Chapter 245: The Performance

"Andre and I have an agreement," Luo En said slowly:

"The Ralph family will establish a marriage alliance with the royal family to consolidate the relationship between the two houses. Specifically, it will be a union between my eldest brother's offspring and Andre's descendants."

This news exploded in the hall like a bombshell.

The face of his eldest brother, Aidelong, was filled with disbelief, while his father became instantly agitated, almost wanting to leap from his seat.

"A... a marriage alliance with the royal family?"

The Count's voice trembled, his eyes flashing with ecstatic light:

"This is an honor our family has never dared to dream of in hundreds of years!"

"Luo En... is this true?" Aidelong could not hide his excitement either: "Did His Highness Andre really agree to such a union?"

Luo En nodded:

"Not only did he agree, but we have already established this agreement through a formal contract. The contract is valid for one thousand years, enough to cover the future of countless generations."

"One thousand years," the Count muttered to himself, his eyes filled with awe:

"This is almost a permanent alliance."

"One thousand years is the longest duration I can currently set for an extraordinary contract."

Luo En explained, his voice carrying a hint of contemplation:

"For a mortal dynasty, it is indeed a length of time so long it is nearly eternal."

He recalled the complex expression on Andre's face when they first signed the contract.

"One thousand years is an unimaginably long time, even for our Faluoke royal family."

Andre had sighed at the time: "The longest-lived dynasty in history lasted only five hundred years. Whether our royal family can survive until the end of the contract is truly an unknown."

Luo En had only smiled slightly then:

"No matter how the royal family changes, as long as the Faluoke bloodline exists, the contract will remain in effect. Besides, one thousand years is but a flick of a finger to certain existences."

The memory ended, and Luo En noticed his father and eldest brother were still immersed in shock and joy.

"My children marrying into the royal family..."

Aidelong still seemed unable to believe it: "This means our Ralph family will become kin to the kingdom."

"To be precise," Luo En added:

"Andre promised that once he becomes King, the Ralph family will be enfeoffed as hereditary Grand Dukes, becoming the kingdom's premier noble house."

This news made the old Count and Aidelong widen their eyes again; Aidelong even accidentally knocked over his wine glass.

The red wine spread across the tablecloth like a blooming rose.

"Hereditary Grand Dukes..."

The Count's voice was nearly choked with emotion, tears shimmering in his eyes:

"Luo En, my child, the glory you have brought to the family far exceeds the efforts of our ancestors over the past few hundred years."

Luo En looked at his father's face, trembling slightly from excitement, and an indescribable emotion welled up in his heart.

He could not help but think of his family from his previous life—that ordinary and warm household, where his parents worked diligently just to provide him with a better life.

Now, he was using his own power in this world to bring glory and security to his new family.

Although the forms were vastly different, the essence was perhaps the same.

"These are merely things within my power to do."

Luo En said softly, a trace of warmth flashing in his eyes:

"The family raised me and gave me my initial status and standing; it is only natural that I should repay the family within my capabilities."

Aidelong was moved upon hearing these words.

He hesitated for a moment before finally gathering the courage to ask:

"Luo En... I have always been curious, what does it feel like to become a formal wizard? That power... is it as magical as the legends say?"

Luo En was silent for a moment, seemingly thinking about how to explain such an extraordinary experience to a mortal.

"Eldest brother, you can imagine it this way," he finally spoke slowly:

"You have lived your whole life in a world of only black and white, and suddenly, one day, your eyes can see all the colors. That kind of shock and change is what it feels like to become a formal wizard."

He paused for a moment and continued:

"It is not just an increase in power, but a re-cognition of the essence of the world. I can feel energy flows that ordinary people cannot perceive, and I can understand laws that transcend common sense. This experience... is very difficult to describe accurately in words."

His father and eldest brother listened intently, their eyes full of awe and yearning.

"Then... your lifespan..."

The Count hesitated before asking this sensitive question: "Is it, as the legends say, significantly extended?"

Luo En nodded slightly:

"The natural lifespan of a formal wizard is indeed far greater than that of a mortal. A Morning Star-level wizard can live for about five hundred years, a Moon-Illuminated level for six or seven hundred, and a Dark Sun-level can reach over eight hundred. The lifespan of a Great Wizard is even longer, often spanning several thousand years."

The Count and Aidelong fell silent, a trace of imperceptible sorrow flashing in their eyes.

This meant that compared to Luo En, their lifespans were like flickering candle flames.

Luo En saw their thoughts and comforted them softly:

"But this does not mean the connection between us will weaken. No matter how time flows, the bloodline bond will always exist. Even hundreds of years from now, the Ralph family will still be under my watch."

These words reignited the light of hope in his father and eldest brother's eyes.

