Chapter 228: Chapter 212: The Deal with the Allied Forces

Three more years passed.

Chenxi Calendar, Year 9373, Autumn.

Taichu City, Ninefold Celestial Tower.

The Artifact Refining chamber.

Anton gazed at the newly forged Dao Comprehension Stele before him, a satisfied smile on his face.

Unlike the previous Wood Element Dao Comprehension Stele, this just-completed Earth Element one was a deep, earthy yellow. Its surface was coarse, like an unpolished gem, but one could faintly see intricate patterns flowing slowly beneath the surface, like undulating mountain ranges or the very ley lines of the earth, exuding a sense of ancient, unchanging weight.

After admiring it for a moment, Anton put the Dao Comprehension Stele away. He planned to open up a new Dao Comprehension Platform later to place this second stele.

Having done all this, he turned to look toward the Dao Comprehension Platform.

The Great Elder had been spending more and more time in seclusion at the Dao Comprehension Platform recently. He was probably on the verge of a breakthrough.

Anton was quite looking forward to it.

Leaving the Dao Comprehension Platform, he returned to his study.

As usual, his desk was piled with intelligence summaries delivered that morning from the Document Hall.

Anton sat down behind his desk, picked up the topmost report, and began to read.

The intelligence was, once again, about the war situation at Darkness Fortress.

The war of attrition between the allied forces and the Dragon Race at Darkness Fortress had already dragged on for six whole years.

Unsurprisingly, the allied forces still hadn’t gained any advantage.

That black fortress, straddling the Great Fissure, was like an insatiable meat grinder, devouring the allied forces’ troops and resources day after day, yet it still stood there, unmoved.

The tenacity displayed by the Dragon Race far exceeded most people’s expectations.

Just then, Anton suddenly sensed something and reached out toward the window.

A Paper Crane passed through the void and landed steadily in his palm.

The Paper Crane automatically unfolded, transforming into a flat sheet of letter paper.

Anton glanced down, a flicker of surprise in his eyes.

Without hesitation, he rose from his seat and left the study. His figure transformed into a streak of light, speeding toward the Silver Moon Forest.

...

Silver Moon Forest, the Eternal Hall.

The two sides of the long table were clearly divided.

Eleanor sat on one side alongside the Second Elder and Third Elder. Their backs were straight and their expressions composed, but they exchanged subtle glances.

And opposite them, Alicia sat alone.

Her back was ramrod straight, her hands folded in her lap. Her demeanor was calm and peaceful, as if she were completely unaware of the scrutinizing gazes from the three people opposite her.

Seeing this, Eleanor and the two elders grew even more puzzled.

’As one of the Five-Star Pillars of the Fallen Dragon Association, the Holy Star of the Jade Royal Court, and a Legendary Tier expert, what on earth is her purpose in suddenly visiting the Silver Moon Race?’

The three of them exchanged a look, none daring to speak rashly.

Alicia wasn’t in a hurry either. She simply sat there quietly, occasionally lifting the teacup before her for a small sip, her relaxed demeanor suggesting she was merely visiting an old friend.

In the midst of this subtle silence, a streak of profound golden sword light suddenly flashed into the hall, landing noiselessly at the head of the long table.

The sword light dissipated, revealing Anton’s tall, slender figure.

"Clan Leader."

Eleanor and the two elders all rose, bowing slightly in salute.

Anton gave the three a slight nod, then turned to Alicia with a faint smile.

"It’s been a while, Your Excellency Alicia."

"Anton Clan Leader, my apologies for the intrusion."

Alicia also stood up and nodded slightly. Her voice was cold but not discourteous.

Her gaze lingered on Anton for a moment.

’It’s been several years. The aura of this Silver Moon Race Clan Leader has become even more profound and restrained, like a sharp sword hidden in its sheath—its edge concealed, yet commanding respect.’

After some brief pleasantries, Anton took the main seat and, dispensing with further ceremony, got straight to the point.

"Your Excellency Alicia, what brings you here this time?"

At a time when the war was raging, it was impossible that Alicia—one of the Five-Star Pillars of the Fallen Dragon Association and a core figure of the Jade Royal Court—would travel thousands of miles to the Silver Moon Forest for no particular reason.

Alicia didn’t beat around the bush either. She stated directly, "I’ve come this time to purchase a batch of Flesh-Regrowing Agent from your honored Clan."

As soon as she said this, the atmosphere in the hall shifted slightly.

Eleanor and the two elders exchanged a look, and they could all see the surprise in each other’s eyes.

It wasn’t that they were surprised Alicia knew of the Flesh-Regrowing Agent’s existence; rather, they were astonished that this was the purpose of her special visit.

The Third Elder couldn’t help but ask, "Your Excellency Alicia, the Jade Royal Court has a profound heritage. Your supply of healing items should be far more abundant than ours. How could it be that..."

He didn’t finish his sentence, but his meaning was clear.

The Jade Royal Court had a legacy spanning ten thousand years, and its treasury held countless rare and exotic treasures.

Although the Flesh-Regrowing Agent was effective, it probably wouldn’t be considered anything rare in the Jade Royal Court’s treasury.

Alicia said with a calm expression, "The Royal Court does have better healing items, but they cannot be used on a large scale."

"In comparison, while the Flesh-Regrowing Agent is not as effective as those High Tier healing items, it has a low cost, can be supplied in bulk, and is more cost-effective."

She paused, a trace of gravity entering her expression.

"To be honest with you all, the situation at Darkness Fortress is far more brutal than the rumors suggest."

"After six years of bloody battle, the allied forces have suffered heavy casualties and consumed massive amounts of supplies. The shortage of healing potions, in particular, is so severe that it has begun to affect the morale and combat effectiveness of the front lines."

"Therefore, we need a stable and inexpensive supply channel for healing potions."

