Chapter 263: Chapter 58 Desperate Merchant_1
Xiphil raised his cup of water and laughed heartily, "It’s forbidden to drink wine in the military camp, so today let me propose a water toast as an apology for our previous offense to the elder by us, the Tiger Army of Light." Nearly all high-ranking officers of the Tiger Army of Light were present, including Siri, the head of the Mage Group who usually had little interaction with the army, they all stood up and raised their water cups.
Ah Dai quickly stood up and awkwardly said, "I understand you were in a difficult position, how can I blame you."
The senior officers of the Tiger Army of Light praised Ah Dai’s formidable strength with unabashed flattery. The feast lasted for a full two hours in a jovial atmosphere.
Xiphil personally escorted Ah Dai and his companions to the border, "Elder, if you encounter any dangers in the Empire of Sunset City, return immediately. As long as you reach us, we can assure you of your safety. But, I suppose my worries are groundless. With your incredible power, those despicable fellows in the Empire of Sunset City couldn’t hurt you."
Siri said, "Elder Ah Dai, you are the most powerful magician I have ever seen. Being able to maintain your summoned creature for more than an hour, I have never come across such a skill, even in the magic books!"
Yan Shi had long grown weary of their praises, impatiently he said, "Alright, no need for this lengthy farewell. We have a journey to embark on. Ah Dai, let’s leave."
Petrified by watching the trio disappearing from sight, Xiphil and others returned to the camp to write a report to Aldos.
Upon entering the boundary of the Empire of Sunset City, Ah Dai took the Elf Bracelet out of the Divine Dragon’s Blood, said, "Those generals were truly too enthusiastic, my head is spinning!" Diplomacy was not his strong suit; he had said more words today in the camp than he usually does in ten days.
Yan Li laughed, "It’s no wonder they flatter you given that you can summon such a powerful silver dragon. Brother Ah Dai, in the future, just summon the dragon when we encounter enemies. Who could possibly be our opponent? The nobles of the Empire of Sunset City are nothing in comparison."
Ah Dai shook his head, "Actually, Sheng Xie is just a young dragon. Its power is very limited. It has been overly hyped by Commander Xiphil and the others. Although the dragon is strong, it is not invincible." He fully understood the strength of Sheng Xie. If he used his Xuan Iron Bow combined with his life skills, Sheng Xie would have no way to resist. The dramatic impact in the military camp was mainly due to the intimidation of the dragon, a powerful and mysterious creature.
Yan Shi said, "Ah Dai is right; no matter what we do, our own strength provides the best security. It isn’t possible to summon the dragon every time. We need to work hard on our own training while searching for the elves." As they talked, they entered the boundary of the Dark Province of the Empire of Sunset City which was the exact opposite of the large military encampments of the Province of Light, it was calm and tranquil. They traversed a range of hills and entered the plain. They maintained a slow pace, moving indirectly, using the Elf Bracelet to sense if elves were nearby.
The Lord Mansion of Dark City, the capital of Dark Province in the Empire of Sunset City.
Five dark magicians and four assassins who raided the residue of the Mage Guild were scattered in a dark room.
The door opened, a sliver of light shone in from outside as a middle-aged man in fine clothes entered the room. He closed the door behind him returning the room to darkness. The assassins remained scattered around while the five dark magicians stood up.
The middle-aged man nonchalantly asked, "What is the outcome of this venture? Why did Aldos of the Province of Light concentrate his army at the border? Did you leak the purpose of this mission?"
The leading dark magician, his voice hoarse, responded with his hands behind his back, "The Mage Guild is stronger than expected. This raid was unsuccessful."
The middle-aged man frowned, "Unsuccessful? To what extent? Were Aldos’s Tiger Army of Light regrouped at the border because of you?"
The Dark Magician snorted, "Don’t talk to me as though you’re questioning a subordinate. This operation was a total failure, we did not manage to kill a single person from the Mage Guild. On the way back, under pursuit from the military forces of the Province of Light, we managed to slay a few hundred ordinary soldiers."
Even in the dimly-lit room, the chilling gaze of the middle-aged man was clearly visible, "A total failure? How could a meticulously planned mission end in total failure? The Mage Guild couldn’t have known beforehand, with such heavy casualties, how am I going to explain to the Duke? You better clearly explain what happened."
"Hmph, you don’t need to explain, I will talk to the Duke myself. There’s no need to explain anything to you, have the carriage ready immediately, I have to report back to the Sect Hierarch."
The middle-aged man radiated an icy chill, his voice as cold as ice, "Why can’t you explain to me? Don’t forget, I am the mastermind behind this operation."
The black-robed magician, undeterred by his opponent’s demeanour, retorted disdainfully, "Because you’re not worthy of my explanation. Don’t forget who I am. Even the Duke treats me with extreme respect, let alone a petty viscount like you. I don’t have time to argue with you here, prepare the carriage, I have a mission to report to the Sect Hierarch."
