by Zhuang Bifan
What made Lin Li even more surprised was that he did not feel any intense waves of mana from him, but instead felt some dense and lifeless aura. It was as if the old man in front of him had already or was about to die. However, Lin Li knew clearly that the old man was very different from Undead creatures. He did not detect any pungent odor of the Undead creatures from the oppressive aura. Instead, it was very pure and devoid of vitality, just like a withered tree. That reminded Lin Li of the dead Seed of Eternity that had once been in his hands—lifeless but not decayed.
Seeing that the Ashen Warlock was stepping out of the tower, everyone immediately rushed towards the steps; regardless of how glorious and authoritative they were on the surface, they were all rather respectful towards the Ashen Warlock now. The four patriarchs of the Mithril League that were led by Joseph, the wyrm-human hybrid of the Blood Moon Clan, Mogadi, and the patriarch of the Caesar family, Claus, were people who could easily make the Breezy Plains shudder. However, they all swallowed their pride and hung their heads low to greet the old man. Seeing that they had all rushed forward to greet the Ashen Warlock, Lin Li didn't immediately follow to join them. He felt that it wouldn't make a difference even if he greeted him later.
Roland, the Ashen Warlock, stood on the steps with his staff and occasionally nodded in response to all their greetings. The two old servants beside him did not seem to open their eyes at all, and looked like they were dozing off while muttering and complaining about how noisy they were.
After greeting the Ashen Warlock, everyone retreated and stood on both sides of the steps out of habit. Gradually, the number of people greeting gradually decreased, and the order was gradually restored. Lin Li's figure finally appeared. Just as Lin Li was about to come forward to greet the Ashen Warlock, the latter spoke first. He squinted at Lin Li, and said, "Kid, I heard that you're doing a good job in Doland."
"Hello, Dear Master Roland, you flatter me. I was just lucky," Lin Li said modestly.
Lin Li didn't feel anything special, but the big figures around him were flabbergasted. Ashen Warlock would invite them to the gathering once every three years, and everyone present had at least attended the gathering tens of times—Mogadi from the Blood Moon Clan had even participated hundreds of times—but no one had ever heard the Ashen Warlock praise anyone. Apart from the final judgment, Ashen Warlock would never say a single word to any of them.
Everyone knew very well in their hearts that even though they were all leaders of top forces and were Legendary powerhouses, they were still just tiny and insignificant ants in the eyes of the Ashen Warlock. The Ashen Warlock, who was high above the Breezy Plains and was a godlike existence that looked down on them, actually made a comment about an ant who happened to be the one that the other ants wanted to get rid of quickly…
They could not help but guess what exactly Ashen Warlock meant. They had to figure out if it was a compliment, a sarcastic remark, or just a remark made in a moment of impulsiveness! Everyone began to speculate because of that remark, and their expressions changed continuously as well.
Among all the people below the steps, Lin Li was the only one whose expression was normal, followed by Hoffman whose face did not change much. Of course, Hoffman was also taken aback by the Ashen Warlock's words, but after being shocked, he was delighted for Lin Li and the Tower of Dusk.
Chapter 842 - Twisting Facts
The Glittergold Trade Union and the Tower of Dusk had always been the closest partners.
During this period of time, various forces had been trying to boycott and suppress the Tower of Dusk. It would be impossible for the Glittergold Trade Union not to detect it. If it were an ordinary force, the Glittergold Trade Union would definitely be able to come forward to settle it completely, but they were the Mithril Alliance, Blood Moon Clan, and Caesar Family. They were the three major forces of the Breezy Plains—powerful, with high status, and not inferior to the Glittergold Trade Union. Although Hoffman was the President of the Glittergold Trade Union, he was not the only one who had a say in it. In a commercial organization, the most important rule of thumb for survival was not to directly intervene in any conflicts between forces.
In reality, the rumors of the Glittergold Trade Union trying to encroach on the Tower of Dusk had been spreading throughout the internal department of the Glittergold Trade Union. All Hoffman could do was to suppress those voices with his identity as the President. However, if the Tower of Dusk were to be divided by the three major forces in the end, Hoffman who had insisted on not attacking the Tower of Dusk would probably have his status affected.
