End of the Magic Era

However, the benefits of completely destroying the Thawing Fire Tribe could hardly be put into words. He would be able to obtain the Dragon Crystal and also explore the secret of the Raising Dragon Array. Moreover, the Flame Demon Fort would no longer have to face the threat of the Raging Flame Beastmen, and its troops could be transferred to participate in other battles.

The most important part was the Ghost Valley falling into the hands of the Merlin Family. They would send a large number of young mages to the Ghost Valley, and their rate of growth would be extremely frightening. Thus, just the Ghost Valley would offer an unending supply of fresh blood to the Merlin Family.

The Ghost Valley was extremely attractive to any major force. If there was a way to obtain it, then those guys from the Ancestral Land would definitely not refuse, even if it was a bit risky.

Although the reward was generous, the biggest problem they had was, ‘How can we eliminate the Thawing Fire Tribe?’

Clearly, it would be very difficult to take down a colossus like the Thawing Fire Tribe with the force currently occupying the Merlin Family’s Flame Demon Fort. At this time, Lin Yun took out a map of the Raging Flame Plane upon which every major force was marked. This came from the Merlin Family Manor, and from the map, he quickly searched for the forts controlled by the Cloud Tower.

If he could gain the support of the Cloud Tower, with the power of the Merlin Family on top, then dealing with the Thawing Fire Tribe wouldn’t be an issue. In fact, Lin Yun felt that by using his friendship with Star Sage Jouyi to offer a mutually beneficial collaboration, the Cloud Tower would definitely not decline.

But he then found out that seeking the Cloud Tower’s help might not work. The few forts controlled by the Cloud Tower were extremely far from the Flame Demon Fort on the map. It would take over ten days to move their troops back and forth, and if their main force was away for too long, they would be giving an opportunity to the other Beastman Tribe.

It would definitely be difficult for the Cloud Tower to help…

Lin Yun sighed before bitterly smiling. The Thawing Fire Tribe was definitely a huge problem. After considering it from all angles, he was unable to find a solution. But with a passing glance, he noticed the Dark Moon Fort controlled by the Black Tower.

Thorne had already given him an explanation of the major forces in the periphery of the Flame Demon Fort earlier. At the time, he had emphasized the Dark Moon Fort, saying that the Dark Moon Fort wasn’t any smaller than the Flame Demon Fort and was one of the large-scale forts controlled by the Black Tower. It was located roughly over a hundred kilometers south of the Flame Demon Fort.

The Merlin Family had always considered the Thawing Fire Tribe and the Dark Moon Fort the most threatening forces in the surroundings and would rarely have contact with the Dark Moon Fort.

But now, Lin Yun felt that he could use the power of the Black Tower in the Dark Moon Fort to reach his objective.

That method seemed feasible.

According to Thorne’s introduction, the Dark Moon Fort was one of the most important forts of the Black Tower in the Raging Flame Plane. The force stationed in the Dark Moon Fort was quite formidable and was even comparable to the Planar Legion within the Flame Demon Fort, perhaps slightly stronger.

But…

To be honest, Lin Yun didn’t have a good opinion of the Black Tower. He had come into contact with a few people from the Black Tower, like Herman, Solan, and Weiss… And every time, he ended up coming into conflict with those people. There was also the aloof Chairman of the Black Tower, Harren. In the gathering of the Magic Hand, they ended up having a disagreement, and Harren used Archmage Kave to oppose Lin Yun joining the Magic Hand, before ending up having a delightful transaction.

Through that interaction, Lin Yun learnt that Harren was a person that valued benefits. If he chose to collaborate with the Black Tower to eradicate the Thawing Fire Tribe, the Black Tower might end up with a part of the Ghost Valley. Lin Yun could accept that outcome. After all, he cared more about the Chromatic Dragon Crystal and the Raising Dragon Array.

After putting the map away, Lin Yun fell asleep and eventually woke up past daybreak. He then immediately left the Flame Demon Fort to go to the Dark Moon Fort. Crossing a hundred kilometers wasn’t much to a powerhouse like him. It only took him half an hour to reach the Dark Moon Fort.

“Worthy of the Black Tower…”

Following the lead of a mage of the Black Tower, he quickly entered the Dark Moon Fort and was led to a spacious and bright reception room. At that time, Lin Yun’s Magic Array caught many powerful auras. This couldn’t help but surprise Lin Yun, as he detected over ten people with power above the Archmage realm.

Moreover, this was only one of the numerous forts of the Black Tower in the Raging Flame Plane.

