The war in the Sand Sea Demiplane came to an end with the defeat and flight of the Blue Dragon Clan and the simultaneous withdrawal of all supporting forces from the Sea Dragon Alliance.
The Crimson Alliance won a resounding victory and immediately held a press conference.
Alliance leader Tarlov personally stepped forward and, in front of countless cameras, delivered a passionate speech, elevating the impact of the Crimson Alliance's victory in this battle to a new level, maximizing the media effect.
For a time, the Crimson Alliance, whose international standing had declined considerably due to numerous disasters over the years, seemed poised for a resurgence and its momentum surged.
At the same time, the morale of the people in the country was also high, and many of the resistance movements that had previously caused a great deal of trouble disappeared without a trace, like clowns.
The gloom that had hung over the city seemed to vanish in an instant, and the Crimson Alliance seemed to have returned to the time when neon lights shone brightly and people lived in peace and happiness.
The impact of a resounding victory is that enormous and immediate.
Moreover, as time went by and public opinion fermented, the influence of the Sand Sea Demiplane Dragon Extermination Campaign continued to expand and spread.
Radiant Empire.
Holy Mountain.
Intense golden Radiance poured down from above, painting the original stone mountain with a layer of gold paint, giving it a magnificent and awe-inspiring presence, as radiant as the midday sun.
Yet, in this imposing and solemn setting, a furious rebuke suddenly rang out. The anger in the voice, along with a barely perceptible hint of panic hidden within it, caused the guards in the hall to quietly lower their heads, like cowering quails.
"Is this the answer those despicable Three-Eyed People gave us? Logo Campbell, how dare he?..."
The first Radiance Pope, His Majesty the Emperor of the Empire, Anthony Douglas, was roaring at his Foreign Minister, Donald Kenny. His magnificent ceremonial robes swayed and rose and fell with the Pope's movements, and the various majestic and sacred patterns on the surface of the robes seemed to change with the mood of their master, appearing extremely ferocious.
But beneath this ferocity lies a hint of outward strength masking inner weakness.
Foreign Secretary Donald Kenny lowered his head and obediently endured His Holiness the Pope's reprimand. Far from being afraid, he felt relieved.
As a close confidant of Anthony, Donald knew the Pope's temper very well. When the Pope scolded you, it meant you were not within his scope of slaughter, and at most you would be given a minor punishment as a warning.
Conversely, if one day the Pope is all smiles and incredibly kind to you, you'd better prepare your coffin as soon as possible, because he might just unleash a massacre on you at any time.
A few minutes later.
The sounds in the main hall gradually subsided.
Donald, whose ability to read people was at its peak, understood what kind of face the Pope needed with just a glance.
"Your Majesty, the Gendaya People's despicable and shameless behavior is nothing new. Why bother arguing with them? The Holy Knight Star System is merely a remote region of the Empire, lacking resources. Let it go; we can subdue it later. The most urgent task is to deal with the Winter Empire's army as soon as possible. These filthy orcs and goblins are our greatest threat!"
After speaking, Donald continued to keep his head down, acting like a statue. He knew that at this moment, he shouldn't look at His Holiness the Pope's expression, lest he see something he shouldn't.
All I need to do now is wait.
Pope Anthony was no fool; in fact, he was a rare and powerful ruler. If the Great Purge hadn't gone too far, and if the unexpected factor of the Gendaya Royal Court hadn't revealed the weakness of the Radiant Empire's army to the outside world, the Radiant Empire, after a decade or so of internal consolidation and a major overhaul, would have been Nirvana, far stronger than before the Great Purge, and might even have returned to its peak.
Unfortunately, things are unpredictable. The Pope never expected that his elite troops, numbering twenty million and renowned for their victories in numerous battles, would suffer such a disastrous defeat on the Rising Sun Peninsula.
Actually, losing the war wasn't the key issue.
If the battle lasts for a long time before a defeat is inevitable, it's not a big deal. The Radiant Empire is a formidable force; it can simply continue to reinforce its troops. Other countries won't have any ulterior motives. After all, victory and defeat are common occurrences in war, and no one can guarantee that their own army will not be defeated.
The key issue is that the Radiant Empire's 20 million troops were defeated too quickly and too miserably!
The general was nowhere to be found, and the entire army surrendered... leading the Grand Duke Black Mountain in the Gendaya Royal Court to utter the phrase that had already become widely known throughout the Elven Plane: "This is just a rabbit-catching contest!"
