162: Chapter 162 'High-level Magical Beasts'

"You're right, it is indeed the blood of a High-level Magic Beast."

Seeing the curious expressions of Raglan and Malz, Primo's lips curled into a grin as he spoke.

"Hiss—it really is!"

Raglan and Malz immediately gasped, their faces filled with wonder and envy.

You should know that a High-level Magic Beast is a powerful existence equivalent to a Golden Knight; one can only imagine how difficult it is to obtain its blood.

Primo's family was actually willing to sponsor him with such expensive resources, which showed how much they valued him and the Earth Dragon Fish.

However, the two weren't surprised. Unlike Primo, they had little say in their families and were only sent to the Western Frontier Territory to appease the royal family.

But Primo was different. He had good talent within the Andrew Family, reaching Bronze Rank 9 at a young age, only one step away from being a Silver Knight.

This talent led the Andrew Family to pay him much attention and cultivation, and he had even taken the initiative to come to the Western Frontier Territory.

To hone himself, he had even refused the family's idea of sending more Silver Knights for protection, bringing only one with him.

So, in every aspect, they couldn't compare to Primo.

Primo continued, "I had a Magic Cloud Eagle transport this from the family a few days ago. Although it's just ordinary blood, it's still a fatal temptation for those magic beasts and wild animals."

"Since the situation is at a stalemate, we might as well make it even more chaotic."

"Spreading the blood of this Golden-rank Magic Beast will definitely attract a large number of beast hordes, and perhaps even that Earth Dragon Fish."

"When the time comes, those factions looking to take advantage of the situation will surely be hit by the beast hordes. While they're preoccupied, it'll be the perfect time for us to go all out and capture the Earth Dragon Fish."

Raglan and Malz looked at each other and nodded in agreement. "No problem, we'll follow your arrangements."

Previously, they had no way to disperse the factions lurking nearby, but now that they had the blood of a Golden-rank Magic Beast, there was no issue.

Seeing the two of them becoming more convinced, Primo couldn't help but feel delighted.

Leaving his family's comfortable life, his goal was to break away from ease and improve himself.

With his current talent and strength, he wasn't the strongest among the family's younger generation. While he received attention, it was far from enough for his ambitions.

What he wanted wasn't just to be a frontier lord, but the inheritance rights to the entire Andrew Family's title. Thus, his only choice was to come to the Western Frontier Territory to seek opportunities.

"Sinir, what are the recent movements in the surrounding area?"

At a station near the lake, a young man sitting in the head seat of the lord's tent asked.

The burly knight in armor standing in front of him responded respectfully, "Lord Cronin, currently, the forces of the three lords—Primo, Raglan, and Malz—have had no major battles, aside from occasional minor skirmishes with the Giant Elephant Tribe."

"I believe they've suffered too many losses and have started to become wary of us, so they've deliberately cooled down the conflict."

"As for the other surrounding factions, none have made any moves. The Flame Tiger Tribe, which you asked me to focus on, has been quiet since they stationed themselves near the lake."

"The overall situation has now formed a multi-party stalemate. It seems it will take some time to compete for the Earth Dragon Fish."

Taking a sip of fruit wine, Cronin said in a somewhat lazy manner, "Frontier lords who can settle and develop stably on the edge of the Western Frontier Territory are no simple fools."

"Whoever makes the first move will surely become the target of everyone and lose the right to compete for the Earth Dragon Fish."

"Lord Cronin, do you need me to stir things up?" Sinir asked.

"No, that's not necessary."

Cronin shook his head with a faint smile. "While a long wait will consume a lot of our resources, the same goes for the other factions."

"Besides, we aren't the most anxious ones right now; Primo and the Giant Elephant Tribe are."

"Especially Primo. I met him once at an Earl's Banquet, and I could see great ambition in his eyes."

"For a highly ambitious noble to voluntarily come to a remote and barren place like the Western Frontier Territory shows that he not only has great ambition but also great courage."

"If I'm not mistaken, Primo and the others should have already begun to take action. We just need to wait quietly."