Alicia chose not to hide anything, frankly stating the predicament the allied forces were currently facing.

She had heard about the Silver Moon Race’s rapid development in recent years and greatly admired the methods of this Clan Leader, Anton.

With a person like him, it was best to be upfront from the very beginning.

Hiding the truth would only create unnecessary obstacles for the upcoming transaction and might even cause the other party to harbor resentment.

As Alicia’s voice fell, the hall was silent for a moment.

The Second Elder and Third Elder looked at each other, their expressions growing more solemn.

Although they had been monitoring the situation at Darkness Fortress and gathering intelligence from the front lines through various channels, they had not been to the battlefield themselves and thus lacked a direct sense of the war’s true brutality.

Now, hearing these words from Alicia, they finally realized that the situation on the front lines was even more difficult than they had imagined.

This also made them appreciate even more how wise Anton’s original decision had been.

If the Silver Moon Race had also gotten involved in that bloody war, they would have likely suffered heavy losses by now.

Anton’s expression was calm as his gaze fell upon Alicia’s face.

She hadn’t concealed or embellished anything, but had laid the facts bare.

Her frankness earned her a measure of his respect.

"You should know, we do not sell the Flesh-Regrowing Agent to outsiders," Anton said.

"I know," Alicia nodded. "If it’s because of limited Life Spring Water production, the Royal Court can provide a sufficient supply."

Anton pondered for a moment before speaking slowly, "I can agree to this deal. I can even supply the Flesh-Regrowing Agent at cost, and allow the Royal Court to use Life Spring Water to offset part of that cost."

Alicia’s eyes brightened slightly, but she didn’t speak hastily.

She knew Anton hadn’t finished speaking.

Sure enough, the next moment, she heard Anton continue, "But I have one condition."

"What condition?" Alicia asked.

"I want a Myriad Wood Source Heart."

As soon as he said this, Alicia’s brow furrowed slightly.

Eleanor and the two elders were also visibly moved, unconcealable surprise appearing on their faces.

Of course, they knew what a Myriad Wood Source Heart was.

It was one of the Jade Royal Court’s greatest treasures, a treasure that protected the clan, and it was exceedingly precious.

It was practically common knowledge on the Dawn Continent that the Jade Royal Court never sold the Myriad Wood Source Heart to outsiders.

Alicia frowned. "The production of Myriad Wood Source Hearts is extremely scarce. The Royal Court never sells them to outsiders."

Anton said calmly, "The Flesh-Regrowing Agent is also never sold to outsiders."

Alicia’s expression faltered, and for a moment, she was speechless.

Anton raised the stakes at the right moment. "As a show of sincerity, the Silver Moon Race will guarantee a supply of at least three thousand vials of Flesh-Regrowing Agent per month. The supply will not be interrupted until you have conquered Darkness Fortress."

Alicia’s expression flickered. After a long silence, she finally nodded slowly.

"I will convey your condition to the Royal Court."

"But I cannot guarantee I can persuade the royal family."

"The Myriad Wood Source Heart is too precious. Even I do not have the authority to make such a decision on my own."

Anton nodded slightly. "I will await your news."

Alicia did not stay long. After concluding their business, she rose to take her leave.

Watching her slender figure disappear through the entrance of the hall, the Third Elder couldn’t help but ask, "Clan Leader, are you seeking the Myriad Wood Source Heart for our Clan’s Eternal Tree?"

It was the only reason he could think of.

"That’s right." Anton nodded slightly. "The Silver Moon Forest’s current rate of expansion is still a bit slow. If the Eternal Tree can be strengthened, the effects of the Great Derivation Cyan Profound Array will also improve, allowing the forest to expand more quickly. This would be of great benefit to the Clan’s development."

The two elders had a sudden realization.

Eleanor hesitated. "Will the Jade Royal Court agree to our demands?"

"There’s a good chance," Anton said.

He felt the conditions he had proposed should be very attractive to the allied forces.

After all, the allied forces didn’t know that they would be able to conquer Darkness Fortress in about four years.

From the current situation, most people would assume the war would last much longer.

Under that assumption, the allied forces desperately needed enough supplies to support a long-term war of attrition.

Trading one Myriad Wood Source Heart for a stable supply channel of healing potions was not a loss for them.

Even if Anton’s foresight was wrong and the war lasted longer than in the original history, it didn’t matter.

The cost price he offered would certainly include labor, materials, and equipment depreciation.

No matter how one looked at it, he wouldn’t lose out on this deal.

And things turned out just as Anton had expected.

The very next day, the allied forces sent their reply, agreeing to Anton’s condition.

They included an additional request: the Silver Moon Race had to first provide five thousand vials of the Flesh-Regrowing Agent within the next seven days.

It was clear that the front line’s need for supplies had reached a desperate level.

Anton readily agreed to this request.

The Silver Moon Race hadn’t experienced a war in a long time. Their storehouses were filled with a large quantity of Flesh-Regrowing Agent, so sparing five thousand vials was more than manageable.

On the same day the reply was delivered, Alicia also brought the Myriad Wood Source Heart.

The two parties completed the transaction on the spot.

Alicia put away the Space Ring filled with Flesh-Regrowing Agent and took her leave from Anton without any further pleasantries.

Clearly, matters on the front lines left her no time to linger.

In this whole transaction, although the Jade Royal Court had paid with an incredibly precious Myriad Wood Source Heart, it was impossible that they would bear the cost alone.

The other four major powers would surely have to give up some of their own interests as compensation to the Jade Royal Court.

But those were the calculations and compromises of the five major powers, and they had nothing to do with the Silver Moon Race.

With the Myriad Wood Source Heart in hand, the reinforcement of the Great Derivation Cyan Profound Array could finally be put on the agenda.

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