Chapter 122: The Holy Lance Dragon Knight

It was well known that the strongest warrior in the Kingdom of Aelno stood no chance against the Earth Devourer. If this ambush failed, it would be safer, in his view, to call upon experts from other nations to join forces.

“This time, Lord Leoctis, captain of the Royal Knights, will lead the team. Although he recently reached the fifth rank, his mount is a fourth-rank dragon.”

“Moreover, His Majesty has ordered the Crown Prince to come along, bearing the Holy Spear!”

The Holy Spear, Longinus, was the Kingdom of Aelno’s national treasure, an exceedingly rare divine artifact. Without divine power to replenish it, each use would drain a portion of its energy.

The king’s decision to send the Crown Prince with the Holy Spear at this juncture caught many by surprise, but it was a reluctant necessity. Across the continent, all the strongest had been racing to claim fragments of divine power, leaving no one free to attend to this minor concern.

Within the Kingdom’s borders, traces of divine fragments had also been detected. The kingdom’s mightiest warrior had gone off to investigate and had lost contact, so only Leoctis could be dispatched to provide support.

“With the Holy Spear in play, our chances have greatly improved,” Nelson thought, though unease lingered. Should they lose and the spear fall into enemy hands, the trouble would be immense.

His mission was complete, but many had died during this operation, and a host of issues awaited resolution.

Several mages traveling along the route had been killed, and a few knights had fallen while paving a path through the Poison Mist Marsh. Though losses were lighter compared to the knights, the mages held a higher status, and Nelson couldn’t fathom how he would explain this to their families.

“Let’s return to Blackstone City for now,” Nelson told the group.

Captain Haig remained on guard at the outer edges of the Poison Mist Marsh, while Nelson took the wounded and some knights with him on the way back.

Yet, as they departed, Chu Yun did not accompany Nelson.

“Chairman, the mission is complete, and I’ve received my reward. I’m fast—I’ll go ahead first,” Chu Yun said.

With his flying wings, he naturally did not need to travel alongside the others. Nelson nodded, paying no mind.

Watching Chu Yun soar ever higher, Selina wished she could leave early with him, but with so many wounded needing care, she had to stay behind to assist.

However, once the others had gone, Chu Yun did not return to Blackstone City. Instead, he circled to the other side of the Poison Mist Marsh, where no one ventured, and landed at the edge of the toxic fog.

He was not one to give up easily. This battle was only just beginning.

Chu Yun retrieved the fourth-rank Fire Crystal Stone and other high-quality materials the chairman had given him. This time, he intended to unleash the Fire Element Summoning ability with full force.

The Fire Element Summoning could summon a fire elemental whose level could not exceed the sum of intelligence and profession level, nor surpass level 50.

Chu Yun was now stronger than when he had fought Hardy before.

His intelligence had soared to 30 points—far beyond others his level—and his profession level had reached 13. With the Fire Element Lord’s enhancement, he could theoretically summon a level 43 elite fire elemental: a fifth-rank Fire Element Giant.

Combined with the Twisting Law and the high-grade Fire Crystal Stone, the summoned fire elemental giant could be elevated to a Fire Element Lord, gaining increases in level and intensity.

Chu Yun had not fully absorbed divine fragments like the others, but the bonuses from the fragments to Fire Element Lord and the Fire Element Summoning skill were already formidable.

This explained why so many were willing to pay any price for divine fragments.

As Chu Yun chanted the incantation, the elemental energy in the fourth-rank Fire Crystal Stone was swiftly drawn forth. The blue flames gradually took shape as a Fire Element Lord.

Different flame colors represented varying temperatures. Compared to the previous white flames, this time the cyan-blue fire was hotter and more potent. The Fire Element Lord’s form was also more massive.

Chu Yun directed the Fire Element Lord toward the Poison Mist Marsh. Fortunately, the toxic gases were not flammable; otherwise, an explosion would have been inevitable.

The air around the Fire Element Lord began to warp, and moisture on the marshland evaporated instantly. As an elemental being, it had a relatively small mass, allowing it to tread on the dried ground.

Chu Yun soared above on his flying wings to maintain a safe distance, enveloped in a protective shield that blocked the poisonous mist.

The Fire Element Lord, a fifth-rank elemental lord, was a force not to be underestimated. Chu Yun did not expect it to kill the Earth Devourer outright. But if it could inflict heavy injuries, the Poison Mist Wyvern would seize the opportunity without hesitation, allowing Chu Yun to claim the Earth Devourer’s spoils.

Its effective time was one hour—ample to conclude the fight. After advancing for about ten minutes, Chu Yun spotted the massive form of the Earth Devourer.

“Burn it to ashes!” Chu Yun commanded.

As the Fire Element Lord drew nearer and neared the edge of Chu Yun’s control range, he severed the connection and retreated into the Mirror World for safety.

The now uncontrollable Fire Element Lord would enter a berserk state, and the Earth Devourer’s enormous body was an ideal target.

The Earth Devourer sensed the Fire Element Lord’s presence and growled warily, shooting scales at it.

The scales pierced the elemental’s body but caused little harm.

Being an elemental, physical attacks held little meaning.

The Earth Devourer hastily retracted its scales—but they ignited in the intense heat, setting its entire body ablaze upon contact.

It rolled on the ground, extinguishing the flames.

The Fire Element Lord, undeterred by the attack, intensified its assault. Several massive fireballs surged toward the Earth Devourer’s head.

To Chu Yun, these fireballs were enormous, but compared to the Earth Devourer, they were mere sparks. Its claws swatted the fireballs aside effortlessly.

Yet these fireballs were no ordinary flames. The scattered embers clung stubbornly to the Earth Devourer’s claws.

This was a rare type of fire that burned the target without consuming oxygen, fueled by the victim’s own energy, making it nearly impossible to extinguish.

The Earth Devourer plunged its claws into the marsh soil, but instead of quelling the flames, it ignited the marshland.

The marsh was rich with plant sap and animal remains—ideal fuel for the fire’s spread.

Soon, the small flames spread over the Earth Devourer’s entire claw.

The Earth Devourer sought to summon earth elemental power to quell the blaze, but the Fire Element Lord gave no chance.

Its form transformed into a colossal fiery fist, which it swung forcefully at the Earth Devourer’s head.

“Boom!”

The Earth Devourer frantically struck back with its claws. When the fiery fist collided with its claws, a tremendous explosion echoed far and wide.

At the marsh’s edge, Captain Haig of the Blackstone Knights watched in alarm. He quickly dispatched men equipped with magic devices to isolate the poison gas and investigate.

Unfortunately, the Poison Mist Marsh had become a true forbidden zone. Poisonous fog thickened, and all manner of monsters had grown ferocious. Without mage protection, the scouts had to avoid the marsh itself, and contact was lost shortly after they set out.