Chapter 910: Provoking the Black Emperor

The battle ended after half an hour.

The Dolarak settlement's gate opened, warmly welcoming Lei En inside.

He strolled across the blood‑stained ground, and on both sides of the path knelt countless Dolarak barbarians; among the crowd were trolls and centaurs, men, women, old and young, all staring at Lei En's victorious entry, their faces filled with panic and fear.

"For Banerko!"

With a roar, several adult barbarian men and women suddenly leapt up, bare‑fisted, lunging at the approaching Lei En, and within a blink were before him.

Bang—bang—bang!

The booming gunfire rang out, and several barbarians were blown to pieces.

An invisible shield materialized around Lei En, deflecting the enemies' blood, leaving his body untouched. In the sky, the Holy Lance Knight who had just shot the assassin swivelled his barrel toward the assassin's former hiding spot, clearing the area outright.

A Holy Lance Knight also dropped a grenade from the sky.

The explosion and screams mingled, and seconds later, the corpses of nearly a hundred barbarians lay amid the ruined houses.

The Dolarak settlement, built against the mountain, had the assassination at the gate witnessed by almost the entire tribe.

An Extreme Warrior shouted loudly, "Dare to offend the Consul, death without pardon!"

Such ruthless slaughter—one exposed, a hundred punished—was unbearable even for the brave barbarians; the whole tribe fell silent as cold cicadas, and other Dolarak who had tried to assassinate bowed their heads, hiding their thoughts deeply.

Lei En's face remained unruffled; the assassination did not slow his steps, and he walked leisurely up the mountain, reaching the largest building in the Dolarak settlement.

It was a temple of Banerko.

It was built from neatly cut stone, black and solemn, its towering spire like a crown, inspiring awe.

The Dolarak tribe has worshipped Banerko for centuries and even produced a Divine Chosen; their devotion to the Black Emperor runs deep, forming a system culture centered on "tyranny" and "fear." Banerko's temple is both the holiest site and the tribe's seat of power.

Lei En arrived at the open ground atop the temple.

Commander Malius, Kuilu, Kestajin and others were there, all saluting Lei En.

Malius removed the helmet of his powered armor, his expression still steady yet unable to hide his joy, reporting, "Sir, we have won!"

Lei En gave a slight nod.

The Dolarak are the dominant power in the southern Saen Plateau, but compared with the Extreme Warrior Corps and the Holy Spear Knight Corps, the gap is as vast as heaven and earth; victory is inevitable.

The earlier battle was nothing to write home about.

Thirty Extreme Warriors clad in powered armor descended from the sky, executing a decapitation tactic; within a minute they defeated the Dolarak tribe's chieftain and his close guard.

Then the Holy Spear Knight Corps used air superiority to snipe enemies from above, beyond the range of bows and spears.

The Dolarak's most relied‑upon Cold‑toed Gray Lizard cavalry was shot to pieces the moment it showed its head, unable to mount any proper resistance. Their enslaved trolls, ogres and centaurs, seeing such terrifying foes, surrendered immediately.

The half‑hour battle spent most of its time suppressing the Dolarak's counter‑offensive.

If it weren't for preserving more survivors to later provide faith power to Jiliman, the over two hundred thousand Dolarak would have been slaughtered long ago.

Even so, this battle's casualties exceeded twenty thousand, reducing the Dolarak population by a tenth.

The Dolarak settlement ran red with blood, but all the victims were Dolarak.

Winning the war is the easiest step.

For Malius, the real difficulty lies in governing the Dolarak tribe, forcing them to change their worship of Banerko.

"Bring the person up," Malius ordered.

Footsteps echoed from within the temple.

Two Extreme Warriors in powered armor escorted a robust barbarian out; he was a typical Dolarak barbarian, about two meters tall, a head shorter than a Makurag, yet broad‑shouldered, his weight comparable to a Makurag.

The barbarian was stripped of his armor, exposing his blood‑stained body.

He had a few wrinkles at the corners of his eyes—a rare elder among barbarians—but his frame was sturdier than a youth's; his legs were broken, and a gaping wound in his abdomen, blown out by a Bolt Gun, exposed his entrails, yet he kept struggling and screaming as if feeling no pain.

The Extreme Warrior clutched his arms and shoulders tightly, hauling him before Lei En; the Soul Eye displayed that the barbarian was Legendary High-rank.

"Sir, he is the Dolarak chieftain Kashike."

Hearing Malius's words, Kashike suddenly ceased struggling, staring intently at Lei En, his blood‑shot eyes brimming with endless hatred. Sensing Lei En's Holy Soul aura, a flash of bewilderment and fear crossed his gaze, and in the Imperial language he asked gravely, "You are the Consul from the Empire?"

