After receiving reports from the monk leaders of their respective temples, the four August Celestials began their secluded meditation one after another.
The massive White Tiger lay on the ground, his spirit sinking into a small mirrored world similar to the Emerald Dream. His other three companions also appeared in this misty space one by one.
"Let's keep it short," Chi-Ji the White Tiger said, getting straight to the point. "What do you think that Mortal demigod is actually trying to do?"
From the way Andreas and Onyxia interacted, it was clear that the Mortal demigod was the decision-maker. The Black Dragon Princess merely followed him around with an indifferent attitude, as if playing.
Niuzao thought for a moment and said, "While his purpose is uncertain, I sense no malice or evil within Andreas. His intentions should be good; we simply cannot understand them for now."
Chi-Ji the Red Crane agreed, "I concur. His convictions are very pure, and his will is firm. He is likely not a person who would commit evil deeds."
Chi-Ji nodded thoughtfully, and the three demigods simultaneously turned their gaze toward the very small azure cloud serpent.
"Yulon, what do you think?"
Among the four August Celestials of Pandaria, the White Tiger was the most valiant in battle, the Black Ox possessed extreme resilience, and the Red Crane had powerful self-healing abilities.
Yulon the Jade Serpent's combat power was not outstanding among the four, but she was the true leader and strategist. On major matters, decisions were usually made by the knowledgeable and quick-witted Yulon.
Yulon shook her head. "I have not yet seen this Mortal demigod you speak of with my own eyes, so it is hard for me to pass judgment on him."
"However, since Niuzao and Chi-Ji have both given him such high praise, I believe they would not easily be mistaken."
"The nalakshaa engine is one of the Thunder King's greatest assets. If this hidden danger can be removed, even if the Thunder King is resurrected, his power will be greatly diminished, never to return to its former overwhelming might."
Many Pandaren were unaware of the details regarding the alliance between Zandalar and the Mogu Empire, but as native demigods of Pandaria, the four August Celestials were well aware of the Thunder King's schemes.
As long as Zandalar existed, the Thunder King would one day be resurrected. All they could do was prune his wings as much as possible before his return, to prevent the chaos of the past from reappearing in the peaceful land of Pandaria.
Fortunately, because Emperor Shaohao had transformed into the mists, Pandaria was completely isolated from the outside world. The Zandalari Trolls could never find a way into Pandaria, and the plan to resurrect the Thunder King was postponed indefinitely.
But as Andreas had mentioned to the three Celestials before, the mists could not protect Pandaria forever. One day, they would have to open their eyes and reintegrate into this increasingly unfamiliar world.
But before that, the four August Celestials hoped to first resolve the hidden dangers buried within Pandaria.
When Emperor Shaohao sacrificed himself to become the mists, he didn't actually eliminate all of his negative emotions.
Pride still remained in his heart.
He was unwilling to believe that his people could work together to solve Pandaria's crisis, choosing instead to step forward and display individual heroism to solve the problem. This was, in itself, pure pride.
Negative emotions in Pandaria were different from the outside world. Due to the lingering dark aura of the seven-headed YShaarj, the negative emotions of Pandaria's residents would attract the corresponding Sha.
Six of the seven Sha were sealed by Emperor Shaohao, but only the Sha of Pride still hid somewhere in Pandaria, silently waiting for its opportunity.
Yulon thought carefully for a while, trying to track Andreas' movements.
But because Onyxia's whimsical movements had been too erratic, she couldn't guess Andreas' true purpose for the time being.
"Let's wait a bit longer. I will emerge from seclusion in over two months. At that time, I will personally speak with that Mortal demigod, hoping to understand his true intentions from his words."
...After the Pandaren from the Wandering Isle landed on Pandaria, they were temporarily settled in the Zhus Watch area by The Shado-Pan.
Though they had been separated for a long time, they were still compatriots sharing the same cultural roots. The Wandering Isle Pandaren integrated into Pandaria very quickly.
The first thing they needed to learn was to suppress their overly intense negative emotional fluctuations and try to maintain an optimistic attitude toward life. This was the secret to living in Pandaria.
This was also the reason why Pandaren loved to research various entertainment projects that induced happiness; diverse cuisines were just one aspect of it.
By the time Andreas and Onyxia arrived at Zhus Watch, the Wandering Isle Pandaren had completed their initial training and gained the right to move freely and explore various parts of Pandaria.
Even Elder Bai Lao had returned to the Jade Forest with Shanhzi to acknowledge his roots. This time, he didn't plan to leave again, wanting to spend his final years in Pandaria.
Before parting, Bai Lao gave his zen staff to Shanhzi, asking him to take it back to the Staff Forest to be planted. From then on, Shanhzi would officially take over the role of Elder of the Wandering Isle.
