Huoye did not retreat.
Even though Duke Hydraxis and his Water Elemental forces were wiped out, the two Dwarf Kings were carried away due to serious injuries, the Mage Corps suffered heavy losses, the people of Dalaran had disappeared, and the wind elemental prince and Lord Summerwind had suddenly appeared were nowhere to be found.
Huoye remained, leading the remaining mages and the Dark Iron frontline troops in a fierce battle against the ensuing army of Flamewaker that followed the retreat of the Firelord.
The arduous battle had just begun when a deafening explosion erupted behind the enemy lines, and the agonizing howls of the Firelord echoed throughout the underground space.
Huoye became excited. Using the far-sighted ability of his Mage's Eye, he could already see the figure flying around the Firelord. That respectable warrior always managed to create miracles. It was because of this belief that the Elf mage fought to the death, determined to wait for the Paladin's return.
Suddenly, there was a whooshing sound overhead. It turned out that the two wind elements hadn't left; they had been hiding on the cave ceiling and had finally revealed themselves.
Compared to his arrogant demeanor when he first appeared, the Wind Prince's body, which resembled a purple storm, had shrunk considerably, and his eyes were listless, clearly indicating that he was seriously injured.
Demitrian was also in a terrible state, and the two communicated in silence.
"The wails of the Firelord are gradually subsiding. Although the firebird is a formidable enemy, it must be exhausted after such a fierce battle. Perhaps we can..."
"But Your Highness, don't forget the human we abandoned earlier. We didn't expect him to be able to break through. Given our current state, it's best to take cover for now."
"Cowardly fool! He's nothing but a lowly human. He must have broken through the encirclement of the Molten Core army with that firebird. The fact that they could suppress the Firelord shows that Ragnaros is at his last gasp and is nothing to fear. You've already misjudged once; I can't afford to miss this once-in-a-lifetime opportunity."
When the Firelord retreated, the Wind Prince wanted to pursue him, but was dissuaded by Demitrian. Now it's too late for regrets, and he no longer wants to trust this cautious subordinate.
Demitrian, unable to disobey orders, could only fly down and roar, "Intensify the offensive! Cover my and Prince Thunderaan's Charge!"
The two wind elementals played a significant role in the battle against the Firelord, which was noticed by the Dwarf army. General Dark Iron was overjoyed and immediately ordered a counterattack as instructed.
The two storms, one purple and one blue, in the sky stirred up a gust of wind and sped toward the enemy's rear.
But when they flew closer, they discovered that the Firelord had vanished, and only the firebird charged towards them, completely ignoring the attacks of the ground Flamewaker army. Its aura was even stronger than that of the Fire Elemental Lord, and its energy was fully replenished, indicating that its combat power was at its peak.
Upon seeing the Paladin on the phoenix's back, who was also full of vigor and showed no signs of exhaustion, Demitrian was instantly terrified. He dared not linger and, grabbing the Wind Prince, turned and fled.
How could Unas possibly let this enemy who had delivered himself to his doorstep go? With a roar, he and the phoenix spread their four wings and suddenly burst out with speed beyond their limits, instantly pouncing on the back of the Wind Prince.
Wind element has a high immunity to physical attacks, so Unas used all his strength as soon as he drew his scythe, unleashing the strongest Wolf God's Will.
A nearly solidified white giant wolf leaped out from the artifact and bit the Wind Prince's head.
Huan lunged forward with both claws, sensing the Paladin's surging killing intent. Its five tail feathers, like a cobra's attack, instantly wrapped around half of the Wind Prince's torso, and its sharp beak pierced his heart.
In a single exchange, the Wind Prince was subdued and utterly powerless to resist.
Demitrian fought desperately to save his lord, unleashing several enormous wind blades, but they were easily deflected by the phoenix's seven-colored shield.
Unas plunged his scythe deep into the Wind Prince's head with one hand, and with the other, he hurled a golden spear that struck Demitrian squarely.
Although physical attacks have limited damage against wind elements, the spear imbued with Holy Power and electric energy caused Lord Summerwind to scream in agony, abruptly interrupting the spell he was casting.
Huan injected a large amount of highly explosive fire energy into Wind Prince's body, turning him almost into a cloud of fire.
"Get away!" The Paladin received the phoenix's mental warning and immediately sprang away.
Boom!