The Black Tower was one of Andlusa’s two major mage forces, it truly had a deep foundation…

When Lin Yun first entered the reception room, he heard a cracking sound and then recognized an old acquaintance. He scratched his cheek as he smiled. “Sir Weiss, I truly hadn’t expected us to meet again so soon…”

“Haha, it turns out to be High Mage Merlin…”

Weiss wanted to show a neutral expression, but he really couldn’t calm down. He had just heard a report saying that a member of the Merlin Family stationed at the Flame Demon Fort had come to pay a visit. In the past few years, the contact between the neighboring Flame Demon Fort and the Dark Moon Fort was extremely sparse. Hearing that a member of the Merlin Family had come over, Weiss realized that this might be an important matter, and thus, as an esteemed Representative, he had personally waited in the reception room to show some respect.

But he truly hadn’t expected that the one coming would be Mafa Merlin!

He was in the middle of drinking water when he caught sight of that familiar face and almost choked on his drink. Although he avoided choking, he still broke the cup.

‘How could Mafa Merlin be in the Raging Flame Plane? Why did he come to the Dark Moon Fort?’

Countless questions popped into Weiss’ mind. He really couldn’t understand why the young mage he had met a few months ago suddenly appeared in front of him now. Not to mention, the scenes of that young mage killing an Undead Horseman, a Lich, and a giant skeleton… They all remained vivid in his mind. And the most frightening part was the power that the young mage burst out with in the lowest floor of the magic tower, allowing him to contend against Heaven Mage Baiers’ soul for a short duration.

From what Weiss remembered, that young mage was too frightening.

Naturally, there was a matter that remained stuck in Weiss’ mind. It was when he ruthlessly made a move against the young mage in the Line Canyon. This was why Weiss felt restless when facing the young mage. However, when he recalled that this was the Dark Moon Fort controlled by the Black Tower, Weiss managed to regain his calm.

After putting an end to a battle in the Dark Azure Plane a few months ago, Weiss had been dispatched to the Raging Flame Plane. But after returning to the Black Tower from the Dark Azure Plane, Weiss thought of the inheritance hidden in the depths of the Tulan Mountain Range and took Solan with him to go there. Although the outcome was quite bad, he luckily returned safely and immediately rushed to the Raging Flame Plane.

This was the 3rd day since he arrived in the Raging Flame Plane…

‘Damnit, I actually encountered him again!’ Even when facing the young mage, absurd thoughts flashed through his mind. ‘This guy couldn’t have come specifically to deal with me, right? The chances of that are too small…

‘Although he is incredibly powerful, this is the domain of the Black Tower, with numerous forces. One would need to be at the Heaven Rank before they could cause trouble in this place! That young mage isn’t, which means he shouldn’t have come for me.’

Thinking of this, Weiss slowly relaxed. Who would have thought that he, a Representative of the Black Tower, someone so prideful and aloof, would actually fear a young mage that much?

Maybe only Weiss himself could understand that this young mage truly had the qualifications to make him feel fear.

Once Lin Yun was seated and only he and Weiss remained in the reception room, Weiss cautiously said, “High Mage Merlin, you came this time using your status as a member of the Merlin Family…?”

“That’s right…” Lin Yun gently put down his cup of water and smiled at Weiss. “Sir Weiss, I came for the Merlin Family. As a Planar Legion Commander of the Merlin Family, I want to collaborate with the Black Tower.”

“Planar Legion Commander…”

Weiss was startled. It wasn’t that he didn’t believe it, but rather, this news was too shocking. Just how old was this youth? He was barely twenty, yet was endowed with heavy responsibilities by the Merlin Family. The forces of the Merlin Family were put in the hands of a young mage.

This meant that Mafa’s influence wasn’t the slightest bit inferior to his own status as Representative of the Black Tower.

A mage in his early twenties who was not only terrifyingly powerful, but who had also received the attention of the Merlin Family. Weiss simply couldn’t imagine what that young mage’s future would be like. He might become a mighty powerhouse of the Andlusa Kingdom, his achievements might be similar to those of Santon Merlin from three hundred years ago.

“Collaboration? What kind of collaboration are you interested in, High Mage Merlin? Can you be more specific?” After calming down, Weiss finally remembered to respond to the offer.

It seemed to be the true purpose behind the trip to the Dark Moon Fort.

“It’s like this…” Lin Yun then took a deep breath and slowly looked at Weiss. “Sir Weiss, you should have come to the Raging Flame Plane recently. I wonder if you have heard of the Ghost Valley?”

“I do know of the Ghost Valley.”

A doubtful expression appeared on Weiss’ face. Even if he had only come to the Raging Flame Plane three days ago, he had heard some information about the plane while he was still in the Dark Azure Plane. He heard that there was a strange valley beside the Flame Demon Fort in which the mana fluctuations could only be described as frighteningly strong. Ordinary mages would explode upon entering that place, while Great Mages that entered it would make quick progress.

In fact, Weiss knew that the Black Tower had made many attempts on the Ghost Valley. It was a very useful place, after all. If they could control the Ghost Valley, the supply of powerhouses they would gain each year, as well as the other substantial benefits, were hard to describe. Even the Black Tower, one of the two major mage forces of the Andlusa Kingdom, was attracted by the Ghost Valley.