Chapter 78: Lord of White Peak
Translator: RaidenTL
Chapter 78: Lord of White Peak
The Lord of White Peak frowned upon hearing the news.
"What do you mean? Are you saying the Empire has abandoned us?"
Facing the ten-meter-tall Lord of White Peak, the messenger barely dared to breathe.
"It... it seems so. In short, we are no longer under the Empire's jurisdiction."
Anxiety gnawed at the Lord of White Peak.
"Could it be that the newly appointed Sword of the Empire cannot tolerate the 'sand in her eyes' that is the demi-human race, and found some excuse to eliminate us..."
At that thought, the Lord of White Peak looked down and questioned the messenger.
"Do you know who we are being transferred to?"
"Reporting to my Lord... I do not know their identity, but it seems they have already arrived in White Peak Territory..."
"What?"
Before the Lord of White Peak could react, a flash of light surged toward him.
In an instant, a large section of the massive white antlers atop his head was severed.
The strike was so swift that even the birds perched on his other antler remained undisturbed.
Thud!
As the severed horn hit the ground, the Lord of White Peak’s body froze.
The attack had been so sudden that he hadn't sensed even a flicker of the attacker's presence.
How is this possible? I have already stepped into the realm of a Demigod. It should be impossible for me to miss even the slightest movement. Does there exist a being in this world far beyond a Demigod? That shouldn't be... the world's restrictions have only just begun to loosen...
Realizing he was facing an enemy who defied all logic, the Lord of White Peak forced himself to remain calm.
As the ruler who had governed White Peak Territory for ten thousand years, he immediately took action.
Thud!
The Lord of White Peak dropped to his knees, the sudden impact shaking the snow from the surrounding trees.
Before his subordinates could even process what was happening, the Lord of White Peak addressed the empty air before him.
"Are you the Excellency sent to take over White Peak Territory? Our information was delayed, and we failed to greet you immediately. Please, forgive our offense."
Watching the Lord of White Peak surrender at lightning speed, Xie Bai, hidden in the shadows, was momentarily stunned.
He gave up so fast? No wonder Atoris called him a model citizen of the Empire. I was planning to snap off both his antlers to see how he’d react...
Seeing that the Lord of White Peak had surrendered, Xie Bai stowed away Funeral Rites.
This Lord of White Peak had only just reached the Demigod stage; his strength was significantly lower than that of the Chaos Demigod she had faced before. Killing him wouldn't yield much.
Compared to a direct kill, having a subordinate skilled in governing the Northern Territory was clearly more useful.
"Fine then. I intend to conquer the entire Northern Territory. Do you have any useful suggestions?"
The Lord of White Peak blinked as a girl dressed in red and white appeared on the snow.
It wasn't her appearance that startled him, but her aura—or lack thereof.
How... even though she’s standing right there, I still can't sense her presence.
In such a situation, the opponent was either incredibly weak or unimaginably strong.
Given the circumstances, it was clearly the latter.
But why is there a being stronger than a Demigod in this world? And she has no presence at all; I can't even tell if she's human...
Recognizing her irrational, terrifying power, the Lord of White Peak lowered his posture even further.
"If Your Excellency wishes to conquer the North, I can act as a mediator to encourage surrender. I can also teach those Lords who are willing to submit how to manage their territories for you. The North is vast; if you kill all the Northern Lords, it will be difficult to govern such an expansive land."
Within moments, the Lord of White Peak laid out his suggestions.
He didn't waste a single word asking why she wanted to conquer the North.
Xie Bai considered his proposal for a moment.
"Very well. I originally planned to kill all the Northern Lords and let others take over, but if they can be put to use directly, it saves me a lot of trouble."
The Lord of White Peak breathed a sigh of relief when he heard her approval.
"I thank Your Excellency for granting us a path to live. I promise I will not fail you."
【"Lord of White Peak's" loyalty has risen to 100】
【Lust's Blessing triggered: "Lord of White Peak's" loyalty is now locked at 1000】
Once the Lord of White Peak had truly submitted, Xie Bai checked his character panel.
【Lord of White Peak, Lv.100】
【Race: North Wind Armored Deer】
【Class: Northern Lord - White Peak Territory】
【Godhead: Frost】
【...】
【The Northern Lord in control of White Peak Territory. After surrendering to the Empire, he holds a degree of respect for humans.】
After confirming his information, Xie Bai casually released a wisp of Void Power.
In the next second, the severed antler was lifted and mended, returning to the Lord of White Peak's head as if it had never been cut.
"Alright. Since there are no issues, wait here. A black ship will arrive shortly; board it and follow instructions."
With that, Xie Bai vanished from before his eyes.
The Lord of White Peak stared at the spot where she had been. "That's it?"
Before he could wrap his head around the situation, a massive spatial tunnel tore open in the sky above White Peak Territory.
Before the Northern races below could react, a colossal black ship emerged from the rift.
The moment the ship Xie Bai mentioned appeared, the Lord of White Peak immediately used his Frost Authority to suppress the commotion among his people.
As the black ship slowly descended, he sensed a familiar aura.
"Brandon? Strange... isn't he Atoris's most loyal subordinate? Why is he on that ship?"
Suddenly, the Lord of White Peak recalled the order to transfer jurisdiction issued by the Sword of the Empire herself.
A terrifying realization dawned on him.
Has the Empire fallen? Were the reports of the Emperor and the Grand Marshal's deaths actually true? Were they secretly assassinated by that girl? If that's the case, if I had been a second slower just now, wouldn't I have followed in their footsteps...
At that thought, the Lord of White Peak—a creature long accustomed to the freezing cold—couldn't help but shiver.
"Forget it, forget it. It doesn't matter who I serve. It’s just a pity... I finally broke through to become a Demigod, yet in the end, nothing has changed..."
With a sigh, he released his control over the Frost Authority and ordered the Northern races to prepare to receive the ship.
*
Elsewhere, atop the pristine snow, two black-clad figures were trekking slowly.
Despite their dark silhouettes standing out against the white landscape, no one nearby seemed able to perceive them.
"Cult Leader, are you certain we should just abandon our plans for the Aodu Empire?"
The figure in front turned around.
"Julius, you needn't worry. I have left several hidden Chaos Branch Temples there, far more concealed than before. We no longer hold the advantage in the Eastern Continent; it is time to shift our gaze elsewhere. Rest assured, the Chaos Church is far vaster than you imagine."
The Cult Leader continued, "Even among the Northern Lords, we have our people. Now is the time to harvest the seeds we planted in the North."
Despite the explanation, Julius remained uneasy.
"Cult Leader, I am deeply sorry for our failure in the Aodu Empire."
The Cult Leader chuckled at Julius's self-reproach.
"Julius, these failures are trivial. You need not blame yourself. In the North, we still possess formidable power—stronger even than what we had in the Aodu Empire."
Julius felt a lingering sense of dread. "And if the plan in the North fails as well?"
The Cult Leader stopped in his tracks.
"Even if the plan in the North fails, we still have the Southern Continent, the Western Continent, and even arrangements beyond this world. Do you truly believe that out of so many schemes, not a single one will succeed?"