Chapter 485: The Awakening Ritual and the Phoenix King

Lord Mazdamundi spoke, and two Skinks hurried back inside the pyramid. At the same time, the four second-generation Slann began a mental exchange; Sinuoli could feel the energy fluctuations triggered by their thoughts and understood that he was being excluded.

"Four great Priests, what is your decree in summoning me? Oh, you are here too! The new leader the Creator bestowed upon the warm-blooded."

As the "hissing" gasps and "rustling" tail-sweeping sounds of the Skinks rose again, Sinuoli could not help but raise his eyebrows. The newcomer sat perched on a palanquin—though compared to the second-generation Slann's, it was like a rough-hewn room, it was still the exclusive domain of a Slann! What an act of presumption.

"Tehol-Pok has blessed this clever Skink; it has been granted knowledge of the vast starry sky and astonishing foresight." Lord Mazida saw Sinuoli's surprise and spoke to introduce this legendary Skink to him.

"More than thirty years ago, through the Creator's relic, I observed a great star streak across the earth-element houses, illuminating this world. The declining fortune showed signs of stirring again; seeing you today, I know it was destined for you."

Taito-Yikao stood up from the palanquin to salute, pointing out its origins in just two or three sentences. Sinuoli felt a chill in his heart and silently praised this lizard as extraordinary.

"This Dwarf brings bad news about the furry beasts. Come, tell us the next available date through the stars." Sinuoli was about to answer, but Master Mazida spoke to stop him. Clearly, it did not want to waste the precious time of the four second-generation Slann on pleasantries.

"When the forked tongue of Sotek sweeps across the intersection of the twin moons' orbits, that will be the most suitable omen for the summoning. If nothing goes wrong, it will be twenty Una later."

"By my count, that is two hundred days?"

Sinuoli calculated silently. Since Lizardmen do not die naturally, they use the "Long-Memory Calendar" passed down from the Old Ones, with units much larger than those used by short-lived races.

"The energy accumulated in the Geomantic Core is sufficient."

The dark blue High Priest Adoxi replied; clearly, it was responsible for this part of the awakening ritual.

"Execute the plan."

Master Mazida parted its large mouth and spat out the short syllables. As the second generation in charge of daily operations, it possessed a decisiveness that most Slann lacked.

"Wait, no? Why are you just executing the plan? What about the Skaven? Are you not going to do anything about them?"

Sinuoli, having ascended to Demigod status, felt a rare moment of panic. Even when Skarbrand suddenly appeared during the assault on Eight Peaks, it could not be said to have completely exceeded his contingency plans. In his mind, shouldn't Master Mazida be so furious as to unleash a long-range strike like the "Catastrophe of Cities" to properly punish the rats and resolve the crisis at Tongshanbao?

"The leader of the third batch of creations is here; shall we summon those less stable second-batch ones to discuss how to proceed?"

"Hmm, the long-haired filth is prepared; the original arrangements will also need some adjustments."

The Slann communicated again. This time they did not block Sinuoli; after all, it was time to assign tasks. Lord Molun pinched his fingers to send a signal, most likely to contact Teclis.

"Hiss, the problem you are worried about is roughly this. The level of the ritual to recall the soul of Master Kroak from the astral realm is so high that even the second generation has never presided over it. Even after spending a massive amount of time on deductions, we can only estimate the approximate energy requirements. The current reserves are just above the safety line, and the Venerables do not wish for any uncontrollable consumption."

Seeing Sinuoli's low spirits, Taito-Yikao urged its palanquin to float over. The transmigrator narrowed his eyes to size up this no-longer-young Skink; he believed that as a clever lizard who had lived long enough, it knew far more than it said.

"The Great Horned Rat pays extra attention to its Greater Daemons. If the Slann take action, It will not sit idly by. Even without considering victory or defeat in a remote struggle, the consumption would indeed be immeasurable."

Once pointed out by the astrologer, Sinuoli understood the crux of the matter. He had previously been like a sick man seeking any doctor, turning to the Slann. But did he really have to sit and watch Tongshanbao and even more fortresses of the Old World fall, leaving the Mountain Kingdom in chaos? Snuolan did not think things had deteriorated to that point.

"How many stages does the awakening ritual have? And at which stage does my army need to intervene? You know, gathering an elite force of sufficient scale takes time."

"Stages? Contacting its soul wandering in the astral realm; pulling the soul back to this world; introducing it into the mummy; reshaping the body to restore vitality. Hmm, the last two stages can actually be combined."

In the interval of waiting for a reply, Lord Mazida took the time to explain. The strength framework of creatures like the Slann is fixed from the moment they are created; beyond interpreting and practicing the Great Plan, they generally choose some areas of interest for in-depth study.

"You will only have a role to play after its soul returns to this world. The final stage requires the four of us to work together to mobilize the immense energy; it allows for not the slightest mistake or interference."

Master Mazida's small eyes under its crown stared at Sinuoli, as if trying to discern if he had any ulterior motives. If it could persuade that remaining second-generation Slann to utilize it and the forces under its command, why would the first-born of the Old Ones need to seek support from the warm-blooded!

"Whoosh! Zzz!"

Before communication could continue, a spatial fluctuation erupted in a corner of the tower's platform. After a brief blur, accompanied by a light cough, several tall figures appeared.

"Your Majesty, this is Itza—the place where the Creator descended!"

"Hehe, I am basking in your reflected glory, Teclis. Back when I traveled and explored, I was never permitted to go this deep into the jungle."

The one standing at the very front bowed with his right hand over his chest; the elegance of the High Elf was displayed to the fullest in him. Compared to his position surrounded by others, the majestic and magnificent Eagle Wing Helm on his head made it impossible for one to look away.

The twenty-two feathers of different colors were each condensed from the blessings of the eight gods of Kadai and the fourteen gods of Sessarai. Before Malekith split the Dark Elves away, the boundaries between the gods of Heaven and Hell were not so clear; they jointly recognized the first Phoenix King—Aenarion the Glory-Keeper.

Of course, whenever an Elf was seen wearing it in public, honest Dwarfs never hesitated to offer their most sincere mockery—it could only be a fake that possessed the form but not the essence. The authentic one, blessed by twenty-two gods and capable of elevating a mere mortal to a Demigod, was locked away by countless Rune seals in a bottomless vault beneath the Everpeak.

"Finubar, the ruler of Ulthuan, hereby extends the highest respects of the Asur to you, the immortal Lord Mazdamundi and the various Slann Mage-Priests. Oh, you are here too! The hero who has successively banished the Greater Daemons of the Four Gods."

The Seafarer—Finubar, the most famous explorer and diplomat of the age. Perhaps limited by the differences in racial talents, Sinuoli had to admit that he was inferior to him in personal charisma and diplomatic rhetoric.

"Please allow me to introduce the members of my war council and my daughter; they will assist me in carrying out decisions!"