Another massive explosion rang out, blasting the Wind Prince into countless fragments of purple clouds. Huan, however, remained unharmed, proudly swirling amidst the chaotic clouds.
Unas's eyes lit up. In the dissipating purple clouds, there was a double-edged greatsword flashing with blue lightning— the Thunderfury!
"Ha!" He rushed over and grabbed it. With the sword in his hand, he couldn't help but laugh heartily. Demitrian had told him that the sword had long been lost, which was indeed a lie.
"Your Highness!" Demitrian screamed in anguish as he rushed toward the phoenix.
There was a gem with a dark glow falling, and unless Demitrian made a dramatic scene of his father's death, Unas and the Phoenix wouldn't have noticed.
Huan opened his mouth and spat out a beam of fire, blasting Lord Summerwind away. Unas quickly flew down to catch the gem.
This is a nearly transparent pale purple jewel; upon closer inspection, it appears as if lightning and storms are churning within it.
This gem, named Eye of the Storm, is an elemental gem on par with the Crimson Diamond. It is the energy that allows the Wind Prince to revive so quickly.
However, this very pearl was both his strength and his downfall. The Wind Prince, who had quickly regained his strength thanks to it, became overconfident and recklessly took risks when he was still unstable after his resurrection, resulting in his death once again.
This bead now contains the soul imprint of the Wind Prince after his death, making it a new Crown of the Bound Windseekers.
Demitrian rushed forward to snatch it, but Unas by a playful impulse, shouted, "Huan, I've got something good for you!"
With a flick of his finger, the pearl flew into the sky. Demitrian immediately turned and chased after it like a loyal dog, but he was a step too late, and Huan caught the pearl in his mouth.
With the two sides within arm's reach, Lord Summerwind, knowing he could not contend with the phoenix, stirred up a sandstorm and turned to flee.
Unas had already blocked his path, his Thunderfury slashing down, scattering the sand and dust, easily cutting him in two.
Demitrian screamed in agony as the two wisps of blue energy that had been severed merged back together, but were now half the size of their previous form. To make matters worse, the phoenix's shadow loomed over him from behind.
With tigers in front and wolves behind, Demitrian had run out of ammunition and supplies and could only give up in despair. He curled up into a small ball of blue cloud and pleaded, "Your Highness, you have obtained the Thunderfury. As long as you return the pearl to me, I am willing to accept any punishment, even a thousand years of slavery without complaint."
He was desperate and grasping at straws, completely losing his mind. In fact, the more he showed that he valued the jewel, the less likely the Paladin would let go of it.
Unas's eyes darted around, and he pretended to consider it. Demitrian, seeing an opportunity, quickly flattered him, saying, "I have come to realize your power and would never dare to have any other thoughts."
Unas quipped, "Summer's almost here, and I do need a servant to fan me. But I'm a man of my word. Do you remember the last thing I said to you in Molten Core?"
Demitrian certainly remembered the hateful words, "I will kill you," and trembled uncontrollably, realizing his death was imminent. He deeply regretted his smug mockery back then.
The reason he broke his promise and framed the Paladin was that he didn't want to fulfill the deal between them. With the Paladin dead, naturally no one would come to demand the Thunderfury. But unexpectedly, the Paladin survived against all odds, not only fighting his way out alive but also summoning a terrifying phoenix.
Unas thrust his sword forward, and a small tornado rose between the twin blades of Thunderfury, pulverizing the azure energy. From that moment on, the Lord Summerwind was no more.
A flash of golden light enveloped him, Paladin leveled up again. The battlefield truly was the fastest place to increase one's strength.
He retrieved the golden spear that had fallen to the ground, flew back onto the phoenix's back, and casually brandished the newly acquired sword. Amidst rolling winds and thunder, its power was astonishing. Knowing this was the wind and thunder power inherent in Thunderfury, he was filled with pride and shouted:
"Let's go, Huan! Let's make Molten Core your new home!"
Many Fire Elementals witnessed the Firelord being devoured by the phoenix, and this news quickly spread across the battlefield. The Fire Elemental army was as if its spine had been broken, and it had almost lost its fighting spirit.
Unas and Huan flew back to the front lines and, together with the Dark Iron troops, completely crushed the enemy's vanguard. The already chaotic Fire Elemental army quickly collapsed and ran away.
