha emerged from Corlan's body.
Grommash wasted no words, chopping and crushing the few Sha with his axe, leaving behind a pile of Sha energy residue. The surrounding skeletons, working nearby, detected this energy and immediately gathered to collect the residue, bottling it in enchanted vials.
"This really looks like that thing," Grommash watched the entire process.
Ogrim, on the other hand, was puzzled as to what this brute was associating it with.
"Isn't that a specialty of your homeland? You should be more familiar with it than I am."
What are Gorgrond's specialties?
Grommash's question plunged Ogrim into a long period of recollection.
How long had he been away from his homeland? Thirty years, or forty years? So long that Ogrim could barely remember what his homeland looked like; decades of time were almost a lifetime for an Orc.
And his life had basically been spent in battle; from the moment he stepped through the portal leaving Draenor, the memories of Gorgrond became forever a thing of the past, because decades later, when he returned through the Dark Portal, that wild and beautiful planet had already turned into the Outland in the void.
However, despite the passage of time, after becoming a Death Knight, those past memories became clearer: Gorgrond was full of strange rocks, and beyond the rocks, its biggest feature was the dense forest that devoured people whole.
"Primal Thornbeast?" Ogrim realized what Grommash was talking about, but he quickly chuckled and said, "That thing is completely different from a Sha. They are living plants, just growing a bit faster."
"I'm talking about this parasitic and invasive characteristic. Don't you think it's very similar?" Grommash tore off another piece from the Sha of Fear.
It was strange, the Sha of Fear was clearly a collection of energy and negative emotions, but the tissues separated from him had a vitality similar to flesh, and despite being peeled from the main body, they were still continuously wriggling and... growing?
Ogrim observed for a while, then nodded, "That does seem a bit similar, hmm... maybe this could allow the Legion's scholars to research the Primal Thornbeast more deeply?"
The Scourge already had a basic understanding and utilization methods for the miraculous plant life known as the Primal Thornbeast. Using the Primal Thornbeast seed found in the Outland, the Scourge's technology department developed various ways to utilize this plant life.
However, what Ogrim found strange was why Grommash, who usually had nothing but muscles in his head, would suddenly be interested in research. Had digging for ore in the Outland damaged his brain?
"You're not thinking something that would dishonor me, are you?" Grommash easily saw through Ogrim's barely contained expression.
"No, no." Ogrim forced himself to maintain his composure, then said, "I will tell the guys in the R&D department about this discovery. The benefits of the Primal Thornbeast are indeed many, and if we can develop better tools, the mission will be easier to complete."
Actually, it would be best if they stopped mining... Although apexis crystal had high value, having these orcs, who were once powerful figures, guarding mines as overseers every day was even a bit much for Ogrim himself.
"If only there were still living Magron, those guys are even more skilled with the power of the earth than Gronn. With them, at least we wouldn't have to worry about mining," Grommash reminisced.
Magron were even older and more mysterious than Gronn; even they had only seen a few. When Draenor was still intact, these creatures generally roamed in deep mountains or wilderness, unlike the Gronn who lived in groups, these ancient creatures mostly lived alone.
After a brief moment of nostalgia, the two turned their gaze to the Sha of Fear. Now they had to find a way to destroy the Sha of Fear's will, at least to make him completely lose the ability to resist.
-----------------
In the following time, the Alliance Vanguard moved throughout Pandaria, hunting any possible Sha, as well as their collaborators.
Gradually, the main force of the Vanguard moved from Jade Forest to the western Kun-Lai Summit. The Mantid also seemed to notice the Alliance's movements, but they didn't seem to react at all; even the armies that had previously attacked Niuzao Temple and Serpent's Spine gradually withdrew.
Arthas knew that this was because the Sha of Fear was controlled and could no longer influence the Mantid's decisions. Coupled with the potentially awakening Klaxxi Paragons, the Mantid Empress Shek'zeer should now be facing impeachment, and the Mantid's internal affairs were likely in chaos.
