The morning mist over the Blackstone Mountain Range bore a faint black-red tint. The air was thick with the rusty smell unique to evil iron ore, mingled with the putrid stench of low-level evil creatures, making even breathing feel labored. Loran and his party crouched behind a low slope on the western side of the mountains. Their radiant warhorses' hooves were wrapped in burlap, and even their breathing was deliberately hushed-five hundred meters ahead, more than a dozen Evil Bone Guards patrolled with bone blades in hand. Their bones were exposed, black-red evil energy coiled around their joints, and every step left a faint evil mark on the ground.
"Evil Bone Guards can sense anything within thirty meters, and the evil energy in their bodies resonates with one another. The moment they detect anything unusual, they'll sound the alarm." Elder White lowered his voice, a wisp of pale golden light gathering at his fingertips. "I'll cover us with Light Concealment. Young friend Loran, take the two Qilin around the left and eliminate the two guards on the outermost edge. Don't alert the others."
Loran nodded, quietly suppressing his Early Fifth Stage aura. Power of the Three-Element Source condensed into a thin film of light over his palms, preventing any escaping power from being detected by the evil energy. Lei Lin and Snow Spirit Qilin also reined in their flames and cold air. Snow Spirit Qilin even wrapped his limbs in luminous white ice mist, raising not a speck of dust as he stepped on the ground. The icefield wolf hugged the edge of the low slope, its golden eyes fixed on the Evil Bone Guards' movements, ready to give a warning at any moment.
Under cover of the morning mist, the three figures and one beast silently circled around behind the Evil Bone Guards' flank. The two outermost guards were looking down to inspect the evil marks on the ground, completely unaware of the approaching danger. Loran's gaze sharpened. He pressed his left hand against Lei Lin's neck and held his right palm opposite Snow Spirit Qilin's-gold-red flames and luminous white cold air merged at his fingertips, instantly becoming two blades of light as fine as hair that shot straight into the seams of the guards' skulls.
With two soft puncturing sounds, the light blades pierced the Evil Bone Guards' skulls with precision, and the power of light instantly destroyed the evil souls within. Before either guard could make a sound, they crumbled into two heaps of black ash, which Snow Spirit Qilin instantly froze with ice mist to avoid leaving traces.
"Leave the rest to us." The three saint-level knights seized the opportunity to move. Their radiant blades traced three pale golden arcs through the morning mist. Before the Evil Bone Guards could react, the blades severed their bones, and their evil energy swiftly dissipated beneath the searing power of light. Within half an incense stick's time, the patrol had been completely wiped out without raising any disturbance.
"Keep moving. The evil mine should be in the valley ahead." Loran put away his knight's sword and followed the icefield wolf's lead deeper into the mountains. The closer they came to the valley, the denser the evil energy in the air became. They could even see black evil mist churning at the valley entrance like a natural barrier.
Snow Spirit Qilin stopped and condensed a Radiant Ice Dove in his palm, smaller than the last one. "The evil mist in the valley contains an Evil Corrosion Barrier. The ice dove can penetrate it, but it'll only last a quarter of an hour at most. I'll have it focus on the mine entrance, the furnace's location, and the condition of the Evil Bone Passage."
The ice dove flapped its wings and flew into the evil mist, soon relaying its view back-a massive open-pit mine occupied the center of the valley, its bottom riddled with tunnels for extracting evil iron ore. Dozens of dark dwarves bustled around a furnace three stories tall. A black stone pillar protruded from the top of the furnace, and the abyssal evil crystal at its tip was connected to the distant Evil Bone Passage, continuously channeling eerie blue light into the furnace. Inside, the Evil Bone Battle Armor had largely taken shape. Evil patterns flowed across its surface with the circulating evil energy, and occasional black-red sparks splashed out, burning little pits wherever they landed.
On the eastern side of the pit, the Bone-Corroding Emissary was speaking with a dwarf clad in black iron armor. The dwarf had an ink-black beard and held a forging hammer inlaid with evil crystals; he was clearly the chief of the Black Dwarf Tribe. "The Evil Bone Battle Armor's pauldrons and helmet still need evil soul steel. Our tribe doesn't have enough in stock. We'll have to mine it from deep inside the tunnels." The dark dwarf chief's voice was rough, with the rasp of metal scraping against metal. "But there are Evil Iron Vein Guardians in the tunnels. We'll need your evil energy to help suppress them."
The Bone-Corroding Emissary nodded and swept the black scepter in his hand, sending a beam of eerie blue evil light toward the tunnel entrance. "No problem, but it must be finished within three days. His Holiness intends to use the Evil Bone Passage to summon an Evil Bone General as reinforcements on the day the armor is completed."
