Chapter 332 – The Frenzied Area Blocked on All Sides

The area around Wolfhead Mountain was far from tranquil. From a distance, one could hear the roars and howls of monsters, punctuated by the occasional thunderous boom of artillery fire.

Elves and giants wound their way upward along the uneven dirt path, where dried bloodstains were visible everywhere.

On the mountain, towering black City Walls stood imposingly, with numerous watchtowers, Arrow Towers, and lookout posts erected along them.

From time to time, arrows resembling streaks of light shot out from the watchtowers, whistling as they vanished into the distant sky.

At first glance, it seemed unremarkable.

But when they focused their attention, peering into the firing ports of the watchtowers to catch the moment those luminous arrows were unleashed, a sudden chill surged from the soles of their feet, striking straight to the crown of their heads.

Their hairs stood on end.

Even though the arrows were dozens or even hundreds of meters away and not aimed in their direction, they couldn’t shake the illusion that the arrows could veer at any moment and pierce right through them.

Was this reasonable?

The giants scratched their heads. Since they couldn’t figure it out, they simply stopped trying, quietly acknowledging that the human Tianyuan Territory lived up to its reputation and was truly formidable.

The elves, however, couldn’t help but dwell on it.

Elves were inherently a race skilled in archery. Among the classes they could Awaken, archer-type professions were mainstream.

From the lower-tier “Wood Elf Archer (Common 3-Star)” to the high-tier unit “Moon Elf Ranger,” and even the epic-tier “Divine Moon Elf,” their archery skills were unparalleled within the same tier.

In archery and tree cultivation, the elves prided themselves on their excellence.

Among the present delegation from Nature’s Garden, half of the elves were skilled archers, including the top-tier scout Tilly. She excelled at using owls for reconnaissance and shared vision, capable of striking down enemies from two or three thousand meters away with a single arrow, leaving them clueless about what had happened until their last breath.

Tilly’s scout eagle was still soaring outside Wolfhead Mountain.

The eagle’s sharp eyes caught sight of a sharp arrow.

The sharp arrow curved around a distant rocky outcrop and pierced through the skull of a cunning monster hiding behind an obstacle, killing it instantly.

And the distance was…

4,900 meters!

Holy smokes!

If she were in that watchtower, could she accurately hit and eliminate a crafty monster hiding behind a rocky outcrowd?

Tilly ran the simulation in her mind.

Tilly broke out in a cold sweat.

Her raw ability might… possibly still be stronger than that of the Polar Star Arrow in the watchtower. But the Polar Star Arrow was an epic-tier being—it was only reasonable for it to have a slight advantage in maximum shooting range, wasn’t it?

Tilly and the other elves naturally had no idea that the figure in the watchtower was the renowned Polar Star Arrow, who was scarcely inferior to the Divine Moon Elf. They only observed that there was more than one watchtower capable of firing such arrows.

This made them sweat even more!

…

On Wolfhead Mountain, the conference venue had long been prepared. They had even specially provided seats tailored to the giants’ size.

Crafted from Black Iron Stone.

Sturdy and of exceptional quality.

It also emphasized the word “extravagance.”

After all, Lord Mu was someone with mines in his family—money was no object. Moreover, if they needed Materials in the future, they could simply melt down these Black Iron chairs, with almost no loss from intermediaries.

Since it was a visit from legendary figures, Lord Mu personally received the two this time.At this moment, Dolai sat beside him in the secondary seat, its face taut, eyes fixed straight ahead with a serious and earnest expression. The Shapeshifting Badge it wore had transformed into a robe-like garment, with streams of multicolored light flowing across it, making it appear even more transcendent and ethereal.

‘Is this the one who single-handedly fought against several Gnoll Legends?’

‘Wow, I never thought I’d actually meet the great legend who achieved such miraculous feats!’

‘To be honest, this legend looks a bit young. If it weren’t for the introduction earlier, I really couldn’t have imagined this is that great legend. I thought the one who crushed Jackal Fang would be a mighty figure with bulging muscles, arms strong enough to race horses, and at least eight arms!’

‘You just don’t get it. This legend might seem weak at first glance, but that only shows our Realm is too low to perceive the subtleties. It demonstrates this senior’s mastery in concealing his Aura and essence, which further highlights his immense power.’

The elves and giants sitting in the outer circle cast frequent glances of awe and admiration toward Dolai. They could only gaze from afar, not daring to look directly. After all, without reaching the Legendary Realm, one isn’t qualified to look a legend in the eye.

Mu Yuan glanced at Dolai. General Dolai did possess a certain degree of dignity when it kept its mouth shut.

Dolai was merely a mascot.

The real masterminds behind the strategies were Isloria and Lu Liu.

Originally, Mu Yuan had intended to bring Deadbone along, but Deadbone felt that such public appearances weren’t suitable for him. The experts of Tianyuan Territory couldn’t be fully exposed to outsiders, even if they were allies.

Mu Yuan admitted that Deadbone was right.

Even without Deadbone present, they could still communicate and exchange opinions in real-time through their Mental Link.

“We have clashed with the legends of Jackal Fang several times ourselves, but most encounters ended in our defeat and retreat,” spoke the elven legend Mirena.