Originally, Andreas prepared to ask Chi-Ji for help to take him out of the mists. Then, he would use Shadow Familiars to contact Leticia and Niana to learn about the current situation from his two apprentices, and incidentally pass the news of the nalakshaa engine to Thorim.
However, before Onyxia could land on Chi-Ji's back, Dragon suddenly pointed at himself proudly with his small claws, tugging at Andreas' sleeve and volunteering to lead them through the mists.
"Uh..." Andreas was a bit uneasy, reaching out to poke Dragon's head. "Little guy, are you sure you really remember the route?"
Andreas' doubtful tone made Dragon very unhappy. He coiled his tail around Andreas' neck. Although he didn't use force, his dissatisfied attitude was very obvious.
"Awoo!"
"Alright, alright, I shouldn't have doubted you."
Andreas sighed and said, "Then you lead the way, but let me at least say goodbye to Chi-Ji first."
After asking the resting Chi-Ji to be ready for backup, Onyxia carefully tucked her wings and landed on the water inside the mists, slowly swimming outward under Dragon's guidance.
To Andreas' surprise, Dragon really had remembered the route Chi-Ji used to break through the mists. After half a day of swimming, Onyxia had appeared outside the mists.
"Ao!"
The little guy stood up as if claiming credit, his small head held high, looking like he was waiting for praise.
Andreas rubbed Dragon's head with a laugh. "Yes, yes, you're amazing. It'll be much more convenient for us to enter and leave Pandaria from now on."
Through the Shadow Familiars that could travel through shadow space, he contacted his two apprentices in Lordaeron and Astranaar. While explaining things to Leticia, Andreas also gathered a lot of recent intelligence from the two.
When Andreas heard about the latest developments in Alterac and Lordaeron, a standard 'confused face' expression appeared on his face.
"WTF?! They actually started a war?"
To be honest, Andreas never thought Lordaeron and Alterac would go to war.
The Alterac withdrawal from the Alliance seemed to be a dispute between the two nations over the succession to the throne, but at its root, it highlighted the irreconcilable contradictions between Lordaeron and the four human kingdoms.
As Terenas grew older, he clearly felt that his energy and thinking speed were not what they used to be.
Terenas, who had facilitated the formation of the Alliance, believed this was the best time for Lordaeron to unify the human kingdoms. He was too eager to leave behind an immortal legacy during his lifetime.
However, the facts proved that the human kingdoms, divided for over 2,000 years, could no longer return to the unified Arathor Empire of the past. Lothar understood this very clearly.
As the first 'chicken' to be used to warn the 'monkeys,' Alterac, which had unexpectedly lost its royal family, was clearly the easiest target for Terenas to manipulate.
Unfortunately, events did not unfold as the King of Lordaeron had anticipated. Alterac did not succumb to Lordaeron's pressure and elect a puppet king.
Under the warnings and support of the Kingdom of Hyldnir, Gilneas and Stromgarde successively withdrew from the Alliance due to uneven distribution of spoils, expressing their support for Alterac.
The withdrawal of the four kingdoms was like a resounding slap in the face to the ambitious Terenas. The subtle, mocking glances from Llane, Daelin, and Antonidas fueled his growing rage.
When a young Arthas innocently asked him why he was making things difficult for other allies, the last string in Terenas' heart finally snapped.
Not only did he not receive support from the international community, but even his carefully nurtured son began to question his motives.
Feeling betrayed by everyone, Terenas, with red eyes, disregarded the opposition of his subjects and family, resolutely mobilized his army, preparing to march south from Andorhal.
Despite the strong-worded demands from the Kingdom of Stormwind, Dalaran, and Kul Tiras for him to reconsider his decision, Terenas stubbornly urged his army to depart.
Although King Alex of Alterac hadn't expected Terenas to be so insane, he had long prepared for Lordaeron, and the allies he had previously won over with tax reductions now needed to contribute.
As the saying goes, 'he who eats another's food is beholden to them.' Genn, who was busy building the Greymane Wall, was very reluctant to participate in this war, but for Gilneas' international reputation, he still sent Grand Lord Darius Crowley to lead an army, deploying troops along the Silverpine Forest border to pose a threat to Lordaeron.
Thoradin of Stromgarde, on the other hand, was straightforward. Upon receiving the plea for help, he immediately mobilized his troops and personally set out, crossing the Hillsbrad Foothills to meet General Harth of Alterac along the Icewind Pass.
At the same time, the Kingdom of Hyldnir also sent troops from the western Tirisfal Glades. The three armies surrounded Lordaeron, and war was on the verge of breaking out.
It had only been a year since the great war between the Alliance and the Horde, and all nations were still scrambling to recover.
Several influential figures, including Alliance Supreme Commander Turalyon, repeatedly wrote to Terenas, urging him to cease military action, but the determined King of Lordaeron completely ignored them.
