Chapter 330 – A Top Human Race Power, Tianyuan Territory

The first light of dawn emerged in faint strands from the horizon’s edge, piercing through clouds and mist to gradually spill across this rugged, scarred land. Yet even as morning broke through the darkness, it couldn’t dispel the lingering, pervasive chill that clung to the earth.

Here, blood had long congealed.

Yesterday’s legendary battle had torn apart all clouds and rain from the sky. After the battle, Dolai manipulated the forces of nature to summon torrential rains that continuously washed over the land, yet even this couldn’t fully cleanse the meat grinder-like battlefield outside Wolfhead Mountain.

Several dozen kilometers away from Wolfhead Mountain, beyond the battlefield, a group of elves stepped onto this land with profound reverence.

Leading them was Elf Tilly, accompanied by three other peak Fourth Order experts who held high positions within Nature’s Garden.

Their first stop brought them before a canyon adjacent to a roaring river.

The canyon’s steep cliffs showed faint crystalline traces, but what drew the elves’ attention more was the river flowing through its center. The water exhibited an eerie blue-purple hue, with faint, fragmented lightning arcs dancing across its surface.

Some sections of the riverbed showed blue tinged with red, where the water continuously boiled and occasionally erupted with thick pillars of fire, accompanied by roaring explosions.

Such scenes extended upward along the winding deep canyon, visible everywhere.

“Is this really a canyon created by a legendary battle, and not some naturally formed treasure land? Not that I don’t believe it, but I’ve had little education and can’t quite imagine it.”

“I’m different – if Tilly hadn’t recorded some scenes with the Shadow Recording Crystal, I definitely wouldn’t believe it! Who could believe something so incredible? No wonder this battle is considered an epic campaign!”

Though the two elves claimed disbelief and inability to imagine such a scene, their faces bore expressions akin to religious pilgrims.

It wasn’t that they had never witnessed legends or legendary battles before.

Precisely because they had, they found this particularly exaggerated and unbelievable.

Of course, the one who had blasted out this Thunderflame Canyon with tremendous power was this faction’s preserved foundation, not the garrisoning legend. However, it was said that this legend had fought several Gnoll Legends to a standstill in a short period, which was already quite extraordinary. Anything more exaggerated would stretch credibility.

The diplomatic elves continued along Thunderflame Canyon, frequently exclaiming with awed gasps and murmurs of amazement.

They progressed in starts and stops, occasionally gazing at the surrounding devastated scenery, taking over half an hour before they finally glimpsed Wolfhead Mountain Fortress shrouded in faint white mist in the distance.

“We’ve finally arrived at the site of the Wolfhead Mountain battle.”

“Next, will we have the chance to behold the visage of that great legend? Thinking about it fills me with such anticipation!”

“Dear, I’d suggest tempering your expectations. We’re merely lowly Fourth Orders – what qualifications do we have to request an audience with a legend, especially one who’s considered legendary even among the Legendary Realm?”

“You’re right. After all, we’re only the first envoys visiting this faction. But once we become more familiar, we’ll probably get the chance to see that great legend, right? Just thinking about it still fills me with anticipation!”

After all, Nature’s Garden had no prior understanding of this faction whatsoever.This faction seemed to be related to the undead, so they had no choice but to be cautious. Therefore, their mission this time was merely a tentative contact, far from an official visit. The diplomatic strategy that Nature’s Garden would adopt next also depended on the information Tilly and the others gathered.

After all, living factions were not necessarily allies.

Some living factions had lower moral standards than even Monster Overlords. Certain living factions, such as the former ‘Dragonkin Valley,’ possessed great power but were exceptionally arrogant, and the elves had no desire to grovel before them.

However, the Wolfhead Mountain faction was different from Dragonkin Valley.

Even at its peak, Dragonkin Valley had failed to achieve any glorious victories; instead, their excessive arrogance led to a tragic demise. The Wolfhead Mountain faction was different—first, there was the legendary figure who fought one against five, and later, the immense power that blasted out the Thunderflame Canyon stretching dozens of kilometers.

Each of these feats inspired admiration among the elven powerhouses present.

They had no desire to grovel before Dragonkin Valley, but this faction was worth a little flattery.

They revered the strong!

In the past, elves might have been a peace-loving, non-confrontational race, but times had changed!

The Elven Empire and the Elven Holy Court had fallen, and the surviving elves were struggling to survive, fighting against ferocious, bloodthirsty, and cruel monsters. They had gradually learned to fight, kill, and shed blood.

This was especially true for elven powerhouses like them, who frequently ventured into the outside world, exploring regions ruled by Overlords at great risk.

They deeply understood how important strength was.

Tilly was petite, with an owl perched on her shoulder, its head tilted to the side.

Beside her were three other elves—one elderly and two young.

The elder had a goatee, wore loose white robes, and held a heavy-looking ebony staff. His sleeves were rolled up, revealing sturdy muscles.

