Eblana / The Grand Dukes

They were all headless corpses, purple flames erupting from their necks and engulfing their bodies. Their bodies resembled scorched wood, purple spots and bright flames spreading across their blackened flesh.

"It's like holding onto embers that have been partially burned..." Bai Ye couldn't help but complain.

If it were an ordinary person, they would probably be terrified by now. Yes, how could someone who has already been killed once still be moving?

However, none of this mattered to Bai Ye. Although it did surprise him, it would not shake his resolve or frighten him.

If these guys can still move, then just kill them again, what's the big deal?

Even if it were truly haunted, they would still fight without hesitation. The so-called spiritual entities and supernatural phenomena were all subjects of research and courses offered by the Zhongsi Academy in the past. Bai Ye was no stranger to this.

Without using any more slashes, Bai Ye's sword blade emitted a strong light. Then, Bai Ye swung the blade, and the blazing rays burned the embers of the six enemies he had killed once into real ashes.

Even terrifying flames cannot withstand the sun's intense heat.

That was a terrifying Solar Wind, and also the strongest spell that Bai Ye could currently use.

The dust scattered on the ground, piling up into a thick layer, while Bai Ye continued walking forward.

"Playing tricks and deception."

Although the methods were ingenious, they were not as interesting as the methods Bai Ye had seen in Yan, and they were far inferior to the methods of the Great Beast.

So, Bai Ye cleaved through the purple flames and then saw the true leader of Deepsea, who had always been hiding behind the scenes.

Bai Ye must have seen this face before.

He couldn't help but blurt out:

"Lafushini?"

Yes, this was almost exactly Lafushini; the girl who had been in the ward earlier was now standing right in front of him.

However, Bai Ye soon realized that this was not the Dolak he was familiar with.

This is another Red Dragon. Although it looks almost exactly like Lafushini, there are obvious differences in both its aura and its power.

Standing behind her was a Feline girl who seemed to have a "little devil" vibe, probably because of her slanted eyes.

"Shadow Warrior."

Bai Ye immediately revealed Lafushini's identity.

She was nothing more than a stand-in, a flag, a pawn, and a puppet to play the role of her sister. She always stood in the foreground, while her sister remained behind the scenes, manipulating her with strings.

As for why Bai Ye could tell at a glance that the twin in front of him was the older sister.

There was no reason; it was probably just Bai Ye's intuition.

However, now that she has openly stepped forward and is no longer hiding her identity, it is clear that she is prepared to tear off her disguise.

In the eyes of those Deepsea thugs, there can only ever be one leader.

And it seems that there are very few people who truly know this profound secret.

Six of them had already been killed by Bai Ye.

"Interesting."

The unstoppable purple flames were easily blocked, and Eblana did not continue to attack, but instead put away the flames.

This was merely a test of the visitor's magnanimity, and also a demonstration of one's own power.

Chapter 83 Eblana

Bai Ye looked at Dolak in front of him, his gaze sweeping over her neck before settling on her face, which was remarkably similar to, or rather, identical to, Lafushini's.

Although they do look alike, their temperaments are vastly different. Lafushini seems a bit too soft, or rather, she possesses a fragile sternness, much like Talulah in the Pramanix.

Eblana, on the other hand, had a colder and more sinister aura. Her eyes held a terrifying chill, which was to be expected, since Dolak himself seemed to have cold-blooded characteristics similar to a snake.

Distinguishing between the two twin sisters is actually quite simple. Eblana's right eye is covered by her bangs, which adds to her melancholic and mysterious aura. Lafushini's eye, on the other hand, is fully visible.

Bai Ye was assessing the power and aura of the Dolak before him. The heatwave Bai Ye had just witnessed revealed the Red Dragon's potential. Indeed, every Dolak was an incredibly powerful warlock and spellcaster.

Regardless of the nature or secondary abilities of flames, their essence remains powerful heat and terrifying destructive force.

At least for Bai Ye, he's a pretty good guy.

This is how people perceive things: racial talent brings unparalleled magical talent, while ordinary people may need a certain amount of talent and systematic learning to ignite a simple flame at their fingertips.

