The Battle Begins

Dark Elf are known for their cunning and cruelty, never willing to take unnecessary risks. Just as they would strive to eliminate another family even if it meant their annihilation, these races living in the shadows rarely enjoy face-to-face combat. This is similar to their surface relatives, who prefer scheming, betrayal, and assassination to achieve their goals, rather than simply resorting to war. However, no calm, collected, and cunning Dark Elf could tolerate such provocation. Moreover, their young priestesses had become humiliated sacrifices; if they failed to act, it could undermine the status of women among the Dark Elf. At that point, the enraged Spider Goddess might completely abandon the city she once cherished!

Whether out of fear, anger, or self-preservation, all the Dark Elf in the city had mobilized. The matriarch herself led the charge, leaving behind their homes—homes they had probably only left a handful of times in centuries—and heading towards the city gates. Numerous orcs and goblins, driven by the Dark Elf, surged forward. The Dark Elf brandished their whips, relentlessly lashing their slaves, forcing them to their deaths. But faced with the solid, towering city walls and the corpses of Dark Elf atop them, even the most mindless orc wouldn't advance an inch. The Dark Elf, meanwhile, were now unusually weak, finding their power rapidly diminishing. Even the female priests could no longer fully cast their divine spells; they were astonished to discover that the power that once connected them to the gods had become extremely feeble, like a small flame flickering weakly in a howling storm.

"Angela?"

Looking at the countless enemies on the ground, Li Lin sighed softly, interrupting Angela's excited speech.

"Hmm? What is it, Master?"

"You've got two things wrong. First, I have no interest in sex slaves. Second, there are men among the Dark Elf, and I have no interest in men either."

"Pfft."

Nia chuckled softly, then refocused her attention on maintaining the construction of the Mythal.

As the final Arcane Mage of the Arcane Empire era, Li Lin's skill in crafting any magical item was unparalleled. He invented Weapon Spirit Transformation, created the Seven Ring Spirit Envoys, and similarly, constructing the Mythal was not a particularly difficult task for Li Lin. These were Temporary Mythal; Li Lin altered their original properties, transforming them into a more flexible form to quickly adapt to different climates, locations, and enemies, and to adapt them to specific characteristics. The only drawback of these Mythal that they consumed a large amount of power and possessed only temporary properties. They could only last for a maximum of three days, and even if the power was not exhausted, they would not last any longer.

Nia's Eternal Library form can solve the first problem, since one of her abilities is to absorb large amounts of Magic Power for her own use. The powerful Magic Power that can support a weapon in human form for a thousand years makes supporting a temporary Mythal relatively easy. However, the second problem is unsolvable. Originally, the Mythal was designed as a targeted, large-scale, powerful magical barrier. If it were something dark and evil, its structure would naturally be dark and evil as well. However, in order to allow the Mythal to adapt to different types of casting methods, Li Lin had to adopt a moderate magical framework to form its branches. This approach allows him to create Mythal that are diverse and adaptable to all types. However, this also makes his Mythal very fragile. Within the limited time, it can perform as powerfully as a regular Mythal, but after the limited time expires, it immediately disappears and becomes useless.

Three days should be enough to deal with these Dark Elf.

Li Lin was certainly aware of the Dark Elf's anger. In fact, he had to kill a large number of Dark Elf and shake their faith in the gods through death in order to force their gods to appear.

"Protect the spirits."

He told Angela that, at least until the evil god appeared, the powerless elf had to be protected. Her only purpose was to bring the Elf Goddess down to this dark depths of the earth. Otherwise, without a medium, even if the Elf Goddess was powerful, she wouldn't be able to create a powerful avatar in this place, which was completely opposite to her own attributes.

Angela didn't answer; she was busy toying with the Dark Elf whose limbs were all severed. However, Li Lin understood that she had already called for the two sisters' help through telepathy and asked them to prioritize protecting the elf.

