The dark mage’s heart, throat, forehead, lower abdomen, and the back of his head, as well as his temples, were pierced by sharp flame spikes. Due to the high temperature, the wounds instantly charred, forming black scabs from which wisps of white smoke emerged.
At this moment, the dark mage looked at Xiao Xun with extreme unwillingness, unable to believe until his death that Xiao Xun possessed technologically advanced weaponry from at least two civilizations beyond this era.
Now, his resentful gaze could only convey three words.
That was—impossible, impossible, impossible!
An endless stream of impossibilities!
But now, Xiao Xun had turned this impossibility into a possibility.
And Xiao Xun's final strike, the sharp blade, directly pierced through the mage's throat.
Now, with his death, the magic was severed, and the powerful dark magic that had not been released spread slightly into the air.
“Your arrogance sealed your death!”
Xiao Xun no longer spared a glance at the pathetic dark mage, but the feeling of killing the captain of the Heavenly Disaster Legion in a life-or-death moment was truly exhilarating.
This excitement was like an anesthetic, spreading continuously around Xiao Xun. It was so thrilling that Xiao Xun felt all his limbs and bones emitting joyful moans.
But amidst this excitement, Xiao Xun suddenly let out a bitter laugh.
Because he hadn’t realized he so craved battle, craved excitement, craved bloodshed.
He was slowly transforming into a battle maniac from the depths of his being!
With the captain dead, the various units of the Heavenly Disaster Legion began to collapse like a receding tide. Although the ancients said, “Do not pursue a desperate enemy.”
But having been chased for days, Xiao Xun roared, “Pursue them for three hundred miles, leave no survivors.”
Roar!!!
With Xiao Xun’s command, the entire Phoenix Army and the Orc soldiers erupted. Like Xiao Xun, they were all incredibly frustrated, especially when they saw their close comrades fall beside them while they were powerless to help.
Now, driven by this surge, they unleashed unprecedented strength. Not a single deserter from the Heavenly Disaster Legion managed to escape the north bank of Hengsha.
When Xiao Xun met Duke Sancho, he noticed the Duke had aged significantly but appeared to be in good spirits.
“Your Highness Sven, I hope you are well!”
Xiao Xun smiled, “I’m alright, it just took quite a bit of effort to find you.”
He still had a good impression of this duke, who was once quite ‘stingy.’ Despite his parsimony, he truly cared for his people, and in the areas he governed, it was genuinely a place where no one picked up lost items, and doors remained unlocked at night.
The Spear of Vengeance army had more troops than the Phoenix Army. This was a result of Duke Sancho abandoning his stinginess. Under generous rewards, brave men would surely appear; a significant portion of his troops joined because of the material conditions.
Duke Sancho discreetly pulled Xiao Xun aside and whispered, “Your Highness Sven, thank you for coming. I have prepared a gift especially for you, which I am sure you will like.”
Xiao Xun was curious about what this stingy Sancho could give him. However, since he was sure he would like it, it could only be some magical treasure or advanced weaponry and equipment.
“Excellent! I’d love to see what good things Your Highness Sancho can give me.”
Duke Sancho clapped his hands, and his guards pulled aside a large curtain, revealing a huge stage in the military camp.
When he arrived, Xiao Xun had wondered what was behind the fabric, but he never expected it to be a stage.
Duke Sancho invited the assembled Phoenix Army to watch an opera performance as a welcome.
Xiao Xun thought of two words: entertainment.
The guards thoughtfully brought chairs and served food and drinks, just as they had at the Jetgo Grand Theater that day.
Xiao Xun raised his goblet and clinked it with Duke Sancho’s. “Is this the gift you prepared for me?”
Duke Sancho smiled, “Your Highness Sven, don’t be so impatient! The real show is yet to come.”
The opera was the most classic production on this planet: “The Elven Prince,” starring the actress Xiao Xun had taken a liking to, Saren fey.
Saren fey’s beautiful singing touched everyone present, bringing spiritual healing to the Phoenix Army, from the soldiers to Xiao Xun.
What was the purpose of their hard-fought battles if not to enjoy this beautiful life to their hearts’ content during peacetime and leisure?
