Translator: Shiraishi Editor: TheAlliance
It would be understandable if it was actually an Upper Rank Flame Spirit, but it was only the totem’s flame, which shouldn’t be alive.
There seemed to be a power gathering as that flame throbbed, making Lin Yun’s heart beat faster.
‘Very frightening…’
Lin Yun paled as he began to sweat from the pressure from the flame. The current Lin Yun had fused the three Meditation Law Sets in the Tulan Mountain Range and had broken through to become a 5th Rank High Mage. His power was more than enough to match high-ranked Archmages.
But he was faltering somewhat when facing that strange flame, which showed how frightening the power contained within it was. He even had a feeling that if the flame unleashed its power, a disaster would happen.
‘Hold on…’
But while he was secretly apprehensive, he suddenly had a marvelous feeling as he looked at the flame. It felt as if everything became clear and he found a clue.
This flame was related to the Raising Dragon Array.
Over ten days ago, when the allied army consolidated their control over the Ghost Valley, Lin Yun sneaked out to unearth the Raising Dragon Array, but a formidable defensive power was covering it. Through his analysis, he discovered that if a terrifying flame burst out with enough power, it would scatter this protective aura.
He had then looked for the young Beastman, Yass, and asked about the Ghost Valley. Back then, Yass only spoke of a legend spreading in the Thawing Fire Tribe for countless years. A formidable fiend was sealed at the bottom of the Ghost Valley and needed a certain thing to be released, and that thing was in the Sacred Land of the Thawing Fire Tribe.
At the time, Lin Yun had a feeling that this was related to the Dragon Raising Array, so he agreed to climb the Sacred Mountain with the Black Tower.
The answer was on the verge of being disclosed…
That Peak True Spirit Totem left behind by the Thawing Fire Tribe’s ancestor, which the Black Tower had been arduously tracking all this time, was the key to scattering that defensive power.
To be more accurate, he needed the help of the flame at the top of the totem.
But, he didn’t know whether to laugh or cry… He’d already known about the existence of the totem when he agreed to work together with the Black Tower, but he hadn’t cared about it at the time, calmly giving the totem to the Black Tower during the negotiations even though Harren didn’t know about it.
Lin Yun knew better than anyone that this Peak True Spirit Magic Tool had no use in the hands of humans. Back then, the Black Tower had lost over ten Archmages without getting any benefits, only profiting Heaven Shaman Lusar…
Lin Yun truly hadn’t expected that the thing he needed to open the Raising Dragon Array would be this totem.
Besides Lin Yun, the two Representatives of the Black Tower, Weiss and Suval, also knew some secrets. When they saw the totem on the altar, they immediately became excited, their hearts beating extremely fast. But after his experience in the Tulan Mountain Range, Weiss was a bit calmer. He frowned and vigilantly watched the surroundings and the Tribal Chief, not acting blindly.
“Are you the Thawing Fire Tribe’s Tribal Chief?”
But Suval actually stepped forward and broke the deadlock. He looked at the middle-aged Beastman across him and frowned as he coldly said, “The Thawing Fire Tribe has been completely extinguished. You are the last one, so pitiful. If you take the initiative to hand over the totem, you might be able to keep your life…”
Suval’s tone was filled with a feeling of superiority as he looked at the Tribal Chief with disdain.
He had assessed the Tribal Chief’s mana fluctuations when he first discovered him and found out that the Tribal Chief was comparable to a human 6th Rank Archmage. This kind of power would be considered top-notch in all of the Raging Flame Plane.
But what about it?
After all, this group consisted of Archmage powerhouses, while he himself was a 7th Rank Archmage. The others might not even need to get involved. He should be able to easily kill the Tribal Chief on his own.
It would be a bit more troublesome if the Tribal Chief could rouse the power of the totem, but that should only be a bit of trouble, as he simply wasn’t Suval’s opponent.
Suval was so confident because the outcome was already decided in his eyes. Regardless of what the Tribal Chief chose to do, in the end, the totem would fall into the hands of the Black Tower.
“I don’t have much time to keep you company, so I hope you can make your decision quickly. But you should naturally understand that this will decide your future…” Seeing no reaction from the Tribal Chief, Suval’s expression turned icy. “I already gave you the opportunity, whether you can grasp it or not is up to you…”
“Human, although you eliminated the Thawing Fire Tribe, our Great Ancestor will punish intruders such as you and make you die in despair…”
The Tribal Chief still had a lofty attitude while standing on the altar, looking over everyone within a hundred meters, not seeming to realize his situation. A fierce expression appeared on his face, filled with boundless hatred.