Although mortal life is short, the family's legacy can continue indefinitely.

And with the protection of a powerful existence like Luo En, the family's future would undoubtedly be even brighter.

"Speaking of time..."

Luo En's gaze became distant, as if traversing endless time:

"Hundreds of years from now, I do not know where I will be or what kind of existence I will become. The journey is long, and every step is full of unknowns."

His father and eldest brother listened quietly, not daring to interrupt the young wizard's thoughts.

After the banquet, Luo En came to the top floor of the castle, the place he liked to stay most when he was not heading to the Black Mist Jungle.

The starry sky above was as brilliant as the sea, the Milky Way spanning the horizon like a road leading to eternity.

Luo En stood at the highest point of the castle, looking at this starry sky that was gradually becoming familiar, his mind filled with a thousand thoughts.

Now, he could feel the connection between the stars and could draw power from those distant celestial bodies through "Star Projection."

The road ahead was still long, but every step would bring him closer to that supreme existence.

………………

The wind on the northern border was always exceptionally biting.

Especially in this season, cold air currents swept in from the distant polar plains, mixed with tiny ice crystals, enough to cut through the skin of ordinary people.

Luo En stood on an observation deck on a cliff top, overlooking the winding valley below.

This was the last line of defense for the kingdom's northern territory and a natural barrier used by the rebellious counts to block Andre's army.

Under the morning light, everything in the valley was clearly visible—patches of tents, ranked orc soldiers, and the most eye-catching polar orc cavalry regiment.

Those creatures, averaging two meters in height, rode huge snowfield wolves and held weapons forged from cold iron, each exuding a heart-palpitating aura of wildness.

"It seems the intelligence was correct; they really did bring in polar orc cavalry."

Andre stood beside Luo En, his golden vertical pupils flashing with wary light:

"These guys are one of the most terrifying combat forces in the North; ordinary soldiers have almost no chance of winning against them."

Luo En's expression was indifferent, seemingly unconcerned by those existences that would make ordinary people tremble.

His gaze passed through the valley and landed on the huge black tent in the distance; that should be the rebel army's command center.

"How many people?" Luo En asked in a flat tone, as if he were just asking about the weather today.

"According to scout reports, about three hundred polar orc cavalry and over two thousand mixed troops."

Andre replied, then added:

"If it were just ordinary rebels, I would be confident in suppressing them with our forces, but those orc cavalry..."

Before he could finish, a trace of worry already appeared on his face.

Those polar orcs were known for their ferocity, each comparable to a veteran knight's squire.

Not to mention their mounts—those domesticated snowfield giant wolves were also terrifying war machines.

"No need to worry." Luo En said softly, the corners of his mouth lifting slightly:

"Today, I will let these barbarians appreciate some real music."

As he spoke, he took a violin out of his personal space bag.

The one Trish gave him had already become a mere collector's item; ordinary instruments could not withstand his current magic power.

The instrument in his hand now was one of his recent alchemical achievements.

Its body was made of a translucent blue crystal, and the strings were meticulously crafted from the gut of some peculiar creature, emitting a faint silver light.

Surprise flashed in Andre's eyes; he had never seen Luo En use a musical instrument to fight.

But he was smart enough to understand that what was about to happen was definitely not an ordinary performance.

"Issue an order to your troops to plug their ears and retreat to the opposite windward side." Luo En instructed seriously:

"The upcoming performance is only suitable for the enemy to listen to."

Andre immediately conveyed the order through a messenger.

Soon, after the kingdom's soldiers reached a safe distance, they began to plug their ears with special wax balls and prepared to charge at any time.

Luo En walked slowly to the most prominent position on the cliff, where he could overlook the entire valley.

The valley was like a natural speaker, where any sound could be amplified and echoed several times over.

He placed the violin gently on his shoulder, took a deep breath, and closed his eyes, as if feeling the subtle energy flow in the wind.

Andre could not help but take two steps back, a sense of indescribable fear rising in his heart.

Even he could feel the subtle changes in the air around Luo En, spreading layer by layer like ripples on water.

"You had better plug your ears too."

Luo En reminded him, his tone carrying concern:

"Although I will try my best to control the target, the power of music can sometimes achieve more unexpected effects."

Andre quickly complied, plugging the wax balls into his ears, then retreated to the windward side, looking forward to the terrifying feast about to unfold.

Luo En slowly raised the bow, pausing for a moment, as if waiting for the right timing.

Just as a gust of mountain wind whistled past, he suddenly began to play.

The first note fell, like a drop of water falling into a calm lake.

It seemed ordinary, yet it invisibly stirred up ripples of energy.

The melody was extremely gentle at first, like a lover whispering in a low voice, carrying an irresistible charm.

