The Tallas Mountains were located in the heart of the Sitatul Continent. The region was perpetually hot and sun-scorched, with thunderstorms being a rare occurrence. If Avira hadn’t pointed out that this was the location of the God of Thunder’s temple, no one would have ever imagined this place had any connection to her.

The Tallas Mountains were a great distance from the Slade Sea Region. The God Race had only cleared out the surrounding Vampires when they occupied the Slade Sea Region, and their influence had not yet extended to other territories. The Tallas Mountains were still Vampire territory, and cities shrouded in a thick, bloody mist wantonly exuded their evil into the night.

On the windswept summit, a bright, full moon hung over the peak under the hazy night sky, looking so close one could almost reach out and touch it. In the brilliant moonlight, dozens of figures suddenly appeared on the mountaintop. The silver-haired God Race member in the center took a small step forward, her golden eyes gazing down at the cities enveloped by the Blood Domain. “It seems we’ve found the right place,” she said thoughtfully.

Although the Tallas Mountains had always been overseen by high-generation Vampires, they were at most fourth-generation. But judging by the intensity of the Blood Domain emanating from the cities below, there were quite a few third-generation Vampires hidden here. Cynthia could even faintly sense a familiar aura.

However, the other party hadn’t deployed their Blood Domain, so she couldn’t be certain yet.

The pure white cloak on her back billowed in the night wind, while her long silver hair cascaded smoothly over her front. Her exquisite, perfect features appeared even more divine under the moonlight. Ever since she had drawn out the power of the Goddess of Light by using the Forest Goddess’s longbow in the Elf Territory, Cynthia’s aura had changed slightly.

However, this change was only perceptible to Avira, who had lived through the era of the gods. A trace of divine power was now mixed into the light-based aura radiating from Cynthia. Though it wasn’t strong, it was enough to shock and alarm Avira.

Over the tens of thousands of years the gods occupied the Sitatul Continent, they had created countless races. But whether these races were strong or weak, not a single one had been granted the talent to sense divine power.

Divine power was a symbol exclusive to the gods, and they would not allow the races they created to develop anything that might challenge their status. Thus, Cynthia’s existence was very strange.

Moreover, Avira had observed the other members of the God Race. Aside from their ability to use the Power of Light, they were all quite ordinary. Only Cynthia was different.

Avira stood at the rear of the group, arms crossed, her gaze deep as she watched Cynthia’s back. This member of the God Race not only had a mysterious identity, but the timing of her appearance was also remarkably opportune.

Before the Lasombra had attacked the temples, the God Race was in a state where they could be slaughtered at will. But not long after the temples were destroyed, Cynthia appeared.

One had to remember that before Cynthia’s arrival, not a single member of the God Race knew how to use Light Magic.

Avira’s scrutiny of Cynthia was undisguised. Cynthia turned her head, her gaze passing over the Wolf Race elders to meet Avira’s. A beautiful smile graced her red lips as she said politely, “We’ll still need Elder Avira’s guidance to find the temple’s location.”

Avira withdrew her gaze and shrugged in response. Her peripheral vision caught sight of Hanni standing close to Helen. She casually raised a hand, and a black chain wrapped around Hanni’s wrist, pulling the girl over. Her hand came to rest on Hanni’s waist, giving it a squeeze as she said nonchalantly, “Follow me, Clan Leader Helen.”

Seeing her suddenly grab Hanni, the elders behind Helen immediately grew vigilant. “What are you doing?” one demanded.

Helen frowned slightly. Facing Avira, she spoke in a low voice, “Elder Avira, what is the meaning of this?”

One of the Wolf Race elders had already assumed an attack stance, ready to rescue Hanni. With Avira’s arm around her waist, Hanni saw that they were about to fight and quickly spoke up. “I’m fine! We know each other.”

She pushed Avira’s hand away, her face slightly flushed as she explained awkwardly, “We’re… friends. She won’t hurt me. We should hurry and find the temple.”

The moment she finished, she began to regret it. Avira was a second-generation Vampire. Saying she was friends with a second-generation Vampire was tantamount to admitting she was colluding with them, wasn’t it?

Although their relationship wasn’t that kind of collusion, she didn’t know if Clan Leader Helen and the others would misunderstand. Hanni raised a hand and scratched her hair in frustration.

Helen had already been puzzled when Hanni appeared with Avira before, but she had never asked. Now, hearing Hanni’s explanation did nothing to resolve her confusion. However, this wasn’t the time to delve into it. She remained silent for a moment, then raised her hand slightly to signal the elders behind her to stand down. Then she said softly, “Let’s go.” After a pause, she turned toward Hanni and added a warning, “Don’t stray too far from us, Hanni.”

Hanni obediently agreed, deliberately putting some distance between herself and Avira as she followed from afar.

While Avira led the Wolf Race to find the temple, Cynthia and Olivia remained behind to prepare an inescapable trap for the Vampires within the Tallas Mountains.

Agile Elf warriors, longbows on their backs, used the cover of night to sneak near the cities. The cracked, barren earth was silently covered by tender green grass. Verdant vines burst from the ground, weaving themselves into towering bridges. Beautiful Elf maidens stood barefoot on these bridges, waving the staves in their hands and casting a sea of fire into the cities.