Although Li Lin designed the Mythal to only be effective against Dark Elf, and perfectly weakened their power, making them more vulnerable, he still had to be careful. After all, Dark Elf were most notorious for their cunning and treachery; who knew what they might be up to? Losing power didn't mean losing intelligence. Li Lin's Mythal didn't have the ability to "turn all Dark Elf into idiots with an IQ below fifteen," otherwise, there would be no need for a war.

However, the Dark Elf's magical resistance was truly astonishing. Even within such a powerful magical barrier targeting them, they didn't collapse to their knees as Li Lin had expected, their legs giving way. Instead, they persevered, maintaining their dignity. They must have known very well that resisting this magic would drain their strength and cause them immense pain, yet they did it without hesitation. The sound of their whips still rang out loudly, their shouts still resounded powerfully, and their actions even seemed perfectly normal.

If Li Lin knew how much time these Dark Elf had spent on their courses of suffering, he might not have been so surprised.

The Dark Elf gathered in greater numbers, standing far behind the slaves. Several stone discs floating in the air slowly appeared, upon which stood the matriarchs of the eight great families that ruled the entire Kasos City. Although they were even weaker, the Dark Elf's inherent pride and the anger they felt upon hearing Angela's mockery still lingered.

Who is this visitor?

Matron Ryan's voice was somewhat weak, whether from the distance or from her own voice, it was unclear.

"Why did you invade the Dark Elf's city? Human!"

"You are unworthy to ask questions of my master, you dark-skinned mother spider."

Although Angela couldn't understand the Dark Elf language, Li Lin had already prepared a Tongues, so that she could utilize her strengths at this time. Dark Elf Language contained many vile words that didn't exist in the common language or the Magic Empire Language, and it would be a real shame if these couldn't be used by the right person.

"The master has come here for only one purpose: to help you lowly creatures find your true master."

Angela's voice wasn't loud either, but her words resonated clearly in everyone's ears.

"You wanton bitches, this is the last chance your master and I are giving you. Kneel before your new master now and swear allegiance to him. Your bodies and souls will become his property."

"Presumptuous!"

Matron Ryan paled in dismay.

She gripped the railing tightly, her dark fingers turning slightly red from the excessive force. Under normal circumstances, she might have been able to snap the sturdy railing with just that one movement.

Kill them!

She roared from deep within her throat, but she did not lose her mind.

"Let them suffer! Warriors of the Dark Elf! No one who has insulted Dark Elf will survive!!"

That's such a pity.

Angela's voice suddenly turned low, and the temperature seemed to plummet instantly.

"You lowly slaves, I would be delighted to see you ravaged by wild beasts. Perhaps, after you have borne a few children for wolves and the like, you will change your minds. In the end, you will be nothing more than tools for the lustful desires of these beasts."

"You...!!"

Matron Ryan angrily reached out, but Angela no longer looked at her. She kicked the Black Elf priest, whose limbs were severed, off the high city wall, letting her scream as she disappeared into the waves of orcs and goblins below. Then, the little girl, with the grace of a lady, lifted her skirt and retreated to the side with unprecedented respect.

"Master, my mission is complete."

"Very good."

Li Lin spoke, nodding in satisfaction, then looked at the Dark Elf before him. Angela had already ignited their fury enough; not a single Dark Elf would back down, even under these circumstances.

The tide began to surge. Goblins and orcs roared once more, attempting to storm the city walls, while hundreds of arrows coated with deadly poison flew rapidly toward Li Lin. After all, for archers, a target like Li Lin, floating in the air, was the perfect target. And the Dark Elf's shooting skills were not much weaker than their surface relatives.

However, these arrows did not reach their intended targets. Nearby Li Lin, the arrows suddenly began to change direction wildly, as if an invisible giant hand had swatted away all these annoying flies. Not a single arrow struck Li Lin; instead, they all turned and scattered in all directions, with many arrows piercing the climbing slave ranks. The deadly poison instantly caused a large number of them to fall, lying haphazardly among themselves.

That must be some kind of magic.

