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"My lord, your future has only just begun. There are countless opportunities and challenges ahead. It's not fitting for a sixteen-year-old genius who already owns his own city, controls one of the three major trade routes of the alliance, and has created a top-tier combat technique to wax philosophical like a human philosopher."

"Ha, I indeed shouldn't have such thoughts; otherwise, the human nobles in the dungeons would cry even more. However, sometimes I can't understand my own thoughts. Ever since I was young, I believed that I should not be an ordinary person, so I constantly pursued strength, even committing unforgivable sins. But even in my wildest dreams, I only hoped to one day become famous through my martial arts, like Huashan Mountain... no, like 'Battle Saint' Leimen, or even 'Sword Saint Ancestor' Reinster. Yet now, what stands before me is a city of my own, an endless source of wealth, and a path to dominate the Mainland—powers I never imagined having. It's natural to feel bewildered."

"Catherine believes that although you are young, you are more mature and steady than most. No difficulty can shake your heart. So Catherine believes that you are not bewildered but rather seeking direction for the future."

I looked at Catherine with approval. Her intuition matched my current thoughts. In my past life, I aspired to dominate the martial world, stole sacred scriptures, betrayed my master, practiced on living beings, and was ruthless. My greatest wish was to become one of the Five Greats. However, my ambitions were cut short, and I unexpectedly reincarnated into a completely different world. The martial world was no longer the same, and personal prowess could influence the rise and fall of nations. Power bound every expert, making it impossible to remain aloof.

A few years ago, I still clung to my old ways, traveling far and wide, honing my skills, and training on the lives of monsters and half-orcs. But half a year ago, rescuing Shaman Romeo opened up a new path for me. I threw myself into war, strategy, governance, and even commerce, which I once despised. All these experiences made me feel younger again, rekindling new passions and pursuits. This transformation left me unsure whether I had become a werewolf named Chen Xuanfeng or a werewolf inheriting Chen Xuanfeng's memories.

How will I proceed in the future? Should I continue pursuing the dream of becoming the greatest martial artist? Or should I leverage the wealth from the golden trade route to dominate the Mainland, tying myself to this city that I've poured so much effort into? That is the true dilemma. Deep down, I want to achieve great things without being tied down by wealth and power. But I know that in this world, unlike the courts of my past, martial powers are largely left alone, and experts without backing are suppressed. Without support, there is no chance to stand on the epic stage, let alone roam freely across the land.

"So, Catherine, how should I choose my path?"

"My lord's path can only be chosen by yourself. However, this world is vast, with hundreds of nations and races. Although Fontainebleau is large, compared to the whole world, it is merely a grain of sand. The golden trade route, while lucrative, is insignificant compared to the continental highway of Sacred Dragon Mountain, the north-south artery of Star Shattering Abyss, and the maritime routes of Diamond Harbor. If your vision is limited to our feet, you will lose the broader world."

"You're right, ha... ha... hahaha! I was worrying over nothing. A single city had me bewildered, yet I talked about dominating the world. Thank you, Catherine; I feel much better now."

"It's my pleasure, my lord."

"By the way, how is our contact with Count Xilin, the second heir, progressing?"

"Since he is a shrewd politician and knows his status as a prisoner, and has always sided with merchants, it's easy to approach him. However, there are two obstacles: first, we haven't defeated Basten's army, so Xilin refuses to engage in substantive negotiations. Second, if Xilin uses us as his interest representatives to gain the position of Duke of Langton, he might court the nobles originally loyal to Basten. Then, maintaining the treaty becomes uncertain."

"That's enough. We'll handle the rest ourselves. Whether capturing Basten or making Xilin understand the consequences of breaking the treaty, it all depends on our strength. Believing in human promises is foolish. We don't need to worry about this."

Chapter 30: The Song of Unyielding Guardianship

In countless epics, the most thrilling wars invariably feature earth-shattering battles between super beasts. Only such battles truly reflect the intensity of war. However, in reality, since the glorious campaign four hundred years ago, the entire Mainland has seen fewer than ten battles involving super beasts. On one hand, the Radiant Temple and the Dragon Knights' sanctuary, Sacred Dragon Mountain, deliberately suppress their use to preserve humanity's peak forces and deter the "Four Exotic Realms"—the Orc Alliance, the Elven Kingdom, the Mermaid Empire, and the Underworld. On the other hand, super beasts are extremely difficult to tame. After all, facing creatures that have lived for centuries, possess power surpassing Sword Saints, match human intelligence, and are born with magic, only the top nations inheriting the core strengths of the "Seven Great Nations" can subdue them. These powerful nations rarely need to use super beasts.

A nation like the Duchy of Langton, established for two hundred years with middling strength, naturally cannot possess strategic super beasts. However, due to inheriting part of the legacy of the "Heroic Nation" and bordering the monster-rich Never-Ending Mountains, it still has a number of beast knight legions and several Level Nine beasts. Each of the five major knight legions has a Level Nine beast, including the Thunder Legion, which participated in the campaign against Fontainebleau, with a top-tier Level Nine lightning beast, the "Thunderstorm Dragon Rhino," a dragon-blooded drake. Additionally, Basten, as the commander, possesses another Level Nine lightning beast, the "Lightning Pegasus," a flying unicorn subspecies, whose power rivals the Light "Unicorn King" that formed the Tiger Spirit.