The 100,000-strong army from Andorhal marched south and engaged the combined forces of Alterac and Stromgarde in the Icewind Pass area.
As the eastern front erupted, the battle in the western Tirisfal Glades also began simultaneously. Lordaeron, with its strongest overall national power, defiantly confronted the four human kingdoms alone.
The Kingdom of Stormwind was too far away and, in any case, did not wish to intervene in this unjust war.
Dalaran, the dwarves, and the gnomes all refused to send troops, citing their non-involvement in human civil wars. The hot-tempered Daelin even went directly to the Lordaeron Royal Palace, pointing his finger at Terenas and demanding to know why he had instigated a human civil war.
Andreas felt quite speechless about the current situation. Terenas seemed to have taken the wrong medicine, suddenly exploding like a barrel of gasoline at the slightest spark.
'I always feel that this matter isn't so simple. Although Terenas isn't a wise and brilliant monarch, he shouldn't be so impulsive as to start a war that would tear the Alliance apart. Could it be... someone is instigating him from behind?'
Although there were no clues to prove his conjecture, Andreas felt there was something fishy behind this matter.
'For now, let Priscim investigate.'
Compared to the chaotic situation in the northern Eastern Kingdoms, the southern Kingdom of Stormwind was developing very steadily.
As the saying goes, you don't know what you have until it's gone. Having experienced a national catastrophe, the people of Stormwind cherished their hard-won stable lives.
The Kingdom of Stormwind, which was in ruins, had initially recovered its vitality in just over a year, thanks to the enthusiastic efforts of its people.
The Kingdom of Stormwind, currently engaged in extensive infrastructure development, had no intention of intervening in the war between Lordaeron and the four human kingdoms; instead, it was more concerned about the Blasted Lands to the south.
According to Khadgar, who remained at Nethergarde Keep, the situation at the Dark Portal had been unusual recently.
The fel conduits, which had been shattered, seemed to be slowly recovering, and from the Azeroth side of the Dark Portal, they were unreachable and unstoppable.
Turalyon, annoyed by the deteriorating situation in the north, took this opportunity to come to Nethergarde Keep and monitor the movements of the Dark Portal with Khadgar and the other defenders.
Although the situation in the northern Eastern Kingdoms completely exceeded Andreas' expectations, it seemed the orcs were still planning to reopen the Dark Portal and launch a second invasion, which should happen in a few months.
Just as Andreas was sitting on Onyxia's back analyzing intelligence, new news arrived from Leticia.
She had just been teleported by a Highborne mage to the Halls of Origination in Uldum, and Thorim, who had received intelligence about Pandaria, was by her side.
Just as Andreas had feared, although Thorim desperately wanted to go to Pandaria to retrieve the Nalak'sha Engine, he was indeed powerless at the moment.
The Forge of Origination was crucial to the growth of the Azeroth world-soul, and someone with sufficient deterrent power had to remain behind. Once news of his departure from Uldum spread, Loken and certain individuals hiding in the shadows would surely launch a major attack on Uldum.
"Then there's nothing we can do."
Sighing, Andreas told Thorim not to worry too much; he would find a way to solve the problem of Pandaria.
"Let's go back."
After cutting off contact with Leticia, Andreas patted the black dragon's back as she floated on the water.
"Let's head directly to the Isle of Thunder in the northwestern Kun-Lai Summit. It's time to meet that great guardian who has been holed up for tens of thousands of years."
...The Isle of Thunder was the base built by the Mogu tyrant Lei Shen. It was originally part of the Pandaria continent, but after the Sundering, it was flung out of the continental landmass, becoming an isolated island overseas.
The outer perimeter of the island was covered by layers of black thunderclouds, and the entire sea area was very dim. Occasionally, bright lightning would tear through the gloomy sky, and even Onyxia dared not fly in such weather.
"Andreas." Onyxia, swimming through the sea, asked in confusion, "According to your statement, Lei Shen's body was clearly placed in Kun-Lai Summit. Why hasn't this island's automatic defense mechanism been deactivated?"
Andreas smiled, pulling at the corners of her mouth, "Because the Throne of Thunder still hides Lei Shen's greatest secret. He didn't want his subordinates to know about his usurpation, lest they find an excuse to rebel."
For thousands of years, the harsh weather near the Isle of Thunder has deterred the Pandaren from exploring the island.
Unlike their curious and adventurous counterparts on the Wandering Isle, the Pandaren of Pandaria, when faced with a large rock blocking their path, would mostly choose to bypass it with a Buddhist-like approach rather than figure out how to move it.
As Onyxia swam from the sea to the periphery of the Isle of Thunder, a small boat floated outside the Thunder Barrier. Two Pandaren were peering around, seemingly intending to cross this lightning-protected area to explore the island.
"Oh?"
