Transmigrated with a Demon-Refining Pot: Hehehe, Refine in an instant

The council chamber of the Riverbank Castle was brightly lit with candles.

Ron rested for five days on the riverbank before taking any action.

It was just another capture of a new lord in the north, and it didn't cause much of a stir.

He understood that the Greystone Wasteland was not the Greenwood Wasteland, and that acting rashly here might provoke the lords again.

It wouldn't be fun if they put aside their grudges and ganged up on me.

From the start of the war, Ron poured a large amount of magical potion resources into Laun, Hart, and the others.

There have been continuous battles these past few days, including quite a few at the high-ranking squire level.

They are showing signs of a breakthrough.

Ron has been a full-fledged knight for more than half a year, and almost a year since breaking through to the next level of life.

It was no surprise to Ron that they were able to break through at this point.

"How much longer?" Ron asked.

Laun closed his eyes and sensed the flow of battle qi within his body: "If the potions keep up, it will be as fast as half a month."

Hart thought for a moment: "I still need another month; the battle qi vortex has only just begun to condense."

Ron nodded:

"Don't worry about the potions, I'll give you all the fairy potions, plenty of them. Let's try to make it in time for this great battle."

"Thank you, sir..." the two said solemnly.

The group then began discussing serious matters—Ron had received a personal letter from Viscount Mango of the Allied Forces.

The letter read:

Lord Ron, Guardian of the Reach and Honorable Pioneer of Battle:

I have long admired the Baron's reputation.

Your valor and strategic wisdom have long been spread far and wide by the winds of River Bend, sung by travelers in taverns, and chanted in the songs of bards.

Now, the fertile lands of the duchy are shrouded in the shadow of internal strife. Earl Greystone's heart, consumed by greed, has transformed into an expanding claw, brazenly swallowing up four neighboring states.

His ambition was like a pyre burning in the night sky, undisguised and relentlessly pressing forward, becoming a curse upon all living beings under his tyrannical expansion.

We, the Seventeen Lords Covenant Alliance, have rallied and risen up in resistance to protect our homeland and uphold the kingdom's ancient constitution.

However, due to a lack of first-tier knight power, they suffered repeated heavy losses under the command of the count's legion and the dark mage.

We persevered through sheer willpower.

Just then, we heard that Your Excellency was personally leading your elite troops eastward. This news was like an angel of salvation to us.

On behalf of the Seventeen Lords Covenant Alliance, I earnestly request that you join our ranks to fight against the tyrannical rule of Earl Greystone—and offer a generous reward commensurate with your courage and strength.

Viscount Andrei of the Mango Collar.

At the beacon tower of Fengxi Fort.

There's a lot of nonsense.

Ron's conclusion was that they wanted to pay him to be a mercenary.

They're offering a lot of money, come quick!

Ron handed the letter to Hart and the others without any expression.

"20 potion bugs, 20 agricultural bugs, three little elves, ten thousand gold dragons..." Hart whispered.

"The spoils are ours."

Ron leaned back in his chair and placed the letter on the table.

What do you think?

Hart said, "The pay is very good, and my subordinates think it's worth it. Anyway, we're not exactly good at picking and choosing people to work with lately."

"Be careful," Laun said. "What if the league wants to use us as cannon fodder, or turns its back on us after we've done our part..."

Seeing that his subordinates also had thoughts of fighting, Ron got up and paced back and forth.

For Ron, if he had to choose one of the two as his opponent, it would definitely be Earl Greystone.

Otherwise, if he manages to conquer this wasteland, what use will I be in the future?

Moreover, the Alliance doesn't have the Great Elf that Ron wants.

The Earl of Graystone's family happens to have a great elf, a potion-type one at that.

Otherwise, why would this guy be so arrogant? He couldn't wait to annex the surrounding territories as soon as the internal strife in the duchy started.

They truly have the ability.

A powerful magic spirit is something only a wealthy family like the Earl's family could possess.

They make a fortune every year just from selling magic potions.

This would allow them to support even more knights.

As far as Ron knew, there were three official knights in the Earldom of Graystone.

The count himself, along with two of his men.

It's nothing special for Ron; his own territory is now strong enough to rival some earls.

All that's missing is territory and sprites.

After this, Ron will definitely be aiming for the rank of Earl.

The territory he annexed is now the size of an earldom.

All that's missing is a great spirit.

After discussing it, the group decided to formally join the alliance and meet Earl Greystone.

After sending a messenger back with the message, Ron began to mobilize.

They prepared to break camp and head to the front lines.

After a day's march, Ron finally arrived at Storm's End, the western front's forward position.

There are seven or eight lords gathered here, led by Viscount Mango.

There's also an eastern front, where there are even more people.

Windbreak Keep sits on a high ground on the western edge of the Graystone Wastes, originally a fortress built to defend against orcs. The walls are constructed of bluish-gray stone, with numerous crenellations and a forest of arrow towers.

As Ron rode through the city gate, he saw soldiers standing on the walls, their armor and weapons varied, but their morale was high.

"Baron Ron of the River Bend has arrived—" the messenger at the door shouted at the top of his lungs.

Inside the castle courtyard, seven or eight lords were already waiting. The one in the lead was Viscount Mango.

He was in his fifties and looked very energetic.

"Baron Ron, it's an honor to meet you. I am Viscount Mango, Andrei, the convener of the Western Front of the Covenant Alliance."

Ron dismounted and returned the greeting: "You're too kind, Viscount."

Andrei's gaze swept over the ranks behind Ron, nearly a thousand soldiers, their armor gleaming, their spears like a forest.

He swallowed hard; Baron Ron's forces were surprisingly formidable.

There were more than all of his people, and you have to understand that he comes from an old, prestigious viscount family.

His gaze swept across the room, lingering for a moment on Abaddon—the bald, burly man carrying a spiked club and riding a giant war ram. If he wasn't mistaken, that war ram was a level one magical beast!

"The Baron's army is indeed strong and well-equipped." Andrei's face broke into a smile.

"Please, let's talk in the lobby."

Andrei immediately gave up the main seat, and Ron didn't bother to refuse, so he plopped down on it.

None of the other lords dared to voice any objections.

Seven or eight lords, some young and some old, were sitting on either side of the long table.

Their expressions changed in response to Ron's arrival; some were delighted, while others were wary.

Andrei spoke up from the side:

"Gentlemen, this is Baron Ron of the River Reach," Andrei introduced.

"As everyone has seen today, Baron Ron is exceptionally strong. With him here, we are sure to defeat Earl Greystone."

The crowd joined in the chorus.

Andrei continued, "Count Greystone's army has been frequently mobilized recently, and several battles have been fought on the eastern front, with both sides winning and losing."

"While the pressure on our western front is less, our scouts report that Earl Greystone is amassing troops here." He paused, glancing at Ron.

"It is a boon for our Western Front to have Baron Ron join the alliance, as previously agreed."

The reward is: twenty potion-making spirit insects, twenty agricultural spirit insects, three small spirits, and ten thousand gold dragons. Half of the payment is now a deposit.

Ron nodded, quite satisfied with his actions.

Unexpectedly, the other party said again:

"I didn't expect Lord Ron to bring so many troops, so I propose we increase the reward by another 10,000 gold dragons. Let's decide."

A commotion broke out on the table.

A middle-aged lord frowned: "Viscount, isn't this reward too high?"