The human soldiers in the valley began to stop their activities, looking up in confusion to find the source of the sound.

Those polar orcs were even more alert, pricking up their ears; they were naturally extremely sensitive to magic fluctuations and had already felt an unusual aura.

Andre stood not far away, and although his ears were plugged, he could still feel the faint vibrations coming from the air.

He saw Luo En's body constantly flowing with a dim luster, and every note that fell formed a tiny energy ripple in the surrounding air, spreading in all directions.

As the performance deepened, the melody began to become complex.

Luo En's fingers danced flexibly on the strings, each note carrying a precisely calculated frequency and energy, forming a specific vibration pattern in the air.

Those seemingly random melodies were actually based on certain ancient syllables recorded in "The Star-Eater's Babble," cleverly transformed by Luo En into a form that could be transmitted through a musical instrument.

This was the terrifying aspect of the Erosion Movement—it could bypass conventional mental defenses, directly shaking the essence of the soul and causing irreversible damage.

In the valley, the first to feel the abnormality were the snowfield giant wolves.

They began to become restless, growling in low voices, some even spinning in place, seemingly wanting to break free from some invisible restraint.

As the music continued, the melody suddenly became intense.

Luo En's bow danced on the strings like lightning, emitting a series of high-frequency trembling notes.

These notes condensed into countless tiny sound blades in the air, sweeping toward the valley.

Andre saw with surprise that those sound waves formed visible distorted traces in the air, rushing toward the enemy army in the valley like a tide.

When the first wave of sound hit the polar orc cavalry regiment, a strange scene occurred:

Those strong orcs suddenly stopped their movements, their eyes wide, full of terror and confusion.

Afterward, some orcs began to cover their ears, howling in pain;

More fell directly from their mounts, rolling wildly on the ground, as if countless ants were gnawing at their brains.

The reactions of those snowfield giant wolves were even more intense.

They began to roar wildly, tearing at their own fur, some even attacking their peers, the scene in chaos.

And this was just the beginning.

As Luo En's performance deepened, the violin in his hand began to emit an eerie light, and every note jumping between the strings seemed to carry substantial energy.

This energy formed visible purple-black ripples in the air, like a giant net covering the entire valley.

His performance gradually reached a climax, the sound of the violin cutting through the air like a sharp blade, each note carrying lethal power.

A layer of pale purple energy vortex shrouded his body, constantly expanding and contracting with the rhythm of the music.

Andre stood in the distance, his eyes wide, watching all this in disbelief.

Even though he had long known of Luo En's power, witnessing this near-divine destruction still shook his soul.

The second wave of sound was even more powerful; as it swept across the battlefield, a series of shrill screams erupted from the orc cavalry regiment.

Black liquid began to flow from the nostrils and corners of the eyes of some orcs;

Others began to tear at their own skin wildly, as if something inside was trying to crawl out.

Most terrifyingly, their heads began to burst one by one, like ripe watermelons being smashed by a heavy hammer.

Red and white matter mixed with black liquid splashed into the air, staining the entire battlefield red.

At the same time, those snowfield giant wolves also fell one after another.

Black blood seeped from their eyes, ears, mouths, and noses, and after their bodies twitched violently a few times, they were still.

The whole process was like a nightmare, yet it carried a strange aesthetic.

It was like a terrifying painting drawn in blood, slowly unfolding in a symphony of death.

Although the ordinary soldiers in the valley were not directly attacked, witnessing such a terrifying scene had already scared them out of their wits.

They dropped their weapons and fled wildly in all directions, completely forgetting the purpose of the battle and the commander's orders.

Those commanders hiding in the black tent heard the commotion outside and ran out in a hurry to check the situation, only to be stunned by the scene before them.

Their ace unit—that supposedly invincible polar orc cavalry regiment—had now turned into a pile of corpses and severed limbs, with blood flowing like a river.

Most chillingly, a strange energy fluctuation permeated the entire battlefield, making it difficult for people to breathe, as if an invisible hand had gripped their throats.

And the source of all this was just the black-robed figure standing on the cliff top and the glowing violin in his hand.

As the last note of the "Erosion Movement" finally fell, it was like the last star in the darkness being extinguished.

Luo En slowly lowered the violin, opened his eyes, and looked calmly at the valley.

The entire valley had turned into a land of death.

That fearsome polar orc cavalry regiment was now nothing but a pile of corpses;

Those soldiers who had sworn to resist were either lying in pools of blood or fleeing in all directions.

Most surprisingly, Luo En felt streams of soul energy pouring out from the bodies of those dead creatures.

Like thin streams, they converged toward him and were absorbed by the "Thousand-Change Phantom" on his body surface.