The Dark Iron, the Lordaeron Restoration Army, and the Bronzebeard Army pressed their advantage, all charging into Molten Core. The Dalaran mages who had retreated, upon receiving news of the turn of the tide, also returned to the battlefield, providing a large fireproof barrier for the entire coalition.
Unas and Huan moved through the enemy's skies as if they were in an empty field, specifically targeting and eliminating leaders-like figures, and were almost never defeated.
They fought their way back to the small plain inside the molten lava, where the enemy forces gathered had long been disrupted by their own retreating troops.
Seeing that the situation was hopeless, the Flamewaker commander on the high platform fled with a group of personal guards. The remaining Fire Elementals either fled or surrendered, leaving them with no ability to fight head-on.
The Allied soldiers' flesh and blood could not remain in the Molten Core environment for long, so they quickly withdrew before the fireproof barrier expired.
Those small groups of Fire Elementals hiding in various Caves are no longer a threat. Shadowforge City's strategic objective has been achieved, and there are no more worries.
Deep beneath Molten Core lies a burning lake of lava, the daily slumber of the Firelord.
Unas and Huan pursued the Flamewaker Commander relentlessly, scattering his personal guards, and finally arrived at the end of the Molten Core.
The black Flamewaker, driven to desperation, leaped into the lake and desperately swam towards the central whirlpool, but its speed was no match for the flying human and phoenix.
Like an eagle hunting a rabbit, the phoenix grabbed the Flamewaker by the shoulders with its claws, lifted it into the air, and threw it onto the shore.
Unas swooped down, hooking his scythe around the Flamewaker commander's neck, and coldly said, "Surrender, or die."
A white light shone from the scythe, and the wolf god's ferocity surged into the Flamewaker's mind. He silently raised his trembling hand in surrender.
"Very well, answer every question. If you conceal anything, your body will be torn apart immediately," Unas interrogated sternly. "What's your name?"
"Sothos."
"Oh? So you're the legendary chief steward of the Firelord. What's so strange about the whirlpool in the lake? Why did you flee that way?"
"That's a spatial node leading to the Firelands."
Unas asked in surprise, "So, crossing over there leads to the Fire Elemental Plane?"
"I was just trying my luck; opening the node requires a lot of energy."
"I've heard that even if Firelord dies in another world, it will be resurrected in the Fire Elemental Plane. Is that true?"
The Flamewaker glanced fearfully at the phoenix circling above the lake and said, "Master is already a demigod, and his soul possesses immortality. As long as he returns to Sulfuron Keep, it is indeed possible for him to be resurrected. However, after being devoured by other Fire Elemental creatures, who knows what will happen?"
The only thing Unas was certain of was that neither the Firelord Wind Prince were truly dead; otherwise, the experience from those two major bosses would have been enough to level him up several times over.
He exchanged a silent conversation with Huan. It turned out that the phoenix had only swallowed the information whole and had no idea of the specific situation. The Firelord Demon might be sleeping inside its belly, or it might have already escaped back to its homeland.
The Crimson Diamond, during its rebirth, was transformed into its own core and could not be expelled.
Losing a gem in exchange for a phoenix is definitely a good deal, and Unas isn't too bothered by it.
"Sothos, I am satisfied with your attitude. If you continue to satisfy me, you will receive the reward you deserve. Now, go and find the node."
The Flamewaker commander, trailing its long tail, swam to the whirlpool in the lake under the watchful eye of the phoenix above. After chanting a series of incantations, the whirlpool suddenly expanded, the liquid dissipated, revealing a dark, deep hole at the bottom of the lake.
How did you manage to squeeze through such a small hole?
"Bombarding it with energy can temporarily expand it, but the larger it gets, the more difficult it becomes. The master only managed to get through it with great difficulty."
Unas beckoned to the phoenix and called out, "Huan!"
The phoenix flew down and spat a beam of blazing white fire at the black hole. The node twisted and rippled violently, expanding rapidly.
"You go in first." Unas gave the Flamewaker a push.
Sothos gave a wry smile and calmly jumped into the black hole. Unas then took out two brand-new large shields, prepared for protection, and called to the phoenix before flying in as well.
A space tunnel like a starry night flashed by, and Unas found himself on a black land. Seeing the Flamewaker standing obediently to one side, he felt relieved and put away his shield.