Dark Elf rarely have mages. Although many elves entered the Magic Empire study magic during its heyday, and one even became Arcane Mage, most elven mages fled back to their homelands during the subsequent wars. While they harbored anger towards humanity, the fall of the Magic Empire filled them with even greater despair. These mages did not follow the Dark Elf into the underground during the Great Sundering, and as a result, the Dark Elf have little understanding of magic. However, their innate powers allow them to keenly perceive certain things.

"He can't maintain the spell for long! Let those slaves charge!"

The matriarch of the Fifth Family couldn't wait to issue the order. Matron Ryan gave the presumptuous fellow a disapproving look, but said nothing.

The Dark Elf said nothing more. They immediately put away their bows and arrows, not because of any magic, but probably because these slaves were far less valuable than the poisoned arrows. They brandished their whips again and began shouting, driving their slaves away.

Li Lin made his move.

He opened the Eternal Library, chanted an incantation softly, and then casually waved his hand.

A beam of emerald light spread through the crowd with Li Lin's movement, forming a complete circle that instantly killed the slaves within. They didn't even utter a scream; they didn't even feel the threat of death before collapsing to the ground, becoming cold, stiff corpses. Li Lin had no interest in these slaves. He knew very well that these orcs and goblins were more likely to cause trouble than anything else. His army didn't need these low-intelligence creatures; they would only introduce uncertainty into his plans. Moreover, the Dark Elf would absolutely not personally carry out their own operations unless they wiped out all the slaves.

The massive deaths immediately slowed down the slaves' recovery speed considerably. Furthermore, Li Lin was already floating above the city walls, making him an ideal target for magic and arrows, but for these people who knew nothing of magic and only knew how to slash around with their swords, he posed a significant threat.

The Dark Elf priests did not intervene. They should have used their divine magic to dispel Li Lin's spell, or at least make him fall from the sky, which would have made him much easier to deal with. But for some reason, the priests did not make a move. They stood at the back as always, watching the scene unfold before them in horror and disbelief.

Li Lin once again used Exploding Fireball to clear a large area beneath his feet, ignoring the possibility of Dispel Magic. When setting up the Mythal, Li Lin had already imposed restrictions; besides suppressing the power of the Dark Elf, he had also added a condition that prevented harm to the constructor (himself). Now, under the Mythal's influence, any attack aimed at him would be neutralized unless the Temporary Mythal was first broken; otherwise, no attack could succeed.

Therefore, Li Lin focused all his attention on the slaughter before him, constantly casting spells to ensure the enemy's absolute disadvantage with his own overwhelming advantage.

Behind him, the elves, mercenaries, and even the two sisters stared in disbelief at the scene before them. Although they had imagined Li Lin to be incredibly powerful, it was only at this moment, deep within the darkness of the earth, that Li Lin finally revealed his true strength. A massive fireball, guided by him, rained down relentlessly, the exploding inferno reducing everything to ashes. But before the slaves could even recover from their panic, a series of Chain Lightning pierced their bodies, unleashing a new wave of deafening roars. The entire city was engulfed in Li Lin's magic... The bombardment began to shake, even giving the illusion of imminent collapse. Several houses were destroyed before the immense power of the magic. They saw the mighty, terrifying orcs charging towards Li Lin, wielding battle axes, but he merely extended his right hand, gracefully drawing a circle in the air. Instantly, a large group of orcs approaching him were frozen in place, and in the next instant, with a fluid arc, the mysterious incantation Li Lin chanted became reality. Death, scattering wildly, claimed the lives of the orcs, and the fluidity of his movement far surpassed even the most exquisite dance.

Is this what a monk is like?

Fina stared in astonishment at Li Lin's retreating figure. This time, she was finally and utterly awestruck by magic, this terrifying art with its boundless and immense power.

The mercenaries trembled, not just from fear, but also from excitement. They weren't disappointed that they wouldn't be able to fight on the front lines; now they knew something, something that would excite them beyond measure: they were traveling with a powerful mage! This pride and excitement were enough to make them forget their original purpose. Look at the lightning, the fireballs, the chaotic beams of light! They'd bet the last coin in their purses that no one had ever seen anything like it!

