Necromancer, summoning 055? What the heck?

Chapter 281 The Deal Between the Priest and the Lord: Emerald Light Weeps Blood as the Eastern Front is Lifted
Farrell could hear the eagerness in Chen Mo's tone.

The overwhelming emotion was so intense that Farrell was momentarily lost in thought.

But just a few seconds later, the priest's mind cleared.

Who is Todd Farrell?

A powerful priest with a promising future within the Divine Court, and a standout among the younger generation in Rainbow Holy City, he has consecutively set records as the youngest "Enlightenment," the youngest "Judgment," and the youngest "Scepter." If nothing unexpected happens, he also has a very high probability of becoming the youngest "Shepherd."

Yes, he was once the owner of the precious unicorn mount!
Farrell's chariot was drawn by two unicorns, but those belonged to the Divine Court and were only lent to him for important missions at certain times.

Then, Farrell himself had another juvenile unicorn mount, which also belonged to the Divine Court, but he had the right to use it from one sunrise to the next.

Therefore, he was able to transfer the right to use the unicorn back to Han Hai in exchange for what he wanted.

This wouldn't normally be a big deal. The Divine Court has strict control over unicorns and can take them back at any time if it wants.

Unfortunately, Chen Mo ended up getting involved with the elves.

Before the Archdruid, the Divine Court's control methods were somewhat inadequate; now, that unicorn had completely taken the shape of the vast ocean.

Farrell was a clear-headed man. From that moment on, he never rode a unicorn again, not because he couldn't get one, but because he was afraid that the Lord of the Vast Sea would take it away again.

Of course, Farrell's ability to enjoy unique resources and rise through the ranks so quickly is not unrelated to his father, a cardinal priest, and his uncle, the recorder of the Northern Branch of the Magic Society. But background is just background.

There are countless people with powerful backgrounds in the Divine Court, and even the Crown and Holy Throne each have their own descendants. So why is Farrell able to stand out from his peers?
Of course, it's because of his outstanding abilities.

Even if his father's position as cardinal were replaced by any mid- to low-ranking priest, Farrell was still confident he could break through the encirclement; at worst, it would just take a few more years.

Now, it was time for Farrell to make a decision.

Should we continue to persuade the lord to reduce his interference in Xiyue affairs, or should we simply encourage Qingkong to send zircon eastward and have a direct confrontation with Hanhai?
Farrell stared intently at the young lord's face, trying to discern something, but all he saw in the other's eyes was expectation.

There seems to be some excitement!
"Lord Chen Mo!"

Farrell stood up, changing not only his form of address but also his posture.

The high priest crossed his hands, with the fingertips of his left hand pointing towards the wrist of his right hand, and vice versa. His hands were clasped together in a peculiar and elegant gesture, held steadily in front of his chest, assuming a solemn ritual that is only used in the highest-level formal occasions of the temple.

This pose has an ancient legend.

It is said that because the Seven-Eyed God had unhealable holes drilled into the palms of both hands by long spikes of spiritual energy, if he used the traditional gesture of placing one palm on his chest or pressing both palms together, the holes in his hands would be easily seen by others, making him vulnerable to contempt and ridicule from other gods.

Thus, the wise Seven-Eyed God creatively invented such an interactive concealing posture, which cleverly hid the large hole in his hand while reasonably maintaining his dignified appearance.

This thus became the most solemn salute in the Divine Court.

"My lord, war is easy to start, but difficult to stop!"

"Green Pine is well-equipped and has many famous generals. It is a recognized military power on the continent and has rich experience in siege warfare, which is very different from those bandits and orcs!"

"Your Lordship, are you sure you've thought this through?"

These words made Chen Mo feel more respect for the priest.

At least it sounded like he was genuinely thinking of him, so Chen Mo also dropped his previous nonchalant attitude, sat up straight, and replied seriously:
"Yes!"

"I understand it very well."

"My Vast Ocean Territory, Frost Sky Territory, and Zircon Territory have grudges and conflicts of interest, and a war is inevitable sooner or later! In my opinion, we should seize the time before the orcs come this year and settle the score cleanly!"

"Everyone is very busy. After settling this old grudge, I still have a lot of things to do!"