Furthermore, due to contamination by the Sha of Fear's power, the southern part of the Mantid Plateau, which had become the Dread Wastes, still had not completely lost the possibility of recovery. Those Klaxxi who valued the continuation of Mantid civilization would certainly find ways to rebuild the ecology there.
This Mantid swarm had already arrived more than a decade earlier than expected. The Mantid were simply not fully prepared. It was only because of the Sha of Fear and the Naga's conspiracy that their Empress and their race became pawns in this war. If nothing unexpected happened, once the swarm gradually subsided, they would likely enter an even longer recovery period.
As long as the Mantid ceased their activities, there would basically be no major disturbances in the entire western Pandaria. Arthas naturally had no need to make the Alliance fight to the death with these insects. The current situation was acceptable to both sides.
"Kun-Lai Summit itself actually has no destabilizing factors. The Yaungol tribes are not a big problem for us, and we are gradually dealing with the Sha. In conclusion, it is those Mogu who are causing trouble everywhere that might be a big problem."
The Mogu and the Naga had an unclear relationship, just like their ancient allies, the Zandalar. The two seemed harmonious, but they were mostly not truly united. After the Mogu Empire disintegrated, most of the Mogu became independent, fighting among themselves, some content with the status quo, others unwilling to accept it.
And if there was one thing the Mogu cared about most, it was undoubtedly the treasures left behind by the ancient Mogu Empire. Almost every Mogu would not give up the chance to find these secrets.
Arthas speculated that the Naga might have also used these things as leverage, deceiving or enticing a group of Mogu to serve them, such as those Mogu who appeared at the Terrace of Endless Spring earlier.
"The current main task is to liberate the August Celestials, let them help us open the gate to the Vale of Eternal Blossoms, and at the same time, gather the forces of Pandaria to eliminate the danger that may be hidden underground in the Vale of Eternal Blossoms."
In the command war room, Arthas drew a conspicuous circle on the map at the location of the Vale of Eternal Blossoms. No matter what, N'Zoth could not be allowed to succeed. According to the information read from the corpses of those Mogu vanguards, their collaborators behind the scenes should be secretly digging for something in the Vale of Eternal Blossoms.
However, the other party seemed unskilled in excavation work, so they needed the Mogu to assist them. And the Mogu, for the secrets of the ancient emperor and a piece of news about "Lei Shen," began to help the other party.
The Mogu themselves were unwilling to humble themselves to be laborers for others, so they set their sights on the Pandaren and other local residents. They began to capture a large number of civilians around Kun-Lai Summit as slaves, forcing them to excavate things buried deep underground in the Vale of Eternal Blossoms.
However, due to the Alliance's obstruction, the progress of this task suddenly slowed down. A large number of Mogu slave-hunting teams were wiped out by Alliance soldiers. Arthas speculated that it wouldn't be long before the people behind them would act due to the stagnation of the project.
And as long as there was a reaction, the probability of revealing their true intentions would increase. Arthas was prepared to take this opportunity to completely expose the other party and directly foil N'Zoth's plan.
Just a few days after the Alliance began to obstruct the Mogu from hunting the local residents of Kun-Lai Summit, the Mogu finally couldn't hold back. They gathered a force and began to attack the headquarters of the Alliance Vanguard.
However, the Vanguard had anticipated their arrival and had set up defenses and ambushes in advance. The Mogu's attack could only return without success; in fact, they suffered heavy losses, with only a few powerful warlords escaping the encirclement with their personal guards.
After this crushing defeat, the Mogu's effective strength was largely wiped out, making it impossible for them to support large-scale operations. To maintain their combat effectiveness, they began to resurrect ancient Mogu statues in various Mogu ruins and tried to construct some constructs to prevent Alliance attacks.
Unfortunately, the disparity in strength between the two sides was significant. The Mogu's reorganized remnants were simply unable to withstand the Alliance's offensive. After several major defeats, they completely lost control of Kun-Lai Summit and all retreated into the Vale of Eternal Blossoms.
Uther, the commander of the Vanguard, headache-inducingly accepted the overly enthusiastic gratitude of the liberated local Pandaren and Hozen. At the same time, he left some engineering troops to help them repair their homes destroyed by the Mogu, while he led the Vanguard to garrison the Celestial Gate in the Vale of Eternal Blossoms.