An Evil Bone General? Loran's heart sank. He spoke to everyone through their mental link. "That's a high-ranking combatant from the Evil Bone Plane, at least at the late saint level. If they really summon one here, we'll be under even greater pressure."
Elder White's expression grew grave. "We must stop them from mining evil soul steel. Otherwise, once the armor is complete, with an Evil Bone General added to their forces, we won't stand a chance."
Just then, Snow Spirit Qilin suddenly cried out softly, "The ice dove's been spotted!" In the relayed view, the pope beside the furnace abruptly raised his head and pointed his bone staff toward the ice dove. A beam of black-blue evil light instantly pierced it, cutting off the view. "The pope's senses are stronger than we thought. He definitely realized someone was scouting!"
"Retreat!" Loran made the decision at once, turning back toward the low slope. He had barely taken a few steps when earthshaking roars erupted behind him. Large numbers of Evil Bone Guards poured out from the mine, along with dozens of dark dwarves charging on Evil Bone Boars. At the very front, the Bone-Corroding Emissary swept his scepter, sending three streams of black evil flame straight toward Loran's back.
"Lei Lin, fire shield!" Loran shouted. Lei Lin immediately turned, condensing gold-red flames into a curved shield of light behind them. The evil flames struck the shield with a corrosive sizzle. Meanwhile, Snow Spirit Qilin breathed out luminous white ice mist, forming a smooth sheet of ice across the ground. The leading Evil Bone Boars instantly slipped and fell, throwing the guards behind them into chaos as well.
"I'll cover the retreat!" Elder White stopped and planted his staff in the ground. Pale golden light condensed into a wall behind him. "Fall back to the low slope first. I'll follow!"
Knowing he could not hesitate now, Loran quickly retreated with the two Qilin and the icefield wolf. Just as they reached the low slope, he saw Elder White and the three saint-level knights fighting as they withdrew. Though the light wall could block evil-energy attacks, it could not stop the dark dwarves' Evil Iron Cannon-a black-red cannonball slammed into the wall, instantly covering it in cracks.
"Three-Element Purification Cannon!" At the sight, Loran immediately turned, holding his palms opposite each other. Golden, silver, and pale golden light from the three elements condensed into a basketball-sized sphere, which he thrust toward the Evil Iron Cannon. The sphere collided with a cannonball, and the power of light instantly purified the evil energy within it. With a bang, the cannonball burst into black ash that filled the air.
"Move!" Loran grabbed Elder White's arm and led everyone in a rapid withdrawal. Though the dark dwarves and Evil Bone Guards pursued them, Lei Lin held them back with occasional Radiant Fire Feathers. Whenever the feathers landed on evil energy, purifying flames ignited, keeping their pursuers from recklessly approaching.
Only after retreating to a safe area on the outskirts of the mountains did the party finally breathe a sigh of relief. Elder White wiped the sweat from his forehead. "The pope's defenses are tighter than we imagined. With the dark dwarves' Evil Iron Cannon as well, forcing our way in simply won't work."
Loran sat on a rock, his fingers unconsciously rubbing his knight's sword. "According to what the ice dove relayed, the dark dwarves need to mine evil soul steel deep inside the tunnels, and there are vein guardians in there. Perhaps we can start with the tunnels and destroy the vein while they're mining. That would stop them from completing the armor while letting us avoid their frontal defenses."
"But we don't know how strong the vein guardians are, and the evil energy in the tunnels is dense. Our senses will be affected," one saint-level knight said worriedly.
Just then, Snow Spirit Qilin's ears suddenly twitched, and he looked east. "There's a Radiant Ice Dove's aura. It's Miss Liya's!" He gathered a wisp of ice mist in his palm. A moment later, an emerald-green ice dove flew in from the east and landed in his hand—inside it was a rolled-up leaf bearing a message written in the Elf Clan's script.
Snow Spirit Qilin quickly translated it. "Miss Liya successfully persuaded the Bronzebeard dwarves! Their chief, Copper Hammer, is willing to send troops. They've brought fifty smiths and two hundred Sacred Hammer Warriors, along with a large quantity of sacred ore that can counter evil iron ore. They're now at Windstone Slope on the eastern side of the mountains, waiting for us to join them."
"Excellent!" Loran sprang to his feet, excitement flashing in his eyes. "The Bronzebeard dwarves' sacred ore can break through evil iron defenses, and their smiths can forge evil-breaking weapons on the spot. Our chances are much better now!"
Elder White smiled as well. "Miss Liya has rendered a great service! The Bronzebeard dwarves have been enemies of the dark dwarves for generations. With their help, we can not only deal with the dark dwarf threat, but also use their forging techniques to destroy the evil mine's furnace."
Loran decided at once. "We'll head to Windstone Slope now and discuss the details of our attack with the Bronzebeard dwarves. The pope's deadline for completing the armor is three days away. We must act before then and stop the Evil Bone General from being summoned."
