The drastic changes in the Azure Water Federation inevitably triggered a series of chain reactions. Numerous internal and external forces within the federation were ready to move. Emperor Frelio XVI of the Thunder Empire received the news immediately and was greatly shocked. Although he was aware that the Azure Water Federation was on the brink of collapse, he didn't expect the complete breakdown to come so swiftly.
Emperor Frelio XVI immediately convened an imperial meeting. Grand dukes of the four regions, ministers of military and political affairs, and heads of various institutions all attended the meeting.
Emperor Frelio XVI said, "I believe everyone here is already aware of what has happened in the Azure Water Federation, so I won't waste words on further explanations."
The Duchess of the Northern Territory spoke up, "This is a once-in-a-millennium opportunity for our empire. If we deploy our forces to the Azure Water Federation now, we can not only accelerate its collapse but also reap the greatest benefits."
As she spoke, she snorted coldly, "It's just a pity that due to the incompetence of some, we have yet to conquer the Forest of Chaos, blocking our path and missing the chance to partake in this chaos."
Her remark was a direct criticism, almost pointing fingers.
Duke Bachor of the Southern Territory couldn't hold back his anger and retorted with a stern face, "The situation in the Forest of Chaos is much more complicated than imagined. It's not just the Darkness City's Three Dragon Kings; there's also a mysterious and unfathomable high-level Elven King whom even Halyfax couldn't handle. I don't believe the northern territory could have done any better."
The duchess sneered, "If Darkness City were in the Northern Territory, if an Elven King dared to cause trouble under my watch, I would have dealt with them long ago, not waiting until today."
Duke Bachor, infuriated, began, "You..."
"Enough!" Emperor Frelio's expression darkened. "What's the use of arguing like this? I didn't come here to listen to your quarrels!"
"Your Majesty is absolutely right!" At this moment, a figure dressed in a robe adorned with stars spoke up. He appeared to be a mage, but in reality, he was a noble of the empire, Marquis Gabrulain.
If one observed closely, they would notice that Marquis Gabrulain's position in the meeting was almost on par with the four Imperial Grand Dukes. This was quite peculiar. How could a marquis be equal to the guardian dukes of the empire?
The reason was that Gabrulain was not just a marquis; he was also the Prime Minister of the Emperor, holding a position equivalent to that of a Chief Minister or Chancellor. As the highest-ranking bureaucrat under the Emperor, Gabrulain, although a marquis, had the right to sit on an equal footing with the Grand Dukes due to his role as the Emperor's confidant and the empire's chancellor. Moreover, Gabrulain himself was not to be underestimated. If Halyfax was known as the "Mage King'' among the older generation of mages, then the Prime Minister was renowned as the most famous mage of the middle generation. Rumor had it that his power was no less than that of Halyfax, only that he seldom revealed his true capabilities as the empire's chancellor.
Gabrulain continued, "The disintegration of the Azure Water Federation is inevitable, but this process won't happen immediately. We have ample time to prepare and intervene. The urgent matter is not to squabble among ourselves, but to unite the forces of the empire."
"The Prime Minister's words are indeed correct!" A dignified old man in his sixties, with a sword strapped to his waist, spoke up from beside the Emperor. His position indicated his high status. He was Kroft, the empire's Chief Knight and the leader of the Guardian Knight Order. If Halifax was known as the Mage King, then Kroft was the Knight King of the Thunder Empire. His strength was no less than that of Halifax.
As a super powerhouse and the newly appointed leader of the Guardian Knight Order, Kroft, despite lacking a noble title, didn't need to appease any of the aristocracy. Therefore, he was not afraid of offending Bachor and spoke directly, "I am willing to personally lead the Guardian Knight Order to the southern frontier to crusade against the Darkness City and the Elven King."
The Guardian Knight Order was one of the most renowned knight orders in the empire. Although it had a small number of members, each was a top-tier fighter. The most ordinary member of the Guardian Knight Order possessed the strength of a Level 5 overlord. The collective strength of such a formidable military force was indeed astonishing!
Bachor appeared quite frustrated. He did not want other dukes or even imperial forces to intervene, but under the current circumstances, he found no reason to refuse.
Emperor Frelio XVI made a decision: "Very well, then let General Kroft lead the troops of the eastern and western regions to the southern frontier. This time, we must capture the Chaos Forest in one fell swoop." Addressing Duke Bachor, he continued, "Compared to family honor, the interests of the empire are paramount. Do you understand, Duke Bachor?"
Bachor quickly bowed and responded solemnly, "Yes, Your Majesty. The Bachor family would never dare to act against the interests of the Empire."
"Good that you understand. So it's settled, we must intervene in the Azure Water Federation before other powers do, to seize the greatest benefits." The Duchess of the North interjected, "The northern troops are the strongest. Why not let the north participate in the battle?"
Emperor Frelio XVI frowned, "The northern region is too far from both the Chaos Forest and the Azure Water Federation. Besides, the empire needs the north to withstand the pressure from above. Now is not the time for you to act."