The two younger elves had one with a shiny bald head and the other bare-chested, covered in scars. Both shared the trait of exceptionally robust and muscular builds, with fierce expressions.

Elven Grand Martial Monks ×2!

If not for their distinctive pointed ears, there was nothing about them that resembled traditional elves.

But for them, being able to fight and endure was the elven way of survival.

The group no longer concealed themselves and began walking down the slopes of Wolfhead Mountain.

…

At the same time,

Within Tianyuan Territory, Mu Yuan heard the pleasant and delightful chimes of the system panel at regular intervals.

「Prompt: Obtained ‘Troop Recruitment Order (Blue).’」

「Prompt: Obtained ‘Outstanding Three-Star Remnant Soul · Bone General (Blue).’」

…

「Prompt: Obtained ‘Secret Realm Upgrade Stone (Special).’」

「Prompt: Obtained ‘Outstanding One-Star Remnant Soul · …’」

「Prompt: Obtained ‘Miracle Blueprint · Mage Tower (Green).’」

…

「Prompt: Obtained ‘Miracle Blueprint · Permanent · Sniper Tower (Green).’」

「Prompt: Obtained ‘Miracle Blueprint · Permanent · Golden Fertile Soil (Green).’」

「Prompt: Obtained ‘Miracle Blueprint · Gravity Training Field (Blue).’」

…

Mu Yuan ignored some of the less important prompts but still reaped a bountiful harvest.

Yesterday, as soon as the battlefield cleanup ended and the night was still deep, Mu Yuan took Dolai and a few elite fighters to launch a surprise attack on the monster tribe.At this moment, many Tianyuan Experts, including Dolai, had not fully recovered their condition. However, time waits for no one, and striking now could catch Jackal Fang off guard.

Otherwise, if they waited another day or two, complications might arise when they sought to subjugate the large tribes to the north.

For instance, they might encounter ambushes.

This was not impossible.

Thus, Mu Yuan targeted three large monster tribes located north of Wolfhead Mountain, ranging from over two hundred to six hundred kilometers away, whose specific positions they had already confirmed.

“This approach serves two purposes: first, it continues to eliminate Jackal Fang’s scouts and further weaken their forces; second, it allows us to harvest many high-tier treasures!”

After all, the defense of Wolfhead Mountain had been extremely arduous. They had narrowly defeated powerful enemies, yet the rewards were not substantial.

Only three Excellent-grade Remnant Souls had been contributed by the six monster legends.

The effort and gains were completely disproportionate.

However, by subjugating large tribes and purifying the Filth Blood Pools, they could receive precious gifts bestowed by the heavens. And as long as they acted swiftly, this subjugation process would be relatively straightforward.

To this end, Mu Yuan dispatched his own… Incarnation.

During the defense of Wolfhead Mountain, his Incarnation had not engaged much. In contrast, his true self had suffered significant physical cracks and exhaustion from loading Dolai’s template and controlling legendary super spells, and was currently resting in the City Lord’s Mansion, enjoying the treatment of a wounded soldier.

He himself could be considered the second… no, third strongest expert in Tianyuan Territory.

Using the Lord’s Mark, Mu Yuan gathered Deadbone, Tiff, Niu Si, and a group of epic-level commanders. He rode Asun, following Dolai as they sped through the skies. Any flying monsters blocking their path were obliterated by Dolai from a distance before they could even show themselves.

Racing like the wind, they reached the first target tribe in just a short time.

Here, the monsters were much sparser compared to the previous Gnoll Camp One, Gnoll Camp Two, and the Kobold Tribe. Only a dozen or so high-tier intelligent monsters remained.

With Dolai barely exerting any effort, the group of experts quickly crushed the entire tribe’s monsters.

They swiftly purified the Filth Blood Pool.

Due to time constraints and a shortage of personnel, Mu Yuan’s team couldn’t thoroughly search the tribe for treasures, materials, and various supplies. They could only conduct a brief inspection before leaving with the spoils.

Afterward, they moved through multiple locations, swiftly erasing three massive monster tribes that had exerted pressure on the surrounding areas for years from the map.

By the time Mu Yuan returned to Wolfhead Mountain Fortress, not a hint of dawn had yet appeared on the horizon.

Only then did he have the leisure to examine the gains from this expedition.

The collected rare materials and equipment were stored in the Warehouse. The high-tier treasures bestowed by the heavens were laid out before him one by one.

“The Troop Recruitment Order can be used to recruit Treants or Snow Maidens. The Excellent Remnant Souls will continue to be auctioned in the Secret Realm. Additionally, there are some brand-new treasures.”

「Secret Realm Upgrade Stone (Special)」

「Description: Can be applied to a Secret Realm under your control to enhance it. After upgrading, the Secret Realm’s scale will expand, and it may also develop other special effects.」

For most Secret Realms, lords are visitors rather than owners.