Andreas was somewhat surprised when he saw their faces. Although he didn't know their names, he seemed to have seen them before on the Wandering Isle.
"You two over there!"
Seeing one of them cautiously reaching out to touch the barrier, Andreas quickly called out from behind to stop them.
"Don't reach in rashly. The thunder here is not naturally formed; it's a man-made defensive barrier. Once invaded by external force, it will counterattack accordingly."
The two Pandaren were startled by the voice from behind. They hadn't expected to coincidentally meet someone in the middle of the sea, far from any village or shop.
These two Pandaren seemed to be brothers. Although Andreas was face-blind to Pandaren, their fur patterns looked very similar, and their behaviors and gestures also had many resemblances.
When they saw that it was Andreas who had called out to warn them, and not a fellow native from Pandaria, both of them simultaneously breathed a sigh of relief.
The seemingly more composed Pandaren cupped his fists and bowed to the man and the dragon. "Mr. Andreas and Miss Onyxia, I didn't expect to meet you here."
"I am Cheng Bo stormstout, and this is my younger brother Chen. We met you a few times on the Wandering Isle before. May I ask why you two are here..."
'Chen?'
Andreas had no reaction when he heard Cheng Bo's self-introduction, only developing an interest in the surname stormstout. Then, hearing the familiar name, he subconsciously shifted his gaze.
'Is this fidgety young Pandaren Old Chen?'
Just as Andreas suspected, Cheng Bo's younger brother looked very young, appearing as if he had ADHD. While his older brother was talking to Andreas, he kept pacing back and forth in the small boat, looking restless and scratching his ears.
"Greetings to you both."
Andreas first politely cupped his fists in return, then deliberately put on a puzzled expression and asked, "As far as I know, the stormstout family is one of the major brewing families in Pandaria. Have you two not returned to the Valley of the Four Winds to acknowledge your ancestors?"
"Hmph!"
After hearing Andreas' question, Cheng Bo just smiled bitterly and shook his head, while Chen couldn't help but let out a cold snort.
"Of course we went. But that family seems obsessed with brewing, putting all their efforts into improving their fine wines, and they've always shown little interest in our visits."
Cheng Bo sighed helplessly, "Our elders are still staying at the ancestral land of the stormstout clan to negotiate with them, but... it seems to have had little effect."
Chen and Cheng Bo were still young now; the stormstout clan of the Wandering Isle was not yet theirs to lead.
Since they were only met with cold shoulders from their kinsmen in Pandaria, they simply took this opportunity to sneak out and explore, and to vent their frustration.
There were many unexplored areas in Pandaria. Just in the Kun-Lai Summit alone, there were many interesting things worth exploring. Andreas didn't know why the two of them would first come to the Isle of Thunder.
Listening to Andreas' question, Cheng Bo scratched his head honestly and said, "Because this is a hidden island we heard about when we were temporarily staying near Zhus Watch."
"We've already been to the 'Beast Island' that the locals talked about. There was nothing on the island except various fierce primeval beasts, so..."
Andreas understood. These two brothers were naturally restless. Even when they were under The Shado-Pan's control in Zhus Watch, they had secretly snuck out to sea to investigate. Once they gained freedom, they immediately began their actions without hesitation.
"Alright."
Shaking his head helplessly, Andreas gestured for the two to step back. "To enter the Isle of Thunder, you must first dismantle this defensive barrier. For safety, you should stay as far away as possible."
With Andreas' current strength, he could see through the abilities of the two young men at a glance.
If classified by the standards of a Monk, they could at most be considered high-level apprentices, barely touching the edge of a full-fledged Monk.
To train to this level before the age of twenty was considered exceptionally talented among the Pandaren, but relying on this strength to explore the Isle of Thunder was clearly not enough.
After Loken's death, many loyal subordinates chose to petrify themselves near the Throne of Thunder, silently awaiting their master's resurrection, hoping to be reawakened from their slumber one day.
The energy sustaining the Isle of Thunder's barrier was drawn from these dormant petrified Mogu. Once the barrier was broken, they would surely be forcefully awakened by the stimulus.
These Mogu were the elites originally left by Loken in Pandaria to guard the country. With the current strength of the stormstout brothers, they would likely be mere fodder in the hands of these stone golems.
However, seeing the stubborn and curious eyes of the two, Andreas did not force them to leave the island. As long as they didn't interfere with his actions, he could let them enter the island together before meeting Loken. At worst, he could have Auni keep an eye on them.
Cheng Bo was relatively steady. They had already examined the surrounding lightning barrier, and it was clear that the two brothers alone could not dismantle it.
Pulling his younger brother Chen, they paddled the small boat backward, urged by Onyxia, retreating about a nautical mile.