After further discussion, the strategy was set, and the imperial meeting concluded. Duke Bachor left the council hall with a sullen face. He could no longer find reasons to refuse other grand dukes, and even the empire's intervention in the southern territory. This would inevitably tarnish the Bachor family's reputation and weaken his authority in the southern part of the empire.
Unacceptable! For Duke Bachor, such a scenario was intolerable. The Bachor Duchy still possessed formidable strength. With the Western and Eastern Grand Dukes, as well as the Guardian Knight Order needing time to arrive, perhaps he could turn the tables before then. If not flattening the Chaos Forest, at least he needed to salvage his family's honor and reputation.
At that moment, Duke Bachor received intelligence: "My lord, a large-scale elven troop is attempting to cross the imperial border and head to the Chaos Forest in the south."
Bachor was not surprised by this news, as the revelation of the Ancient Tree of Eternity and the Elven King had already become widely known. These events held great attraction for the elves, and it was inevitable that the nearby elven tribes would rush to join the Chaos Forest.
"How many?" Bachor inquired.
The intelligence officer replied, "At least five to six hundred thousand."
Bachor was astounded by the sheer number. If these five to six hundred thousand elves successfully reached the Chaos Forest, it would significantly bolster the strength of both the forest and the elven race. This would undoubtedly make it much harder to defeat the Darkness City and the Elven King.
A thought struck Bachor; he realized this might be an opportunity. If he dispatched troops to attack these elves, it would not only cause significant casualties among them but also force the Elven King to react. Instead of attacking the areas occupied by Darkness City or the Chaos Forest, it might be more advantageous to choose a battlefield that favored the duchy. In this way, the Darkness City's Three Dragon Kings and the Elven King would be caught off guard, without time to prepare, greatly increasing the chances of victory.
While Bachor was contemplating an attack on the migrating elves, suddenly another subordinate came to report: "My lord, some individuals from the Sunset Empire and the Azure Water Federation have arrived. They claim to be Heroes from these regions."
Upon hearing this, Bachor paid close attention. Ever since Halifax, the strongest Hero of the Thunder Empire, was killed by the Elven King, the Thunderous Society was on the brink of dissolution. Although a few powerful Heroes escaped, they no longer posed a significant threat.
Since the invasion of the Demon Kings, the strength of the Heroes had been significantly depleted, one of the few satisfying outcomes for the empire. Not only the Thunder Empire but also the Sunset Empire and the Azure Water Federation were wary of the unpredictability of the Heroes. Therefore, using the excuse of hunting Demon Kings in the Chaos Forest, they tried to guide the Heroes within their territories to join the conflict. Regardless of who wins or loses between the Demon Kings and the Heroes, they could benefit from watching the fight from the sidelines.
Bachor met these Heroes in the reception hall. Among the new Heroes, Bachor recognized one -- Xing Rong, the vice president of the Thunderous Society. In the battle of Tien City, after Luo Zheng died, Xing Rong managed to escape using a teleportation scroll amidst the chaos. Though he survived, most of his Hero team and hundreds of his subordinates were lost, which left him deeply resentful towards the Darkness City's Demon King. Besides Xing Rong, there were two other Hero representatives. One was a half-human, half-snake naga, with white scales and enveloped in mist, a rare Holy Naga. The other was a middle-aged human in simple clothes, blindfolded, and holding a stick resembling a blind man's cane.
Bachor could sense that both individuals were extremely powerful, likely not far behind Halifax in terms of strength. He inquired, "Who might you two be?"
Xing Rong of the Thunderous Society introduced them: "This is Huan Yue, the Archbishop of the Radiant Church based in the Azure Water Federation, and this is Xiu Si, one of the Seven Sword Saints of the Sunset Empire."
Hearing these titles, Bachor was visibly delighted. The Radiant Church was one of the top-ranking churches in the human world. Hong Xia, a senior cleric of the Radiant Church, had previously joined forces with Xiang Nanfeng, the head of the Thunder Empire's Mercenary Guild, in an ambush against the Dark Dragon King. An Archbishop held a status several notches higher, being the highest religious leader of a large region. As for Xiu Si, although the name might seem unassuming, Bachor was well aware of the legend of the Seven Sword Saints of the Sunset Empire. Known for its extreme conservatism and martial valor, the Sunset Empire's most renowned warriors were referred to as the "Sword Saints." Xiu Si, as one of these Sword Saints and the successor of the Inner-Eye Sword Technique, was known as the Inner-Eye Sword Saint. Despite his unremarkable appearance as a blind man, Bachor wasn't sure he could defeat this swordsman, as the Sword Saints represented the pinnacle of combat prowess in the Sunset Empire.
The fact that these powerful individuals from thousands of miles away were drawn to the conflict in the Chaos Forest was a testament to the influence of its Demon Kings. These two were merely representatives; the Heroes currently in the southern region represented the very best from all three forces. With such assistance, Bachor's plans were well within reach of execution.