Nature’s Garden was defended by far more than just one Legendary Realm expert, yet they remained significantly weaker compared to Jackal Fang.

“In fact, when our Nature’s Garden first fled here as refugees, our ranks included only one injured senior in the Legendary Realm. That was the weakest and most perilous period for Nature’s Garden.”

“Through years of management and relentless development efforts, our Nature’s Garden’s strength has far surpassed what it once was. We are also seeking ways to truly break through the blockade and suppression of the Monster Overlords.”

Nature’s Garden had only put down roots here for just over a century.

That they could cultivate and give rise to several Legendary Realm experts and dozens of Fourth-Order Experts in such a short time was partly due to the elves’ natural talent, iron will, and unwavering determination.

But the more crucial reason was: Nature’s Garden possessed certain legacies from the ancient Empire.

Thanks to these legacies, they achieved a Legendary promotion rate far exceeding normal circumstances—for instance, one particular legacy could even assist a Fourth-Order Expert with a relatively high probability in developing a Domain.

Unfortunately, after over a century, these legacies were nearly depleted.

And now, if they couldn’t break the Monster Overlords’ suppression, their younger generation would soon face a shortage of cultivation resources.

They had to shatter this predicament!

Otherwise, they risked being trapped and worn down in this land. Or one day, their barriers might break, leaving them powerless as they watched the Gnolls set their home ablaze and burn it to ashes.Hiding is not a lifelong solution.

Moreover, the Jackal Fang is also growing stronger.

“They are at war with the Fallen God Force in the north. Occasionally, Legendary Realm experts fall in battle, but within the Monster Overlord’s forces, new Legendary Realm experts are born periodically.”

“The Gnolls’ development speed is faster than ours. The longer we delay, the greater the gap between us and the Jackal Fang may become.”

“Nature’s Garden and Boulder Mountain Ridge originally… also wanted to find an opportunity to fight the Jackal Fang.”

It was just that the emergence of Tianyuan Territory gave them greater hope.

They grew somewhat impatient.

Although, at present, Tianyuan Territory has the fewest Legendary Realm experts among the three factions—only one.

But…

This General Dolai is far from an ordinary Legendary; it alone can match several Legendary experts. No one would underestimate the human forces because of Mirena and Asoro.

Moreover, the human forces still possess a trump card. Even without the strongest ‘nuclear’ level trump card, they likely have a secondary one.

Tianyuan Lord claims to have it.

So they take it as fact.

Whether it exists or not, the mere presence of this trump card would make the Jackal Fang wary. This alone, in terms of strategic value, is equivalent to one or two Legendary experts.

Mu Yuan pondered.

He didn’t entirely trust Mirena’s words either—after all, a woman’s words…

However, strategically speaking, his side and the elves and giants naturally shared a common goal.

He needed more intelligence and someone to divert the Jackal Fang’s attention.

Thinking of this, he paused and asked,

“Have either of you considered exploring further afield? Perhaps in some places, the monster forces aren’t so vast, and living beings can survive more easily and simply.”

Within the inner ring of the Taixuan Alliance, lords face no survival pressure at all.

Of course, Taixuan is, after all, a powerful nation.

But in many small countries and scattered territories outside Taixuan, survival is possible as long as they find a patron. In these places, living beings are the overlords.

The elf shook her head slightly, “We elves have undergone several great migrations, crossing one Great Domain after another, our ranks growing thinner and more fragmented, until we settled in this region.”

“Compared to the areas we passed through before, the Crimson Mist here is less dense. In this era of widespread disasters, this place is already a rare safe zone.”

It seems there are regions where the Crimson Mist is thicker, and calamitous months are permanent?

Mu Yuan mulled over this.

The giant spoke in a deep, rumbling voice, “Same with us.”

Everyone had settled here because there was nowhere left to migrate. They also didn’t quite believe that there were places outside more peaceful and tranquil than this.

In their eyes, the Jackal Fang was already a ‘bully-able’ force.

Mu Yuan: “…”

You might not believe it, but there are indeed peaceful places outside. It’s just that where these peaceful places are located and how to get there—he couldn’t quite explain clearly either.

Although not yearning for the ‘world beyond,’ the elves and giants had explored their maps extensively.

To the east, a great river flows into the sea, but the ocean area doesn’t seem very large—or rather, the habitable area isn’t vast enough. Flying east from the coastline for over a thousand kilometers leads into an endless stretch of vortex zones.

Whirlpools in the water.

Water spouts in the sky.

“These areas not only have violent natural energy, making it difficult for us Legendary Realm experts to manipulate the power of heaven and earth, but space is also somewhat disordered, displaced, and fragmented.”””Even those in the Legendary Realm would find it extremely dangerous to venture inside, making passage nearly impossible.”

“I once attempted to cross a violent region, but regrettably, I dared not proceed further after two hundred kilometers. Beyond that point, even if one could preserve their life, they would likely become lost within, ultimately meeting their demise.”

Giant Asoro spoke.

He was known as the Absolute Barrier, with physical defenses of unparalleled strength. Yet by the time he reached two hundred kilometers deep, he was already covered in wounds.