Standing on the Black Dragon Princess' back, Andreas slightly raised the Staff of Ganir in his hand. The tear of Elune at its tip transformed into golden light, and at the same time, a faint blue glow began to flash from Andreas' chest beneath his clothes.
After all, the tear of Elune was a divine artifact passed down from moon goddess Elune. After years of research, Andreas had become proficient in its use after advancing to demigod status.
Simply put, this gem was equivalent to a super powerful amplifier and converter that had reached the divine realm. It could absorb any energy and transform it into the energy and form required by the user, then output it all at once after massive amplification.
Now, Andreas was using the special effects of the tear of Elune, activating another Pillar of Creation—Golganneth's Tidestone—through its conversion ability.
Controlling Water Elementals was not Andreas' strong suit. It was only through the tear of Elune's conversion that he could maximize the Tidestone's abilities.
In Cheng Bo and Chen's view, with the huge black dragon in the distance as the center, the surrounding sea surface suddenly began to surge.
A towering water spouts gradually formed on the sea, seemingly connecting the dark clouds in the sky with the sea level.
As if sensing some threat, the thunder around the Isle of Thunder became more violent. The sea surface within the barrier also began to churn, and waves crashing on the Isle of Thunder's beach triggered a response from the defensive barrier.
The water spouts connecting water and sky grew larger and larger. Heavy rain began to fall within a small radius, and the massive water spouts, rotating and advancing, finally collided with the edge of the Thunder Barrier.
Countless bolts of lightning exploded on the sea surface, and the sea churned with surging splashes as if countless giant stones had been thrown into it.
Cheng Bo and Chen were immensely grateful that they had retreated far enough, otherwise, they would probably have been caught in the crossfire by now.
During the few minutes that the water spouts and the Thunder Barrier were in a stalemate, residents as far away as Mantis Plateau and the coast of Kun-Lai Summit could see the unusual phenomenon emanating from the sea.
Incredibly thick bolts of lightning flashed wildly across the sea. Local natives hurriedly closed their doors and windows, fearing that a storm would soon arrive.
"Boom!"
The controlled water spouts finally breached the unconscious thunder defensive barrier. The thunderclouds covering the Isle of Thunder were dispersed and gradually faded, and clear skies reappeared in the waters near the Isle of Thunder after ten thousand years.
"Alright."
Andreas retracted his staff and waved to the stormstout brothers, who were lying on their boat behind him, trying to maintain balance in the wind and waves.
"If you want to explore, hurry and follow! We're going to land on the island!"
Niuzao of Black Ox Temple solemnly looked at the gradually dissipating thunderclouds in the distance. "Is it the Isle of Thunder this time? What exactly is he planning?"
Andreas' erratic actions left the august celestials completely baffled; even Azure Dragon Yu'lon couldn't make sense of it.
With the defenses of the Isle of Thunder deactivated, Onyxia could finally soar through the sky without restraint. Soon, she carried her three passengers above the Isle of Thunder.
Before the Isle of Thunder was separated from the mainland, the entire island region was the tyrant Loken's most important center of power. The Throne of Thunder was located in the deepest part of the island, guarded by countless Mogu stone statues.
If they were to advance by land, they would inevitably have to deal with the Mogu who were emerging from their petrified state. Onyxia swiftly flew over from high altitude, landing directly in front of the majestic main gate of the Throne of Thunder before the guardians could fully awaken.
"Ballistas have already been set up on the palace walls. Continuing to fly through the air would make us easy targets."
Onyxia explained after transforming back into her human form, "For the rest of the journey, we'll have to proceed on foot."
Andreas nodded and warned Cheng Bo and Chen, who were eagerly rubbing their fists behind him, "Don't run off. This isn't a place you should be. If you don't want to lose your lives, try to stay behind us."
"Swish!"
As he spoke, a volley of arrows shot from the palace walls of the Throne of Thunder. Andreas waved his staff, constructing a Holy Light Barrier to block them.
"See? The guards here clearly don't welcome us."
Concentrating Shadow Energy at the tip of his staff, a deep purple energy wave shot out, directly striking the main gate of the Throne of Thunder. The violent tremor shook many Mogu on the city walls to the ground.
The entire island's defenses had been dismantled. This gate, though appearing thick, was quickly pierced through by Andreas' attack. Through the opening, large enough for five people to walk abreast, petrified Mogu who were regaining activity could already be seen inside.
"Keep up!"
Onyxia, acting as the vanguard, charged forward. Her skin, reinforced by the power of the earth, could directly withstand most low-power arrows and spells, making her a solid tank.
"Hah!"
A phantom dragon claw materialized as Onyxia punched, smashing a Mogu archer who was drawing his bow on the palace wall into shattered stone.
"Andreas, which way? You lead the way!"
"Alright. You've seen the Throne of Thunder map records in the archives before. We don't need to force our way into the core palace; we'll follow the main road to the Hall of Self-Cultivation."
