Descent

During this time, the Night Elf Empire was shrouded in a very subtle atmosphere.

The capital, Eldarath, allowed entry but not exit. Several surrounding villages had been massacred, leaving behind only ruined walls and blazing green fel fire.

Blackrock Hold and several neighboring territories deployed troops along their borders, clearly guarding against the capital. Queen Azshara's envoys berated those lords, branding them rebels and traitors.

In the capital, its former prosperity had vanished, leaving only decay, desolation, and depression. Only squads of Felguards marched through the streets, while the dying wails of Night Elves sounded from time to time. Only the royal palace remained resplendent. The Night Elf royal guards at its gates seemed utterly unconcerned that demons were slaughtering their kin, guarding the palace entrance with cold eyes. Yet the green fel energy in their eyes and across their skin seemed to prove something.

Suramar City. The Highborne mages watched the slowly forming, increasingly distinct Divine Eye with tense expressions before falling to their knees. A wave of pressure suddenly filled the air. A violent torrent of energy spread from the Divine Eye, then immediately flowed around it like obedient children. Light entered the Divine Eye as it slowly turned and scanned the area, finally stopping on the elven mages atop the Mage Towers.

"Ah, the descendants of those Night Elves actually summoned me of their own accord. Then speak. What is your purpose?"

Archmage Elisande trembled with excitement. This was the first response to their summons since the god had appeared hundreds of years ago!

Elisande struggled to compose herself, then spoke respectfully. "I offer you my heartfelt praise, God of Magic and Eternity! Your Divine Eye has guided the Council of Truth forward, and now your believers need your help! Our brethren in the capital, Eldarath, are summoning an evil god into this world. That evil god commands an army called the Burning Legion, composed entirely of demons. Our queen and some of our brethren have been deceived, but we believe the evil god seeks to destroy this world, not help us as he has promised!"

Hu Feng froze for a moment after hearing that. The Burning Legion! Sargeras! Why had the Dark Titans set their sights on this world!?

But the answer came to him the next moment: the Well of Eternity!

The Night Elves had used the power of the Well of Eternity without restraint, drawing Sargeras's attention. Now he sought to enter this world. Whether he had discovered the truth of the Well of Eternity or not no longer mattered—if he successfully descended into this world, the truth would become irrelevant.

Seeing the Divine Eye fall silent, the elves waited anxiously for the god to speak. Finally... "That evil god is called Sargeras, the Dark Titan, the Destroyer of All Things—my former brother." The Divine Eye finally spoke, but everyone who received the answer felt even more despair. It truly was a god, and one bent on destroying the world!

"However, I will help you. This world's protective measures make it difficult for the evil god to enter, so he dispatched the Burning Legion to stabilize the portal until it could withstand his passage. The true priority is defeating the Burning Legion and destroying the portal."

The Divine Eye paused, its gaze shifting toward the staff at the center of the magic array. "I will send a Divine Emissary and an army down into this world. You are to obey him. He will lead you to victory."

The elves all fell to their knees and nodded in obedience.

"As my believers, your loyalty deserves a reward. You sealed yourselves within the city and must rely on that ridiculous well water to maintain your mana? Accept... God's blessing."

As the words fell, the energy around the Divine Eye shot outward in every direction, raining down across the entire city. The Highborne of Suramar City felt their magic power rapidly rise, while their Mana Addiction, born from their extreme reliance on well water, was greatly relieved. The small lake the Highborne called the Nightwell was torn bodily from the ground by divine power, rising into the air before passing through the barrier and shooting toward the heavens. The deep pit it left behind rapidly healed, eventually becoming a massive golden crystal that floated and slowly rotated.

"Now, your magic power is directly connected to my divine kingdom, and you will never again suffer Mana Addiction. Those devout believers, upon death, will be taken away by the crystal and sent into the divine kingdom, where they will gain a higher form, greater power, and divine... magic!"

Hu Feng's voice rang throughout Suramar City. The once-proud Highborne had become like madmen, crying and laughing, kneeling and dancing. Finally, as though of one mind, they all worshipped the Divine Eye in the sky with fanatical devotion.

"Praise you! Praise you, great and supreme god! We shall believe in you forever!" Archmage Elisande's exquisite face was filled with the expression of a zealot as she devoutly knelt before the Divine Eye.

"Now, welcome my Divine Emissary. He will lead you and guide you."

After speaking, Hu Feng condensed a human form and body from his previous life, then transmitted himself to the top of the Mage Towers through a pillar of energy.

The Highborne saw a figure gradually become clear. The Divine Emissary wore black mage robes. A mass of black Void Energy floated above his left shoulder guard, while a mass of green fel fire floated above his right.

Behind him floated a huge disk lined with small spikes. It was engraved with divine runes of unknown meaning and emitted flowing energy that leaped around the Divine Emissary like lightning. His eyes were also formed from two flames of energy, one black and one green.

