Chapter 507

Chapter 507: Fiery Song

The northern wind howled, and the flames surged like dragons.

On the grassland under the night sky, teams riding various animals and demonic beasts surged across the earth. They held torches in hand, thousands upon thousands, converging from all directions, with their numbers exceeding a million.

Iron hooves trampled, the earth trembled, dust flew, and the passion in their chests erupted like flames, galloping across the wilderness.

They shouted loudly, singing the ancient heroic songs passed down for a thousand years, collectively welcoming this great moment of a thousand years.

Lolan Hill stood on the central high platform, with the leaders of both sides by her side. She wore long-sleeved robes, overlooking the scene below. Her hair and sleeves fluttered in the night breeze.

In the vast wilderness below, the sounds of mountains and seas echoed from all directions, as if the atmosphere and wind also carried the scent of fire, scorching and heart-stirring.

The torches held high on the earth extended from the ground beneath their feet to the distant horizon, filling every inch of darkness within sight. Everywhere one looked was filled with flames and human shadows. The scattered sparks rising from the wilderness filled the air with the scent of burning烟火, making those within feel slightly suffocated, as if they were in an endless world of flames.

The air burned and shimmered, leaving dazzling light residue on the retina. The ancient flame incantations were chanted in unison by the shamans, their mournful and distant voices echoing towards the endless expanse.

The young lady who had traveled through the grasslands for months had thought she understood these beastmen, whether it was their past history or present circumstances. But today, she felt she saw a new, distinct, bold, and passionate race.

Those who shared similar feelings included the personnel from Clancia standing beside her. They wore the same white-and-blue-robed attire as Lolan Hill, standing together on the central high platform, witnessing this grand and awe-inspiring scene. It seemed as if they could glimpse a trace of the former hegemon, the ferocious Empire of Krangya, whose territories spanned continents and seas, with over five billion people.

In the bright flames, the chieftains of the beastmen, led by the Great Shaman Unur, turned around and addressed the Clancia side.

“Then, let us announce the beginning of the conference, Princess Eranie of Fire.”

Lolan Hill nodded and led the crowd behind her onto the stage, appearing before the eyes of the million beastmen below.

“Sanguine Songstress.”

“Eranie!”

“Glorious Fire!”

The boiling shouts surged like a tidal wave, deafening the people on the stage, even though they opened their mouths.

She couldn’t utter a single sound, for her voice would be drowned out by the overwhelming clamor.

These cries, which started out chaotic and evolved into a gradually synchronized chant, echoed like the surging waves of a mountain, as they shouted in unison the verses from “The Poem of Fire”:

“Crimson flames, light of dawn descends.”

“She steps forth from the flames, one hand clutching a seven-colored tassel, the other holding a pure white flute.”

“The ancient king slumbers, the sun falls and rises thrice.”

“Her wounds and scars heal completely thereafter.”

Although this silver-haired girl was not Eranie, it did not stop these orcs from linking her with the legends. It seemed to be a testament to some sacred rite, or perhaps a manifestation of their deep-seated prayers.

They hoped that the fate of the orcs would rise again and be revived, just like the ancient king Kaduron, who rose after three sunsets and sunrises.

Facing this boiling and vast din, those on the high platform could do nothing but stand and wait, waiting for everyone to vent the suppressed fire within their hearts for a thousand years.

After a long while, when the noise inside the venue had slightly subsided, Ulnur raised his wooden staff, temporarily halting the endless clamor.

“Today!”

“We shall convene the Flame Assembly here,”

“Together with our friends from afar,”

“To decide the future of us orcs!”

After he finished speaking, he took the torch beside him and ignited the large copper basin with Lolan Hill. The flame spread along the oil in the basin, lighting up a colossal fire column dozens of meters tall on the high platform.

At the same time, the ropes connected to this fire column were already doused in oil; the flames spread across the platforms in the venue, spreading like spider web veins in all directions.

One platform after another was lit, hundreds of colossal fire columns rose from the earth, casting the night sky for tens of miles around into a splendid red.

The Flame Assembly officially began.

First came performances from various tribes. Following Lolan Hill’s suggestion, the originally chaotic fighting on the擂台was replaced with singing and dancing. Next were wrestling and combat matches, where no one’s life could be taken, and finally, the highlight of the assembly—the Flame Duel.

After the orcs competed among themselves, the top seven would participate in the duel against Clancia’s side.

To ensure fairness and prevent escalation, participants in this duel were limited to those under 30 years old, allowing the younger generation to decide their future.

One robust and strong orc after another emerged from the competition. Some were powerful, others cunning, some agile, and others wise. Standing on the final擂台, they received cheers and celebrations from their fellow tribesmen.

The confrontation had reached its final stage.

“Let us cheer and celebrate these seven great and youthful warriors who will participate in the final showdown.”

“The Snow Leopard Clan, ‘Glimmering Fireflies’ Saber.”

“The Elephant Clan, ‘Mountain Without Edge’ Forge.”

“The Deer Spirit Clan, ‘Arrow Through the Wilderness’ Tesse.”

“The Lion Mane Clan, ‘Saber-Toothed Fierce Lion’ Leiden.”

“The Rhinoceros Horn Clan, ‘Gray Stone Shield’ Baker.”

“The Gray Wolf Clan, ‘Shadow of Black Snow’ Quilon.”

“The White Bear Clan, ‘Tear Ice’ Jinsa.”

Seven individuals, each armed with different weapons, walked up to the high platform. They were tall or short, fat or thin, all receiving blessings from the shaman to heal their wounds and restore their strength before the final showdown.

Lolan Hill stood by watching the scene. One of the contestants approached her after receiving the shaman’s blessing. He bowed deeply before her.

“So it’s you, Leiden.”

Looking at this lion-man who was still taller than her even when bowing, Lolan Hill recalled the time spent on the grasslands. This man-beast had assisted her for a while then.

At that time, Nia was injured, and they stayed with the Lion Mane Clan for some time. The shaman back then asked her to guide this young lion-man. She didn’t expect that two years later, he would have grown so quickly.

“Yes, Teacher, no, Princess Eralani.” The lion-man still held her in high regard. After all, Lolan Hill had imparted much knowledge about cultivating the Extraordinary Sequence to him, pointed out many of his previous mistakes, and helped plan his future path.

Those two months were the most fruitful time in his life. Even now, he often looked back at those notes, constantly reminiscing.

He never imagined that when they met again, this young teacher had become a household name across the grasslands. And now, he was about to step onto the duel platform once more.

Seeing a hint of hesitation in Leiden’s heart, Lolan Hill spoke directly.

“There’s no need to hesitate. Just give it your all. I won’t blame you for that. It’s only if you hold back or hesitate that I would feel disappointed.”

“Once you step onto the platform, bearing everyone’s hopes and expectations, you must not let them down.”

“Give it everything you’ve got, Leiden.”

“Yes, Teacher.”

After hearing this, Leiden clasped his fists and bowed deeply, then walked down the high platform and stepped towards the duel platform illuminated by flames.

(End of Chapter)