Your secret game is absolutely poisonous!

Giant Serpent Canyon.

An outer sub-area east of Qianhu City.

It is the area closest to Miracle Territory for the forces of Thousand Lakes City.

It is only fifty miles away from Jinxi City as the crow flies.

In recent months, business travelers have generally had to pass through this canyon.

After the relationship between the two places broke down, Thousand Lakes City imposed a blockade on Miracle City, forcibly severing communication between the two places, and this canyon became one of the key areas to be blocked.

Now, without exception, it has become an attack base for a large army to gather.

At this moment, an elite army from Thousand Lakes City is gathering in Giant Serpent City, the core town of Giant Serpent Canyon. The supreme commander is Blood Omar, the chieftain of the Crimson Feather tribe. In addition, nearly ten other large tribal leaders are leading their armies to participate in the battle.

This time, a total of 60,000 elite troops were organized, the weakest of whom were all second-tier, and the number of third-tier fighters accounted for more than one-tenth, plus hundreds of fourth-tier combatants.

Moreover, most of the small and medium-sized tribes near Thousand Lakes City received mandatory mobilization orders, and these small and medium-sized tribes pieced together another 70,000 to 80,000 miscellaneous troops.

Although they are mostly at the first or second tier of combat power, and the proportion of third-tier fighters is not large, the total number is still considerable.

However, these small and medium-sized tribes appear to be demoralized.

After all, most of them were forced to participate in this battle.

"Third Elder, is it really appropriate to launch a campaign against Miracle City at this time?" Kuang Lie, the Ninth Elder of Thousand Lakes City and the Orc Chieftain, couldn't help but speak up.

He paused slightly before continuing, "I have no objection to sending troops to Miracle City, but Thousand Lakes City will also be threatened by the Eternal Night Dragon King during the Darkest Night. Taking a large number of elite troops with us would be quite risky..."

Omar sneered, "Don't worry, Eternal Night City hasn't launched a large-scale attack on Thousand Lakes City for several years, and as far as I know, the Eternal Night Dragon King has been lying low recently, so I believe this time will be no exception."

Several elders looked at each other.

That's what they say, but it still doesn't put people at ease.

Omar continued, "The defensive array of Thousand Lakes City is impregnable and cannot be breached in a short time. Moreover, even if the Dark Seeds do attack, the Grand Elder will not stand idly by!"

The elders nodded upon hearing this.

As the last stronghold built by the various tribes of the Great Forest, Thousand Lakes City has a very dense and complex defense system, making it extremely difficult for external enemies to invade, even the Eternal Night Dragon King.

Otherwise, how could this city have stood for hundreds of years?
In addition, the Grand Elder is the strongest guardian of Thousand Lakes City. Although he has been asleep for most of the past hundred years, he always takes action immediately whenever Thousand Lakes City is attacked.

With the Grand Elder present, even in the worst-case scenario, they wouldn't be powerless to resist.

"The Third Elder is right. Now is not the time to think about these things. Since we have decided to do it, we must be decisive and not hesitate!"

"Not bad!"

"Miracle Territory is developing too fast!"

"If we don't take action to stop it soon, we will eventually fall into a situation where we are ruled by it!"

"If we can defeat Miracle City in this battle, not only will our major tribes be able to share huge profits, but the strength of Thousand Lakes City will also increase dramatically. Before long, the Eternal Night Dragon King will be no threat, and we will completely unify the Great Forest!"

"..."

At this time.

A major change occurred in the celestial phenomena.

The darkest night has officially arrived.

The chaotic tides receded rapidly, and the constraints of territorial laws vanished as well.

"We can finally begin!" Omar exclaimed excitedly, because according to his plan, today was not only the day to seize Miracle Territory, but also the day to seize the entire Thousand Lakes City!

His gaze swept over the elders of Thousand Lakes City and the many fifth-tier powerhouses from various large tribes present without making a sound.

These guys are too much of a nuisance. They are all top-tier forest warriors, and it won't be easy to wipe them out in one fell swoop, especially in Thousand Lakes City, their home turf. Dealing with them one by one would also be quite troublesome.