After this battle, the image of the Geya People as martial and virtuous was replaced by that of the rabbit.
International media outlets have repeatedly published articles mocking the Pope, infuriating every Geya People who sees such reports, causing them to grit their teeth and glare with rage, while also generating considerable dissatisfaction with the almost mythologized Pope.
The facts are clear: the combat power of the Radiance Forces on the Rising Sun Peninsula is worlds apart from that of the border guards who were able to fight the Orcish Iron Cavalry to the death on the border of the Golden Sands Khanate just a few years ago.
Even the Pope, let alone most of the high-ranking officials of the Radiant Empire, did not expect that the Imperial Army had reached this point due to the Great Purge.
So when the facts were laid bare, the first reaction of many high-ranking officials was—this is an enemy's trick! It's all fake!
It wasn't until information from all sides was gathered that this bloody truth was revealed, forcing the Radiant Empire's leadership to muster the courage to face it.
But bad news always comes in waves.
With the Battle of the Rising Sun Peninsula, the true strength of the Imperial Army was fully revealed.
The Light-Bathed Sea was quickly divided up by various empires, and the Sebawen Faith even brazenly established a new Dawn Holy See and the Dawn Kingdom.
The Winter Empire, led by the Orc King, brazenly invaded the homeland of the Radiant Empire, formerly the Dawn Continent, now the Radiant Continent.
In a short period of time, the heroic and indomitable orc army swept through the enemy ranks, annihilating and killing a total of 70 million members of the Radiant Empire's army, capturing even more prisoners, and occupying almost a quarter of the Radiant Continent.
During this period, Pope Anthony twice dispatched his old friend Marshal Puliefu, who had been defeated at the Battle of the Rising Sun Peninsula, to lead the army. The old marshal was indeed fierce and daring, and he always placed his headquarters at the front line. His attitude was impeccable.
However, the result was repeated defeats, sending wave after wave of the Radiant Empire's troops to their deaths, earning them the nickname "Radiance Undertaker"!
Upon hearing this nickname, Pope Anthony was furious. Given his personality, if Puliefu hadn't known him since childhood and hadn't truly done his best, he would have definitely launched another purge to get rid of that old man.
Ultimately, due to his relationship with the Pope and some reasons that were not easy to say, Puliefu escaped with his life and was transferred to the position of Deputy Minister of Transport, which could be considered an early retirement.
Puliefu has retreated, Winter Empire are advancing by leaps and bounds.
The vanguard of the Winter Empire has now reached Geerliusi, the third largest city of the Radiant Empire and the Land of Origin of the Geya People.
As an important part of the Geya People's ethnic spirit, the fall of Geerliusi would have unimaginable consequences, potentially causing the already low morale of the people to collapse completely.
Therefore, the Pope recently issued a strict order that any high-ranking officer, mid-ranking lieutenant, or ordinary officer or soldier who dares to retreat even a step will be immediately subjected to military law without any leniency.
With this order given, the garrison of Geerliusi City had only two choices.
They would either be executed for retreating, or their families would be implicated.
Either fight to the death to defend the city, or there's a chance of survival.
The choice is self-evident.
As for defecting to the enemy?
The Geya People's hatred for orcs and goblins is ingrained in their bones; unless they lose all hope and are completely surrounded, the probability of them surrendering is very low.
Therefore, the sudden burst of superhuman fighting power from the garrison of Geerliusi caused the orcs, who had been unstoppable and rampant, to restrain themselves somewhat.
However, Pope Anthony, who had thoroughly studied the domestic and international situation, was not optimistic.
If it were just the Winter Empire, it would be fine, but now, the newly risen Gendaya Royal Court is eyeing them covetously in the northeast, the newly established An Alliance is preparing for war in the south, their space fleets and space-based weapons are being restrained by the Corte Alliance and the Winter Empire, and the Tia Empire and the Crimson Alliance are also lurking in the shadows...
The Radiant Empire is now facing a situation where it is surrounded by wolves, and if not handled properly, it may even be on the verge of collapse.
This situation has led His Holiness the Pope, who is usually ruthless and cold-blooded, to increasingly adopt a policy of appeasement. He no longer resorts to violence against domestic opposition as he did before, although... there are not many opposition figures left in the Radiant Empire.
