Banyan Valley

Yin Ming's utter indifference made Oli Atot abandon his belief that this was merely an arrogant wizard.

The intelligence was wrong. This was at least a Third-Ring Wizard. After a pause, he replied respectfully, "Honored wizard, I will report everything truthfully to Lord Sadi. May I ask your name?"

"Yasum Eno! You may leave!"

Yin Ming did not use a false name. The Flame-Burners Association already knew it, so there was no point in hiding it.

Besides, even if he used his real name, he was so obscure that others would only assume it was an alias.

At that, Oli Atot left in fear and trembling, moving neither quickly nor slowly. Ravaged by the undead, he looked as lifeless as a withered tree in winter.

After watching the little treant messenger disappear into the distance, Yin Ming hurried to a patch of desert, took out a map of the Green Forest, and began drafting a plan.

Ember manifested as a spark. Watching Yin Ming alternate between marking the map and furrowing his brow, he paused before saying in surprise, "You were so overbearing that I thought you were completely confident. Turns out you're not all that sure yourself!"

"Making threats is one thing. Bluffing puts pressure on the other side. After all, threats aren't taxed, and they don't cost a thing."

"If I succeed, or fail and die, there's nothing more to say. If I don't succeed, the worst that happens is I lose face. I can always find a chance to get even later!"

"If I started believing my own words meant to lull the enemy into complacency—if a First-Ring Wizard like me underestimated a third-ring enemy—that really would be asking to die."

Yin Ming rolled his eyes. People really were more innocent the further back they came from.