As for the Dolak, they were probably born with this ability; their bloodline allowed them to raise their fingertips and let the flames flow along with their will.

Eblana watched as Bai Ye emerged unharmed from the flames. Although his handsome face wore a smile, Eblana knew that the man before her was not smiling at all. His eyes were filled with a cold, rational scrutiny.

It was only at this moment that Eblana realized how young Bai Ye was, and his aura always made people subconsciously overlook his actual age.

Although the arrangements and developments in Little Hill District were proceeding according to plan, the sudden appearance of this disruptor made Eblana feel threatened. Fortunately, this guy didn't seem to immediately intend to antagonize Deepsea, otherwise she would already be out of the game.

No one in the Deepsea unit could stop him; even he himself probably couldn't stop this guy's advance.

Then, Eblana suddenly felt a sudden, inexplicable heart palpitation, a feeling she hadn't experienced in a long time, and for a moment she even thought she was hallucinating.

The next instant, she suddenly felt a sharp pain in her neck. Eblana instinctively reached out and touched it.

The moist, sticky sensation initially made her wonder if she was hallucinating.

Looking down, she saw a bright red stain on her fingers; clearly, a wound had appeared on her neck.

When?

Eblana was certain that she hadn't seen Bai Ye draw his sword, nor had she felt any slashing motion. The heat around her hadn't suddenly changed or shifted as if she'd been attacked.

When did you draw your sword?

Eblana looked up at Bai Ye and realized that the sword Bai Ye had used to block her flames had disappeared sometime during the Bai Ye.

She hadn't paid any attention to this before.

Seemingly noticing Dolak girl's confusion, Bai Ye spoke up:

"When I had just come out of the flames."

The moment Bai Ye saw Eblana, she unleashed a Sword Master- level slash. Clearly, the Dolak hadn't noticed this, and she only realized she was injured after her own movement caused the wound on her neck to reopen and bleed.

If Bai Ye had intended to kill him, Dolak would probably be beheaded by now.

Eblana clearly realized this as well, but instead of being afraid or angry, she smiled and looked at Bai Ye:

"Thank you for your mercy."

"So you owe me a life," Bai Ye said bluntly.

Good heavens, he made the other person owe him a life the moment they met. He could have killed them but didn't, instantly putting himself in a superior position. This is probably the best interpretation of how strength brings power.

Of course, this unreasonable attitude was quite unpleasant. However, given Bai Ye's strength, no one dared to express any dissatisfaction.

"Thank you for taking care of my sister and my subordinates as well." Logically, Eblana should be able to contact her sister through telepathy at this moment, since she knows that Lafushini has awakened. However, for some reason, her mental tendrils cannot extend outward at all, as if something unseen is blocking her usually unstoppable mental tendrils.

Before she could establish a spiritual connection with her sister, it was already severed.

"Your sister became infected due to some accidents. Although her symptoms are not severe, she still needs to receive professional treatment," Bai Ye continued.

Eblana remained unperturbed; she simply nodded.

"Then I'll trouble you. May I ask how the medical expenses should be settled?"

"This matter depends on you, the true leader of Deepsea." Bai Ye smiled.

"I will order the soldiers to cease fire immediately and withdraw from Little Hill District at once," Eblana conceded.

Clearly, she knew that Bai Ye was the person in Squad Five, and she also knew that doing so would bring Bai Ye great prestige, as well as many other benefits.

However, Bai Ye remained unmoved:

"Red Dragon, there's no need to use something that was already on your agenda to do me a favor."

Bai Ye knew very well that these guys would soon evacuate Little Hill District, and that all of this would happen whether he was there or not.

Occupy Little Hill District? Only a foolish and arrogant clown would think that. Victoria is teetering on the brink of collapse, but any Grand Duke's army could easily crush a Mobile City to dust. They haven't made a move yet, only assessing and observing, while also pondering whose shadow stands behind this armed force that has suddenly appeared in everyone's sight.

This was part of Eblana's original plan, so they would never simply take over Little Hill District. In fact, even the Bai Ye only occupied the Core City, returning the rest to the Ursus Empire.