The Divine Emissary raised a hand and casually hooked his fingers a few times. The staff the Highborne worshipped as a divine artifact—"Origin of Divine Power, Azeroth Binder"—immediately flew into his hand, as though it were merely an ordinary, obedient, mindless staff.

Just then, the Divine Eye in the sky began to slowly dissipate. Hu Feng bowed to it. He had finally finished putting on this act. Then he turned around and looked at the elves kneeling on the ground.

"I am Hu Feng, Divine Emissary of Sarodar, the God of Magic and Eternity, descended into this world. I have come only to lead you against the demons serving the evil god, toward victory, prosperity, and flourishing."

After the elves before him had cheered enough, he raised a hand to quiet them.

"Those believers who make outstanding contributions will have the honor of learning divine magic!"

At this moment, two monsters suddenly appeared behind Hu Feng. They stood around three meters tall, with constantly waving tentacles in place of hands. Their heads had no facial features; a huge barb replaced their faces.

They were two Faceless Ones, underlings of the Old Gods who had pledged allegiance to Hu Feng. The Faceless Ones were adept at mind, soul, and Mind Magic, skilled at secretly corrupting enemies. For Hu Feng, they were undoubtedly tremendous assistance.

What followed was an apparently endless banquet and celebration. In the elves' minds, only the grandest feast could match the Divine Emissary sent to the mortal world by a god.

Hu Feng enjoyed the liveliness as well. Humans were social creatures, after all. Even though he had become a Titan, the loneliness of having no one to speak with for centuries at a time was not something Hu Feng found pleasant.

Of course, under the god's command, Hu Feng sat in the seat symbolizing supreme authority. The Highborne were not particularly obsessed with power. If accepting the Divine Emissary's rule allowed them to learn higher magic and gain greater strength, then fine—there was absolutely no problem with that. May he rule them forever...

Moreover, after being tempered by the social melting pot of his previous life, Hu Feng delivered a mixture of persuasive talk and high-sounding hypocrisy at the banquet. The Highborne immediately felt that this Divine Emissary truly was an exceptionally good person. Surely there would be no problem with him ruling the Highborne.

Hu Feng was also exercising restraint, though his restraint was a happy one. Night Elf maids in hazy, alluring white gauze dresses moved around him, while the female Highborne mages who came to speak with him were each more seductive and charming than the last.

It had to be said that aside from their etiquette and arrogance, which other races found unbearable, elves were perfect in every other regard. Every female Night Elf possessed a graceful figure, and their somewhat translucent, hazy, form-fitting elven-style gowns stirred certain impulses in male creatures. Hu Feng had never considered himself a good man or a righteous moralist, so before long, the female elves who had come to speak with him were all giggling sweetly.

"I never expected the Divine Emissary to be so approachable. Does teasing weak women like us satisfy you, perhaps?" Archmage Elisande, wearing a silver-white form-fitting evening gown, stood beside Hu Feng and watched the elven female mages he had teased into blushing as she spoke.

Hu Feng shrugged. "Being serious regardless of the occasion only pushes you away from others. Besides, whether I am approachable depends on who I'm dealing with."

"Oh? Then what attitude would the Divine Emissary have toward me?" Elisande blushed after speaking. Was it because she had drunk some Moonlight Wine? How could she have spoken so improperly?

Hu Feng stared at Elisande in surprise, then a mental probe entered her mind. Seeming eager to prove herself, she paused slightly before lowering her mental defenses.

After a long while, Hu Feng withdrew his mental probe. He had learned what he wanted to know.

"You're uneasy. You want to please me with your body so that I will treat the Highborne with greater care. I admit that you are beautiful, and I am very tempted. Don't look at me so surprised. I am male too; I feel desire when facing beautiful women. In my eyes, among the Night Elves, only your Queen Azshara can rival you in beauty. But you don't need to do this. As long as the Highborne continue to believe in the God of Magic, I will do everything in my power to help and guide you."

Elisande was stunned for a moment, then smiled and looped her arm around Hu Feng's. She had not been particularly resistant to approaching him in the first place, but now there was much more willingness in her actions.

"Thank you for your honesty and consideration, my dear Divine Emissary. But... I have no purpose now." Her fragrant lips moved close to Hu Feng's ear, and her restless warm breath made it difficult for him to keep himself under control.

"Besides, I am completely willing now. As an Archmage, finding a partner worthy of me is quite difficult."

"In that case, I think we can have a good talk." Hu Feng raised the wine cup in his hand toward Elisande.

Highborne banquets were somewhat like the Western-style cocktail parties of Hu Feng's previous life. The elves stood in a luxuriously decorated hall, gathering in twos and threes to quietly discuss their own topics, or approaching those they wished to meet.

The entire banquet was free of noise. Everyone spoke in low voices.

"Divine Emissary, would you accompany me outside for some fresh air?" Elisande smiled at Hu Feng. Having drunk a great deal of Moonlight Wine, the Archmage's face was slightly flushed.

Hu Feng shrugged. "I'd be delighted, but please wait a moment. I need to get a few more cups of Moonlight Wine first. I'm getting somewhat addicted to it."