Nature magic bloomed everywhere, interspersed with a bright, dazzling golden light. The quiet Tallas Mountains suddenly erupted into chaos. Magnificent cities were either swallowed by seas of fire or submerged by vast floods. The few remaining cities that were not attacked by the Elves found their situation even more dire, as a brilliant and dazzling Power of Light, carrying an aura that could purify all things, slammed against their Blood Domains.

The Vampires who had been reveling in the cities emerged one by one to investigate, their faces filled with shock and suspicion at the sudden appearance of Elves and the God Race.

On the summit, Cynthia watched the Tallas Mountains come alive with activity and smiled slightly. She turned her head to Olivia and said, “Let’s go down too.”

If her senses weren’t mistaken, a second-generation Vampire they were both “acquainted” with was hiding in one of the cities. He had participated in the previous attack on the Elf Territory. It would be better to go down and greet him sooner rather than later.

Cynthia raised her hand, unfastened her cloak, and stored it in her Space Gem. A plain-looking stone appeared in her hand.

Olivia glanced down at the Light Crystal in Cynthia’s hand and asked, “Where’s your staff?”

“I’ve used up all the staves Chelsea gave me,” Cynthia said, stroking the cool surface of the Light Crystal. “I’ll just ask her for a few more next time we meet,” she added nonchalantly.

The energy contained within this Light Crystal was too immense. Chelsea and the elders of her family had studied it for many days without finding a suitable material for a staff. Left with no other choice, they could only select the best materials they had on hand and give them to Cynthia to use as consumables.

The staff that had broken when she went to support the Elf Race was the last one.

Olivia said nothing, but lowered her eyes and stared at the Light Crystal for a while before looking away, her thoughts unreadable.

In a rather inconspicuous city in the southeastern part of the Tallas Mountains, Edeli was resting alone in an empty hall with his eyes closed. When they had retreated from the Elf Territory, he had taken an arrow formed from the divine Power of Light for Talia, a blow that had nearly cost him his life. Because the injury was inflicted by divine power, he still hadn’t fully recovered.

He leaned back in his chair, his face pale and haggard, his aura fluctuating between strong and weak. The darkness enveloped him, making him look like a cold corpse.

Suddenly, the night outside the window was illuminated by a golden light. Edeli’s eyes snapped open, his scarlet pupils dark and gloomy, but a closer look would reveal a trace of astonishment.

A dark figure slipped in through the half-open window. The Vampire, whose revelry had been interrupted by the commotion outside, was still wearing a magnificent formal suit stained with fresh blood. He approached Edeli and said quickly in a low voice, “Elder Edeli, Elves and the God Race are attacking us.”

Elves and the God Race… Edeli’s expression shifted. His hand resting on the arm of the chair was still somewhat weak. He slowly clenched it into a fist and slammed it angrily against the chair. “Go to Akara City and release Elder Kate…” he said through gritted teeth.

Before he could finish his sentence, the air in the hall suddenly seemed to freeze. Edeli’s expression changed, and he immediately shot up and rushed out of the hall.

The night sky above seemed to have a large hole torn in it, from which golden flames poured down onto the roof of the hall. In just a few seconds, the magnificent and spectacular castle turned to ash and dissipated into the air.

The Blood Domain above the city had long been torn apart. Edeli flew backward, only stopping once he was out of the flames’ attack range. He hovered in the air, looking around for the source of the fire, and soon spotted a familiar figure on a bridge outside the city.

Cynthia, having just finished chanting her spell, was also searching among the Vampires who had been blasted out by the flames. She saw Edeli at almost the same moment he saw her. However, compared to the furious and terrified Edeli, Cynthia seemed to be in a rather good mood. After their eyes met, she even gave him a friendly smile.

This persistent God Race member… Edeli unconsciously raised a hand to his chest, where the wound from the arrow still throbbed with a dull pain.

In a nondescript valley within the Tallas Mountains, Maia had just finished counting the sacrificial offerings and was about to return to the city where they were staying to rest. But after taking a few steps, she suddenly stopped. Frowning, she took out a small straw doll from her Space Gem. A part of the doll was scorched by fire, yet it was also damp and heavy as if it had been soaked in water, giving it a particularly strange appearance.

…The city they were living in was under attack? Maia rubbed the scorched part of the straw doll with her finger, her expression grave.

“Elder Maia, this is bad!” a witch came running over in a hurry, her face pale. “The Tallas Mountains are under attack!”

“Is it the Elves?” Maia asked in a low voice, tossing the straw doll aside.

The witch nodded, looking terrified. “And the God Race. What should we do, Elder Maia?”

Although their current location was far from the city, the spells would likely spread here soon.

And from what she had observed from a distance, the Vampires were being routed quickly. Even though they had a second-generation Vampire, Edeli, overseeing things, they all knew he was seriously injured and his strength was greatly diminished.

If they went to support the Vampires, they would likely be caught up in the disaster themselves. Maia pondered for a few seconds and then said without hesitation, “Gather our people. We’re retreating.”

They could worry about facing the Vampires’ wrath later. Right now, saving their own lives was more important.