The main palace was undoubtedly the most heavily guarded area of the Throne of Thunder. The Mogu Twin Empresses and Loken's elite personal guards should all be slumbering within the throne room.
Fortunately, Andreas' goal wasn't to destroy the palace, so he didn't need to directly confront those troublesome individuals.
The Hall of Self-Cultivation was a side hall on the path to the main palace. Guided by Andreas' map, the group of four, led by the 'arrow' Onyxia, quickly broke through the defenses and arrived outside the side hall.
"Cheng Bo and Chen, you two stay here with Onyxia."
"Auni, help me hold off the pursuers for now. I'll try to deal with that stinky old fish as quickly as possible."
"No problem."
Onyxia reverted to her giant dragon form, firmly blocking the passage to the Hall of Self-Cultivation.
Glancing at Chen, whose eyes were darting around, the Black Dragon Princess warned the two restless Pandaren in a deeper voice, "You'd best control your unwarranted curiosity. This is Loken's palace. If you rashly venture into dangerous areas, even I won't be able to save you."
"Roar!"
Shadowflame Dragon Breath spewed out onto the plaza in front of the Hall of Self-Cultivation. Large numbers of Mogu were engulfed in the super-heated Dragon Breath; even their stone bodies couldn't withstand the black dragon's fiery exhalation, quickly becoming scorched black.
Chen and Cheng Bo, hiding behind Onyxia, exchanged glances. Cheng Bo said with some hesitation, "Let's listen to her advice. You've seen the strength of those Mogu; we definitely can't handle them."
Chen shook his head like a rattle-drum. "No way! Life never stops, exploration never stops. No one has entered here for over ten thousand years. Aren't you curious about what secrets are buried within this palace complex?"
"But..."
...As the stormstout brothers discussed whether to explore, Andreas quickened his pace, entering the dimly lit interior of the Hall of Self-Cultivation.
"Tap~"
With a soft snap of his fingers, a gentle golden light shimmered in the dark hall, illuminating the path ahead.
The Hall of Self-Cultivation was Loken's experimental ground, filled with a large number of strange and deformed experimental subjects.
For tens of thousands of years, these creatures had occupied the uninhabited Hall of Self-Cultivation. They dared not rashly invade the heavily guarded main palace, only able to multiply and thrive in the sewer areas behind it.
Upon entering the Hall of Self-Cultivation, the first enemies Andreas encountered were lizardmen hiding in the shadows.
These lizardmen were an accidental byproduct created by Loken using the nalakshaa engine. Most of them had already escaped to various parts of Pandaria, while a small number were captured by Loken and brought back to the throne room as experimental subjects.
The native lizardmen of Pandaria were brutal and cunning, possessing considerable intelligence, and were one of the wild species that threatened the survival of the Pandaren.
However, the lizardmen Andreas encountered in the Hall of Self-Cultivation seemed to have completely degenerated into beasts. They only roared ferociously, showing no intention of communication.
Under the effect of the Holy Light Illumination spell, the lizardmen hiding in the shadows had nowhere to hide, and one by one they rushed out from their hiding places to attack Andreas.
"Scram!"
Holy Light ripples spread out from Andreas. All the lizardmen hit shrieked and flew backward, most of them hitting the wall and losing consciousness.
The few "lucky ones" who retained consciousness were also individually cut down by Andreas using an energy light sword. In less than a minute, he broke through the sewer entrance where a large group of lizardmen were gathered.
Continuing his advance, Andreas encountered more lizardmen, as well as strange constructs driven by blood, all of whom he forcibly annihilated with his overwhelming power.
The enormous Blood Golem in the first hall had all its blood evaporated by Andreas' scorching Holy Light, and after losing power, it was dismantled into a pile of scrap metal.
If the records in the memorandum were correct, the secret chamber imprisoning Loken was beneath the second hall ahead.
Upon entering this hall, Andreas finally understood where the blood driving the golems came from.
Countless flesh and blood were extracted from the numb bodies of lizardmen by some mechanical device operating within the great hall. Some of this flesh and blood even eerily condensed into solid forms, moving autonomously within the hall. The strong smell of blood made Andreas feel nauseous.
"Inhumane experimental equipment that shouldn't exist... be destroyed!"
The mechanical devices, continuously bombarded by Holy Light energy, successively stopped operating, but the flesh and blood flowing on the ground did not cease their activity.
Sensing the external danger, this flesh and blood quickly gathered together, and amidst a series of incredibly disgusting writhing and re-fusion, formed a blood-red lizardman covered in festering sores.
"Ah! Primordius wants your..."
"Splat!"
Too lazy to waste words with this disgusting creature, the tip of the Staff of Ganir horizontally cleaved out a Shadow Energy blade, severing the connection between the lizardman's head and body in the blink of an eye.