The Ashen Warlock was the god of the Breezy Plains, yet he valued a tiny ant which also had a bright and promising future with endless potential. Hence, when he heard the Ashen Warlock saying those words to Lin Li which seemed to hint at his admiration of Lin Li, Hoffman was extremely excited and agitated. As the closest partner of the Tower of Dusk, he would definitely stand to gain if the Tower of Dusk were to develop well. The more the Tower of Dusk developed, the more benefits the Glittergold Trade Union would gain. If the Glittergold Trade Union were to gain more benefits, Hoffman's status in the Glittergold Trade Union would definitely rise higher.
After Lin Li greeted him, the Ashen Warlock finally smiled, which was rare of him. He then nodded at Lin Li slightly before turning to look at Joseph who was on the steps. He calmly said, "Go ahead."
Although the Mithril Alliance was not the strongest force in the Breezy Plains, they were the force with the longest heritage, and had always been the representative of the various forces during the gatherings. Joseph was actually shocked by the words of the Ashen Warlock, but he didn't have much time to think about it at this juncture. Hence, he saluted the Ashen Warlock with respect, and then stood up to bow to the Ashen Warlock. He then began to report about everything that happened in the Breezy Plains in the past three years.
There was silence in the open space in front of the tower, and the only thing that could be heard was Joseph's voice when he was reporting to the Ashen Warlock. There were no background noises at all, and everyone subconsciously slowed down their breathing. The Ashen Warlock stood quietly on the steps, holding the staff with both hands expressionlessly. No one could figure out if he was listening to Joseph's report or not.
Actually, with the suppression and the deterrence of the Ashen Warlock, there was nothing that happened in the Breezy Plains that was worth mentioning. As Joseph was talking, he finally talked about the Tower of Dusk and its domineering rise which was indeed a major event that took the entire Breezy Plains by storm. However, the matter definitely had a different meaning when Joseph said it.
"The Breezy Plains Guild of Magic, which is also the Tower of Dusk, often clashed with some surrounding forces at the beginning of its establishment. Even after killing the leader of the Syer Bandits, it still led some people to attack the Syer Bandits' lair and killed all the old, weak, sick, and disabled who could not even pose a threat to them…" Joseph said in a scheming manner. Instead of going against the Tower of Dusk, he placed the emphasis on the Breezy Plains Guild of Magic, thus highlighting the fact that the Tower of Dusk was an outsider, as well as their relationship with the Supreme Council.
"…The fierce battle between the Tower of Dusk and the Dark Blade lasted for several months, making the residents of Doland rather fearful. After the President of the Tower of Dusk, Felic, returned, he did not make any attempt to reconcile and bury the hatchet. Instead, he was so brazen as to kill the leader of the Dark Blade and hunt down all the members of the Dark Blade who had escaped. Under Felic's leadership, the Tower of Dusk carried out a cruel bombardment and attack on the surrounding forces in Doland. Those who opposed would be annihilated…" Joseph did not fabricate lies to portray a bad image of the Tower of Dusk, and everything he said was true. He had simply changed the main point a little, and chose not to bring up what the Dark Blade and the other forces had done to the Tower of Dusk. He simply tried to emphasize the tragedy that struck the D
ark Blade and the other forces.
While speaking, Joseph sneaked a glance at the Ashen Warlock. Although he noticed that the Ashen Warlock looked rather indifferent, he felt somewhat relieved. Of course, he knew that those matters were not enough to anger the Ashen Warlock. In fact, given the level that the Ashen Warlock was at, there was nothing that could really make him angry. However, Joseph was very confident that he could gradually turn things into the direction that he wanted.
When the Tower of Dusk was weak, it had gotten into conflicts with the smaller forces around it, especially with the Syer Bandits. Their dispute with the Syer Bandits was endless, and they couldn't reach an agreement. After the Tower of Dusk became stronger, they got into an intense battle with the Dark Blade, and even conquered Doland and the surrounding area. Hence, the influence of the Tower of Dusk had already expanded and spread to the entire Breezy Plains. If any trouble were to arise, the peace of the entire Breezy Plains would be disrupted. Didn't the Ashen Warlock enjoy peace and serenity? In that case, would he allow the Tower of Dusk, which was the root of trouble, to continue surviving in the Breezy Plains?
