Volume 9: From Green Leaves to the Departed Chapter 6: The Forsaken One

Li Bin was completely stunned by this turn of events. He had never imagined that all of Salbali’s maneuvers were merely a ruse designed to cover the infiltration of these Elven Druids.

From the current situation, they had succeeded. Li Bin no longer held much hope for the few squadrons of Phantom Undead Archers hidden in the woods; he ordered Gelu, who was deep within the forest, to deal with the Druids flying into the trees on his own.

He then forcibly severed his connection with Gelu and his troops, turned to face Salbali, and said coldly, "If you want to die, then come."

Salbali had witnessed every action Li Bin took. She felt a chill at his ruthless decision-making. Pointing at him, she exclaimed, "You would just abandon your own subordinates? Aren't you afraid of breaking their hearts?"

Li Bin remained cold as he replied, "The one who should be heartbroken is you, for you are also one of those who have been abandoned."

With that, Li Bin swung his right hand heavily. Reed and Ted led their troops charging toward Salbali like a tidal wave.

However, Salbali’s heart was no longer in the battle. The words Li Bin had just spoken struck deep, for she had been entirely unaware of the Druids' mission. When these reinforcements arrived, she had assumed the high command was worried about her defeat, but now it seemed as Li Bin had said: she, too, was being discarded.

While Salbali was lost in these chaotic thoughts, Li Bin’s troops reached her. A Golden Dragon behind her pulled her back, then turned to face Li Bin’s forces.

Thrown to the rear of the formation, Salbali heard only one sentence: "Stop wandering in your thoughts. You are someone who has been abandoned, and they are just the same."

Hearing this, Salbali regained her focus and plunged into the fray. The scene in the passage was one of total chaos; both Li Bin’s and Salbali’s subordinates fought with desperate ferocity. They all knew they were the abandoned ones, and only by defeating the enemy could they find a chance to survive.

Just then, several dragon roars echoed from the other end of the forest. The warring sides paused simultaneously, looking toward the source of the sound.

They did not know whose reinforcements these were, nor what impact these dragons would have on the entire battle.

Salbali’s subordinates had sharper eyes. They quickly spotted the silhouettes of the dragons above the forest. Seeing that they were not the off-white color of Bone Dragons, they shouted, "They aren't Bone Dragons! They must be our reinforcements! We aren't being abandoned; we just didn't receive orders from above!"

However, upon seeing the shadows of those dragons, Li Bin looked as if he had been relieved of a heavy burden. He even disengaged from the fighting in the passage, riding his Undead Scorpion back to his main camp.

Reed and Ted, currently in the heat of battle, understood Li Bin’s intent immediately. Without a word, they targeted the strongest Golden Dragons, giving Li Bin the opportunity to explain his plan to Sanne and the other mages.

Sanne glanced at the dragons flying rapidly toward them and asked skeptically, "Master, are you truly certain?"

"We must take the risk, whether I am certain or not," Li Bin said decisively.

"Yes, Master. I will support you with everything I have." Sanne said no more. Along with Deirdre, she gathered all the mages to chant a single incantation.

Finally, all the magical energy flowed into Li Bin, directed by his command. As the magical power within him surged, the trees around him began to wither rapidly.

Clouds of death billowed out from Li Bin, enveloping the entire forest. At that moment, the dragons dove into the woods. After a few more roars and a wave of intense heat, the melee erupted within the shroud of death.

When the thick clouds of death finally dissipated, Salbali was stunned to see that the passage where they had fought for so long had vanished, and the nearby trees were all withered and dead. Gelu emerged from the blighted forest, looking exhausted, his bow in hand. Behind him followed fewer than sixty Phantom Undead Archers.

Their bodies shimmered with an eerie light, and above their heads hovered numbers greater than 100, with several even displaying numbers exceeding 1,000.

"Thousand-Slayer?" Salbali understood the meaning of those numbers. Only by killing an opponent of equal or higher level could one gain a kill count.

Only after killing a hundred foes would the number appear above their heads, granting a one-percent bonus to attack and defense. Once a thousand were killed, one earned the title of "Thousand-Slayer," and their overall power level increased by one tier.

Just moments ago, these troops had been ordinary Phantom Undead Archers, under full assault by the Elven Druids. There was only one explanation for their current status: when the clouds of death covered the forest, they had unleashed an indiscriminate arrow volley, striking every unit around them.

Leading his troops, Gelu walked calmly past Salbali and returned to Li Bin’s camp, saying quietly, "Master, I may not be of much use for a while. These fellows need some serious discipline."

Li Bin nodded. "You have worked hard this time. Go and rest. With these new arrivals, our safety is guaranteed for the time being."

Gelu said nothing more. He led the Phantom Undead Archers to the side and waved his hand, suppressing the light and the numbers above their heads.

Salbali finally noticed the newcomers Li Bin had mentioned: six dark purple dragons, their bodies covered in finger-thick barbs, with exceptionally well-developed muscles and eyes that glinted with cold malice.

Unlike the Bone Dragons of the undead, these were not products of necromancy or skills, but a distinct branch of the dragon race—the Nether Dragons. They possessed their own intelligence, command of dragon-tongue magic, and the ability to wield dragon fear.

Under Li Bin’s orders, they had temporarily suppressed their aura. This had led Salbali, while still in the clouds of death, to believe they hadn't yet arrived. In an attempt to preserve her strength, she had even abandoned her final chance at a counterattack, shifting from a full-scale melee to a defensive stance.

But now, as the six Nether Dragons slowly took flight, all Salbali heard was Li Bin’s voice: "You don't need to wait for any so-called reinforcements anymore. They have already abandoned you..."