The rational choice is to keep the Empire's losses within an acceptable level for Parliament, while also demonstrating the leverage it possesses.

Only a true madman would think of starting a full-blown war.

Yes, the black snake that claims to be immortal but is actually dead, that's you I'm talking about.

Chapter 84 The Grand Dukes

"I know your goals. You have great ambitions; you want that jewel in the crown of Victoria. Even if you haven't taken action yet, I don't believe you can resist the temptation if given the opportunity," Bai Ye said slowly.

Eblana did not deny it:

"That belongs to me... or rather, to us."

At least by blood, she has a claim to ownership of Victoria Lentinium. This is something no one can deny.

However, it was just a claim. That pearl had been lost for so long that anyone would have the courage to covet it.

"Since you've already considered this kingdom yours, why have you started a war on this land?" Bai Ye looked around at the devastated city, clearly ravaged by war and riddled with holes.

Eblana smiled:

"This is just the beginning, because they need war."

"We live in a disgusting age, an age devoid of vitality, pride, and virtue. Only war can stop people from falling into depravity, because war offers an unavoidable option: glory or death. Therefore, you may be afraid of the impending war, but I wholeheartedly look forward to its arrival."

She paused, then continued:

"Or rather, Mr. Bai Ye, you are not afraid of war. On the contrary, you seem to need a war."

"You know who I am." Bai Ye had no doubts about Eblana revealing her name.

"Yes, I have read your works, and I am indeed very interested in and curious about the immortals. However, what interests me even more is your expansion of your power. The speed at which it happens is fascinating and awe-inspiring."

"However, this expansion was clearly hampered in Victoria, or rather, it encountered resistance in Londinium."

This was also the first stranger to show interest in something about Bai Ye that wasn't his identity as a scholar. Most people would probably overlook it, or at least not show it. But Eblana was outspoken.

"Unlike you Dolak who are born with aggression, I simply need power to achieve my goals." Bai Ye nodded.

Eblana raised her index finger:

"Therefore, I can give you a substantial reward, and when I take off that laurel wreath, you will also get what you want."

Bai Ye shook his head:

"I don't care about the future, nor do I care whether you're truly ready to compete for that jewel. We're only focused on the present. I'm curious, which Grand Duke has helped you?"

Eblana alone could not have achieved this; her army and its weaponry were no ordinary force. In these soldiers, Bai Ye saw the shadows of many nations—symbols of profound cultural heritage.

There must be a Grand Duke supporting her.

"The Duke Wellington." Eblana made no attempt to hide this fact.

"Really--"

Bai Ye narrowed his eyes.

The name surprised him somewhat, yet it was also within Kotori's psychic experience.

Following the coup of 1072 in the Terra calendar, the dukes were no longer allowed to set foot in Londinium. The grand dukes compromised in Parliament, passing the Grand Dukes' Prohibition Act to maintain a balance of power. However, this did not mean the dukes were idle afterward. After King Aslan's death, the local nobles of Victoria, to some extent freed from central control, began to expand their military power, and many autonomous counties emerged.

Some grand dukes even extended their reach overseas.

SilverAsh had once told Bai Ye that his parents had known Viscount Walton of the Castor Family, and that he had received considerable help from him during his studies in Victoria. Later, the Duke Caster indirectly helped him secretly train an army, and the equipment for his private troops came from Victoria.

This was a secret SilverAsh couldn't reveal publicly: he had once plotted to seize power in the Snowfield by force. Unfortunately, all of this was abandoned after Yelagand's reappearance. Afterwards, SilverAsh's private army was transformed into the Guardian Army at Bai Ye's suggestion, to protect Karlan Holy Mountain and the divine abode of Yelagand.

Eblana and the Duke Wellington behind the Deepsea are even more heavyweights.

The Duke Wellington, one of the Grand Dukes of Victoria, was Tara. Also known as the "Iron Duke," he was Wellington's Iron Guard and the death knell of the Empire. He distinguished himself in the Four Nations War, but this also made him a target of fear and restriction by the other Grand Dukes.