The mental spell that surged into Primordius' soul destroyed his will to resist. His body lost control, transforming back into a bloody, decaying mess and collapsing.
"Tsk! How disgusting."
Covering his nose, he purified this pile of flesh and blood, filled with dark power, using Holy Light, but the pungent smell of blood in the hall would not dissipate anytime soon.
Enduring the nausea, Andreas inverted the Staff of Ganir and plunged it into the ground. Under the layered energy bombardment of the tear of Elune, the mechanism, hidden somewhere unknown, finally gave out completely, and a winding passage appeared beneath the hall.
"Finally found you, you stinky old fish who's been hiding for tens of thousands of years."
As Andreas and his group stormed into the Throne of Thunder, someone who had been trailing far behind them on a Cloud Serpent was looking at the countless activated Mogu on the Isle of Thunder, troubled.
"These two's movements are too erratic... How am I supposed to break through the Mogu's anti-air defenses and continue tracking them?"
The Mogu hadn't developed cannons, but their powerful crossbows could still pose a huge threat to aerial units.
Weighing the pros and cons, the frustrated Taran Zhu ultimately gave up on further pursuit, intending to first contact Xu Kun, the leader of the Shado-Pan, for further instructions.
"Master, the surveillance mission you gave me is too difficult..."
Thinking of the towering tidal wave he had seen from afar earlier, Taran Zhu shivered. Such a method of manipulating the power of heaven and earth was completely beyond his comprehension. After entering the secret passage hidden beneath the Hall of Cultivation, Andreas first threw a large number of Holy Light flares into the dim, lightless secret chamber.
The illuminated secret chamber was similar in size to the hall above, but with a much greater height difference.
A giant with a decadent aura knelt on the ground, his eyes vacant, his hands and feet bound by massive chains. Fading blood-red energy could vaguely be seen on these chains.
'So that's it, the equipment above also intended to restrain Loken? Although it's meaningless...'
Loken had no intention of leaving in the first place, so the Thunder King's preparations, just in case, were redundant.
Loken looked terrible. His body was covered in numerous wounds, and his originally sturdy Keeper body seemed to have been affected by the flesh curse, with large patches of skin degenerating from stone to flesh.
There were many gaping wounds on this fleshy skin. Although most had already scabbed over, the hideous scars remained, left by who knows whom.
"Great Elder Loken."
Andreas used a light blade to cut the chains binding Loken. The chains, deprived of energy, were easily severed.
Loken, losing the pulling force, fell forward. He had no self-preservation instinct, letting his body crash heavily onto the ground, unresponsive to Andreas' call.
Loken's defeatist attitude made Andreas frown. "Great Elder Loken! Do you still remember the Pantheon Titans who entrusted you with an important mission!"
Loken, lying on the ground, twitched an eyelid. His vacant eyes finally began to focus, and he slowly turned his head to look at the speaking Andreas.
"Mortal? Heh~ What do you know, spouting such nonsense."
Loken sneered and retorted, then lowered his head again, resuming his daze.
This guy's attitude of 'I'm decadent and I have a reason, you don't understand, so don't babble' made Andreas' anger flare.
"Are you still the Great Guardian appointed by the Titans?! Pull yourself together! The Titans of the Pantheon have not truly perished!"
"What did you say?!"
Loken's expression suddenly changed. He abruptly pushed himself up from the ground, his large hand reaching for Andreas. "Say that again... Ugh!"
The Great Guardian's left hand was repelled by a powerful Holy Light shield before it could touch Andreas. Loken looked at the Mortal he had previously disregarded with a surprised and questioning expression, clutching his left hand.
"Demigod?"
Andreas patted the dust off himself and said indifferently, "If you're going to ask questions, be polite. Why are you getting physical?"
Loken didn't mind Andreas' disrespectful attitude; he had seen ruder people anyway.
"Demigod, do you know what you just said?"
"Of course I do," Andreas said firmly. "I said, the Titans have not truly perished."
Loken gave him a deep look, then waved his hand to create a holographic illusion before Andreas' eyes.
"I don't know how you came to that conclusion, but anyway, you should first look at the information I received."
The illusion Loken created showed seven giants in total. Six of them stood together, while another fiery giant with two wings on its back and curved demon horns on its head stood alone.
'Sargeras and the Pantheon Titans?'
Andreas' eyes narrowed.'So, this is the Titans' final fate?'
The two sides in the illusion quickly broke off negotiations. Sargeras unexpectedly split one of the armored Titans in half with a sword, formally severing their ties.
The battle between the Titans made Andreas tremble with fear. The assisting demons were like paper in front of the Titans, easily wiped out in large numbers, and even powerful Pit Lords couldn't withstand more than two moves from them.