Meanwhile, Arthas and Jaina, accompanied by carefully selected elite mages, were dealing with the other imprisoned Sha in the Shado-Pan Monastery.
"This should be the last one."
Arthas watched the Sha of Anger's body gradually being eroded by Arcane energy and gestured to Zhu Talan.
Zhu Talan understood and had the monks unlock the Sha of Anger's cage. This Sha, originally incredibly furious and powerful, was now extremely weak. Under the dual suppression of Arcane and Chi, he could only barely say to Arthas, "You won't… always win."
"Go back to the Void and tell your master."
Arthas shattered the Sha of Anger's form with a single hammer blow. The scattered Sha energy instinctively tried to escape, but Jaina quickly captured it with an Arcane cage. Without the Sha of Anger's control, these powers were powerless to resist Jaina's Arcane magic.
"It's over." Zhu Talan clasped his hands together and let out a long breath, a huge weight lifted from his heart.
Doubt, Fear, Hatred, Anger, Despair, Violence.
The six Sha sealed by Shaohao had all been subdued. Pandaria would no longer have hidden dangers—
"Not yet, Zhu," Master Snowdrift of the Shado-Pan shook his head. "Have you forgotten? There's still the most terrifying, most mysterious Sha, one that even Shaohao couldn't defeat—"
"The Sha of Pride."
Zhu Talan, of course, knew the legend of Emperor Shaohao, but in all these years, he had traveled to almost every corner of Pandaria and had never found anything related to the Sha of Pride. It seemed as if such a Sha had never existed in Pandaria.
Such a terrifying existence as a Sha could not possibly leave no trace. Wherever intelligent beings were active, Sha would inevitably breed. They would not give up any opportunity to corrupt life.
"We have never found any trace of the Sha of Pride's existence. It should just be a legend," Zhu Talan comforted Master Snowdrift.
Master Snowdrift remained silent. He, of course, knew why Zhu Talan was so certain. Although the historical records left by Emperor Shaohao clearly documented the existence of the Sha of Pride, for ten thousand years, this Sha, which was clearly not defeated by Shaohao, had never manifested. This completely defied logic.
Perhaps… perhaps it truly was just a legend, merely to demonstrate the Emperor's humility and greatness?
"Y'Shaarj, the Seven-Headed God."
Arthas suddenly uttered a very ancient title, causing both Zhu Talan and Master Snowdrift to look at him.
"The Sha were born from the remains of this ancient deity. His seven heads gave birth to powerful entities like the Sha of Doubt."
"You mean… the Sha of Pride truly exists? But if he exists, why for ten thousand years—" Zhu Talan couldn't help but want to retort, but Arthas's next words left him speechless.
"Pride," Arthas stared intently into Zhu Talan's eyes beneath his hat brim, "Don't you feel it? Your judgment that the Sha of Pride doesn't exist is full of arrogance, isn't it? It's as if some unseen force is subtly driving you to accept this view."
"This!" Zhu Talan was startled and began to reflect on whether it was truly as Arthas said.
"You only believe what you find, what you see—or rather, what He allows you to see." Arthas stated a rather terrifying fact.
Such a statement sent shivers down the spines of Zhu Talan and Master Snowdrift. If it were truly like this, wouldn't it mean that the Sha of Pride didn't leave no trace at all? On the contrary… He had always been there, and He was everywhere.
How terrifying and dreadful would a powerful main Sha, never sealed, be after accumulating power for ten thousand years in Pandaria?
The two Pandaren dared not imagine. Zhu Talan immediately asked his question, which was also key to proving the Sha of Pride's existence, "If he has always been influencing us, then how exactly does he do it?"
"The Mists."
The Mists? What did that mean? Zhu Talan was a little confused, but Arthas quickly answered his question.
"The Mists surrounding Pandaria are both protection and a form of confinement." Arthas said, "You believe the Mists protecting Pandaria are the Emperor's blessing, but in reality, that was the choice Shaohao made under the Sha of Pride's influence."
