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Tao Yaoyun was left speechless, and Xi Luo also fell silent. Failing even before the mission began was indeed a frustrating experience. What troubled him even more was the obvious signs of orc involvement behind the Dark Elves' war. Otherwise, the conflict wouldn't have erupted so violently and caught everyone off guard. Looking further, who was the mastermind behind all this? Although there was no evidence, Xi Luo had an intuition that the one orchestrating everything from the shadows was the very target he had been chasing—the Werewolf Lord, Chen Xuanfeng.

This conclusion was merely based on the young man's intuition, but when he shared this thought with Tan Yueer, the young sword saint surprisingly agreed with his speculation. "That werewolf is the most active orc master in recent years. However, compared to his astonishing martial prowess, his infiltration and subversion abilities are even more remarkable. The first time he infiltrated Saint Spirit Mountain, he stole the divine artifact 'Doomsday Horn.' Later, he caused the Holy Temple's Forbidden Spell strategy to collapse, leading to the loss of the Forbidden Spell Mark Crystals and the entire northern ice plains. He also indirectly caused the King of the Undead to escape, allowing the orcs to obtain the method of creating and using the 'Holy Sigil,' which ultimately changed the outcome of the 'Nine Saints' War.' The second time, he disguised himself and infiltrated the south, killing two saints and two Forbidden Spell Casters, seizing a Holy Sigil, destroying the 'Red Honor Royal City,' and slaughtering tens of thousands of blood elves. He also destroyed two Forbidden Spell Mark Crystals and nearly incited the entire elven nation to declare war on humanity... Such achievements are something even the resurrected White Lion King Leimen might not have accomplished. So, if we're talking about who is the most likely mastermind behind the chaos in the underground world, I would also suspect this Lord of Fontainebleau first. Moreover, in terms of style, such a scheme aligns well with what we know of his modus operandi. However, even if our speculation is true, we have no idea how he operates, nor can we change anything. So, rather than worrying about these things, it's better to carefully consider our next steps."

"Next steps? Is there still something we can do in the underground world?" Xi Luo asked, somewhat puzzled.

If it were the "Knight of the Flame Phoenix" Morova or the "Death Knight" Hades handling these issues, they would fully intervene even if the underground world were in chaos, as winning amidst chaos was their modus operandi. However, after several months of interaction, Xi Luo had come to understand Tan Yueer's approach better. This young woman preferred to secure victory before events unfolded. If she couldn't find a sure path to victory, she would rather withdraw and wait for a better opportunity. Given the current situation, they were already one step behind and had essentially lost the chance to take the initiative. He had thought Tan Yueer would surely return to Yellow Dragon to plan anew, but now it seemed the young sword saint had other plans.

"Not the underground world, but the western battlefield," Tan Yueer said, her gaze turning distant and serious. "The orcs have already set their pieces here, and entering their game without any understanding would give us too low a chance of success. However, no matter the method, the orcs' goal is ultimately the same: the western continent's war. So, rather than plotting here, it's better to shift our strength to the true main battlefield, where we might find opportunities to exploit."

Xi Luo immediately understood Tan Yueer's plan. "That makes sense. In the underground world, no one dares to reveal their identity. It's like two teams fighting blindfolded in a dark room. The side that enters first and sets up their formation will inevitably have the advantage, while the latecomers will suffer. But on the western continent, it's like everyone can see each other, and the fight is already in full swing. It all comes down to strength."

Tan Yueer nodded. "Exactly. Although the orcs still hold the advantage on the western continent, their available forces are no longer sufficient. If it weren't for the numerous orc masters, they might not have been able to suppress the frequent human uprisings. The most critical issue now is whether the Mage Apprentice Enrico can turn the rebel forces into a long-term resistance force. Otherwise, even if the uprisings can distract the orcs temporarily, they will eventually be crushed. In this regard, our advantage lies in our vast population base, but our disadvantage is the lack of sufficient elite masters. Every time an uprising fails, it's often because the core members are killed, leading to the collapse of the entire force."

"Is the situation that bad now?" Xi Luo had been focused on martial arts for the past six months and was not up to date on the western continent's situation.

"Although the Orc King and the Holy War Martial Emperor Catherine rarely take action, the orcs still have at least a dozen top-tier sword emperors, far beyond what ordinary human masters can handle. On our side, even though we have a few saints, the Lord Blizzard of Fontainebleau, the Ice Valkyrie, and the newly ascended Jin Luosha are enough to completely offset them. So, for the past few months, even though the Flame Phoenix, Han Yue, Ming Tide, and Death have all gathered in the west, they haven't dared to act recklessly and have been unable to support the rebel forces," Tan Yueer said with a heavy tone. "That's why we must go to the west. With our strength, we can at least fully unleash the 'Death Knight,' allowing him to fully support the rebel forces. Only then can humanity gain the upper hand."

Xi Luo thought for a moment and said, "This plan... is based on the assumption that the Orc King and the 'Holy War Martial Emperor' Catherine won't take action, right? I know the 'Holy War' has always been restrained by the 'Dragon Saint,' but won't the Orc King act?"

Tan Yueer shook her head. "No, if the Orc King moves, the Pope will definitely restrain him."

"The Pope... Although he wields the strongest divine magic on the continent, can he really stand against the Orc King? That's a powerhouse on the level of the Dragon Saint," Xi Luo asked, puzzled. If the Pope were truly that powerful, how could humanity have suffered such a crushing defeat in the Nine Saints' War?

"You... as an elite of Saint Spirit Mountain, don't you know about this?"

"About what?"

"Doesn't it say in the 'Book of Light'? 'When the land of light is defiled, when the people of God are slaughtered, the Lord will bestow his sword and grant his chosen ones the power to protect.'"

"Ah? Isn't that just a common saying? Many books in the Holy Temple have even more exaggerated statements than that."