Turning Hostile

Just as Leiluo resigned himself to his fate, a gust of wind howled toward him. Opening his eyes, he saw a strangely shaped battle axe appear before him, scattering Gul'dan's sure-hit Shadow Bolt.

Leiluo looked toward where the axe had come from and saw Garrosh nod at him. That oddly shaped battle axe was Garrosh's weapon—Blood Roar.

"Gul'dan, what are you trying to do?!" Having finally reacted, Durotan, Orgrim, and the others all rebuked him. Even the orcs watching from the sidelines began pointing and whispering.

Even Ner'zhul, who had always indulged his disciple, stepped forward and stood before Leiluo, his expression somewhat grim.

"Ah, Teacher!" Seeing that even Ner'zhul was no longer on his side, Gul'dan hurriedly dropped to his knees at his teacher's feet and said in a choked voice.

"Teacher, m-my years of hard work have all been wasted!"

As expected of Gul'dan. His performance was flawless: the sobbing, the sorrowful expression—he truly looked like a researcher whose life's work had been destroyed. If the Oscars existed on Draenor, the statuette would surely have gone to him.

"Gul'dan, I understand how you feel, but you still cannot attack one of your own people!" Ner'zhul said earnestly as he looked at Gul'dan, who was crying pitifully at his feet.

Then Ner'zhul turned to Leiluo. "Young orc warrior, I apologize for my disciple's actions. I will also make amends for his wrongdoing. You may state any request you have."

Seeing Gul'dan's godlike acting, Leiluo sighed inwardly. He knew that now Ner'zhul had spoken, he had lost his chance to press the matter.

"Respected Great Shaman, I have no particular request. It's just that Lord Gul'dan's potion seems to have a problem. Perhaps it should not be promoted any further?"

With no other choice, Leiluo could only settle for the next best thing and try to temporarily stop Gul'dan's plan.

"This..."

Just as Ner'zhul hesitated, Gul'dan shouted from the side, "You can't, Teacher! That is a perfect potion capable of making orcs stronger!"

"If this potion is truly as perfect as Lord Gul'dan claims, then why was I able to dispel its effects?" Leiluo interrupted Gul'dan. With Ner'zhul standing between them, he was not afraid that Gul'dan would strike again.

"So I once again advise you, Great Shaman, not to promote this potion until its drawbacks have been resolved."

"Young orc warrior, I accept your suggestion. Then what should be done with these potions?" As he spoke, Ner'zhul pointed at the boxes.

"To prove to everyone that these potions truly have a problem, I am willing to let everyone try them." As he finished speaking, holy light shone in Leiluo's hand. He purified the potions in the boxes one by one, then signaled for Leolox to have them distributed among the watching orcs.

The orcs who received the potions impatiently drank them. The first to do so was Leolox, who had long coveted the potion. But after more than a hundred people drank them, none felt any effect. Only then did everyone truly believe Leiluo's words.

Seeing this, Ner'zhul nodded at Leiluo. "Very well. Since this matter has been resolved, do you have any other requests?"

"Could the Great Shaman give me some laborers?"

"How many?" Ner'zhul had not expected Leiluo's request to be so modest.

"The more, the better. How many idle laborers does the Shadowmoon Clan have?"

"Very well. I'll make the decision to give you ten thousand able-bodied laborers."

"Thank you, Great Shaman! Thank you, Great Shaman!" Leiluo repeatedly thanked Ner'zhul, inwardly marveling at the deep reserves of the Six Great Clans. Giving him ten thousand able-bodied laborers meant ten thousand laborer families. Their total population was far more than ten thousand. Once those laborers entered Bandar City, Leiluo's Chieftain Hall could be upgraded again.

As Ner'zhul left with the despondent Gul'dan, Kargath and Kilrogg departed with their men as well. Seeing the Shadowmoon Clan leave, the watching orcs no longer cared about the potions and gradually dispersed. This martial competition might have been the last one, since Shadowmoon could no longer offer rewards tempting enough to draw people in.

Leiluo pulled Blood Roar from the ground and walked over to Garrosh, handing the battle axe back to him. "Thank you for saving my life, Warsong Chieftain!"

"No need. If it weren't for your courage, I wouldn't have saved you." With that, Garrosh took the battle axe, turned, and left, leaving Leiluo standing there in bewilderment.

Durotan walked over and patted Leiluo on the shoulder. "That's just how Garrosh is. He believes only in the strength held in his hands. Your courage made him save you, but in his eyes, you still lack the strength to speak with him as an equal."

"I understand. It won't be long before he comes looking for me himself." After hearing Durotan's words, Leiluo clenched his fist confidently.

Meanwhile, Blackrock also departed under Blackhand's lead. Orgrim asked his chieftain, "Chieftain, aren't we going to ask Leiluo?"

"Orgrim, you are still too young. This Leiluo will never join our Blackrock."

"Why, Chieftain?" Orgrim asked in confusion as he followed behind Blackhand.

"Why did he ask Ner'zhul for people? It proves that he intends to build something, that he intends to develop his clan. A person like that will never join another clan."

After hearing Blackhand's words, Orgrim fell silent and left behind him.

Orc Autumn Assembly, market center, Frostwolf Tent.

"You really won. Then our cooperation can begin," Durotan said to Leiluo, who was seated across from him.

"As long as your Frostwolves are in place, I can begin at any time." Leiluo nodded.

"But let's make this clear first: the Holy Light isn't something you can learn just because you want to. If your people fail to learn it, you cannot go back on your word."

"You brat, do you think I, Durotan, am the kind of person who breaks his word?!" Durotan said irritably upon hearing Leiluo's words.

"Before I knew you, I didn't. But after getting to know you... hmm." Leiluo nodded as he spoke, wearing an expression as though it were perfectly true.

Seeing Leiluo and Durotan discussing matters, Leolox grew anxious. He quickly grabbed Leiluo and asked, "Brother, do you think our Moknasa can come learn this Holy Light from you?"

"Ah, brother, didn't you look down on it?"

Leolox gave an awkward smile. "Well, the potions can't be used anymore. Help us out, will you?"

"We'll discuss it after we return to Blade's Edge Mountain. Old Du, we'll be leaving first." With that, Leiluo rose, waved to Durotan, and returned to his own tent.

More than ten days after the Orc Autumn Assembly ended, every clan had returned to its own territory.

Shadowmoon Valley, Shadowmoon Clan, Chieftain's Grand Tent.

"Teacher, I don't understand why you gave that brat ten thousand laborers!"

"Gul'dan, he is still an orc child. Of course we must support him." Ner'zhul looked at his disciple, his eyes full of affection.

"When you become the Chieftain of the Shadowmoon in the future, you must do the same."

"Fine, let's not talk about that brat anymore. Since he's already gone over, Teacher, my potion..."

Before Gul'dan could finish, Ner'zhul cut him off. "Gul'dan, your potion does indeed have flaws. Study it more carefully."

"Teacher, it was the light in that brat's hand that was the problem, not my potion." Gul'dan's voice rose.

"Say no more. Leave." But this time, Ner'zhul did not listen to his disciple. He turned away and waved a hand, signaling Gul'dan to leave.

"Teacher, what do you think if I became the Chieftain of the Shadowmoon now?"

Just as Ner'zhul was walking into the house, a gloomy voice came from behind him. He turned around, and a pair of green eyes were inches away, staring straight at him.