Now would be the perfect time to kill two birds with one stone!
They can be used to weaken Miracle City in this war, or they can take the opportunity to bring them out of Thousand Lakes City, so that the plan to take over Thousand Lakes City can be implemented.

simply speaking.

Regardless of victory or defeat, this battle will continue.

It wasn't that important to Omar.

If the Thousand Lakes forces win, Omar can then destroy Miracle Territory, thereby eliminating this potential greatest threat.

If the Thousand Lakes City forces suffer a major defeat, it will at least cause internal strife, allowing the two opposing forces to weaken each other, thus reducing obstacles for the Eternal Night Dragon King to seize Thousand Lakes City and sweep across the Great Forest.

Omar's main mission on this trip is to completely provoke a war!
He believed that once the war broke out and both sides suffered heavy casualties, the sunk costs would increase rapidly, and bloodshed and hatred would be stirred up, making it difficult to stop.

Omar possesses intelligence from the forces of darkness.

Therefore, he has a better understanding of the strength of Miracle City than other elders.

He was well aware of the strength of this territory, which was not easy to conquer. If the goal was simply to put pressure on Miracle Territory or weaken Miracle City, the best strategy would not be to attack Miracle City's core territory from the outset.

Miracle Territory is now quite large. Instead of directly attacking the core area, it would be better to divide our forces into several routes to annex and gradually encroach on the enclaves, with Cloud Dream City as the leader. If we can swallow all these territories in one fell swoop, it will definitely weaken Miracle City's development potential.

There are two reasons why Omar didn't do that.

Firstly, only by attacking the heart of Miracle City can the war be escalated rapidly, resulting in more casualties and costs.

Secondly, the Dark Race will secretly help the Thousand Lakes City Alliance in this battle. However, the Dark Forces cannot openly participate in the war. Therefore, when the Thousand Lakes City forces are poised to strike at the heart of Miracle City, the Dark Army will launch attacks on the outer territories led by Ash City and Cloud Dream City from all directions.

Not surprisingly.

At this time, dark elf troops had already appeared near cities such as Ash City and Cloud Dream City.

The defensive infrastructure, population, and garrison size of these external cities are certainly incomparable to those of the main city. Therefore, as long as Miracle Territory does not give up these lands, it will definitely send a large number of troops to defend and reinforce them. Both of these factors will more or less weaken Miracle City's defensive capabilities.

We must hurry!

Miracle City is not as large as Thousand Lakes City now.

But Thousand Lakes City can only barely protect itself and can never threaten the Eternal Night Forest.

But Miracle City is different. This unique underground city is likely to be the biggest variable and threat to the Great Forest, so it's best to eliminate it as soon as possible.

But just as Omar led his army...

As they approached the territory of Miracle Lands.

A powerful force suddenly appeared ahead, and when the elders of the Thousand Lakes City Allied Army saw the force clearly, their expressions changed.

This is a local force composed of elves, undead, and dozens of small tribes.

Their leaders were none other than Meng Bai, Visalos, Artus, and two other elders from Thousand Lakes City. In other words, before even encountering the regular army of Miracle City, they had encountered their own people from Thousand Lakes City.

"you again!"

Omar's gaze turned cold. Meng Bai, relying on his status as the Second Elder of Qianhu City, had repeatedly thwarted his plans these past few days. He never expected that now he would bring several elders, along with the people of Qianhu City, to come out and stop him.

"This operation against Miracle City is the result of a vote by the Elder Council of the Guardians. As the Second Guardian, you have blatantly trampled on the ironclad rules, instigated internal strife in an attempt to split and rebel. This is an unforgivable crime, and you are no longer qualified to remain in the Elder Council!"

Meng Bai scoffed, "Don't give me that. You've deceived others and made them do something incredibly stupid, wrong, and dangerous. As the second guardian of Thousand Lakes City, I will never sit idly by and must set things right!"

Omar sneered, "You don't actually think you can stop us with just this few people, do you?"

indeed.

The numbers on both sides are vastly different!

The ten tribes led by Omar are all native to the region. They have lived in the great forest for generations, and the total population of each tribe and their vassals is at least five or eight hundred thousand. The total size is at least six or seven million!