The sky was a gloomy, muddy yellow, and the ground beneath his feet was covered with intricate, ancient magic patterns; it turned out that the place where he stood was a huge Magic Circle.
The dark spatial node behind them continued to expand until the phoenix flew past, at which point it began to slowly shrink.
Huan seemed quite satisfied with the environment, letting out a joyful chirp before flying around in the air.
"Is this the Fire Elemental Plane?"
The Flamewaker replied, "Yes, we call ourselves the Firelands."
"Take us to Sulfuron Keep." Unas wanted to see the Firelord's resurrection point for himself.
Sothos dared not resist and was Paladin and flown onto the phoenix's back, then headed towards the Firelord's lair.
As a prison set up by the Titans for Ragnaros, the Fire Elemental Plane was not large, and the spatial node was not far from the fortress. Unas soon saw the Firelord's castle.
The guards were quite sparse; most of the smaller Fire Elemental elementals had gone to Molten Core, and only a few tall red stone giants guarded the castle.
The Paladin, not wanting any trouble, had the Flamewaker, his chief steward, give a heads-up, and thus smoothly entered the fortress, heading straight for the huge underground room set up by the Firelord.
A huge pool of lava bubbled and gurgled, releasing sulfurous bubbles, but it was completely empty.
Huan suddenly screamed and fell to the ground, convulsing violently a few times before coughing up a ball of golden flame in extreme pain. This golden flame curved in the air and transformed into a rocket that shot rapidly into the lava pool.
Unas, disregarding the phoenix, raised his Thunderfury and thrust it through the air. A tornado crackling with lightning flew from the sword and struck the pool, whipping up a large amount of magma and revealing the golden flames.
He switched to the golden spear and unleashed all the remaining electrical energy, sending several thick bolts of lightning, like a giant tree with countless branches, sweeping across the entire lava pool.
The gold was struck by the electric grid, crackling and popping wildly, and its speed suddenly decreased.
Unas charged forward, his golden spear instantly transforming into a scythe. He slashed horizontally and vertically, drawing a white cross in the air, instantly slicing the golden fire at its center into four golden flowers.
They wanted to reunite, but how could the Paladin give them the chance?
He wielded the sickle with all his might, cutting the four golden flowers into ten, a hundred, a thousand pieces, until they became a large, loose mass of light. Finally, they lost their vitality and floated there, gradually cooling and extinguishing.
Unas was enveloped in a series of golden light indicating his level was about to increase, and he actually leveled up three times in a row. Only by killing the big boss could one obtain such a wealth of experience.
This golden fire must be the "undying" divine soul of the Firelord, but this undying nature is relative. Even gods can perish, and the soul of the Firelord Demon demigod will also be destroyed after being attacked beyond its limits.
Moreover, he was killed at his resurrection point, Ragnaros the Firelord, was completely wiped out of this universe and can never be resurrected.
Unas breathed a sigh of relief and quickly returned to the ground to check on the phoenix's injuries.
Huan's eyes dimmed slightly. The Firelord's soul fire had surged out of his body quite violently, causing severe internal injuries that required some time to heal.
"Don't eat random things anymore."
Unas scolded, then turned to look at the Flamewaker hiding in the corner, and said, "You saw it all just now, Ragnaros is dead, and the Fire Elemental Plane needs a new lord."
Sothos, being quite pragmatic, immediately said, "Lord Phoenix is the most qualified contender."
Unas said, "Very good. Its name is Huan, and it will be your new master and the new lord of this plane."
Having witnessed his master's death, the Flamewaker dared not harbor any disloyal thoughts again, and said, "As long as you defeat the Beth'tilac, the Firelord Baleroc, the Lord Rhyolith, and the Chief of the Flamewaker Hunters Shannox, you will have passed the Trial of the Firelord, and Lord Phoenix will be the rightful new Flame Lord. However, please rest assured, their strength is far inferior to that of Master Huan."
Fire Elemental beings revere strength, and their loyalty to the Firelord will vanish the moment he dies. If Huan can control this realm, the Paladins ' power will be greatly enhanced.
"But it needs time to recover."
The Flamewaker, "Please rest assured, this is the best place to recuperate. This lava pool is the most energy-rich node in the Firelands. As long as Lord Huan recovers, I will arrange the challenge trial properly."
