Chapter 10: After the First Battle

No sooner had Li Mingxing finished speaking than a stream of eerie energy drifted out from those hearts, rushing directly into the totem pole he had just modified. Then, from within the totem, he heard the sound of wood splintering. The images on the ancestral centaur totem changed utterly; aside from a hunting scene and a battle scene, all other images vanished, replaced entirely by the sigils of the Yin Talisman Sect that Li Mingxing had just learned.

It was precisely these wooden talismans, newly mastered by Li Mingxing, that turned the entire ancestral totem pitch black. All nearby souls surged into the totem like a flood, and a chill so intense it cut to the bone swept over everyone present. The surrounding forest, once no place for outsiders, transformed as well: every tree and leaf within fifty meters turned black, the darkness rippling outward.

Li Mingxing was more than satisfied with these changes. Unlike his subordinates, he saw that the blackened trees had become Yin Talisman Sect talismans, their positions arranged according to certain great formations of the sect. Once everything had stabilized, the woods sealed themselves together again. Li Mingxing paid it no heed and strode straight into the forest, which now had no visible path.

Strangely enough, as he walked, the trees parted to make way for him. Though surprised, his men asked no questions and followed him out of the woods.

Outside, the centaurs Li Mingxing had previously captured had gathered as well. Their green skin had faded to the more common deep red of ordinary centaurs. Their spears, too, were now simple wooden lances, but a murderous aura clung to them—something ordinary centaurs lacked.

The moment they saw Li Mingxing, the centaurs raised their spears and saluted him. It was clear that, after subduing the ancestral totem, these captives had yielded completely. Li Mingxing nodded, casually asking after their numbers. To his disappointment, after the previous battle and with the young centaurs having been taken away by the centaur sergeant-major, only about a hundred and forty remained in his hands.

Most were only first or second tier, with just four third-tier captains and not a single fourth-tier sergeant or sergeant-major. Li Mingxing could only feel resigned, but he understood now was not the time to force these centaurs into service. After some thought, he had them relocate their camp to the grove where they’d acquired their spears, rebuilding the centaur encampment nearby.

The original centaur camp, meanwhile, was dismantled and replaced with aeries like those of the harpies, to signal that the harpy tribe had attacked and defeated the centaurs.

Li Mingxing planned to use this opportunity to tidy up the territories of both the harpy and centaur tribes, and strengthen them in the process. The grove where the centaurs had once held their rituals, he assigned to the gray dwarves, so his forces could form an equilateral triangle around the new dark totem and black forest, protecting them from outsiders.

As for his “Woodland Nymph Legion,” he sent them out to skirt Dragon City and travel to the night elves’ city, where they would study druidic arts. If they could gain the support of the night elf elders, so much the better. After all, Li Mingxing realized that among his future foes, there might well be an apprentice hero with influence over Dragon City.

He had no idea how far that person’s reach extended. If it were limited to minor factions within Dragon City, it would be no great matter; but if, by chance, they could persuade the two green dragons to act, Li Mingxing would not have the strength to contend with them.

With this in mind, he gazed at the blackness spreading from the dark totem, wishing the forest would expand just a bit faster so he could finish his mission and leave as soon as possible.

While Li Mingxing busied himself with his freshly acquired lands, far away—over three thousand kilometers—a unicorn with a horn only half the usual length was speaking with a man in a forest dusted with glittering gemstone powder.

The man, clad in white robes, was grooming the mane of his white warhorse. After listening to the unicorn, he set down his brush and said, “Li Zhengyue is dead. You’ve heard, haven’t you?”

“My lord, I brought the unicorn herd here as fast as I could. I haven’t heard any news at all,” the unicorn replied at once, his tone betraying a complete lack of fondness for the dwarf named Li Zhengyue.

The man didn’t mind the unicorn’s attitude—he knew the two had long been at odds. But he was clearly displeased at the death of his subordinate. He spoke coolly: “I originally sent you to find races that matched the troop types of Dragon City so you’d have a chance to take your units to train there and strengthen them. But now Li Zhengyue has been killed by a group of natives. Do you know how humiliating that is for me in Dragon City?”

“But the news hasn’t spread yet, has it?” the unicorn ventured.

“If we wait until it does, how could I possibly show my face?” The man stood abruptly, but quickly suppressed his anger. “Forget it, it’s not your fault. Just send the unicorns you brought into the Woodland Enclave for training. Also, send someone to track down the escaped centaur tribe. I don’t care how you do it—I want that tribe wiped out.”

The unicorn was startled. “My lord, isn’t that a bit…”

“It’s fine. That tribe is just one of seven centaur tribes in this realm; Dragon City won’t lack for centaur recruits. We must use this chance to prove our absolute strength to Dragon City, and besides, we can’t let the Incandescent Stone be lost for nothing. You must retrieve it for me.”

The unicorn hesitated, replying cautiously, “If I leave now, you’ll be left with only Nakdo by your side.”

“I know. Hasn’t it always been that way? Don’t worry—Nakdo is under my control. Nothing will happen,” the man waved dismissively.

The unicorn had no choice but to obey. He delivered the unicorns to the Woodland Enclave in Dragon City for training, then selected some troops from his original forces and set off once more.

His actions soon attracted the attention of Dragon City’s higher-ups. These people were no mere NPCs; they had built Dragon City and invited two green dragons to oversee it, all to serve their own interests. While they did not object to accepting new blood, if that blood threatened their interests, they would not hesitate to eliminate it.

The unicorn’s hurried movements in and out of the city had already begun to affect their interests. The city elders started considering whether to send someone to observe what the unicorn and his troops were really up to.

Meanwhile, some centaurs from the Green Spear Grove tribe, having fled their original settlement, found temporary refuge. This was the most barren land in the realm—here, even the trees were stunted, most plants inedible or unsuitable as weapons. The few small animals nearby had meat so sour and tough it was barely edible. Yet under the leadership of the centaur sergeant-major, the young centaurs made no complaint but settled in for the time being.

They strove to adapt. With no edible plants, they ate the tough, sour meat. Lacking plants for weapons, they crafted arms from animal bones. In just a few days, their once-green skin turned blue-green, and moss began to grow on their bodies.

Their wooden lances became bone spears, and each young centaur now carried a few short bone darts as well.

When the unicorn arrived with his troops, the centaur sergeant-major already wore a bone helmet of his own making. Their bone gear provided the unicorn with the perfect pretext. Pointing to the centaurs, he declared, “These are the demons who have desecrated this sacred forest. We fight for the future of this hallowed land.”