Chapter 8: The Victor and the Escapist

Taking the totem scepter representing the true rule over the harpies from the witch, Li Mingxing smiled softly, then turned his gaze toward the area previously swept by lightning. The place had changed utterly; now it was cloaked in black. Not only had all the centaurs in the region been reduced to charred remains, but even the towering trees had been burned to ashes. The flames had reached the treehouses above, dragging down centaurs who should never have found themselves here, slaughtering them amidst the storm of electricity.

This spectacle thrilled every harpy; those of the first and second rank now wholeheartedly acknowledged Li Mingxing as their master. As for the harpies of the third rank and above, though they possessed independent thought, the powerful influence of the totem scepter compelled them to obey so long as the command did not lead them to certain death.

Li Mingxing paid no mind to their thoughts. His focus was on Aisha. Seeing the harpies display their prowess, Aisha could no longer sit idly by. She led her young druid followers upward through the hole blasted open by lightning, seeking the possible follower of the Light. Li Mingxing observed that the “Forest Nymph Legion” had begun to exhibit both single-attribute enhancement and mutual cooperation. Under the protection of seven girls transformed into werewolves, their ascent was swift indeed.

Meanwhile, the Blackstone Warrior finally slew the dwarf defender known as Ark Mountain Axe. The effort had exhausted him; when he retreated, his battle axe slipped from his grasp.

“Looks like you fought hard in this battle,” Li Mingxing remarked calmly.

“Yes,” the Blackstone Warrior replied. “Even I must admit the dwarf defender’s resilience was astonishing. Many times, I struck his vital points, yet he remained unharmed. Had it not been a one-on-one duel, I might have lost.”

“But I gained much from this fight—at least my axe techniques have evolved from brute force and speed to refined skill.”

“Oh, if that’s true, you may be ready to advance again,” Li Mingxing laughed.

“A little more training and perhaps I’ll get the chance,” the Blackstone Warrior declared without a hint of modesty.

“Then rest for now. We may have seized the battlefield, but the fight isn’t over yet. You might still be needed,” Li Mingxing said, glancing calmly at Aisha and her group, who had been blocked by the centaurs.

At that moment, the dwarf who had come seeking the centaurs and the Green Spear Forest elder were both troubled by the situation. Judging from the circumstances, they knew the Green Spear Forest centaurs were doomed. Even if the chieftain surrendered all his people to the dwarves, there was no way to evacuate them—the earthbound would never outrun those who flew.

Thus, the dwarves planned to sneak down the tree and escape if possible. The chieftain of Green Spear Forest placed his hopes on the dwarf. As long as the dwarf remained, the “lord” he spoke of would surely come to rescue him. If that lord was a high-ranking figure from Dragon City, victory was assured. Even if not, reinforcements might arrive, allowing a remnant of the centaur tribe to survive and perhaps reforge their community under the Green Spear Forest name.

However, neither had the power to change their fate. When Aisha and her druids appeared in the centaur treehouse, the dwarf sensed her power was the opposite of his own.

Pointing at Aisha, the dwarf shouted, “Chieftain of Green Spear Forest, I have urgent news for my lord. Send your strongest warrior to escort me out!”

But the chieftain misinterpreted the dwarf’s actions as fear of Aisha, believing he wished to abandon the tribe and flee. Having committed his entire tribe to this battle, the chieftain was enraged.

He called out, “Mickmira, come forth!”

At his command, the tribe’s strongest warrior—a scarlet centaur sergeant, armed with a long lance and a silver helmet—appeared.

Unexpectedly, the chieftain did not order him to attack Aisha or escort the dwarf. Instead, he pointed at the dwarf and declared, “He is our offering. Take him for the ritual and beg our ancestors’ forgiveness for our mistakes. Then lead the children away; this is no longer our land.”

The sergeant asked only, “Do we need to return for revenge?”

“No. Take the children and go, and tell them never to trust any dwarves. Dwarves are all liars,” the chieftain shouted, drawing his weapon.

For the first time, Aisha saw a centaur wielding something other than a spear—a slender rapier. The chieftain threw it to the sergeant and gave a heavy wave.

Without hesitation, the sergeant slung the rapier across his back and thrust his lance at the dwarf.

The dwarf had some skill—when the lance struck, his skin turned gray, invoking the dwarves’ common technique, Stone Skin. This ability, though it slowed their movement, protected them from piercing and slashing harm.

Yet as the dwarf transformed, he saw the sergeant’s smile. The centaur switched his lance to his left hand and seized the now sluggish dwarf with his right.

After the centaur charged away, Aisha realized what had happened and understood the dwarf was her intended target. Without delay, she let the chieftain go and pursued the sergeant.

But the chieftain would not allow Aisha to disrupt his plan. The aged centaur blocked her path.

Aisha thought of nothing else—her sole aim was to catch up with the sergeant and seize the dwarf. She transformed into a white giant bear and struck at the chieftain.

The chieftain dismissed the bear, intent only on stopping anyone from advancing. He relied on his speed, engaging Aisha fiercely.

The longer the fight dragged on, the more anxious Aisha became. From the trees, she learned that the sergeant and the dwarf had already fled far. She knew her mission had failed, regret flooding her heart—why hadn’t she attacked the dwarf from the start?

At this moment, Li Mingxing arrived at the centaur treehouse under the harpies’ protection. Hearing the young druids explain the situation, he shook his head. “So you let one enemy escape? It’s no matter. You did well to keep the chieftain here. Strive harder next time. Now, finish him.”

Aisha acted without hesitation. The chieftain, believing the sergeant had carried the tribe’s hopes to safety, lost his will to fight. After two blows from Aisha, he collapsed to the ground, unmoving.

Seeing this, Li Mingxing lost interest in the chieftain. He called out, “Begin wrapping up, capture the centaurs, tally their property. Work quickly—our advance will soon be known to other tribes, and I don’t want to leave empty-handed or be attacked before we secure our spoils.”

Though his words carried a trace of humor, they signaled the end of Li Mingxing’s campaign against the centaurs.

The remaining tasks he left to the harpies, who knew this world well. They would handle the ruined Green Spear Forest tribe and their former territory.

As for Li Mingxing and his companions, they had more important matters to attend to—such as seeking the ancestral totem the centaurs had been unable to carry away.