"Very well, Huan has become the lord, and you will remain the Grand Administrator of this realm. But if you harbor even the slightest disloyalty, I guarantee your fate will be far worse than that of the Firelord!"
Sothos quickly bowed and said, "You flatter me, I will certainly do my best to serve you."
Unas nodded, then suddenly sensed something. He saw a small, bright golden ball of light, as bright as the sun, slowly descending towards his head from where the Firelord's soul had shattered in the air.
The Flamewaker cried out in disbelief, "Divine Essence!"
Unas was overjoyed upon hearing this and quickly flew up to catch it with both hands, but the ball of light disappeared into the top of his head in a flash.
His mind was instantly filled with golden light, his consciousness went blank, and an ancient and mysterious sound came from somewhere, causing his whole body to tremble naturally.
Flames suddenly burst forth from all parts of his body, quickly turning him into a Fire Elemental, which hovered and burned in the air.
The phoenix let out an uneasy cry, and Sothos whispered, "By fusing with Ragnaros's fire-elemental Divine Essence, the human body will surely be transformed by that primordial divine power. I don't think we need to worry."
He was filled with anticipation and excitement, an uncontrollable greed welling up within him. If the Paladin failed, could he seize the opportunity while the phoenix was severely injured and preemptively obtain Divine Essence?
Unfortunately, the Flamewaker had already witnessed the power of the Paladin and the Phoenix, and dared not take the initiative to interfere, so he could only passively wait for the outcome.
Several hours had passed, and Phoenix had already entered the lava pool to soak in the hot spring, while Sothos was so tired that he lay down by the pool, half asleep and half awake.
The flames in the sky suddenly vanished, revealing the Paladin unharmed; a new demigod had been born.
Unas opened his eyes and found that his vision had become extremely clear; he could even see the fine whiskers on the chin of the Flamewaker on the ground.
Then he discovered that all his clothes and armor had burned away, so he quickly took out a spare set from his Spatial Bag and put it on.
He couldn't quite figure out what had changed about him, but when he opened his attribute panel, he discovered that his race had changed to "Human Demigod," and he had gained two more talents:
Fire Elemental absorption 99%
Fire Elemental affinity 99%
This means that all pure fire-attribute attacks are ineffective against him and will instead be absorbed as energy; moreover, he possesses the extraordinary talent to become a fire mage.
As for other effects—whether his own soul also possesses the attribute of immortality, whether he can gather believers to obtain the power of faith, and how to mobilize divine power—he knew nothing about any of them and could only leave them for him to explore slowly later.
My personal level rose to 58. I gained one level by killing Demitrian, another level by killing enemies in the battlefield, and three levels by defeating the Firelord. In total, I gained five levels throughout the war, greatly improving all my attributes and gaining five more skill points. I'll save them for later when I need them.
This gain far exceeded his expectations. He couldn't measure how much his strength had improved, and the five-year lifespan issue seemed to have been resolved as well?
"Congratulations, sir!" The Flamewaker hurriedly flattered him loudly, no longer daring to harbor any ulterior motives.
"Hmm." Unas responded indifferently. A god must have divine dignity; he cannot be so casual and frivolous.
The phoenix tumbled and swam in the pool, seemingly overjoyed at the Paladin's transformation.
Unas said, "Huan, you stay here and recover well. Sothos, you stay and look after him. Proceed with your plan. Once Huan is fully recovered, immediately arrange the trial challenge. I will also be there to oversee things. We must succeed in this battle!"
After giving some instructions and warnings, Unas left Sapphiron Keep. Huan's injuries would take a long time to heal, and he couldn't stay there indefinitely.
Passing through the node, he arrived at the vortex of the Burning Lake. The scorching lava could no longer harm him; soaking in it was quite comfortable. Even though he couldn't breathe, he didn't feel suffocated, as his demigod body was no longer limited by air.
There seemed to be a commotion on the shore. The demigod's vision easily penetrated the lava, allowing him to see several Fire Elemental creatures gathered on the lake shore, seemingly arguing about something.
If you listen carefully, their strange roars reach your ears, and naturally transform into something you can understand:
"I saw my master swallowed by that firebird with my own eyes. It's all over now; this world isn't worth our time!"
"Our master will not die; he will surely be reborn. We must hold fast to the Molten Core!"
"I'm going Firelands! Who dares stop me!"
You can give it a try!
