Pillar of Yita

Fang Hong felt the ground rolling faintly beneath his feet, as if a massive creature was tunneling underground, about to burst forth. Amidst the tremendous tremors, everyone looked up to see Fang Hong rising higher, like a hill cresting, with mud and rocks tumbling down, and two giants emerged from the ground, one to the left and the other to the right.

Fang Hong braced his hands against the necks of the giants, and the two Guardian Colossi leaned slightly forward—the one extending its left hand, the other its right arm. They crossed their arms with a thunderous crash in front of the Blood Oath Alliance, frightening them back like a receding tide.

The scene resembled two guards lowering their long halberds, barring the progress of unwelcome guests. From his elevated position, he looked down on the crowd, bringing a momentary silence to the battlefield. Elisa hurriedly made her way through the crowd to stand beneath the colossi, using her hand to shield her long hair as she looked up and shouted, ”Mr. Ade!”

Fang Hong’s lips moved slightly, but after a moment’s hesitation, he regretfully shook his head. In the end, he didn’t care if the Jiefulite Red Cloak Team learned his ID. He turned back and said, ”You and your people go in first.”

With that, he raised his hand and sent an amethyst arc through the air. Under Elisa’s upturned gaze, a blue Light Gate cascaded down like a waterfall from midair. The shimmering blue light illuminated the girl’s face and the bright gleam deep within her autumn-colored eyes. She opened her mouth slightly and said, ”Mr. Ade, what about you—?”

”Go!” Fang Hong said resolutely.

From his peripheral vision, he saw several shadows darting from the edges of the battlefield.

As the Blood Oath Alliance saw the Teleportation Gate appear, they stirred, and the crowd surged forward. But the giants’ eyes lit up, and four beams of light swept horizontally from bottom to top, cutting through the throng.

Amidst outcries, members of the Blood Oath Alliance hastily retreated, rolling to the sides or raising their great shields, showing off their shields. Each person had a trick up their sleeve, and though chaotic, there were no casualties.

Elisa watched the scene unfold, then looked up at Fang Hong on the shoulder of a giant and decisively nodded her head. Turning around, she gestured to the others, ”Rain Listeners, let’s go!”

Hearing the command, the Rain Listeners moved forward, rushing toward the Teleportation Gate.

Before entering, each one cast a meaningful glance at Fang Hong, and then stepped through the gate.

Having wrested control of the formation and cut off one side’s retreat, all with a solitary figure atop the colossus, his tall silhouette seemed to issue a silent declaration. Elisa heard the sound of her own heartbeat for the first time; she dared not linger her gaze, quickly scanning the followers behind her before stepping into the blue light.

”Mr. Ade!”

Fang Hong heard someone calling him from behind.

He simply glanced sideways to see the Rain Listeners raising their hands toward him, one pair after another, their raised, clenched right fists a silent show of support.

And the saluting crowd gradually vanished into the other side of the Light Gate.

Fang Hong couldn’t help but smile. He had not actually intended to help these people; it was more a case of acting on impulse. Turning back, the hubbub from the Blood Oath Alliance had quieted down, and a middle-aged Magic Guided Conductor from their ranks emerged, presumably to negotiate.

However, Fang Hong could see clearly that behind the Blood Oath Alliance, their priests were unmistakably conducting a summoning ritual—and he knew exactly what they were summoning.

The middle-aged man stopped before the colossus, at a distance neither too close nor too far, precisely where those four beams had ceased. Standing firm, he shouted, ”Who exactly are you? We bear no ill will against each other; perhaps we can collaborate?”

”We’re not your main competitors. We are willing to pay the toll—”

Had it not been for those priests behind him, Fang Hong might have actually believed the Grand Guild capable of restraint. But he was in no rush, as Tainaric, clutching a Papalarian like a sack of potatoes, sped toward them, getting ever closer.

Watching the middle-aged man, he tossed a crystal bottle down. It did not land directly at the man’s feet, but it fell amongst the gravel not too far away.

The middle-aged man paused, a brief look of bewilderment crossing his face.

”Invisibility Potion—you recognize this bottle, right?” said Fang Hong. ”We can’t exactly say we bear no grudge; I attacked other teams of yours earlier. I should thank them for giving me this.”

”It was you!”

”You dare to admit it!” The people of the Blood Oath Alliance erupted into noise.

The middle-aged man gestured for silence and raised his voice, ”Out here, we’re all competitors; there is no disgrace in that. This is only a trial; we need not become enemies over this, right? Moreover, it’s clear you’re not with the Rain Listeners, merely acquainted with them. We can be friends too—why must we fight to the death?”

He stepped closer, ”I’m not relying on empty words to persuade you. We can pay the toll. There’s no need for senseless combat. What you want is merely wealth, and what we want is just to pass through here; there is no fundamental conflict between us.”

Nice try, thought Fang Hong. Were it not for certain reasons, he might have almost believed it. But perhaps in the past, not now—as for the Grand Guild’s nature in a conflict of interest, the Jiefulite Red Cloak Team and the Silver Forest Spear had already given him a clear picture.

Besides, the opposition’s priests hadn’t stopped their summoning.

Not pointing this out, he simply looked up, asking indifferently, ”Among you, are there members of the Jiefulite Red Cloak Team?”

The middle-aged man faltered, coming to a standstill.