Pausing, he smiled confidently. "Even if the situation becomes too chaotic, we don't need to worry. I have already advanced to the rank of Silver Knight."

"With you and Birel, our side has a total of three Silver Knights. In terms of combat power, even the Flame Tiger Tribe is a step below us."

"With our strength, we can definitely handle anything."

Sinir nodded in agreement. For Cronin to advance to a Silver Knight at the age of nineteen...

This talent gave him the capital to make such a statement.

"Everything shall be done according to your orders, Lord Cronin."

As night fell, pure white snowflakes drifted slowly from the sky.

Compared to the daytime, the temperature at night dropped sharply, as if it were two different worlds.

—

However, this didn't have much of an impact on the energetic knights.

Inside the temporarily constructed tent.

The bright campfire flickered continuously, reflecting the faces gathered around it.

Taking out the map of the Western Frontier Territory purchased from Earl Theodore, Lister pointed to several locations on the map and instructed, "Spartacus, the lake is located in the center of the Water Marsh Forest, and those factions are entrenched around it."

"Since the blood of a High-level Magic Beast is not easily eroded, your mission is to sneak in and sprinkle the blood of the Black Flame Demon Bear into the lake, using the power of the water to spread the scent."

"When that happens, a commotion among the beast hordes will surely break out behind those factions."

"Then, Aier, you and the others will take the opportunity to spread news of finding purple soul fruits to distract them."

"Finally, that will be the time for Red and me to strike. By then, the Earth Dragon Fish will likely be lured out by the blood of the Black Flame Demon Bear."

"Of course, this plan might not be a hundred percent successful, such as with those beast hordes, so we still need a catalyst—"

At this point, Lister turned to look at Bai Ze by his side and said, "Bai Ze, you will roam the outskirts of those factions. If any beast hordes hold back from attacking, you will apply some pressure on them."

"I won't say more about this; you should know what to do."

Bai Ze gestured with its front paws, looking like it was saying, 'Just watch, I'll definitely complete the task.'

Nodding, Lister looked at the griffon Raymond and said, "Raymond, your mission is to monitor the movements of the entire battlefield from the sky and be responsible for communication between everyone."

"Awoo~" Raymond responded obediently.

"Alright, the missions have been assigned. Everyone, start moving immediately," Lister ordered in a stern tone.

"Yes, Lord Lister."

As the acknowledgment fell, everyone split into three groups and quickly slipped into the Water Marsh Forest in three different directions.

Lister and Red moved toward the lake together. Although they were fast, they remained very attentive to the surrounding movements.

Along the way, they discovered many beast hordes gathered and lurking nearby, neither daring to move forward nor willing to leave.

The two didn't take the initiative to provoke these beast hordes. They avoided those they could and instantly killed those they couldn't.

With the current strength of him and Red, their combined power in a small forest like the Water Marsh Forest made them nearly invincible, if not entirely.

Therefore, it didn't take long for them to appear near the lake.

On either side of where they were lurking were the frontier lords and the tribal forces, meaning they were currently in the border zone between the two sides.

However, these two forces were not strong, being the weakest among the lord and tribal factions. Thus, there were many loopholes in their defense and surveillance.

While the two were waiting, Spartacus had sneaked to the lakeside without any hindrance.

Since it was night, the moonlight couldn't fully penetrate the forest, and combined with Spartacus's very light movements...

Not a single surveillance knight sent by the surrounding factions discovered his presence.

After assessing the surroundings, Spartacus took out the Black Flame Demon Bear blood Lister had given him and sprinkled it at several locations around the lake.

The magic beast blood, filled with explosive energy factors, began to spread rapidly throughout the lake as soon as it entered the water.

Immediately after, a thick bloody scent, like a soul-hooking succubus, drifted toward the forest's surroundings along with the whistling cold wind.

The first to smell this scent were the people from all the entrenched factions nearby.

The station of the three lords led by Primo.

"This is bad, Lord Primo! A strong magic beast aura is coming from the lake; it's very likely the aura of a High-level Magic Beast."