The party mounted their horses and galloped toward Windstone Slope. The icefield wolf ran at the head, its golden eyes brimming with excitement-it could sense the forces of justice gathering. At last, they had assurance of victory in this decisive battle against the pope.
Two days later, at Windstone Slope, Loran and his party spotted the Bronzebeard dwarves' camp from afar-dozens of brown tents stood on the slope, with chunks of sacred ore piled outside them. The ore glowed pale gold, dispelling much of the evil energy in the air. At the center of camp, several dwarves bustled around a temporary forge, the ringing of hammers against ore especially loud.
"Sir Loran!" Liya hurried out of the camp, followed by a burly dwarf-he wore heavy bronze-colored armor, had a red-gold beard, and held a forging hammer taller than a person. Intricate sacred runes were carved into the hammer. He was Copper Hammer, chief of the Bronzebeard dwarves.
"Chief Tongchui, thank you for agreeing to send troops to help us." Loran stepped forward and gave him a solemn bow.
Copper Hammer laughed heartily and clapped Loran on the shoulder with enough force to make him sway slightly. "No need for thanks! By siding with the Evil Bone Plane, the dark dwarves broke the Dwarf Clan's rules long ago. Now they dare to mine evil iron and even want to forge evil artifacts. We Bronzebeard dwarves absolutely cannot stand by! Besides, Miss Liya produced the token of the Covenant of Life forged between the Elf Clan and the Dwarf Clan all those years ago. We had even less reason to refuse."
He pointed to the forge behind him, his voice full of pride. "Our smiths have already forged twenty Evil-Breaking Warhammers and fifty Sacred Arrows from sacred ore. They can pierce evil-energy defenses and specifically counter the dark dwarves' evil iron equipment and the Evil Bone Guards. Later, we'll coat your weapons with a layer of sacred ore powder too. Then you'll be able to leave marks even on the pope's Evil Bone Battle Armor!"
Warmth welled up in Loran's heart as he looked at the sacred light shimmering beside the forge. He gathered everyone to sit in a circle at the center of camp and spread out a map of the Blackstone Mountain Range. "Based on our scouting, we'll split into four groups. First, Chief Copper Hammer will lead the Sacred Hammer Warriors in through the tunnel entrance, destroy the evil soul steel vein, and stop the dark dwarves from mining it. Second, Miss Liya will lead the Elven Nature Guard and seal the Evil Bone Passage with a nature barrier to prevent the Evil Bone General from being summoned. Third, Elder White and the saint-level knights will engage the Evil Bone Guards and dark dwarves on the perimeter, covering the other two groups. Fourth, the two Qilin, the icefield wolf, and I will attack the furnace directly, destroy the Evil Bone Battle Armor, and stop the pope from activating it."
Copper Hammer slapped his thigh. "Good plan! We Bronzebeard Dwarves excel at fighting in mine tunnels. We'll destroy that vein, guaranteed!"
Liya nodded too. "The nature barrier can temporarily cut off the Evil Bone Passage's energy. As long as we hold out until you destroy the armor, the Evil Bone General won't be summoned."
Looking at everyone's resolute eyes, Elder White said softly, "We move at dawn tomorrow. In this battle, we must not only destroy the Evil Bone Battle Armor and the evil mine, but also thoroughly thwart the pope's plot, so he never again has a chance to unleash evil turmoil!"
That night, the camp's forge burned without rest, and the sacred ore's glow illuminated all of Windstone Slope. Loran sat outside his tent, cultivating with the two Qilin and the icefield wolf—the Power of the Three-Element Source merged once more with the two Qilin's radiant Qilin power, forming a three-colored cocoon of light around the three figures and one beast. This time, the power within the cocoon was more condensed than before. They could even faintly sense it contending with the evil energy in the distant mine.
Loran knew tomorrow's battle would be brutal, but he no longer felt the slightest fear. Beside him were companions who would fight shoulder to shoulder with him, a powerful allied force supporting them, and the knight's sword in his hand, soon to be coated with sacred ore-this time, they would surely win.
At first light the next morning, Loran and his party stood fully equipped and ready to depart. The Bronzebeard dwarves' Sacred Hammer Warriors carried their warhammers, the Elven Nature Guard had their longbows nocked, and the saint-level knights' radiant blades shone pale gold. The two Qilin's flames and cold air intertwined, while the icefield wolf's golden eyes brimmed with fighting spirit.
The force advanced toward the Blackstone Mountain Range. Morning light pierced the mist, illuminating their figures. In the direction of the distant evil mine, black-red evil mist still churned, but this time, the light of justice was about to dispel that darkness.
A decisive battle that would determine the continent's fate was about to erupt in the evil mine of the Blackstone Mountain Range.