The elf did not tremble, but she also stood there blankly. The difference was that the young elf's eyes were now shining with a light that did not belong to him.

"He's still as powerful as ever, Luoxia..."

The Elf Goddess sighed sadly, for she saw the mage she once knew again.

Arcane Mage.

"This is our hope..."

The Elf Goddess was whispering, while also considering her own resolve.

Unlike all of these, Angela was somewhat dissatisfied. She watched as wave after wave of fearless idiots rushed forward, only to be turned into corpses by Li Lin who could no longer resist. The little girl could hardly suppress her excitement.

"This was something I should have done myself."

Angela feigned displeasure and complained, but she knew very well that Li Lin intended to eliminate these creatures, and it wasn't time for her to step in yet. Li Lin had already told her the whole plan and explained her role to the little one. The thought of inflicting immense pain on those delicate humanoid beings filled Angela with a sense of excitement. However, she remained patient, like a quiet, adorable little lady, simply watching Li Lin's destructive storm.

"This won't get us anywhere!"

The magical levitation disc drifted backward, and the second matriarch of the family frowned with worry. Li Lin's killing style only targeted the enemies in front of him, without attempting to attack everyone. This contradicted the legends they had heard about mages. Originally, this should have been the moment for the Black Elf matriarchs to unleash their power, but having long been accustomed to intrigue, they had no habit of entrusting their backs to another matriarch. Who knew if these guys would take the opportunity to kill them and seize their positions? The Spider Goddess loved chaos, intrigue, and betrayal. This human mage did indeed seem very powerful now, but he was still a mage, and his spells should have limitations. Once his spells ran out, he would have to stop and rest. At that time, it would be their time to counterattack. Now, that time was not yet ripe.

We don't have many slaves left.

The matriarch of the eighth family, who was ranked last, spoke up. Her expression was more relaxed than the others, even though this was a very foolish move for the other matriarchs.

"I'm afraid we have to..."

"It's not the right time!"

Ryan interrupted her angrily, saying that a damned, weak family that had only recently become members of the council had no right to give instructions on his plans!

But deep down she also knew that there were really not many slaves left.

Piles of corpses lay on the ground, but Li Lin did not stop casting spells. The magical runes on his body ensured that Li Lin could cast deadly spells without speaking, and the Eternal Library's Mythal firmly restrained the Dark Elf, rendering them completely unable to move.

Perhaps it's not the right time yet.

Looking at the dwindling number of slaves, Li Lin began to take things seriously. He knew that now was the most crucial moment. Once all the slaves were dead, the Dark Elf would have no choice but to act.

And they went all out.

However, this opportunity arrived much earlier than Li Lin had anticipated.

Staring at the figure floating in the air, the Dark Elf were powerless against him. They cursed under their breath, venting their anger. But the clear rules of the Dark Elf hierarchy forced them to abandon the idea of rushing forward and annihilating this damned human. They could only watch their slaves fall in droves, while fantasizing about the human's exhausted and miserable state to satisfy their rage.

However, rules exist because there will always be challengers.

Among the Dark Elf in the rear, a young female elven priest narrowed her eyes, gazing at the matriarchs floating in the sky, and subconsciously bit her lip.

As the most outstanding student at the Dark Elf Academy, she was supposed to complete her ritual tonight, after which she would become a qualified priestess. But now, the appearance of this human and his cursed party has shattered the priestess's dreams. She has no intention of letting this human go, and she has no intention of waiting any longer. Although she also feels the weakness of her power, she believes that the goddess will be on her side.

May the goddess devour your heart!!

She cursed under her breath, then began to chant. She quickly completed the spell, and the priestess reached forward, pointing at Li Lin was floating in the air. She had anticipated that this Dispel Magic would be enough to teach that arrogant, terrifying, and dangerous human a lesson. But to her surprise, the spell barely formed at her fingertips before vanishing completely, as if it had never existed. This was undoubtedly a devastating blow to the young Dark Elf.

My magic has failed!

She instinctively screamed.