"That's impossible!" Zhu Talan found it hard to believe such a thing. If the Mists surrounding Pandaria were brought about by the Sha of Pride, then why had they been able to live safely for ten thousand years?
"Time," Master Snowdrift, however, immediately understood something. "The Sha of Pride made Emperor Shaohao make that choice because they had no time."
The Mists of Pandaria appeared during the Great Sundering ten thousand years ago. They were a sacrifice made by Emperor Shaohao to protect his proud people. He proudly trusted his people, believing that if given time, they would learn the lessons the Emperor had gained during his travels.
However, it was this pride that allowed the Sha of Pride to succeed. This most cunning, most insidious Sha hid in this way, waiting for the opportune moment. The Mists of Pandaria not only protected the Pandaren from the Great Sundering but also made the Sha of Pride completely disappear from history.
Shaohao realized the problem, but he had no other choice: either watch Pandaria be destroyed under the iron hooves of the Burning Legion, or buy time for Pandaria, giving the Pandaren a chance to solve the root of the problem.
Ultimately, he still chose the answer his inner pride offered him.
He just didn't expect that for these ten thousand years, Pandaria had remained stagnant. Fear and doubt still lingered and intertwined in the hearts of all beings, and hatred and anger still followed like shadows. He succeeded, but he also failed.
Pandaria has long been on the brink of a precipice, and we were oblivious to it," Zhu Talan's face was ashen. "We thought we had mastered the lessons the Emperor learned, but we forgot the 'leaf' blocking our path: Pride."
Master Snowy sighed deeply, clasped his hands, and bowed to Arthas. "Thank you for your guidance. We will do our utmost to fulfill our duties."
"The situation in Mantid Plateau and Kun-Lai Summit has also gradually stabilized. Yu'lon tells me that the August Celestials will head to Celestial Gate after a short rest, and our troops have already gathered there."
Arthas described the next steps to Zhu Talan, who nodded. "I will have the Shado-Pan follow up, and I will personally contact the Golden Lotus in Vale of Eternal Blossoms."
The Golden Lotus, a secret sect operating covertly in Vale of Eternal Blossoms, is dedicated to defending the Vale and eliminating the Mogu forces there, aiming to end the terrible ambitions of these Mogu and resolve the troubles they bring once and for all.
But the Mogu are like centipedes that die but never fall over; as an imperial civilization that emerged even before the Great Sundering, even predating the Ancient Elf Empire, their heritage is difficult to completely sever. In fact, the Pandaren owe their current predicament largely to the Mogu's inherent brutality.
Since the passing of the last Mogu Emperor, Lao Fei, the leaderless Mogu reverted to their initial state of warlord rule and a hundred kings warring. Although some strong-willed monarchs appeared later, such as Weapon Master Sien, who now controls Mogu'shan Palace in Vale of Eternal Blossoms.
But they never had another who could re-assemble the empire like the Thunder King and revive the Mogu Empire that once ruled all races.
"With the help of the Golden Lotus, we will be able to establish a better foothold in Vale of Eternal Blossoms, but we must still be cautious. That is the current center of Mogu power, and the Mogu can wield far greater strength there than anywhere else on this continent."
Before leaving, Zhu Talan reminded Arthas not to let down his guard against the Mogu. Since they were already colluding with the Naga, nothing they did would be surprising.
After Zhu Talan left, Jaina also said to Arthas, "I need to return to Dalaran. Although these Sha have been eliminated, there are still some lingering traces of their aura. Perhaps imprisoning them in the Dalaran prison is a good idea."
Originally, Zhu Talan wanted to continue sealing these remaining Sha within the Shado-Pan, but considering that the Shado-Pan might be vulnerable internally in the near future, he still agreed to the suggestion of the Alliance guarding the Sha.
Dalaran possesses the world's most complete Arcane prison system. Aside from the Guardian facilities established by the Titans, there should be no more secure containment.
"Be careful."
Arthas and Jaina made a brief farewell. The remaining Sha energies posed no great threat; even without destroying the heart of y'shaarj, they would likely need tens of millions of years to recover to their previous levels.