Joseph's description would definitely invoke all sorts of emotions. He actually made the enemies the Tower of Dusk had gotten rid of sound like weaklings who swallowed their pride after being bullied because they couldn't protect themselves. He also made the Tower of Dusk seem like tyrants and bullies that would attack others over a trivial, unsatisfactory issue.
Norfeller and Ujfalusi, who were behind Lin Li, were Undead creatures, but they still had human emotions. After hearing Joseph twist facts and warp the truth, the two of them were so infuriated that they began to quiver slightly, and wished they could rip his mouth apart. Norfeller would occasionally touch the dagger on his waist, while Ujfalusi began to rub his Skeleton Staff continuously.
Hoffman, who was initially rather happy for Lin Li, couldn't help but start to worry again when he listened to Joseph's account. Hoffman wasn't concerned that Joseph had twisted facts. He was well aware that good and evil wouldn't affect Ashen Warlock's decisions and resolution, just like how no one would care about the cause of a fight between ants. However, Ashen Warlock needed the peace of the Breezy Plains to be maintained, and regardless of who disrupted the peace, they would be punished in the same way.
The leaders of other forces did not expect that Joseph would twist the story and exaggerate things, but they were not worried. Although the Breezy Plains was not small, the resources it could provide were still limited, after all. An outsider force like the Tower of Dusk would definitely occupy the resources that originally belonged to other local forces.
Before the Tower of Dusk rose to fame and became strong and significant enough, such a situation wasn't obvious. After all, the top forces had more than enough money and resources to last for a long time. However, it took only two or three years for the Tower of Dusk to develop to a scale that was not inferior to those top forces. Hence, the amount of resources that the Tower of Dusk had snatched away was rather significant. That was the very reason that the forces immediately put aside their prejudices, and worked together to boycott the Tower of Dusk once the Mithril Alliance decided to take the lead.
However, Hoffman revealed some information just now which hinted that the Brilliance Shrine seemed to share a close relationship with the Tower of Dusk. Earlier on, there were also rumors of the Holy Paladins appearing in the Tower of Dusk. Although those people were the leaders of the top forces of the Breezy Plains, they were far from being comparable to the Brilliance Shrine. If the Tower of Dusk really had the support of the Brilliance Shrine, they would have to reconsider the way they treated the Tower of Dusk.
However, now that Joseph had recounted everything, everyone could tell the wonder of it, and reckoned that he might just be able to convince the Ashen Warlock into taking action. Given the terrifying power of the Ashen Warlock, the Tower of Dusk could only count themselves unlucky because everyone was now gloating.
Some were angry, some were worried, and some were gloating. Among all the people present, Lin Li and the Ashen Warlock, who was standing on the steps, were the only ones whose expressions did not change.
"Clearly, the Tower of Dusk has become a toxic element of the Breezy Plains—a black sheep that destroys the peace and order of the Breezy Plains. Hence, on behalf of the Mithril Alliance, the Blood Moon Clan, and the Caesar Family, I would like to request you to kick the Tower of Dusk out of the Breezy Plains," said Joseph who represented the three major forces of the Breezy Plains, making the request after complaining about the Tower of Dusk.
At this moment, the space that was supposed to be extremely quiet suddenly seemed to have solidified. For the first time, the Mithril Alliance, the Blood Moon Clan, and the Caesar Family jointly made a request, and they were the three major forces which were enough to represent the entire Breezy Plains. Although the Ashen Warlock was superior to all the forces, he probably couldn't ignore the request from the three major forces.
Firstly, the Tower of Dusk had committed the taboo of the Ashen Warlock, and secondly, the three major forces requested to expel them. It seemed that the Tower of Dusk was really doomed this time! Gloating, everyone turned to look at Lin Li and the rest whose fates were sealed.