【Detected sufficient soul energy collection, charging progress +25%】

【Current charging progress: 57%/100%】

This number made Luo En raise his eyebrows slightly; he did not expect to obtain so much energy at once.

The soul energy of those polar orcs seemed to be much richer than that of ordinary extraordinary creatures, which was an unexpected harvest.

At the same time, a new piece of information appeared on his profession panel:

【New function hint:

After charging reaches 100%, the "Fusion Recording" function will be unlocked.

Two recorded abilities can be fused together to create brand-new effects.

Note: The fusion result depends on the compatibility of the original abilities and the user's understanding.

The strength and characteristics of the ability after deep fusion cannot be predicted.】

"Interesting," Luo En whispered in his heart, a trace of expectation flashing in his eyes.

Fusion was exactly the problem he had been thinking about.

If he could combine the advantages of different recorded abilities to create brand-new effects, it would undoubtedly greatly enhance his combat power.

Andre carefully took out his earplugs and walked to Luo En's side, his eyes full of awe:

"Truly... unbelievable power. You just played a piece of music and destroyed the entire orc cavalry regiment."

Luo En put the violin back into the space bag, his tone flat:

"The Erosion Movement is a spell that uses music as a medium to transmit the Star-Eater's Babble and mental shocks. I had only experimented with it on a small scale before; this counts as the first practical application."

He paused for a moment, his gaze sweeping over the wreckage in the valley:

"The effect is quite in line with expectations."

In line with expectations? Andre exclaimed in his heart.

This kind of devastating destruction could already be called a miracle in the eyes of normal people.

But in Luo En's eyes, it seemed to be just an ordinary spell casting, not even worthy of special praise.

Is this the gap between a formal wizard and a mortal?

Andre could not help but sigh.

However, he quickly adjusted his mindset; after all, the other party was his ally, and this power would become his greatest help in seizing the throne.

"What now?" Andre asked:

"Should we attack their command headquarters?"

Luo En shook his head: "No need, the purpose of deterrence has already been achieved."

He pointed to the distance of the valley, where several people in gorgeous clothing were hurriedly assembling troops in front of the large black tent, seemingly preparing to retreat:

"Look, they have already been scared out of their wits."

Sure enough, after a while, the main force of the rebel army began to retreat in an orderly fashion.

Countless soldiers and cavalry retreated toward the other end of the valley, leaving behind corpses and weapons all over the ground.

Those commanders clearly understood one truth:

Being an enemy of a formal wizard who could easily annihilate a polar orc cavalry regiment was a foolish act.

"This is the result we wanted." Luo En said, his voice calm and cold:

"There is no need to eliminate all of them; we only need to let them understand the cost of resistance. After all, soldiers are precious prime-age labor."

Andre nodded in agreement, a trace of cunning flashing in his eyes:

"After the news of this time spreads, those border counts who are still watching will probably reconsider their stance."

"Exactly." Luo En turned to leave: "You arrange for the troops to clean up the battlefield first; I have matters to attend to, so excuse me."

Having said that, he did not wait for Andre's response and turned into a black shadow, disappearing from the cliff top.

Only Andre was left standing in the wind, looking at the land of death in the valley, his heart full of expectations for the future.

Returning to the secret room prepared for him in the palace, Luo En sat cross-legged and began to sort out the combat experience he had just gained.

The power of the "Erosion Movement" indeed exceeded his original expectations.

Especially in the valley terrain, which was like a natural speaker, the transmission and amplification effects of the sound waves almost reached their limit.

And this time, he could be considered to have perfected a pain point of his set of spells through experimentation—the inability to distinguish between friend and foe.

At least when he played the Erosion Movement just now, the targets outside the orc cavalry did not show obvious symptoms of discomfort.

But what interested him more at this moment was the new function about to be unlocked by the Thousand-Change Phantom—Fusion Recording.

"It's a pity that it still needs to be charged to 100%," Luo En muttered to himself, a look of contemplation appearing in his eyes.

Various possibilities bloomed in Luo En's mind like fireworks, each combination containing infinite potential, but also accompanied by unpredictable risks.

But this was the essence of the extraordinary path—constant exploration, experimentation, finding breakthroughs in the unknown, and obtaining power in adventure.

Luo En closed his eyes slightly, feeling the energy flowing in his body and the changes brought about by the fused Thousand-Change Phantom.

The corners of his mouth curled into a faint smile; the harvest of this trip to the North was far richer than he had originally thought.

Tomorrow, he would head to the royal treasury to search for the complete inheritance of the "Corona Breathing Method."

Especially the legendary ultimate realm of knights—the cultivation method of the 【Corona Knight】.

And that would be the ultimate goal of his trip.

(End of chapter) ===== CHAPTER 246 =====