Under such circumstances, it would be easy to mobilize 60,000 to 70,000 elite troops, plus exert influence to pressure subordinate forces and those who are lacking, ultimately forming the current army of 130,000 to 140,000.

In contrast, Meng Bai also has several elders around her.

Apart from the already severely weakened Elven race, the other three, including Vesalus, are not native to the region. They are all outsiders who came to the Eternal Night Forest in search of opportunities over the past few decades.

Although they also won the support of more than a dozen local tribes.

However, the size of the enemy is much smaller, with only a few tens of thousands of people gathered, and their strength is not very strong. Once a conflict breaks out, the enemy outnumbers us and our strength is so disparate that it is impossible for us to win.

"Please calm down, everyone." At this moment, the lich Vesalos stepped forward. "The strength of Miracle City far exceeds your imagination. The Second Elder simply doesn't want you to fight a losing battle and waste your lives in vain."

Omar scoffed, "Hmph, don't think we don't know. You lot have already sided with Miracle City, and now you're naturally on their side. Do you think we'd believe this nonsense?"

The gazes of several tribal chiefs turned hostile.

Why did they follow Omar to attack Miracle City? One of the main reasons, of course, was their fear that their power and status would be affected and replaced by an ambitious outsider like Visalos.

Elder Artus then said, “We are all compatriots of Thousand Lakes City and the Great Forest. We should work together to fight against the Eternal Night Dragon King. Fighting each other is meaningless and will only give the dark forces an opportunity to take advantage of us. So I suggest that we take another approach to solve the problem.”

The orc elder asked fiercely, "What method?"

Artus declared, "A duel!"

duel?

When I heard this.

The generals of the Thousand Lakes City coalition were all taken aback.

The Great Forest of Eternal Night is a place with a harsh living environment, and it has always been a place of great martial spirit. When two tribes or forces encounter disagreements that cannot be resolved, they will try their best to avoid endless bloodshed and use duels to solve problems, which is indeed the least damaging and most efficient way.

Artus continued, "You may send any three people to challenge us. I, Elder Vesalos, and Elder Asadran will be on our side to fight. If you win one match, we will withdraw and cease our interference. Otherwise, if you lose all three matches, you must accept your defeat and retreat back to the city!"

When I heard this.

The coalition forces were all taken aback.

It's not a best-of-three series. The allied forces only need to win one game against the rebels to force them to withdraw without losing a single soldier? This sounds obviously advantageous to the Thousand Lakes City allied forces.

Elder Lei Jiu, the dwarf, immediately said, "Best of three, what's there to fear? I think it's feasible!"

The orc elder Kuanglie laughed and said, "Hahaha, Atus is just an old cripple, and Vesalos, as a lich, is not good at head-on combat. Although Elder Asarand is a noble dragon with profound cultivation, the ancient dragon prophet is not known for his combat prowess. I think it's definitely worth a try!"

"I agree!"

Time is precious!

"There's no need to fight these rebels!"

"It would be best if they were willing to leave on their own and not cause any trouble!"

"..."

Omar fell into deep thought.

He naturally advocated killing all these people outright.

In any case, it's all about Thousand Lakes City's strength and resources being depleted. However, the elders of the other allied forces are clearly very opposed to this kind of internal strife.

At this moment, Artus and Vesalius knew they were at a disadvantage, which is why they made the asymmetrical challenge. But since they dared to make such a challenge, they must have something to rely on.

The issue is.

Although Artus is an elder of the Elven race, he was injured by the Eternal Night Dragon King many years ago, which greatly reduced his strength. He is at the bottom among the fifth-tier powerhouses in Thousand Lakes City, and is completely at the bottom of the Elder Council.

Visalos is a lich who is skilled in necromancy, but necromancy is more suitable for ambushes or large-scale battles on the battlefield, and it does not offer much advantage in head-on duels.

As for the Second Elder, Asadran…

Her cultivation level is similar to his, and she is also a dragon with a powerful bloodline, so she is indeed not to be underestimated!

However, even among dragons, there are differences in combat talent. The Ancient Prophet Dragon does not have a significant advantage in combat, while I have hidden a lot of strength, and even if I were to face him, I would have a confidence of no less than 70%.