"Understood!"

"I will reply to Archbishop Ryan Moonsong immediately. I believe the Archbishop will make good use of this information. If there is any definite movement from the Zircon side, I will reply to Your Excellency."

May the gods protect your land! Wherever the sword points, it is for your sake!

Farrell bowed deeply again and was about to leave when Chen Mo stopped him.

"Um, Your Excellency Farrell's Scepter, please wait!"

Todd Farrell's relaxed mind instantly tensed up, feeling every hair on his body stand on end. Chen Mo's sudden use of respectful address gave him an ominous premonition.

Chen Mo said slowly, "As I understand it, Qingkong Holy City has always believed that suppressing Green Pine and preventing them from attacking my Hanhai is a loss for them, right?"

Farrell nodded cautiously, choosing his words carefully: "In a sense...that is true."

"Now that they've opened up the market like this, it should be considered a benefit for the other side. Rainbow Holy City should be able to gain something, right? After all, you've 'sacrificed' the interests of your 'ally,' the Vast Ocean Territory."

"...What do you want to say?"

"It's nothing, but since my Han Hai Territory has made such a great contribution, shouldn't we get a share of the profits?"

Farrell felt his cheeks twitch. Having dealt with the Vast Ocean Territory for so long, he knew that this lord was extremely generous to most people, but when it came to his own temple, he was always more meticulous in his calculations than those penny-pinching dwarves.

Clearly, this is a classic case of an eye for an eye, a tooth for a tooth, an emotion for an emotion, and a transaction for a transaction.

Farrell explained very carefully, "We're not sure what we'll gain from this communication yet, so..."

"Understood!" Chen Mo waved his hand magnanimously. "Don't worry, I won't make any unreasonable demands or requests. Just a reminder, don't forget me if you make a profit!"

"..."

Sigrún has taught at the Iceland University of the Arts as a part-time lecturer since and was Dean of the Department of Fine Art from -. In – she held a research position at Reykjavík Art Museum focusing on the role of women in Icelandic art. She studied fine art at the Icelandic College of Arts and Crafts and at Pratt Institute, New York, and holds BA and MA degrees in art history and philosophy from the University of Iceland. Sigrún lives and works in Iceland.

Further north from Cloudmist City, beyond the defensive line stretching for tens of kilometers, lies the core area of ​​the Emerald Kingdom.

In this area, rolling hills are the dominant landform, with mountains of varying heights crisscrossing the landscape, looking at first glance like a crumpled piece of paper carelessly discarded on the earth.

At the lower edge of this fold, on the edge of the red soil hills, lies the capital of the Emerald Kingdom, the City of Emerald Light.

This is a truly magnificent and powerful city.

Looking down from the low-hanging leaden clouds, Cuiguang City is nestled against the dark green, rolling mountains, while overlooking the boundless, fertile plains. The Yudai River, an important tributary of the Xinpo River, gently embraces half of the city like a shimmering silver ribbon, creating a magnificent landscape of mountains and water!

So much so that a saying circulated in the central region of the Starry Continent: "Crystal emerges from two gems, emerald light shines on the northern frontier," and Emerald Light City was once hailed as the number one city in the central region after the six famous cities.

However, at this very moment, this beautiful and magnificent city is shrouded in the shadow of war. The once prosperous central plains are now a scene of devastation.

The earth resembled a shroud soaked in blood, haphazardly wrapped around this land ravaged by war. Everywhere were charred villages, ruined checkpoints, houses billowing with smoke, and battlefields littered with corpses…

Not long ago, the last outer line of defense fell, and the three-colored golden kite flag of the Emerald Duchy can now only huddle on the top of Emerald City, stubbornly and unwillingly fluttering.

Inside the grand hall of the royal city, the atmosphere was even more biting than the howling wind outside. The light from the layers of magic lamps and the night-illuminating crystals could not dispel the gloom that hung over the faces of the ducal ministers.

The current ruler of the Emerald Duchy, the one who governs this land, the Blue-Eyed Grand Duke, is only in his forties, yet he already looks like a frail old man as he painstakingly completes a solemn prayer ceremony and sits on the high throne, panting heavily.