The Radiant Empire's approach to domestic affairs has become more lenient, not to mention its approach to foreign affairs. Although not explicitly stated, its foreign policy is undergoing a silent but significant transformation.
At first glance, one might think that the Radiant Empire has changed. The once imposing diplomats now appear incredibly kind and friendly, making one feel as if bathed in a spring breeze.
Take, for example, the fall of the Holy Knight Star System and the deaths of Golden Lion Jiesili and Prince Leiersen.
A few years ago, it would have been a miracle if the Radiant Empire hadn't destroyed the Gendaya Royal Court!
But what about now?
Aside from sending a representative to the Otherworldly Plane Development Bureau to issue a few angry condemnations, the Ministry of Defense took no action. The Ministry of Defense merely instructed the garrison forces of the Holy Spear Star System, which borders the Holy Knight Star System, to increase their vigilance, but forbade soldiers from provoking the Gendaya People, and even forbade them from firing the first shot.
As for the ownership of the Holy Knight Star System, that will mainly be handled by the Ministry of Foreign Affairs to see if it can be returned through negotiations.
The result is obvious.
As the gateway to the Golden Star, how could Logo possibly return the Holy Knight Star System that he had already acquired?
Logo even considered taking over the Holy Spear Star System as well if the Radiant Empire's Geerliusi City fell.
No matter how vast, strategic depth is never enough!
Given Logo's attitude, the Ministry of Foreign Affairs of the Radiant Empire naturally received a rebuff.
This led to the scene where the Minister of Foreign Affairs, a high-ranking official, was scolded by the Pope like a grandson.
"Donald, explain your thoughts in detail." Pope Anthony's voice rang out again, and it was clear that his voice was much more weary than before.
Donald raised his head, glanced at Pope Anthony who had turned away, leaving him with only his back, and said respectfully, "Your Majesty is wise. The Gendaya Royal Court merely a kingdom-level power, a minor ailment, not worth worrying about. The Winter Empire, however, is different. The orcs and goblins have a thousand-year-old feud with us, the Geya People. Moreover, they have already seized half of the northern territory of the Radiant Continent, and their ambition and greed have been fully unleashed. They must be curbed!"
"What exactly should we do?" The Pope tilted his head slightly, revealing his left profile, which was flickering between light and shadow.
Donald cleared his throat and continued, "Your Majesty, not only do we not want to see the Winter Empire take over Geerliusi City, but the other imperial powers on Planet Oklo also don't want this to happen. The pie is only so big; if you take a bigger slice, I'll take a smaller one. The orcs and goblins have many more enemies than just us!"
"You mean the Tia Empire? Yes, the Barbarian Race and dwarves share a deep dislike for orcs, while the Elf Race have a terrible relationship with the goblins..."
"Not only the Tia Empire, but also the Crimson Alliance, which just dealt a heavy blow to the Blue Dragon Clan!"
"The Crimson Alliance?" The Pope turned around, his face showing surprise, and said, "You think the Crimson Alliance will help us?"
Donald nodded, then explained, "Your Majesty, compared to the Winter Empire and the Gendaya Royal Court, who are our deep-seated enemies, the Corte Alliance and the Crimson Alliance, although opposed to our camp, do not harbor much hatred. Their hostility stems from conflicts of interest. Therefore, when they realize that the benefits of continuing to oppose us are not as plentiful as befriending us, they will naturally change their attitude."
The Foreign Minister's meaning is clear: between nations, there are no Eternity enemies, only permanent interests.
Even the hatred between the Winter Empire and the Gendaya Royal Court and the Radiant Empire can be resolved if the interests involved are significant enough.
Pope Anthony nodded slightly, indicating that he understood Donald's meaning. After pacing back and forth, he asked, "You mean, to offer certain benefits to win over the Crimson Alliance? But will they agree?"
"Highly likely!" Donald said with certainty, then explained, "The Crimson Alliance has suffered frequent turmoil and significant losses in recent years, with its overall national strength declining sharply. Although they achieved a great victory in the Sand Sea Demiplane, it is difficult to change their current predicament. For the Crimson Alliance, what they urgently need now is time to heal their wounds and rebuild their national strength, rather than continuing an endless war."