The defeated Fire Elementals were deeply divided. After listening for a while, Unas sensed that the escape faction had the upper hand.
It wouldn't be good to send them back, he thought. At this time, the two worlds were cut off from each other. The lords left Fire Elemental Plane were unaware of the Firelord's defeat, so everything was calm and peaceful, allowing the phoenix to recuperate undisturbed.
Unas burst forth from the magma, unleashing a flurry of Thunderfury strikes. Several Fire Elemental leaders on the shore were caught in a small tornado in terror.
The Paladin flew up and, with a single sword strike, easily Execute all the enemies.
As he traveled upwards, he encountered Fire Elementals heading towards the Burning Lake and eliminated them. Upon exiting the tunnel, he ran into two Dark Iron Mages.
The Dwarf greeted him with great enthusiasm, exclaiming, "Your Highness, we've been looking for you!"
It turned out that he and Phoenix had been missing for five or six hours. Huoye was very worried, so he asked his allies, who had recovered some strength, to enter Molten Core to help search for them.
The Dwarf looked around the Paladin as if searching for something, and finally couldn't help but ask, "My lord, where is your fire phoenix?"
The phoenix is a legendary divine bird and the greatest contributor to this battle. Many people on both sides witnessed it devouring the Firelord, and Huan has become a legend in the hearts of the Dwarves.
Unas tried to cover it up, saying, "It suffered a minor injury and is resting quietly in the lava lake below. It absolutely cannot be disturbed in any way."
The Dwarf bowed and scraped, saying, "We'll immediately inform the mage general of this news. He will definitely send people to guard this tunnel and do his part to help the divine bird recover as soon as possible!"
"Go on, I will wait here for your return."
One of the two Dwarf mages went back to report the news, while the other stayed behind to accompany the Paladin.
The Dwarf who returned seemed to be a big mouth, spreading the news of finding the Paladin along the way, and a crowd quickly gathered at the tunnel entrance.
Most of them were mages from various factions, and only they were willing to venture deep into the Molten Core, searching for people and treasures at the same time.
Huoye and the two Archmages from Dalaran also arrived quickly. Knowing he couldn't hide it from the three of them, Unas told them in detail about the underwater spatial node, but left the details of the Phoenix Lord's challenge vague.
The two from Dalaran were quite interested in the Firelands and the Phoenix, but upon hearing that Huan was recuperating there and should not be disturbed, they did not force their way in, saying they would investigate later.
As for the origin of the phoenix, Unas kept it a secret, and only spoke privately with Huoye after sending the two from Dalaran away.
Upon learning that the Phoenix Ashes were secretly taken by Gordon's ancestor during the Troll War, the Blood Elf mage, unusually enraged, cursed, "You hateful, shameless scoundrel!"
Phoenixes are the exclusive pets of the Sunstrider Royal Family, and the Ashes of Huan are like a national treasure to Quel'Thalas, so Huoye's emotions are understandable.
Unas said, "You must summon our mages to personally guard this place and ensure that no one is allowed to enter. Once things have settled down, only you may go there. The Flamewaker Sothos has recently joined us, so keep an eye on him. Also, once Huan has recovered, immediately inform me. I will personally oversee the lord's challenge; this is of utmost importance, so you must inform me as soon as possible."
"Rest assured, my lord, I will not fail in my duty, but..." Huoye hesitated, "If news of the phoenix's appearance reaches Quel'Thalas, the Royalists are likely to come knocking, and it might even alarm His Highness Kael'thas, who is far away in Outland."
He was conflicted. Although he had long considered himself a member of the Argent Dawn and didn't care about race or nationality, he could never forget his feelings for his homeland.
Unas laughed and said, "You don't need to worry about this. We'll deal with whatever comes our way, that's all."
If Huan becomes the Fire Elemental Lord, how could he possibly want to go back to being the Elf royal family's pet? If the Blood Elves want to use force, the Paladin will naturally not stand idly by.
"Beware of the people of Dalaran. You should have seen through them during this operation; they are all opportunists and should not be trusted."
Huoye replied, "But they are a force to be reckoned with, and they can be a valuable asset if the tide turns."
"Hmm, what you said makes sense," Unas nodded, then changed the subject, asking, "How much do you know about the gods?"
"Uh, not many."