“I have received enlightenment from my ancestors. This time, the enemy’s attack will surely result in heavy losses and a fruitless retreat. The city of Emerald Light is as solid as a rock!”

"Don't worry, everyone. Hold on for a few more days, and the enemy will surely retreat!" Although the ancestral revelation was mostly nonsense, what he said made sense. The enemy had been besieging the city for more than a month, and their attacks on the city walls had repeatedly failed, resulting in heavy losses. Holding the city seemed to be no big problem.

But what good would it do to hold on?

Is the Jade Kingdom still the same Jade Kingdom?

The South Pass Territory was lost, the East Pass Territory was lost, the Cloud Mist Territory was lost, the Iron Wing Territory was lost, and even the last barrier before the Royal City, Sanshui City, was lost. The flag of the Green Pine Kingdom has been planted all over most of the Duchy's territory.

Even if the enemy can't take down Emerald City for a while, if they raid it every day and plunder it every day, how many years will the duchy have left?

But no one dared to speak.

Everyone understands that the fate of jade does not depend on jade itself, but rather on those two behemoths in the north.

The Misty Moon Divine Court needs to expand its territory, the Green Pine Kingdom must advance rapidly, the Haze Moon Dynasty hopes to reduce its consumption, and the Emerald Duchy can only stand by and watch.

To trace back to the starting point of the Emerald Duchy's current predicament, we must return to that catastrophic moment—the fall of the Razorfen Downs. It was the first pass in the north, into which the duchy had poured a great deal of manpower and resources, that was brutally smashed open by the orcs. From then on, the duchy's gates were wide open, and it had to endure the wild onslaught of the orcs every year.

After enduring so many years, the Qiyue Dynasty behind the Duchy no longer wanted to make such pointless investments, and the Duchy itself no longer wanted to bear the burden.

Every year, to defend against and resist the orcs, the supplies and money transported could fill the Newper River. What did they gain in return? The reputation of a human guardian?

Therefore, once the support from Qiyue tightened, the Emerald Duchy itself lost its will to fight.

When Nanguan fell, the Duchy did not send a single soldier; when Yunwu was attacked, the Duchy did not provide a single sword or piece of armor…

This led to the scene of the duchy collapsing completely during the past two years of war.

This is a strategic abandonment that cannot be openly stated.

However, the duchy at that time still drew a bottom line for itself: it could lose Violet City, but not Cloud Mist City; it could lose East Pass Territory, but not Ironback Plains...

But what's the point of setting a bottom line for yourself? If you keep losing, won't you just get used to losing?
Now even the royal city of Cuiguang is besieged.

Seeing the various expressions on the faces of His Highness and his ministers, the Blue-Eyed Prince spoke up and said, "Let's defend. Let's hold the capital first, and then make further plans after the enemy retreats."

"We can't hold the plains, and neither can they!"

Before the Duke had finished speaking, horns sounded outside the city, and another round of enemy attacks began.

Seeing the numb, fearful, or scheming expressions on the faces of His Highness and his ministers, the Blue-Eyed Grand Duke closed his eyes helplessly, rubbing his throbbing temples with his fingers, and waved his hand.

The generals in the palace receded, continuing their journey to receive the baptism of the Green Pine Kingdom.

Meanwhile, on a hilltop outside the city, the Marquis of Monroe, who had come to the front lines in person, was witnessing yet another siege by the Green Pine allies.

Unlike in the past when Zircon Collar was the mainstay, this year's campaign can be described as a "winter offensive," with Zircon Collar taking on a supporting role.

Indeed, the losses over the past few years have been quite heavy, especially the major battle with the forces under the Orc General Goldenmane, which has somewhat weakened the army.

Now, the Marquis of Monroe is quite relieved.

Cuiguang City is too tough.

Not only were the city defenses strong, but the morale of the garrison troops was also quite high, after all, this was the stronghold of the duchy's nobles.

No matter how bad a country is, there are always some places that cannot be touched, namely the private domain of those in power.

Looking back at the Eastern Xia of Blue Star, throughout its thousands of years of history, it often lost the North easily when faced with invasions by foreign tribes and imperial aggression. However, it was able to maintain its position in the South for a long time amidst decadence and corruption. Wasn't this because those who held power in the court were high-ranking officials and scholars from the wealthiest southern provinces?
That's right, even if the emperor himself guards the north, it won't work. He'll be arrested or hanged if he's supposed to.