At this point, Donald cleared his throat, paused deliberately to give His Holiness the Pope time to process his thoughts, and continued, "We can act as mediators between the Sea Dragon Alliance and the Crimson Alliance, facilitating a reconciliation between the two. The Sea Dragon Alliance has just suffered heavy losses, and I estimate that the Metallic Dragon and the royal families of the seas don't want to fight anymore. Although the Blue Dragon Clan is eager for revenge, their strength has been greatly diminished, and they have no say, so there's no need to worry about them. As I said before, the Crimson Alliance urgently needs time to recuperate and restore production, and they can't wait to stop the war. Moreover, I suspect that their surprise attack on the Blue Dragon Clan was precisely to use war to end war."
"That's highly likely. If that's the case, we can take this opportunity to persuade the Crimson Alliance's leadership to withdraw the space fleet used to contain the Empire, thus changing the Empire's situation of being besieged on all sides!"
"The multinational coalition is just a rabble with differing intentions. Once the Crimson Alliance retreats, other countries will naturally be unwilling to shed blood for nothing and let the retreating forces reap the benefits. They will most likely also withdraw. In this way, the Empire can free up many troops to join the war against the Winter Empire."
"Furthermore, none of the nations want to see the Winter Empire grow stronger. They would prefer to see the Geya People and goblins. As long as we appeal to their emotions and reason, we have nothing to fear from these nations' refusal."
"We can also take this opportunity to win over the Frost Tribes in the Winter Empire Far North, sending them resources and Transcendent knowledge—basically, whatever they want. Let the Far North at the Winter Empire from behind, leaving the orcs besieged on both sides!"
"Beyond Oklo, the Guta Federation has always been a model of peace. We can send envoys to the current Mudato Byso Krashvif to seek help. Our relationship with the Guta people has been quite good over the years, so Byso Mudato shouldn't refuse us..."
Having said all this in one breath, Donald breathed a sigh of relief, then resumed his submissive posture, awaiting His Holiness the Pope's judgment.
Pope Anthony lowered his head, looking at Donald with a complex yet gratified expression. He was quite satisfied with the latter's quick thinking and diplomatic skills. However, sometimes having overly capable subordinates wasn't a good thing. In the past, such people would have had to be repeatedly disciplined and tempered... But the situation was different now. In addition, Donald's humble attitude dispelled Pope Anthony's minor grievances. Well, the country had reached a critical juncture, and capable people should be boldly used.
Having considered this, Pope Anthony made up his mind. After a moment's thought, he said, "Donald, I grant you the authority of interim prime minister. You are entitled to utilize all the resources of the empire to handle diplomatic affairs according to your own ideas and strive to achieve the best vision you have described."
After speaking, Donald initially refused, but under Pope Anthony's repeated insistence, he knelt down with tears of gratitude and respectfully said, "Your Majesty, I am willing to die for you!"
Donald left the Holy Mountain with far more power than before.
Pope Anthony turned his gaze away from Donald's retreating figure, his eyes shifting dramatically, as if he were making a decision.
After a long while, Pope Anthony sighed and decided to relinquish power.
After a period of experimentation, the Pope finally realized that his military command abilities were indeed quite mediocre, and he was preparing to completely hand over command of the army to the generals and marshals below him.
Besides the impact of the Great Purge, the Pope's arbitrary intervention in the command of Puliefu's army also bears a "small" responsibility for the two subsequent complete defeats of his forces.
However, no one dared to point it out to their face, not even to offer a subtle hint, which shows just how terrifying Pope Anthony's authority was in the Radiant Empire.
Fortunately, the Pope himself is not beyond redemption. Although he is stubborn and concerned about his image, this is based on the premise that his fundamental interests have not been harmed.
Now, the Light-Bathed Sea is gone, the north of the Radiant Continent has become a playground for orcs, countless Geya People have been ravaged, and the empire's situation has taken a sharp turn for the worse.
All of this instilled fear in Pope Anthony, who had once coldly dismissed the God of Dawn, as if a bucket of cold water had been poured over his head.
After the intense chill subsided, he finally realized that he had to make a change.
Diplomatic strategy is only one aspect.
To forge iron, one must be strong oneself!
The military also needs to stand firm.
This requires giving generals sufficient autonomy.
In fact, the Radiant Empire's officer corps, which is well-educated, has a lot of promising talents. There are also more than a dozen generals and marshals who were not sent away during the Great Purge. As long as they delegate power and do not keep the army so tightly under control, with the Radiant Empire's vast resources and the war machine running at full speed, it is not difficult to drive out the orcs.
After officers have fought several fierce battles, their skills will improve rapidly.