Unas also felt that the question was abrupt; Huoye was just an ordinary Elf mage, and it would be difficult for him to answer questions about gods.
However, he didn't want anyone to know that he had obtained Divine Essence. If someone killed him, they could steal the Divine Essence, and if word got out, he would suddenly have many powerful enemies. It was better to keep it a secret.
"Nothing. By the way, do you see anything strange about this thing? It fell out after the Wind Prince died."
Unas took out the precious jewel that Demitrian cherished as his life and handed it to Huoye to examine.
Huoye recognized its origin at a glance, saying, "Eye of the Storm, a very precious wind elemental gem."
"I suspect the Wind Prince's soul is hiding inside."
Huoye examined it carefully for a while, casting spells and using instruments to test it, before finally nodding and saying, "You're right, there is indeed a soul imprint inside."
"How can we destroy his soul?" Unas asked doubtfully. "The Firelord can only be completely killed in the Firelands. Does this Wind Prince also need to be dealt with in the Air Elemental Plane?"
Huoye replied, "We can only give it a try."
Unas had no clue where the entrance to the Air Elemental Plane was, nor did he have the time to look for it. However, if the Wind Prince was allowed to remain hidden in this orb brimming with wind energy, he might suddenly revive once he accumulated enough power. He needed to find a way to extract him.
Huoye then said, "It would be a pity to destroy such a powerful soul. I've heard of a secret technique for imbuing spirits into Arcane Artifacts, which can forcibly lock the Ghosts of strange beasts into them, thereby increasing their power. You can ask the Thorium Brotherhood about it."
Unas's face darkened. He was very annoyed with those damned blacksmiths because of the Adamantite spear, but unfortunately, their weapon-making skills were among the best in the world. He had no choice but to ask them, even if it meant holding his nose.
"There's one more thing. Prepare some fire magic textbooks; I want to learn magic."
Huoye's eyes widened. He knew better than anyone that Paladins had absolutely no talent for magic, so this request was utterly absurd.
Unas laughed, "What kind of look is that? I went to the Firelands and had some amazing adventures. Now I'm a genius mage, and I'm going to cultivate both magic and martial arts!"
With a perfect affinity for Fire Elemental, not learning magic would be a huge waste.
With a look of disbelief, Huoye took out the testing stone and gave it to the Paladin to hold. He chanted an incantation, and the stone turned red rapidly, finally cracking open with a pop.
"How is this possible?!" Huoye exclaimed, "My lord, how did you change your physique?"
"It's a secret for now; I'll tell you later."
Since the Paladin had said that, Huoye stopped investigating and took out a small booklet, saying, "Sir, your talent in fire magic has exceeded the limits of the testing stone. You are a genius that appears only once in a thousand years. This is my first magic notebook. You can take a look at it first, and ask me if you have any questions."
Unas took it and flipped through it, immediately feeling a bit of a headache; reading was not his forte.
Magic cannot be released simply by chanting incantations and scattering materials. First, one must perceive the Ley Line through Meditation before using mental power to manipulate magic. Even geniuses must proceed step by step.
He put away his notebook, thanked Huoye, and left the Molten Core.
The Hot Springs River was in ruins after the war. The logistics soldiers who were cleaning up the battlefield along the riverbank saluted and cheered when they saw the Paladin flying overhead.
Unas and the Phoenix were key to turning the tide of the war, and even the Dwarf lords and generals in the Dark Iron who were dissatisfied with him were now completely convinced of his superiority.
Unas basked in the glory, waving back like a high-ranking official.
Suddenly, the road ahead became shrouded in white mist, the thick fog obscuring his figure, and the cheers from the ground gradually subsided.
He stared intently, and saw that the white steam was emanating from a large, boiling hot Hot Springs River. On the bank was a large group of Dark Iron Dwarves, and coincidentally, there were several familiar faces among them: Orphest, Stone Greystone and his assistant Masai, as well as several other familiar faces. Upon closer inspection, they were all members of the Thorium Brotherhood.
Just as they had something to ask them, Unas landed right in front of Orphest, startling the Dwarves.
Upon seeing that it was Paladin, Orphest quickly stepped forward to greet him. Unas skipped the pleasantries and pointed to the boiling river, asking, "What's going on? What are you doing here?"
The Dwarf guild leader replied with a pained expression, "The Firelord's weapon fell into the river, and we are currently retrieving it."