But Mu Yuan indeed possessed a small Secret Realm—the gold-farming Secret Realm ‘Black Wasteland.’

Black Wasteland was a true Secret Realm built upon the ‘foundation’ of Tianyuan Territory—a Tier 1 Secret Realm.”Secret Realms cannot be upgraded simply by investing Soul Sand like Miracle Buildings; they require long-term nurturing by the territory. The higher the territory’s Rank, the faster the Secret Realm is nurtured.”

This was the description of the Black Wasteland.

Clearly, the Tianyuan Territory’s Rank was not high enough, and the nurturing time was insufficient. After over half a year, the Black Wasteland Secret Realm had hardly changed.

“Upgrade Stones are another method of upgrading besides nurturing.”

“Sniper Tower · Permanent (Green)”

“Description ①: A defensive structure that increases the attack range of ranged units stationed within by 30% and reduces their energy consumption. Upgrading the building further enhances these bonuses.”

“Description ②: A single tower can accommodate up to four combat units.”

Mu Yuan stroked his chin, “Quite impressive, especially since the Tianyuan Territory has numerous ranged units. Imagine the Polar Star Arrow, which already has an extremely long attack range, stationed inside a Sniper Tower…”

The thought alone was delightful.

The Sniper Tower might not be exceptionally powerful, but it was undoubtedly practical.

The same applied to the other Miracle Building.

“Gravity Training Field (Blue)”

“Description: Effectively trains the user’s physique, accelerating improvement or breaking through limits.”

“Note: Training buildings work best when paired with cultivation techniques~”

For ordinary territories, purely training-oriented Miracle Buildings like this held little value. Most military units had no use for them, and even if they did, the cost-effectiveness was low. Spending time and effort on training was far less efficient than absorbing Soul Sand to level up. Moreover, most units lacking self-awareness were incapable of training.

However…

“For experts at the Peak of the Fourth Order striving to reach the Fourth Order limit, this Gravity Training Field can significantly reduce the time needed for refinement.”

“Naturally, legendary beings using the gravity chamber to train their bodies would see even more pronounced effects.”

Mu Yuan stored the blueprints, preparing to send them back to the territory’s main base.

He pondered the next phase of development.

“After the great victory at Wolfhead Mountain, the Tianyuan Territory should theoretically have plenty of time to develop. However, my understanding of the Jackal Fang is still too limited, making it difficult to predict what this Monster Overlord will do next.”

At that moment, he received news of visitors.

“First-rate sentient forces in this region, Nature’s Garden and Boulder Mountain Ridge?”

“Seems… I’ve heard a little about them.”

Just a little.

After all, the Tianyuan Territory had only been in this region for a little over half a month—a fledgling force.

…

The elves and giants were not on an official visit; they merely came to make acquaintances, exchanging simple introductions and engaging in brief communication to get to know one another.

On the Tianyuan Territory’s side, neither Mu Yuan nor Dolai made an appearance.

The representatives were Isloria and Lu Liu.

Though Lord Mu was observing from afar in real-time through the Heavenly Eye.

Soon, Mu Yuan gained a general understanding of Nature’s Garden and Boulder Mountain Ridge. These two sentient forces were similar to the Winged-People Kingdom, both being remnants of ancient, glorious empires. The difference was that the elves and giants still maintained exploration of the outside world and frequently skirmished with the Jackal Fang.

Their knowledge of the Jackal Fang far exceeded that of the Winged-People Kingdom.”Jackal Fang does indeed possess more and stronger Legendary Realm existences. However, Jackal Fang has its own primary enemies—they frequently wage war against the forces controlled by the Fallen Gods further north. Before fully understanding our background, Jackal Fang likely won’t rashly declare war…”

“After all…”

Compared to Dolai, the super Legendary, what truly makes Jackal Fang more apprehensive is the nuclear-level spell of the Nine-Headed Roaring Thunderflame Dragon.

This is the real deterrent.

They might suspect there isn’t a second such nuclear-level spell, but they dare not gamble. They cannot afford another loss of several Legendary-level beings.

Using the nuclear-level spell at the Battle of Wolfhead Mountain seems to have inadvertently achieved an excellent effect.

“Jackal Fang may not launch a full-scale war, but small-scale conflicts like ambushes and probes will definitely not be few. It is far from time to let our guard down yet.”

…

As Mu Yuan delved deeper into understanding Jackal Fang, as well as the two major forces of Nature’s Garden and Boulder Mountain Ridge, the elves and giants also began to gain awareness of this suddenly emerged faction that had achieved remarkable military feats.

“It’s not an undead force, nor a treant force, but the Human Race.”

“This appears to be a Miracle Territory established by a powerful human, named ‘Tianyuan’.”

“Prepare the carriage. It’s time we formally visit this first-rate human force, Tianyuan Territory.”

(End of Chapter)