Defending their homeland prevented their morale from plummeting, and they were easily energized by one or two small victories.
Once the generals are given autonomy, the course of the war can change immediately.
The Pope understands all of this!
His hesitation to give the order stemmed from his inner fear.
However, once he understood the fundamental interests and realized that the military leadership was on his side and that their fates were intertwined with his own, the inexplicable fear was forcibly suppressed by reason, and he began a round of decentralization.
Soon, the army of the Winter Empire will feel the rapidly recovering combat power of the Radiant Empire's forces.
It's never too late to mend the fence after the sheep are lost.
On the Radiance side, as the outcome of the Sand Sea Demiplane changed drastically, other forces also reacted differently.
Blood Clan.
Planet Twilight.
Blood Sea surges and waves roll.
The palace, seemingly forged from crimson crystal, hung high in the air, and a meeting was being held inside.
The Third Blood Ancestor sat in the main seat, next to him was Kudolin Locke, the Star Lord of Planet Twilight and former Deputy Minister of Foreign Affairs of the Crimson Alliance.
Opposite Kudolin was a projection of the Blood Clan elder, Ulan Ross. Ulan's true form was on the Planet Oklo, orchestrating attacks against the Crimson Alliance's homeland in an attempt to prevent the Crimson Alliance from Yuan Qi. Over the years, he had thoroughly disgusted the high-ranking members of the Military Control Committee, who desperately wanted to get rid of this despicable old man, but had yet to find an opportunity.
"The Crimson Alliance won, the Blue Dragon Clan was severely damaged, and the Sand Sea Demiplane fell into human hands. The one who led this battle was the Mechanical Bishop Belotti," the Third Blood Ancestor said after scanning the area.
Upon hearing this, the expressions of the high-ranking Blood Clan present were complex.
The overall strength of the Blue Dragon Clan is only slightly inferior to that of the Blood Clan. In fact, apart from the top experts above the High-Rank Demigod level, the Blue Dragon Clan has a significant advantage over the Blood Clan at the low-level, Mid-Rank Demigod level, and the Sanctuary level.
Yet this very force was utterly crushed by a surprise attack from the Crimson Alliance.
Although the Crimson Alliance also suffered significant losses, the fact remains that the Alliance won!
In an instant, the atmosphere became heavy, and a sense of dread silently spread, as if the Crimson Alliance might do the same to them.
Under this silent pressure, one of the Blood Clan elders, Karen Morgan, said, "I think it's time to have the Grand Elder withdraw to Planet Twilight. Accelerating the construction of Planet Twilight's defense system should be our clan's focus for the foreseeable future."
Upon hearing this, many Blood Clan elders' eyes lit up, and they quickly nodded in agreement, especially those who had followed the Grand Elder in causing trouble on Planet Oklo. They were terrified and wanted to return to their Planet Twilight home base as soon as possible to enjoy a peaceful life.
However, Elder Ulan Ross frowned, but before he could say anything, Planet Twilight Kudolin immediately retorted, "What a joke! With so Demigod flocking back to Planet Twilight, what will we do about external affairs? Are we supposed to send Legendary beings to deal with other major powers? What will they think of our Blood Clan?"
"Furthermore, if all the Demigod were holed up on Planet Twilight, wouldn't they be wiped out if they were ambushed? The reason the Blue Dragon Clan wasn't wiped out, besides Babunaite's strength, wasn't the fact that they sent their clansmen out to fight also a key factor?"
Kudolin was furious.
You were the ones who wanted to break with humanity in the first place.
Now, it's you who can't withstand the pressure and want to cower in fear.
You insects, what exactly do you consider your kind to be?
A cozy nest? Something to be arranged however you like?
Kudolin's words made the Blood Clan elders lower their heads in shame. The First Elder, Ulan Ross, and the Third Blood Ancestor exchanged a glance and nodded slightly in unison. They had not made a mistake in choosing this Planet Twilight.
However, Kudolin's old nemesis, Karen Morgan, had something to say. She immediately stood up, pointed at Kudolin 'Locke nose, and retorted, "Kudolin, as the Planet Twilight, you have no problem criticizing others when you're not in danger. But have you considered the feelings of these elders? The Crimson Alliance is closing in, and they could discover their hiding place at any moment. What will happen if they're caught? Are you suggesting we let the elders continue to operate outside and die?"