Having obtained new clues, Mu Yuan fell into thought.

According to natural laws, even if Tianyuan Territory had been greatly displaced during the fusion, and the displacement distance was a hundred or a thousand times that of ‘disaster-stricken territories’ like Stone Ridge Town, it still shouldn’t be that far away.

At the very least, it shouldn’t be to the extent that not a single trace of the Pioneer Group’s leaders could be found.

However, if his location wasn’t in the ordinary depths of the Wilderness but rather in an area with distinct spatial properties and unique geographical coordinates, then it would make sense.

This possibility was quite high, and he needed more clues for analysis.

The elves and giants weren’t concerned with these matters; they only cared about when Tianyuan Territory planned to go to war with Jackal Fang. When the time came, they would also launch a full-scale attack, surrounding Jackal Fang from three sides.

“With the combined strength of our three forces against Jackal Fang, we even have the advantage!”

Mirena was restless, eager, her face flushed with excitement.

But Mu Yuan frowned. “Jackal Fang isn’t the only Monster Overlord. To the south, there’s Blood Serpent Embrace, and to the west, there’s Blood Tree King. Defeating Jackal Fang doesn’t mean we can live in peace.”

“This matter must be carefully considered over time. We cannot rush, we cannot be hasty.”

The elves and giants frowned.

They weren’t unaware of this reasoning, but the longer they delayed, the more people would fear failure. They didn’t want to one day become what they despised in their youth.

But before they could speak, they heard Mu Yuan say:

“At the very least, several months to a year later.”

“We need sufficient time to prepare our troops, supplies, and gather more intelligence on Jackal Fang. For a battle that concerns our fate and survival, we must never, ever act rashly.”

Lord Mu spoke with profound sincerity.

The elves and giants stared wide-eyed, mechanically agreeing.

They concurred, completely concurred.

It’s just… isn’t this a bit too hasty?

When they said “as soon as possible,” they meant within a few years. But your version of “careful consideration over time” means a year or even just a few months?

Brother, shouldn’t we consider slowing down a bit, being more cautious?

…

Lord Mu was an extremely busy man.

Recently, he might have caught ‘Clone Work Syndrome’ from Isloria. Even as he was meeting with the elf and giant legends at Wolfhead Mountain, the biweekly trading gathering in the Secret Realm happened to be held at the same time.

Fortunately, he was skilled at multitasking.

After half a month, the Elven Courtyard Secret Realm had become much more lively, and the area of the entire Secret Realm had visibly expanded.

In the distance, lush forests stood, streams murmured, and fish swam within.

Some puppets were hammering away, constructing new pavilions and towers using Miracle Blueprints.

“Lady Han Yue used a special rare artifact to upgrade the Secret Realm.”

Mu Yuan heard a familiar voice.

Linglong Lord!

She hadn’t been present at the previous trading gathering, but this time, she was clearly hosting it again. Looking at Linglong Lord’s radiant, beaming face…”Brother Yuan, earth-shattering news—Lord Linglong has stepped into the Legendary Realm!”

Jiang Luoxing leaned in with exaggerated envy, “Big shot Linglong is now soaring to great heights.”

Beside them, the Great Dragon Lord, a standout among veteran lords, watched with even greater admiration and longing, “It feels like there’s already an insurmountable barrier between us and Lord Linglong. I’ve even heard rumors that not only has Lord Linglong entered the Legendary Realm, but she also personally led her troops to slay a werewolf legend!”

“Big shot Linglong already has a feat of slaying a legend! Truly terrifying!”

Shen Linglong’s ears twitched, and she zipped over to stand before Mu Yuan and the others in an instant, “I can confirm it—the news is true, not a rumor.”

She looked at Mu Yuan with an expression that said: Well? Isn’t your Sister Long impressive?

Breaking through to the Legendary Realm and slaying a legend—this was something she could boast about for months.

But boasting in front of ordinary lords was nowhere near as satisfying as boasting in front of the future big shot, Tianyuan.

Wait, no—talking about her own achievements couldn’t really be called boasting, could it? She had genuinely slain a monstrous legend. As a newly ascended legend taking down a veteran, it was truly remarkable, wasn’t it?

While Tianyuan hadn’t yet reached the peak, she needed to flaunt these glorious feats a bit more. Otherwise, once Tianyuan grew powerful in the future, her own achievements might not seem as impressive.

Opportunity waits for no one.

If you’re going to show off, do it early.

What could Mu Yuan do but praise her?

Recalling An Actor Prepares, he widened his eyes by 45%, kept his mouth slightly agape, controlled his breathing to quicken slightly, then paused for a moment before speaking, “Hiss~ Wow, that’s incredible!”

Shen Linglong’s lips curled upward, her mood as refreshing as if she’d downed a hundred pounds of soda.

She hadn’t come specifically to show off, though.

She was well aware that Tianyuan Territory was currently in a precarious situation.

And she, Shen Linglong, was now a legend.

“Don’t worry, sis will head north from Stone Ridge Town in a few days and will definitely find clues for you. Leave it all to sis.”

She patted the plate armor on her chest, making it thump loudly.

(End of Chapter)