74: Chapter 74 First Encounter with Allies

[ Heavy Armored Spearman ]

[ Level: black iron 7-star - Silver 1-star ]

[ Quality: Superior High-Grade ]

...

"black iron high-grade is common, hundreds of Bronze-grade, and even... Silver-grade!" Lord Su Wan felt her perception being shattered.

While she and the vast majority of lords were still struggling to possess a few Bronze mid-to-high-grade troops, Silver-grade was already considered high-end combat power.

Lin Tian's army had actually popularized black iron high-grade, possessed organized Bronze-grade units, and even featured Silver-grade core members! And the number was a full two thousand!

This could no longer be described as "developing fast"; this was simply cheating!

How on earth did he manage this? Could his talent be mass-producing high-grade soldiers? Or had he discovered some heaven-defying leveling secret realm?

The shock in Lord Su Wan's heart was beyond measure, and her curiosity and assessment of Lin Tian instantly rose to an unprecedented level.

At the same time, a strong sense of relief welled up; fortunately, she had chosen to ally with him rather than anything else. Being enemies with such an existence would likely be any lord's nightmare.

When the last soldier's figure disappeared into the light gate, only Lin Tian, Lin Yin, and Lin Feng remained on the territory plaza, along with that quietly rotating portal.

"Alright, it's our turn." Lin Tian smiled, loosened his wrists, appearing quite expectant, and stepped forward to enter.

"Brother Tian, wait!" Lin Yin suddenly spoke up, stepping forward in a flash, her slender yet firm arms slightly spread, blocking the path between Lin Tian and the magic circle.

Her moon-white holy robe fluttered without wind, her beautiful face filled with unquestionable vigilance. Those clear eyes, which always reflected the moonlight, were now sharp as a hawk's, staring tightly at the light gate as if trying to pierce through it to see every inch of the land on the other side.

"Hmm?" Lin Tian stopped, looking at her tense profile with some confusion.

Lin Yin did not look at him, her gaze still locked on the magic circle, her voice cold and quick, carrying the decisiveness of a battlefield commander:

"Lin Feng, you protect the rear of the lord. Brother Tian, you walk between us." She turned her head, casting a quick glance at Lin Tian, a hint of undeniable persistence flashing in the depths of her eyes.

"There might be a delay during the teleportation, and we must be prepared for the unknown. Although there is a contract, caution is never a mistake. I will clear the path, you stay in the middle, and Lin Feng will guard the rear."

Upon hearing this, Lin Feng did not hesitate in the slightest, immediately and steadily shifting his steps to stand half a step behind Lin Tian's side.

Seeing Lin Yin's posture of facing a great enemy and firmly protecting him in the center, he was stunned at first, then an unspeakable warmth surged in his heart. This girl was using her own way to protect him airtight. Lin Tian found it somewhat amusing, yet felt exceptionally at ease.

"No need to be so tense, Lin Yin." He said in a relaxed tone, attempting to ease the atmosphere, "Lord Su Wan has the contract protection, so nothing will go wrong. We are going to help and explore, not to pick a fight."

"I know the contract is valid." Lin Yin turned back, her gaze meeting Lin Tian's, the vigilance in her eyes not yet dissipated but with a bit more complex emotion, her voice becoming softer, "But... the contract only protects against 'active harm'. If there is an accident, or environmental danger... in any case, listen to me, Brother Tian."

The last few words were said almost softly, yet carried a strange, irresistible power.

Looking at the unquestionable concern and persistence in her eyes, the playful thoughts in Lin Tian's heart completely vanished.

He understood that this was her unique, almost stubborn way of protecting him. He smiled, no longer insisting, and nodded obediently: "Alright, I will listen to our General Lin Yin. You clear the path, and I will follow."

Having obtained Lin Tian's consent, Lin Yin seemed to breathe a slight sigh of relief, though her body remained tense.

Facing the teleportation array again, she checked the moonlight longbow in her hand one last time, then took a deep breath, took the first step, and stepped into the milky-white teleportation array without hesitation.

"Let's go, Lin Feng." Lin Tian signaled to Lin Feng behind him, then followed closely in Lin Yin's footsteps, entering the magic circle. Lin Feng followed closely, maintaining a distance of half a step, and also disappeared into the light.

On the plaza, the milky-white teleportation array quietly dissipated after the last ray of light faded, as if it had never appeared. Only the morning sunlight remained, quietly shining on the empty stone floor.

At this moment, Lord Su Wan took a deep breath, trying to calm her churning emotions, preparing to step forward to negotiate with the commander of this army and ask about Lin Tian's arrival. However, just as she was about to move...

The light of the teleportation array lit up for the last time, and it was the softest and most stable it had ever been.

The teleportation light gently enveloped them, bringing a brief sense of weightlessness and spatial distortion. Just a few breaths later, the feeling of feet touching the ground returned, and the scene before them suddenly opened up.

Lin Tian found himself in a forest secret realm completely different from his own territory.

The air was moist and fresh, carrying a rich fragrance of plants and a faint sweet scent of flowers and fruits. Most striking were the tall trees visible everywhere, the Moon Birch Spirit Trees; they were thicker and more radiant than the samples Lord Su Wan had traded over, and moonlight seemed to condense and drip from between their branches and leaves.

Not far away, on a few trees with peculiar shapes, holy lotus fruits emitting a soft white light were condensed, like naturally adorned spirit lamps.

As far as the eye could see, there were exquisite treehouses scattered in an orderly fashion, integrated with the giant trees, with vines as ladders and flowers as decorations, full of the beauty of nature and spirituality.

Around the treehouses, various nameless spirit plants and spirit fruits were thriving, breathing out faint halos of spiritual energy, making this forest area look like a fairytale world.

"What a great place!" Lin Tian couldn't help but exclaim in a low voice, his eyes full of novelty.

At the same time, his sharp gaze had quickly swept across the scene, instantly locking onto the five hundred or so elves standing in battle formation not far away, as well as the gentle woman surrounded by them in the center.

The woman had a tall figure, a light green long dress setting off her ethereal temperament, and exquisite, soft features. Although she did not have the cold, stunning beauty of a fairy under the moon like Lin Yin, she possessed a unique dignified, graceful, and intellectual beauty, like a white orchid with dew in the forest morning, tranquil and full of vitality.

She must be Lord Su Wan. Lin Tian's heart stirred, and he quietly used the Detection Spell to scan, the strength of the opposing camp immediately clear. Except for Lord Su Wan and an elderly elf guard who had reached Silver 1-star, most of the other elves hovered between black iron and Bronze, and their auras were more inclined towards nature and support, with limited combat power.

"It seems this ally follows a 'farming' route combined with 'luck of the gods'."

Lin Tian understood in his heart and completely relaxed. He signaled to the Heavy Armored Spearmen standing in battle formation before him: "Clear a path, close the formation."

The soldiers obeyed orders strictly, the steel torrent silently parting to both sides, clearing a path.

Lin Tian said to Lin Feng beside him: "Lin Feng, go and reorganize the troops into a square formation; there is no need to maintain the combat circular formation. Here..."

He then glanced at Lin Yin, who had been sticking close to his side the whole time, her gaze scanning Lord Su Wan and her elf troops like lightning, and smiled, "With Lin Yin here, it is very safe."

"Yes!" Lin Feng replied in a deep voice, turned around, and strode towards the army formation, starting to adjust the formation.