"It is I," Lei En replied.

Kashike shouted angrily, "The Dolarak have never infringed upon the Empire; I bear no grudge against you, Consul. Why do you collude with the Makurag and attack my tribe?"

"There is no reason; the Dolarak just happen to block my path," Lei En said lightly, "Unluckily, you are still Banerko's followers."

He did not understand the first half.

But the second half reminded him of the god he worshipped, and he shouted wildly, "I am the high priest of the god; the god watches us. If you have the courage, kill me! Sooner or later, our lord will conquer the whole world, and all shall bow before His throne!"

"I know," Lei En nodded.

Kashike froze for a moment, wondering what he knew.

"I know Banerko is watching us, so what of it?" Lei En's face showed contempt, "He's just a petty evil god; before the goddess's magical radiance he can only flee." He looked up at the sky as if speaking to Banerko, taunting, "Dare you send a holy avatar to duel me?"

Kashike was stunned.

Malius, Kuilu and the others were also frightened by Lei En; a mortal daring such a provocation against a deity.

Everyone was uneasy, fearing that in the next second Banerko would descend an avatar to punish the arrogant mortal, but after ten seconds the sky gave no sign.

Lei En withdrew his gaze, looked at Kashike, and sneered, "See, Banerko cannot even conquer me, yet dares to speak of conquering the whole world?"

"Impossible!"

Kashike's eyes filled with disbelief; his faith shattered, he shook his head and shouted, "You're lying! Yes, you must be lying, using some trick to deceive the god..."

"I don't believe it!"

"Our lord will surely subjugate the Empire, annihilate VijesCui's church, it will happen..."

Kashike's cry echoed throughout the Dolarak tribe.

Suddenly, he sensed a terrifying magical surge, its source the human before him; countless lightning elements surged from all directions like waves, forming a visible lightning storm that instantly coalesced into a fist‑sized orb of light, gently hovering in the other's hand.

Nine-ring Technique!

It is the Nine-ring Technique, and its casting speed is almost instantaneous; the modest energy orb radiates a terrifying aura.

He is a Holy Soul Wizard!

Kashke's thought hadn't even settled when he saw Lei En's palm twitch slightly, the light orb in his hand turning into a bolt of lightning that vanished before his eyes.

His peripheral vision caught the trace; the spell's target was the temple a short distance away.

Kashke turned his head, and his sight erupted with boundless light; white glare filled his eyes so he could see nothing, and thunderclaps seemed to crack at his ears, yet no shockwave struck him. When his vision returned, he found the Ban Erkou temple he had worshipped all his life had vanished.

The temple seemed erased from the world, not even a fragment of stone could be found.

On the ground lay a pit dozens of meters in diameter, its edges neat as if cut with a blade.

Kashke could not believe his eyes; within Duolake City Fortress, hundreds of thousands of barbarians, trolls and centaurs—all devotees of Ban Erkou—were stunned by the temple's total destruction, then boundless rage rose in their hearts.

Immediately, hundreds of barbarians surged forward, shouting Ban Erkou's name, charging toward where the temple had stood.

A storm of bullets met them.

Kashke ignored his people's wails, his whole body trembling, "You… you dare destroy the temple? This is an unforgivable blasphemy against the god. You're doomed…"

Lei En didn't even glance at him.

He looked up at the sky, as if awaiting something to happen.

A few minutes later, the rioting barbarians had been wiped out, over a thousand more shot dead, yet Ban Erkou still gave no response.

Kashke raged in helpless fury, then grew numb, and when he finally realized Ban Erkou did not react to the sacrilege, he was at last disappointed.

All of the Duolake tribe wailed in sorrow.

The belief in their hearts collapsed like the destroyed temple.

"Ban Erkou has abandoned you," Lei En's voice reached the ears of the hundreds of thousands of Duolake people, "Just as He has discarded other followers before; in His eyes, when you are useless, you are trash he can toss away at will."

Many saw fire in their eyes, trying to argue, but the corpses of their kin before them reminded them this is the fate of rebellion.

Except for a few scattered barbarians who leapt out and were shot, no one else spoke.

The seed of shaken faith had already been sown.

Lei En said no more; spreading Jili Man's doctrine was not his duty, so from now on only Malius could do it.

But not today.

Changing belief is not a matter of a single day; excess is as bad as deficiency. Reaching this point today is enough; going further would provoke the Duolake people's most primal barbarian blood, leading them to a death‑defying resistance against the conquerors.

Lei En nodded toward Malius.

"Kill him."

Malius gave the order.

Kashke realized his end was near, struggling desperately to no avail, when an Extreme Warrior raised a lightning‑charged greatsword and cleaved off his head.