Although the Tower of Dusk had been established for two to three years, the wealth it had acc.u.mulated was rather eye-catching and ostentatious. Even if most of their assets were split amongst the three major forces, the remaining forces would still be given a considerable amount of money. Under such a huge temptation, the leaders of other forces were unwilling to fall behind, and thus decided to stand up and go ahead with the suggestion.
Chapter 843 - Distribution Of Interests
Hoffman was a little anxious. However, the Glittergold Trade Union was still a little weak compared to the various top forces that almost represented the entire Breezy Plains, even though they were on par with the three major forces. It was one thing if he were pitted against just the three major forces, but the problem was that the Ashen Warlock was a powerful existence that even mortals couldn't compete with. Hoffman had no choice but to consider the Glittergold Trade Union too.
Now that things had developed to such an extent, almost everyone could predict the fate of the Tower of Dusk. Even Lin Li himself secretly kept his guard up. After all, he had never had any interactions or ties with the Ashen Warlock. Although the Ashen Warlock was a powerhouse who was on the same level as the three arbitrators, Lin Li wasn't one to resign to fate easily.
While everyone was making a request, the Ashen Warlock who was standing on the stairs without any expression finally spoke up slowly. However, his words made everyone feel rather puzzled.
"It seems that Breezy Plains has been rather peaceful lately. In that case, let the peace continue. No one should try to disrupt it," the Ashen Warlock said in a low and hoarse voice, using an indisputable tone.
Peaceful? How could it be peaceful!? The Tower of Dusk caused so much trouble, and they're also rising domineeringly. How could there be peace on Breezy Plains!? Everyone was dumbfounded, and they couldn't believe their ears at all. They looked at the thin and shriveled old man who was standing on the steps in utter disbelief. They even suspected that the Ashen Warlock before them was an impostor.
However, no one dared to stand up and question the words of the Ashen Warlock, because they all knew that it was the final verdict and the new order of Breezy Plains. In particular, the fact that he mentioned that no one should try to disrupt the current peace of the Breezy Plains was a blatant threat. That sentence was akin to a protective amulet for the Tower of Dusk. Not only did the Ashen Warlock not care about the things that the Tower of Dusk had done, he even eliminated the possibility of other forces taking extreme measures against the Tower of Dusk.
More than 300 years ago, there was a force named the Blood Lions Adventurers that was eligible to be invited by the Ashen Warlock even though they were weaker than the major forces like the Mithril Alliance
. They somehow thought that the Ashen Warlock definitely wouldn't leave Gran Town, and wouldn't be able to do anything to them. Although they did not express any dissatisfaction when the new order was established at the time, they turned a deaf ear to Ashen Warlock's warning when they returned, and continued to fight the forces around them for the sake of interests and benefits.
Indeed, the Ashen Warlock did not personally intervene. Instead, it was an Abyssal Demon Dragon engulfed in flames that arrived at the headquarters of the Blood Lions Adventurers. Despite the four Legendary leaders of the Blood Lions Adventurers, thousands of elite warriors, and a legion that consisted of more than 100 warriors, their headquarters, which resembled a castle, was completely wiped out of the Breezy Plains overnight.
With the previous examples, the leaders of the various forces did not dare to question the words of the Ashen Warlock, and also tried to refrain from making any mistakes. At the thought of the request for the Ashen Warlock to expel the Tower of Dusk from the Breezy Plains, everyone's face was changing with various emotions such as excitement, disappointment, regret, embarrassment, worry, and many others.
In particular, the ones who were led by Joseph and were standing in front turned extremely sullen after hearing the words of the Ashen Warlock, who was obviously biased towards Lin Li. However, they dared not voice their disp.l.e.a.s.u.r.e despite being rather infuriated. They had initially thought that they could get the Ashen Warlock to value them since they were the three major forces. To their surprise, the Ashen Warlock still felt that they were insignificant, regardless of how powerful they might be.
At this moment, Joseph was filled with regret, for he'd never thought that he would hear such words from the Ashen Warlock after all that he had planned and plotted against Lin Li. Had he known earlier, he would have gathered all the powerful forces and annihilated the Tower of Dusk before the gathering was held and the new order was confirmed.