No matter how you look at it.

There is no reason to refuse.

Although the disparity in strength between the two sides makes the outcome of the battle a foregone conclusion, it will inevitably be delayed for a considerable amount of time. Every second of the Darkest Night is precious, and if the city of Miracles cannot be reached before the Darkest Night disappears, then instigating this war will be of little significance.

If we can kill these three in the battle, we can also eliminate a major hidden danger!
That being the case...

Omar said in a deep voice, "Alright, although the act of rebellion is unforgivable, we must prioritize the overall situation at this moment. I agree to resolve the current differences through a duel!"

Have you agreed?

very good!very good!

Meng Bai said directly, "Since that's the case, then you should send people!"

The orc chieftain, Kuanglie, stepped forward and declared, "I'll fight the first match!"

The other allied elders of Thousand Lakes City exchanged glances and nodded. Although Kuang Lie ranked seventh in the Thousand Lakes City Elder Council, as a top-tier orc warrior, his strength was not to be underestimated and his combat ability was quite high.

Besides Mengbai.

The other two should be fine.

If the rebel leader Asadran (Mengbai) were to directly intervene in this battle, Kuanglie would naturally be unable to defeat him, but it would also mean that the rebels would have absolutely no chance of winning the next two battles!

Omar then said, "Alright, since Elder Kuanglie has volunteered to fight, then you can have the first match!"

With a ferocious grin, he removed his armor, revealing purplish-blue skin covered in rune tattoos. He flashed out from the army formation, instantly transforming into a bolt of lightning and landing in the center of the open space where the two armies were facing each other.

He is a fifth-tier orc who is over four hundred years old.

They are extremely famous in the Eternal Night Forest. Their race is the rare Thunder Beastman, who are born with the ability to use lightning. All their martial arts skills are accompanied by lightning attributes, and they possess powerful explosive power and speed.

Kuang Lie shouted, "Who wants to try first!"

This duel is only allowed to be participated in by Mengbai, Vesalos, and Artus. The only difference is the order of appearance. There can be no third party, so Kuanglie showed no fear.

"let me!"

An old voice sounded.

Artus emerged from the rebel camp.

When they saw that the person who made the move was actually Artus, everyone was completely stunned.

"Has he gone mad? Although Elder Artus is a fifth-tier expert, he was severely injured many years ago, and his strength is not on the same level as the other elders."

"Not to mention the other elders, even the non-elder level fifth-tier experts in Thousand Lakes City might not be a match for them."

"The reason this old thing was able to grow old is simply because of the special status of the Elven race in the past!"

"He thinks he can stand against the Mad Chieftain? He's asking for death!"

"..."

Whether it was the Thousand Lakes City coalition led by Omar or the Thousand Lakes City rebels under Meng Bai's command, they were all clearly incredulous at Atus's actions and did not understand why he would do such a thing.

however.

Even if it's just cute white.

Visaros is fine too.

Neither of them reacted much.

Meng Bai nodded and said, "Since Elder Artus wants to take the lead, then this battle will be entrusted to you!"

Vesalos smiled sinisterly: "You were in contact with Miracle City before any of us, which is perfect for letting these stubborn elements see the results of their cultivation in Miracle City!"

While talking.

The two powerful figures of the great forest are now facing each other.

Artus, dressed in a simple robe and holding an elven staff, with sparse hair and a face full of wrinkles and burn scars, looked frail and weak, a stark contrast to the orc chieftain who was in his prime.

Kuang Lie: "It's not too late to regret it now. Although I disdain bullying the weak, if you insist on humiliating yourself, I will show no mercy."

Artus said calmly, "Make your move."

"Then I'll grant your wish!"

Kuang Lie's body was covered in runes and tattoos that glowed, and his eyes were filled with thunderous energy. His weapon was a black obsidian-textured great sword, which he raised with both hands and slashed with lightning speed.

A fifth-tier expert's attack, imbued with killing intent.

It made everyone feel as if the air itself had frozen.

A dazzling blade of light, crackling with electricity, instantly cleaved through a space of dozens of meters, heading straight for Artus's head. Its speed was so great that no more than ten people at the scene could clearly see it.