After the opera, Sancho hosted a grand banquet, generously entertaining the Phoenix Army that had come to their aid.
The defensive duties were handed over to the Orcs and the Spear of Vengeance armies, allowing the soldiers of the Phoenix Army to experience a life of debauchery.
Everyone got drunk, except for the Twelve Star Envoys, Lotte Fu, and Delvana. The first two abstained from alcohol, while Delvana could hold her liquor indefinitely.
Although Xiao Xun didn’t drink too much, he was also quite tipsy due to days of fatigue and was carried to the resting tent by Taurus.
Duke Sancho followed him in and asked the Twelve Star Envoys to leave. The Twelve Star Envoys remained unmoved.
Xiao Xun assumed Duke Sancho wanted to discuss something highly private with him and asked the Twelve Star Envoys to wait by the door.
“What is it? Your Highness Sancho, what do you want to tell me?”
Sancho said with a smile, “Did you forget? I promised to give you a gift.”
Xiao Xun had completely forgotten about it. Hearing Sancho mention it, he thought, so that stage play wasn’t it.
He then asked curiously, “What are you giving me?”
Sancho clapped his hands, and a woman wearing a veil and light clothing walked in.
Although it was winter and the military camp was freezing outside, the climate here, with the enhancement of the fire-element troops, was not felt at all.
Although Xiao Xun had drunk a little too much, he could still recognize this woman as Saren fey. Her graceful figure, skin as white as jade, and smooth, peach-colored hair, especially the faint floral scent she exuded.
Sancho saw Xiao Xun’s eyes widen and smiled, “Do you like this gift of mine?”
As he spoke, he stood up and walked out. Passing by Saren fey, he whispered, “Take good care of Your Highness Sven.”
Saren fey bowed to Sancho, “Yes!”
Then she came to Xiao Xun’s side, slowly removing her veil. Whether her makeup was on or off, her perfectly oval face displayed a countenance that could only be described as astonishing.
In Xiao Xun's entire life, he had never seen such a beautiful woman. Even the beauties created by various skills in photo editing, makeup, and plastic surgery in his previous world were not as beautiful as this naturally stunning woman before him.
His heart began to beat violently because Saren fey placed her tender, lotus-like hands on his heart. This was a woman no one could refuse.
“Your heart is beating so fast.”
This was the only thing Saren fey said that night.
Like all women who had not yet experienced intimacy, Saren fey harbored a strange sense of fear and a vague sense of anticipation.
Any normal person would not refuse a woman whose eyes spoke volumes and were as gentle and tender as flowing water, especially her initiative, which made the already tipsy Xiao Xun feel somewhat dazed and infatuated.
The next day, Xiao Xun looked at the pure white beauty beside him and knew he had done something wrong to Salei Peisi. And the Twelve Star Envoys would absolutely not reveal this secret. Then, as a relative of Salei Peisi, Sancho, who was the instigator of this matter, would he tell the Empress?
Was this her testing him? Xiao Xun was a bit confused, but he quickly dismissed the idea of a test. After all, he had done similar things with the Empress in the past. If she wanted to test him, she could have stopped last night; there was no need to go all the way.
Xiao Xun’s heart was in turmoil. Generally, no one dared to barge directly into his resting tent.
Except for Delvana, the deputy commander of the Phoenix Army.
“Sven, the sun is already high in the sky, and you…”
As soon as she entered, she saw two bare, white bodies. Although she was a Valkyrie, she was, after all, a woman. She had never seen a naked man, nor a woman this beautiful without clothes.
“What are you two doing?”
Although Saren fey was the most famous actress in the world, actors in this world were only slightly better off than slaves. Famous actors had the same status as commoners. Particularly famous ones enjoyed more comfortable living conditions, but they could not compare to nobles.
These actors were entirely the private property of theater managers, subject to their arbitrary disposal. Someone like Saren fey, who had been favored by a nobleman early on, had become a ‘canary’ in a noble’s household. Although she could perform normally, no one was allowed to touch her except her master. If not for Sancho’s strict “family upbringing” and his own reluctance, it probably wouldn’t have been Xiao Xun’s turn.