Free Web NovelChapter 444: Chapter 52: Burning Amber
"The Master of Armor Tomb?!"
Westheid immediately realized the voice in his mind belonged to the Holy Spirit of the Forest of Serenity. The moment after he used the Ten Thousand Wind Melodies, it had discovered the anomaly.
’Come to think of it, that’s only to be expected.’ After all, as the commander-in-chief of the allied forces and the foremost powerhouse on the front lines, Westheid was bound to be watched closely. The slightest disturbance would not escape notice.
The mobilization of the Ten Thousand Wind Melodies was imperceptible to non-Tuners, and even difficult for Tuners to recognize. ’After all, they’ve never mastered the Wind Law, so who would dare to pass judgment on it?’
[Why... can a member of an Alien Race also wield the Wind of Origin? Hmm... Are you also a Deputy chosen by the Thousand Laws?]
The Holy Spirit’s tone was filled with confusion. Westheid was clearly not a local, so by all rights, the Ten Thousand Wind Melodies should have been absolutely impossible for him to possess.
Duke Qinghui, of course, had no intention of answering its question. He simply stared ahead and said coolly,
"Before you speak, how about introducing yourself? The local Holy Spirits are so impolite!"
[Hmm... Mortal. Foreigner. You are correct.]
The voice had barely faded when a suit of armor—silver plate over a white robe—leapt down from the treetops, landing before Westheid. Faint golden patterns outlined its form, emitting a soft glow. It was exquisitely crafted.
’So this is the Master of Armor Tomb... No, is its will just attached to this armor?’
Westheid sneered, "You shifty thing. Afraid to reveal your true form?"
[An impudent request. Since you are a descendant of a Holy Spirit, you should understand that Holy Spirits are formless by nature. I have not been tainted by the Poison of Chaos, so why would I need to reveal a physical form?]
[Besides, I have no desire to manifest a physical form. It is meaningless and would only bring unnecessary trouble.]
’Huh? Now that it mentions it, that does seem to be the case.’
Westheid had interacted with his own Holy Spirit ancestor for so long that he’d nearly forgotten that Holy Spirits don’t need to have a material form. They *are* the Holy Land itself. In fact, most Holy Spirits are quite averse to having a physical body. The Pure Holy Spirit was an exception; she was very pleased with her form—after all, looks are important.
’But if that’s the case... this is actually good news.’
Westheid was stunned for a moment, then immediately realized what a rare opportunity this was.
The most difficult thing about the Master of Armor Tomb was its dual nature as both Holy Spirit and Demon. The combination of two top-tier attributes made it incredibly troublesome to deal with.
A Holy Spirit could remain unmanifested, but as representatives of ultimate Order, a Demon’s power could not be fully unleashed without a physical body.
This was why the first thing almost every Demon did after escaping confinement was to create a body for itself. Good or bad, they would just slap on a skin first and worry about it later.
’The Master of Armor Tomb hasn’t created a body yet? Then there’s a way to handle this.’
A Demon’s body wasn’t so easy to create. If it failed to use the vast energy scattered during the Grand Ensemble’s most chaotic yet safest period to shape a form, obtaining one later would be exceedingly difficult. At the very least, it couldn’t be created on a whim.
In a flash of inspiration, Westheid made his decision.
’I can fight it! I can totally fight it!’
Originally, Westheid would have considered it a victory just to hold off the attack and stabilize the defensive line. But if he could suppress the Master of Armor Tomb and prevent it from ever creating a physical form, that would be a viable strategy in its own right. After all, Westheid knew he would have a hard time facing a true Demigod.
He glanced to his sides. The White-haired Dragon Lady and the Wolf-eared Maiden had noticed his situation, but they were still locked in fierce battles. It would likely take them some time to get to him.
So, Westheid subtly lifted his chin and said with a smile,
"Yes, that was my mistake. But as far as I know, Holy Spirits don’t have such a strong desire for expansion... Your home is named for serenity, so why spread senseless slaughter and destruction across the already overburdened Land of Rhythm?"
Duke Qinghui himself felt he was spouting pointless nonsense, yet these delaying tactics caused the Holy Spirit of the Forest of Serenity to resonate intensely.
[Hah... You think I am being unreasonable? Heh. It is precisely because the masters of this land cannot bring harmony and peace that I must personally achieve true serenity.]
Westheid shrugged. "Not really. I think the Elves are doing a decent job. At least compared to other Realms of Order, the Thousand Laws Royal Court can be considered quite harmonious and peaceful."
[Elves... the chosen kin of the Thousand Laws. Utterly laughable. This gaudy world they’ve built knows not a moment of peace. The scheming, the greed, the obsessions... they only refrain from crossing the line because they are constrained by power and authority.]
’Isn’t that just stating the obvious?!’
’The Thousand Laws Royal Court is able to guarantee peace and prosperity because it relies on the Law of the Divine Ancestor and the constant blessings of the Grand Ensemble. Otherwise, no race could possibly remain peaceful.’
’It’s not like Emperor Qianlu performed a spiritual castration on everyone and forcibly confiscated the human gene for violence. Relying on the guidance of the Melody and the Grand Ensemble to ensure the Royal Court never falls into civil war is already an incredible achievement.’
Westheid stared at the silver armor before him with a rather peculiar expression.
As if sensing Westheid’s thoughts, the Holy Spirit continued,
[The Thousand Laws is a deceiver. He once promised me eternal peace and thus established the long-standing Grand Ensemble. But the music of this ensemble brought only a false harmony. He broke his promise to me, and so I came to understand that this ideal can only be realized by my own hand.]