Kudolin stood up defiantly and rebuked, "Since you've chosen this path, you must take responsibility for it!"
Karen Morgan gave a cold laugh. "Fine, then let's switch places. You go out on errands, and I'll be the Planet Twilight, how about that?"
Kudolin was furious. "Are you kidding me? The entire Planet Twilight defense system was built under my leadership. You didn't participate at all from beginning to end. You're completely incapable of this position. If anything goes wrong with the defense system, the entire race is doomed."
Karen Morgan scoffed, "In the end, it's all because you can't bear to give up this position. Look at Kudolin, he's a complete hypocrite, a deceitful scoundrel. He tells us to shine for our people, to be fearless in the face of danger, while he hides in his lap of luxury, complacent, excluding those who disagree with him, clinging to his meager power to the bitter end. I am deeply ashamed that such a person could become the Planet Twilight and be associated with him!"
Kudolin Locke or Karen Morgan was better or worse, who contributed more to the tribe, and who was more loyal, is something that anyone with a normal IQ can easily discern.
However, the reality is that more often than not, people act based on emotions and stances rather than reason!
Karen Morgan represented the sentiments of many Blood Clan elders at this moment, so even though they knew this guy was a coward, weren't they... the same?
Since everyone is on the same side, opposing Kudolin Locke has temporarily become politically correct.
Once this is understood, the next scene is the Blood Clan elders launching a verbal attack on Kudolin Locke.
The elders who had just been terrified of the Crimson Alliance were now speaking eloquently, standing righteously on the high ground of their tribe, condemning Kudolin as utterly worthless, as if Kudolin had become the sinners of their tribe.
These Blood Clan elders had completely forgotten that they had voluntarily stayed on Planet Oklo, causing turmoil in the Crimson Alliance.
At that time, most of the Blood Clan elders felt that humanity wouldn't last long under the repeated blows, and that staying on Planet Oklo would make it easier to reap the rewards of victory.
Kudolin became the Planet Twilight for two reasons. First, he genuinely wanted to build a strong foundation for his clan and didn't want to associate with these insectoid creatures. Second, Karen Morgan and others subtly rejected him; these Blood Clan Radical Faction didn't want Kudolin to join the fight for power.
But reality quickly proved them wrong. The Crimson Alliance not only survived, but also regained its prestige as an imperial power in just a few years, causing the Blood Clan high-ranking members remaining on Planet Oklo to suddenly face a surge in danger.
On the contrary, Kudolin Locke, who had already become the Planet Twilight, saw his status rise significantly, and even received praise from the First Blood Ancestor for his effective construction of the defense system.
At this time, the Blood Clan elders who remained on Planet Oklo began to frantically envious.
Why should Kudolin be able to stay in the stable rear area, while we have to fight on the dangerous Planet Oklo?
That's not fair!
What? You're saying this was our own choice? I won't listen! I won't listen! It's all your fault, you hypocrite...
Even though Kudolin had seen these ugly faces more than once, he still found it hard to bear and sat there with a livid face.
The elder opposite him, Ulan Ross, wanted to speak up for him, but after opening his mouth, he lowered his head in embarrassment, because he was the leader of the Radical Faction and could not stand against his supporters.
The Third Blood Ancestor also remained silent. Although he valued Kudolin, he placed even greater importance on the collective will of the Blood Clan elders. Even though he only needed to say a word to reverse the dire situation Kudolin was facing, the Third Blood Ancestor chose to ignore it.
At that moment, Kudolin felt a deep chill creep into his heart. Was there any hope for such a race?
You can hide for a while, but can you hide forever?
The Blood Clan will have to face the Crimson Alliance sooner or later...
Ultimately, this meeting of the Blood Clan' highest echelons ended with the Grand Elder, Ulan Ross, leading his forces back to Planet Twilight and abandoning their interference with the Crimson Alliance on Planet Oklo.
As for Kudolin's position as Planet Twilight, it remains unchanged. The Third Blood Ancestor and the Grand Elder of the Blood Clan both understand that Kudolin is the most suitable person for this position. In terms of ability, Karen Morgan is far inferior to Kudolin.
The meeting has adjourned.
Kudolin gazed at the empty palace, sighed deeply, and stood up to leave.
No matter what, he would not abandon his race. The Planet Twilight defense system still needed him. Fortunately, the Grand Elder and the Blood Ancestor were reasonable enough, although... but Kudolin was no longer asking for too much at this moment.