According to the thinking of those powerful families, the southern provinces were originally meant to support the entire country. Since the external enemies were so strong, the burdens in the north could be abandoned without consequence.

The most brutal period was when the Four-Clawed Sea Serpent attacked Dongxia. Because the four major comprador families in the south were in power, a large area of ​​northern territory was lost without a single shot being fired.

When did the resistance begin? It began when the enemy had already occupied half of Dongxia, reached the city of Shanghai, and touched the core territory of the four major families. Only then did the major battle begin.

The absurdity of history stems from the reality of human nature.

At this very moment, right beneath the walls of this city of emerald light, Marquis Monroe witnessed the most intense battle in history.

The army of the Green Pine Kingdom surged forward like a dark green tide. In order to get through the deadly land covered by enemy fire as quickly as possible, even the heavy infantrymen wearing heavy armor and holding large shields were running forward with all their might.

Interspersed among their ranks were many siege engines with massive shields on their heads, which would instantly raise long poles and grappling hooks pointing directly at the top of the walls once they got close.

Under the cover of the infantry assault group, dozens of giant movable arrow towers were pushed slowly toward the city wall. Longbowmen fixed on the arrow towers kept drawing their bows and firing arrows, trying to suppress the firepower on the city wall.

A little further away, the giant catapult "Wrath of the Mountains" roared incessantly, its massive levers swinging violently, hurling fiery projectiles burning with raging flames, or "siege hammers" specifically designed to target city walls, high into the air above the battlefield.

Of course, there will also be clashes between groups of mages.

In wars between humans, when the two sides are evenly matched, magical attacks are often the main means of output. War chariots with magical shields cover the mages as they quickly enter the firing range, followed by a sky full of colorful magical lights.

A scorching fireball, blinding lightning, corrosive acid, and frost rays that looked icy cold... The shockwaves generated by the surge of psionic energy caused the air to deform slightly.

In this level of exchange, there's no doubt that the attacking Green Pine will suffer a much greater loss.

The defensive systems and the strength of the magical shields that large cities can support are unmatched by field armies. Most cities, as long as they do not have internal problems, cannot be taken down by three to five times the number of troops.

Of course, because of the complex nature of humanity, once a city is besieged, the chances of internal problems are almost 100%, the only difference being the size of the problem and the severity of the damage.

One wave of soldiers fell during the charge, and another wave surged forward.

A high-ranking warrior luckily dodged the heavy blows along the way, dragging a giant shield that had already been smashed to pieces as he charged to the foot of the city. Stepping over the corpses of his comrades that had been piled up into a small mound, he suddenly leaped and charged towards the top of the city.

Cheers erupted on the battlefield.

And then it abruptly ended.

The Green Pine Warrior was hit by at least twenty large fireballs and exploding flames in mid-air, along with a dense barrage of arrows. When he fell from the sky, he was already a roasted porcupine.

The siege lasted for half a day, during which the two sides engaged in an extremely brutal exchange. The front ranks on the city walls and the battlefield below were covered with layers upon layers of corpses.

The Marquis of Monroe, with mixed feelings, let out a sigh.

It seems that this round of attacks on the Emerald Duchy is about to come to an end!
As a nation founded on bravery and valuing merit, and having accumulated enough victories over the past few years, the Marquis of Monroe has a very clear understanding of the kingdom's style.

They will stop at nothing to win, but when they know they can't win, they never care about saving face.

This utterly unreasonable and reckless attack can only mean one thing: they're forcing their way out because they don't want to fight anymore!
This is the maximum pressure exerted before the war ends.

At this rate, if we fight for another day or two, the Green Pine army will have to retreat!

Sure enough, that evening, in the tent of Prince Green Pine, who was in charge of the operation, the young man, who had just started to grow a beard, smiled and brought Marquis Monroe a message that surprised and bewildered him.

"The Bishop of the Holy City of Azure Sky has decreed that the ban on attacks on the eastern front has been lifted!"

(End of this chapter)