Primo's Knight Captain, Willard, walked quickly into the tent and reported with an anxious expression.

Primo, who was just about to have Willard go and spread the High-level Magic Beast blood in his possession, was suddenly taken aback.

"A High-level Magic Beast!"

"Willard, are you sure it's a High-level Magic Beast?"

Raglan and Malz, who were nearby, also looked at Willard with shocked faces.

"I'm sure, Lord Primo."

Willard nodded heavily and said, "Moreover, the strength of that magic beast's aura isn't any weaker than the aura emitted by the magic beast blood in your hand; in fact, it's much stronger."

"The aura is spreading very fast right now, and it seems all the surrounding territories have noticed it."

"If a High-level Magic Beast is really on the prowl, the surrounding factions won't have the ability to resist at all. I suggest we retreat immediately."

"This—" The three of them were momentarily stunned.

This was just too coincidental!

They had just finished discussing during the day how to use this bottle of High-level Magic Beast blood to disrupt the deployment of the surrounding factions.

And now you're telling me that a real High-level Magic Beast is likely appearing at the lake.

If it weren't Willard saying this, they would have treated him like a dog and kicked him out.

"Primo, what should we do?" Raglan asked, and Malz also looked at him.

After a few moments of silence, Primo put away the bottle in his hand and said, "Since Willard has said so, we have no choice. Let everyone retreat a bit first."

"However, I still find this matter a bit strange. The appearance of a High-level Magic Beast shouldn't be so quiet."

"Furthermore, we've been monitoring the area around the lake and have never found any traces of other powerful magic beasts."

At this point, he looked at Willard and asked, "Willard, did the knights responsible for monitoring say they saw the figure of a High-level Magic Beast?"

"—No, they didn't." Willard hesitated before responding, "But the aura is indeed coming from the lake, and the closer you get, the more heart-palpitating it becomes."

"The reporting knights were intimidated by the strength of the aura and didn't investigate deeply."

"But I was thinking, could a High-level Magic Beast be lurking at the bottom of the lake, usually in a state of meditation or slumber?"

"Could it be that the huge commotion from our recent battles with the Giant Elephant Tribe disturbed it, so it's releasing its aura as a way to deter us?"

Upon hearing this, the air fell silent again. What Willard said wasn't impossible, and the magic beast's aura was indeed real, which seemed to confirm this possibility.

Primo spoke up, "In that case, let's retreat a certain distance first and observe the movements of the other factions."

"However, I won't be at ease without seeing it for myself. Willard, send people to investigate carefully again."

"I need the true source of that magic beast's aura. If it really is a High-level Magic Beast, we must also obtain information about it."

"As you command." Willard respectfully complied and then strode out of the tent.

This scene was also playing out among the other factions around the lake.

The deterrent power of a High-level Magic Beast was simply too immense for these factions.

Although the preciousness of the Earth Dragon Fish went without saying, none of the surrounding factions were willing to face a potential High-level Magic Beast for it.

After all, they only had one life, and the Earth Dragon Fish wasn't worth such desperate risk.

As the scent of the Black Flame Demon Bear spread rapidly, all the surrounding factions retreated frantically in unison.

This unusual scene was fully observed by Lister and Red, who were lurking near the lake.

"Lord Lister, something doesn't seem quite right."

Red said curiously, "Logically, even if those beast hordes caused a commotion, these factions shouldn't need to retreat given their strength."

"Could something unexpected have happened?"

Lister nodded slightly and said, "It seems something we don't know about has indeed occurred. But this is for the best; we can go directly to capture that Earth Dragon Fish."

"Anyway, with Raymond around, he can notify us in time if anything unexpected happens."

"There's no time to lose; we'll go find the Earth Dragon Fish now."

With that, the two disappeared from the spot like a gust of wind, rushing toward the lake.

Meanwhile, the retreating factions all encountered the rioting beast hordes head-on.

Caught between 'wolves in front and tigers behind', these factions did not hesitate at all and chose to fight the wolves before them.