Ashes, Star Moon.
Sun Eclipser Baliewei also received news of the Crimson Alliance's heavy blow to the Blue Dragon Clan, but he was unconcerned. Compared to his grand and far-reaching plans, the Crimson Alliance's so-called great victory was utterly insignificant.
During this period of time.
As the power of the Primordial Evil God spread along the Silver Spirit Staff, the mental outlook of the Guta Star People changed significantly, becoming more proactive and enterprising, with their pioneering spirit greatly increased.
As for the social unrest that this has triggered...
To the Sun Eclipser, those were minor issues, not worth mentioning.
Reforms will inevitably cause growing pains, but things will gradually improve.
The only one who greatly displeased the Sun Eclipser was Dark Moon Sylvain.
This once efficient subordinate stumbled in the Holy Knight Star System, causing Ashes to lose two Star Pillar -level beings, and also severely injuring Dark Moon Gelaxius, delaying many things.
Moreover, in the past few days, Sylvain repeatedly urged him to rectify the unhealthy practices on Ancient Planet Guta...
Sun Eclipser wanted to laugh. How dare a Dragon-Hunting Spider from the most evil faction talk about bad practices? It was utterly ridiculous.
He completely forgot that everything has a basic logic; those in the most evil camp are not necessarily fools, and those who are cruel and ruthless do not necessarily not know how to govern a country.
Over the years, the Ashes have grown to such a great extent, Sylvain is actually the biggest contributor to this success. In the early and mid-stages, Baliewei had not yet retreated to the background, and at that time, there was no such thing as the Sun Eclipser.
Sylvain willingly handed over the vast organization of Ashes to Baliewei simply because he considered Baliewei his brother.
It was simply because Baliewei was the son of his adoptive father, Fiona.
But at some point, his former brothers began to treat him like a subordinate, summoning him at will and dismissing him at will...
Sylvain noticed it, of course, but he persisted, wanting to bring this journey to a perfect end.
However, sometimes, striving for perfection can backfire.
A hazy face flew out from the octagonal well, swirling around the Sun Eclipser, and spoke in a low, provocative tone, "Sylvain has gradually lost sight of himself. He is no longer loyal to you. With his influence in the Ashes, once he becomes dissatisfied with you, can you still control the Ashes?"
"Kill him, make him the vessel of the evil god's power. His clone contains a piece of the evil god's finger bone; it will be the perfect puppet..."
The demonic voice pierced his ears, and the crimson in the Sun Eclipser's pupils deepened, gradually filling his eyes. He rasped, "Wait a little longer, it's not time yet. I'll let you devour him..."
The hazy face then drifted away, a sinister smile on its face.
Sylvain had long coveted Diorus.
The Dragon-Hunting Spider Clan possesses an innate Devouring Physique, and their compatibility with demonic energy is also very high. Not to mention that Sylvain's avatar was created with the finger bone of the evil god as its core. Once it is completely corrupted, Diorus will have an additional body that is far more powerful than that false god of the Crimson Alliance, and it will be even more suitable for Him...
A few days passed in the blink of an eye.
Outside the international arena, diplomatic missions from various countries are meeting frequently, and the international situation is turbulent.
On a towering mountain in the Sand Sea Demiplane, most of the snow on the upper part was evaporated in the surging lava a few days ago, exposing the dark rocks at the bottom.
Six days ago, Lancelot brought Zyra here. The Steel Feather Cloak transformed into an iron fortress, which became their temporary residence.
The reason for choosing this location is that there was originally a spatial rift ten thousand meters long at the top of this mountain, from which spatial turbulence roared out every moment, forming a terrifying hurricane with extremely strong destructive power.
After Lancelot and Zyra, the two took turns suppressing the spatial rift to prevent spatial turbulence from flowing in. Lancelot was even able to repair the rift using his own spatial power and the spatial knowledge he had borrowed from Logo.
As a result, in just three days, the once terrifying and grotesque spatial rift vanished without a trace.
This is what it means to be Transcendent being.
They can destroy the world, or they can save it.
All actions are driven by one's own will, and are done as one pleases.
Their own strength is the authority that allows them to travel freely in all directions.
In the not-so-spacious room, intense gravity surged from all directions, pressing down on Lancelot's body and even spreading to every cell.
This is the ability that the Steel Feather Cloak possesses after Replication the Gravity Chamber. Driven by its own independent energy system, it can generate a gravity multiple that can exceed 30,000 times.