The Duolake watched their chieftain's execution with little reaction; some even wore delighted smiles, some extremely pleased. Kashke had ruled the tribe with fear and iron blood for centuries; people felt only dread and hatred toward him, no love or support, and their loathing of him surpassed that of the conquerors.

This is the norm among Ban Erkou's followers.

In fact, during the earlier battle, dozens of Thundercast Celestial Soldiers serving as captains in the Holy Spear Knight Corps used their Soul Eyes to identify the most devout Ban Erkou followers and Ban Erkou's priests, and killed them amid the chaos.

Then another purge followed, prioritizing the shooting of steadfast believers.

Among the remaining Duolake, the overwhelming majority were shallow believers; there were hardly any devout followers left.

Of course, the purge would have to continue for several rounds.

Only when the Duolake began praying to Jili Man, at least outwardly claiming to be Jili Man's followers, would the purge cease.

"Malius, it's yours now," Lei En said.

"Rest assured, sir."

Malius knew what to do; long before he proposed unifying the plateau to Lei En, he had been scheming for years, awaiting today.

Lei En glanced at the sky again, and his figure vanished.

The next second, he returned to the Jin Gang Fort base, and Reslin followed through teleportation, cloaked, and the two together teleported to the Governor's Office in Qingtan City. Having just provoked Ban Erkou—though certainly He would not dare send a saintly avatar to strike within the Empire—he could not let his guard down; for a long time to come, Reslin must stay by his side.

A Holy Soul Wizard together with a Grand Mage, the two joining forces, can face a deity's avatar without fear.

That is also the confidence that lets him dare to provoke Ban Erkou.

Lei En's mind swept across the Governor's Office; Moserio had already set out with his troops. It was still early, and they would not return so soon.

He materialized, letting the stationed Rick Guard breathe a sigh of relief, and entered the Governor's Office.

He opened the phone interface.

In past battles, fearing detection by others or deities, they dared not absorb enemies' souls, but today was different; since they dared to confront Ban Erkou face‑to‑face and slay His followers, harvesting souls need not be so taboo.

The Thundercast Celestial Soldiers scattered across the battlefield absorbed the souls of most slain Duolake.

The energy in the soul‑power pool rose by over four hundred units.

It seemed little, but now one unit equals five of the old, so over four hundred units can boost several Elements.

Lei En browsed his Element icons.

Key of Doors, Wish Spell, Anti‑Magic Field—these three most powerful spells are Eight‑Ring, and the Core Mind is also ninth level; enhancing any of them greatly augments his strength. Moreover, Reslin's Key of Doors is also Eight‑Ring and needs upgrading.

He gave it a brief try and found that raising an Eight‑Ring spell to Ninth‑Ring required energy that surged by several times the previous amount.

But it is understandable; Ninth‑Ring spells are immensely powerful!

Ninth‑Ring spells differ qualitologically from those below Ninth‑Ring.

Thundercast Celestial Soldiers have been stationed three hundred li west of Gotham City, repeatedly clashing with the Catastrophe Legion, and a group hunting sample monsters on the Dying Sun plane; each day some energy accrues, and with today's harvested souls the soul‑power pool now holds over six hundred units.

Yet it was still insufficient, enough only to upgrade one Anti‑Magic Field.

Lei En thought it over; the sooner he ascended, the sooner he could enjoy it, so he poured in nearly five hundred units, pushing the progress bar beneath the Anti‑Magic Field icon, and after a hard climb it reached Ninth‑Ring!

Leaves on the World Tree blossomed with light; the Element runes flickered for a long time before stabilizing again.

Ninth‑Ring Anti‑Magic Field!

He felt the new spell's effect: as long as he maintained it, all spells below Ninth‑Ring within its radius were nullified, and even Ninth‑Ring spells were weakened—casting became harder, power smaller, defense weaker, and it was easier to interrupt.

Even a Holy Soul Wizard or Grand Mage could not have every spell at Ninth‑Ring.

Nine-ring Technique is always rare.

This means that, for all spellcasters in the world, when facing their own, those below Saint Rank are lambs awaiting slaughter; those above Saint Rank will also see their selectable spells sharply decrease, their hands and feet bound, and their overall spellcasting strength weakened.

Mage killer! Wizard's nemesis!

Spellcasters' nightmare!

Lei En had these words pop into his mind, and he immediately felt eager to try them out; he really wanted to find a Holy Soul Wizard or a Grand Mage to spar with, to test the might of the anti-magic field.

Forget it, I'll save it as a surprise for future enemies.

He waited at the Governor's Mansion for half a day; before nightfall, the silhouette of a Holy Lance Knight appeared in the western sky of Qingtan City, and Mo Se Li Ao returned with his legion.

(End of chapter)