“Unfortunately, you missed your only opportunity…” The smile on Suval’s face disappeared as his eyes sharply watched the Tribal Chief. He couldn’t help inwardly shaking his head and laughing. “If your damn ancestors truly existed, would they have watched helplessly as we eliminated the Thawing Fire Tribe? I have to say, you Beastmen are truly naive…
“Forget it, it’s better that I take it personally and see your ancestors on the way,” Suval sneered, not concealing his killing intent. He already regarded the Tribal Chief as a dead person, his words seemingly pronouncing his death sentence. He then slowly moved and walked over to the altar.
In fact, he had never put the Tribal Chief in his eyes. This self-confidence stemmed from his own formidable power. He was an entire rank higher than the Tribal Chief, and the gap between them was like heaven and earth. Each step was incomparably difficult in the Archmage realm, especially after the 5th Rank.
He was completely certain that this battle wouldn’t last more than ten minutes.
“Wait a moment…”
But Suval didn’t even take two steps before a voice echoed behind him. Although that voice was very gentle, it clearly echoed in everyone’s ears. Suval stiffened, his body turning as a cold smirk appeared on his face. “What? Mafa Merlin, you want to renege on our deal?”
Representative Suval, who had come out from the Black Tower’s Holy Land, had naturally learnt some core secrets of the Black Tower, particularly the secret behind this collaboration with the Merlin Family to jointly attack the Thawing Fire Tribe. The Black Tower had obtained top secret information a hundred years ago unveiling the existence of a powerful Magic Tool within the Thawing Fire Tribe, a Peak True Spirit Magic Tool at that.
The Black Tower had wanted to get that Magic Tool for a while, but they couldn’t transfer so many of their forces. Thus, the plan to obtain it had been halted indefinitely, up until Mafa Merlin dropped by to suggest working together.
Moreover, he clearly knew that in this collaboration, the Black Tower had priority in taking loot from the Thawing Fire Tribe. The Black Tower was the one putting forth most of the effort, and although it looked like they were taking a loss on the surface, in reality, after eliminating the Thawing Fire Tribe, the Black Tower would get the Peak True Spirit Magic Tool and earn quite a bit…
Thinking of this, Suval looked at the young mage with ridicule. ‘It looks like Mafa Merlin finally understands what happened… You must be regretting now, aren’t you? Sadly for you, there is no medicine for regret!
‘You thought the Black Tower was collaborating with the Merlin Family only for the Ghost Valley? Who cares about an insignificant Ghost Valley? What the Black Tower really wants is that Peak True Spirit Magic Tool. If used appropriately, it wouldn’t be long before the Black Tower has more Peak Archmage powerhouses!’
But the young mage remained indifferent, not seeming regretful as Suval thought he would.
‘It’s an act… It’s definitely an act. That is a Peak True Spirit Magic Tool! If such a thing appeared in Noscent, it would lead to a bloody battlefield between major forces, with countless powerhouses trying to obtain it. Unless Mafa Merlin is an idiot, how could he not care about it?
‘Telling me to wait like that was the best evidence. He clearly wants to stop me from getting the totem. But this does make sense.’ Suval couldn’t help inwardly shaking his head. ‘He is too young…’
“Mafa Merlin, if I’m not wrong, you came to an agreement with Sir Harren, right? After eliminating the Thawing Fire Tribe, our Black Tower would have loot priority. I can tell you the truth now… The thing our Black Tower wants to take is that totem on the altar…” When saying those words, Suval was inwardly gloating, as he could finally share this secret.
‘Mafa Merlin might still think he made a profit by working with the Black Tower, but reality is cruel. Telling him this should be a slap to his face.
‘The Black Tower isn’t collaborating with your Merlin Family, it’s using your Merlin Family!’
“Although I’m sorry, I still have to say that if you want the totem, you would be breaking the agreement with the Black Tower and would have to face our rage. Of course, I don’t mind if you do so, because that would speed up the destruction of the Merlin Family, Hahaahaha!” Suval took a good look before no longer bothering with the young mage. He turned and slowly started walking towards the altar.