Under the immense pressure of gravity, Lancelot trained even more efficiently.
After a high-intensity workout, Lancelot, drenched in sweat, slumped to the ground without any grace, sweat pooling beneath him, and waves of heat emanating from his already reddened skin.
Gently stroking the ground, Lancelot muttered to himself, "Right now, my strength is enough to kill Low-Rank Demigod, but my Steel Feather Cloak is still only four-star level, which is a bit weak. It's time to upgrade it..."
Previously, he was ambushed by a cursed spiral spear. If it weren't for the Steel Feather Cloak automatically protecting its owner and activating the Infinity Scale Armor to protect Lancelot, he would have suffered unprecedented severe injuries, even if he hadn't perished. After all, it was a full-force attack from a Mid-Rank Demigod at the peak of his level.
No matter how powerful Immortal Body is, it has its limits. Moreover, Immortal Body primarily enhances defense, while healing abilities are merely secondary and relatively ordinary.
To make up for this, we need to rely on the Holy Spirit Bird bloodline. Fortunately, Logo has already completed the preparation of the Holy Spirit Bird bloodline potion. All Lancelot needs to do is wait to take the potion and awaken his new Ability Energy.
The importance of the Guardian Blade is becoming increasingly prominent. This weapon, which is one with Lancelot and shares his destiny, has a priority for improvement second only to Lancelot himself.
Lancelot's strength is unlikely to change much in the short term, so he needs to focus more on the Steel Feather Cloak.
To upgrade the Steel Feather Cloak, you need a sufficient amount of Primeval Stone.
Based on the experience left by Tibeici and the information Lancelot obtained from the Dome of the Stars, generally speaking, to upgrade the Guardian Blade from Four-Star Miracle to Five-Star Miracle, at least 5,000 Primeval Stone are required.
The Steel Feather Cloak itself has a strong foundation, so it requires even more Primeval Stone.
Lancelot estimated that if he didn't want to give up halfway, he should prepare at least 10,000 Primeval Stone to upgrade the Steel Feather Cloak to a higher level in one go, instead of slowly grinding it down to one quality at a time.
"Then let's set a small goal for now, let's save up 10,000 Primeval Stone first." Lancelot slapped his thigh, deciding on his direction for the next period of time.
To obtain the Primeval Stone, one must slay beings despised by the Plane Will.
Dark Mage, Ashes, doomsday being...
Diorus Lancelot is definitely unable to move right now. Although his head is certainly worth a lot of Primeval Stone, he simply doesn't have the strength to do so.
Then we'll have to pick on the weakest link, choosing targets from the two major groups: the Dark Mage and the Ashes Organization.
The Ashes Organization with members who appear and disappear unpredictably. Without Gustavo as an inside man, finding suitable targets will require a significant amount of effort.
Then, it's you, Black Mage!
The City of Freedom is right there, so it would be a real shame not to take advantage of it.
Moreover, according to intelligence gathered from various sources, the relationship between City of Freedom and the Ashes Organization is almost equivalent to that of a vassal state.
The Lord of the Free City is himself one of the Eighteen Star Pillars, the Soul Star Pillar.
"I've stacked two buffs, I wonder if I can get more Primeval Stone after killing the Black Mage of City of Freedom..." Lancelot, sitting on the ground, licked his lips, his eyes gleaming green like a lone wolf. He was currently in dire need of Primeval Stone.
Upgrading [Spellbreaking Star] requires Primeval Stone.
Stabilizing one's own physical constitution is essential for creating the dual SSS Innovation Skill, which requires Primeval Stone.
Upgrading the Guardian Blade: Steel Feather Cloak requires Primeval Stone.
Some ultimate talents [Limit Breaking] still require Primeval Stone...
In short, there's never enough Primeval Stone.
The legacy left by Tibeici can only be inherited in the second wave when his life rank reaches level 16 (Low-Rank Demigod).
Although Lancelot currently possesses the combat power of Low-Rank Demigod, his life rank is only 13 (Epic Tier One), far from meeting the requirements, and the Dome of the Stars will not allow Lancelot to exploit any loopholes.
So, after all the calculations, it seems the best course of action is to fight the dark Mage!
Having cleared his mind, Lancelot's previously restless heart calmed down again. With a goal in mind, all that was left was to execute it. In short, just do it!