When faced with the ferocious and domineering attack of the orc chieftain.

Artus showed no panic. He simply raised his staff and then quickly struck the ground. Countless bits of soil and pebbles burst forth, forming a giant arm.

boom!
The giant arm clenched its fist and slammed it into the blade's edge.

Although the violent blade light tore through fists and arms, its own power was also quickly exhausted and dissolved into nothingness.

"what happened?!"

This scene stunned everyone present.

The rebel elves were initially stunned, then their faces lit up with ecstasy.

Elsa the elf exclaimed in surprise, "To be able to instantly cast a fifth-tier earth magic spell, that must require immense magical power... Elder, he has already returned to his peak!"

The reason why everyone underestimated Artus.

The main reason is that Artus was seriously injured by the Eternal Night Dragon King many years ago, which caused his strength to decline significantly and his condition to be very poor. He can only exert 30% or 40% of his strength.

But he has been in Miracle City for more than half a year!

Although he spent most of his time guarding the main hall of Thousand Lakes City for Miracle City, he also frequently returned to Miracle City to cultivate and enjoyed various resources and facilities of Miracle City.

From the Blacklight Prototype serum to various rare and precious materials, and even special talents, bloodlines, and cultivation techniques, plus the essence that can grant the body various immortal characteristics and abilities.
From an ordinary cultivation tower that accelerates cultivation tenfold.

Then there's the fifth-tier Time Cultivation Tower, which can accelerate cultivation by dozens of times.

Artus has been cultivating in Miracle City for so long that his strength has not only returned to its peak, but his magical power is even stronger than when he was at his prime. This is the confidence that allows him to take on the first battle!

When you see Artus's performance.

One can imagine the expressions on the faces of Omar and the powerful figures from the Thousand Lakes City Allied Forces.

This old man, half of whose body is buried, can actually recover to his peak condition? Although I knew that Miracle City's methods were powerful, I didn't expect them to be this powerful.

After a brief moment of shock.

He laughed wildly and shouted, "Hahaha, very well, I also felt it was pointless to bully an old piece of trash. Now that you have regained your strength, let's have a good fight!"

While talking.

The runes and tattoos on Kuang Lie's body shone brightly.

The next moment, he transformed into a streak of lightning and disappeared from everyone's sight. He had clearly used all his strength, and with lightning crackling around him as he sped away, it was impossible for anyone to discern his location.

"So fast!"

"This is the ultimate technique of the Fierce Chieftain: Thunder Strike!"

"In this state, Elder Kuanglie's body will merge with the lightning, and he can appear in any location almost instantly. Even experts of the same level will find it difficult to see his movements."

"A fierce attack is welcome!"

"..."

Before everyone could finish speaking...

Many afterimages appeared around Artus.

"Old man, no matter how powerful your magic is or how many spells you've learned, you're still just a mage. How can you possibly fight me head-on at this distance?!"

At this moment, each high-speed afterimage began to swing its sword and attack. Dozens or even hundreds of huge sword beams slashed out like a storm, heading towards Artus from all directions.

To everyone's surprise,

Artus remained calm and composed in the face of the sudden and intense onslaught. Instead, he quickly discerned the true nature of each attack and dodged it by casting various spells instantly or by making evasive maneuvers.

They were eventually resolved one by one.

The entire process was elegant and composed.

It seems they still have some energy left.

"This... is impossible! How could you possibly see through my attack!"

The furious voice gradually turned into exasperation and disbelief.

“I am not proficient in battle qi and martial arts, so I naturally cannot achieve this level with my own reaction alone. But with the assistance of this eye... then your speed and the variety of moves that you are so proud of seem to be nothing more than this!”

Everyone noticed the change in his eyes.

Atus's one eye turned blood-red, with three tomoe rotating within it, and he muttered to himself, "Kakashi's Sharingan is really useful!"

It turns out that Atus has acquired a Sharingan.

It's still a three-tomoe Sharingan.

This is a fourth-tier rare ability!
When Atus infused his powerful magic into his Sharingan, his dynamic vision and perception were amplified dozens of times, allowing him to easily discern each fierce attack and respond appropriately! (End of Chapter)