And as long as the heart of y'shaarj was destroyed, these energies would become rootless water, rapidly and completely dissipating.
Before leaving the Shado-Pan, Arthas had one last person—or rather, a god—to meet: the August Celestial who taught the Shado-Pan monks the way of the monk, Snowy, the White Tiger.
"You have done very well," Snowy's voice, commanding without anger, resonated through the Shado-Pan Great Hall. "Even Shaohao did not achieve what you have."
"These few sealed Sha were never going to amount to much," Arthas showed no pride. In his view, Shaohao had already laid the groundwork for defeating these six Sha; his arrival was merely the catalyst for it all. "The Sha of Pride is our true opponent."
Snowy nodded. "That fellow has been in hiding for ten thousand years. Even the four of us couldn't pinpoint his existence. Perhaps this time, we can truly eliminate future troubles forever."
"Not perhaps, but certainly." Arthas said with a tone full of conviction.
"Hahaha—" Snowy laughed heartily at his words. "To others, you are far more arrogant than Shaohao! But I know this is not arrogance, but confidence. You are the most powerful person I have ever seen. Even my power is far inferior to yours. Perhaps even the resurrected Thunder King would not be your match."
As a spirit of strength, the White Tiger's power was unquestionable. In Pandaria, he had only lost to the Thunder King, the usurper who called himself the Thunder God. Later, the White Tiger also comprehended some secrets from nature: the Thunder King's power did not come from himself, but from an older and more powerful existence.
"My power is merely a key. All I need to do is open a door for our future," Arthas said calmly. "The true future must be forged by everyone together."
"Good!"
The White Tiger's roar echoed through the mountains, causing the wind and snow to intensify. For tens of thousands of years, he had never seen a person so to his liking. Shaohao was more like a junior to him, someone he needed to guide, while Arthas did not need it. He himself had already reached a realm that countless people never achieved in their entire lives.
After a brief moment of excitement and cheer, Snowy leaped up, lay down on a nearby high platform to nap, and at the same time said to Arthas, "I understand now. When that slow-moving fellow Niuzao arrives at Celestial Gate, I will be there too. Go ahead and do what you must."
With that, Snowy's figure gradually dissipated, transforming into a cold wind that merged into the mountains outside the hall.
-----------------
"Fools! Useless!"
Inside Mogu'shan Palace, earth-shattering roars continuously erupted, followed by several ear-piercing metallic clashes. A few Mogu, covered in dust, were thrown out of the palace.
These Mogu were all clad in exquisite armor, with meticulously designed patterns and decorations on their faces and beards, clearly indicating their unusual status.
"Ku'uai, you utter idiot!" Ming Guizi, wearing armor and an outer robe, crawled up from the ground, glaring furiously at the burly Ku'uai.
"Hmph! Do you dare say you don't have an ambiguous relationship with those Naga?" Ku'uai snorted, not taking Ming Guizi's glare seriously.
Ming Guizi reprimanded him loudly, "You fool are not worth conspiring with! The Naga have penetrated deep into Vale of Eternal Blossoms and have been constantly sneaking around. I must send people to feign compliance with them to investigate their true intentions! Besides, do you all dare to say you have no involvement with the Naga whatsoever?!"
At these words, the Mogu leaders fell silent.
They were the Mogu chieftains of various tribes, who had come to pay homage to the current Mogu King Sien, attempting to win the king's favor.
As a result, Sien discovered that some Mogu in Vale of Eternal Blossoms had actually defied his orders, colluded with a group of Naga of unknown origin, and even attempted to excavate the tombs of ancient emperors to seize the Mogu's most treasured artifacts.
This instantly enraged Sien. He used his immense power to blast all the visiting Mogu warlords out of the palace and ordered them not to step foot in Mogu'shan Palace again until they had investigated which tribes were colluding with the Naga.
However, the embarrassing truth was that almost all of the warlords present had intermittent contact with the Naga. Although they all looked down on these slimy, slippery bottom-dwellers, the conditions offered by the Naga were simply too tempting to refuse.
It concerned the secrets of the Thunder King; how many Mogu could resist such temptation?