But the Pantheon Titans gradually fell into a disadvantage under Sargeras' Fel Energy storm that swept across the galaxy.
As the Pantheon's most valiant warrior, Sargeras' combat power did not diminish in the slightest after his fall; instead, it was somewhat enhanced after he gained Fel Energy.
This cosmos-shaking battle ultimately ended with Sargeras' victory. The Pantheon Titans' bodies were completely annihilated by the Fel Energy storm, and the illusion ended there.
"You saw it, didn't you?"
Loken sat on the floor of the secret chamber, leaning his head against the wall, and said dejectedly, "The Pantheon is finished; there's no hope for the entire universe either."
"Without the Pantheon's protection, Sargeras will find Azeroth sooner or later, and the entire universe will be incinerated by the Burning Legion's Fel Energy flames, unless..."
Andreas raised an eyebrow. "Unless what?"
Loken opened his mouth, but finally shook his head and said, "Nothing. Abandon that possibility. It's a dark path of no return, to the extreme."
Recalling the 8.3 version intelligence leak he had seen before his transmigration, Andreas sneered, condensing pure Void Power in his hand.
"Unless, we use the Void forces to curb the Burning Legion?"
"You!"
Loken's pupils constricted as he looked at the Void Power in Andreas' hand, a look of horror on his face.
"Are you an envoy of the Void!?"
"Of course not."
Andreas dispelled the shadows in his hand, seamlessly switching to warm Holy Light. "I merely control both the powers of Light and Darkness."
"Great Elder Loken, the image you saw is only part of the truth from back then. Whether by coincidence or someone's machinations, the most crucial part was cut out."
Loken straightened up at this, frowning as he asked, "What do you mean? And how do you know this?"
Andreas closed his eyes, calling for Elune's support in his mind.
"Elune, come help out! Let this big guy see for himself, help me fill in the last part of the image."
"Hmph~" Elune's response was quick, and she grumbled with some displeasure, "You only remember me at times like these."
"Fine, it's just a matter of continuing what I saw. Prepare to receive it."
Andreas' mind quickly gained a few seconds of fragmented memories. He tried to manipulate the power of light and shadow, manifesting the illusion before Loken... Unfortunately, it was in black and white.
Loken's eyes widened as he watched the unfinished story continue. Norgannon, clad in robes, made some subtle moves before the Fel Energy storm arrived, drawing cosmic power to complete a large-scale illusion spell.
As Sargeras roared triumphantly at the sky and the Burning Legion's demons wildly echoed him, the souls of the six Pantheon Titans seized the opportunity to escape the scene, vanishing into the Dark Void.
"This..."
Loken's eyes widened in disbelief. "...Putting aside your clumsy black and white image, where did you get this record?"
Andreas' mouth twitched. 'Is this really the time to complain about that?'
Sighing softly with weariness, Andreas waved his hand weakly and said, "From my Lord, the moon goddess Elune."
"Elune? The moon goddess?" Loken was full of questions. "Who is that? Why have I never heard of her?"
"Hmph!"
A cold snort suddenly echoed from the void. Loken, who had been sitting upright, suddenly bent forward. A terrifying pressure forced the Great Guardian to the ground, making him unable to lift his head. He could only use both hands to firmly support himself on the floor to keep from falling completely flat.
Loken, with his head down, looked terrified. "You... you are!"
"Shut up! Keep it to yourself!"
"...Yes, I shall obey Your Excellency's decree."
'Oh?'
Andreas touched his chin with interest. 'It seems Loken knows Elune's true identity.'
"Phew~"
Once the pressure finally dissipated, Loken pushed himself up and sat straight again, looking up at the ceiling of the secret chamber with some fear.
"I didn't expect that one to be watching Azeroth as well..."
Loken looked at Andreas with a strange expression. "Demigod, you just said that Great One is your master?"
"That's right."
Andreas shrugged. "I am a servant of Elune, one of her agents in Azeroth. Is there a problem?"
Loken hurriedly shook his head like a pellet drum. "No, I wouldn't dare!"
Andreas grew more and more curious about Elune's identity. "Elune, what exactly is your identity? Why is Great Elder Loken so afraid of you?"
"He's not afraid of me," Elune snorted softly. "He's afraid I represent a certain power. But I can tell you clearly, he guessed wrong—just like that sleeping little thing in your weapon."
'Little thing...'
Andreas lifted the sword of the dark empire and looked at it. 'You call an Old God a little thing?'
Since Xal'atath absorbed C'Thun's soul, she had fallen into a deep sleep and hadn't woken up for nearly a thousand years.
"Don't worry."
Elune noticed Andreas' movement. "That little thing called Xal'atath should wake up within five years, and her strength will have grown significantly by then."
"To prevent this little thing from having any ideas she shouldn't have, you'd better communicate with her again. I can provide some help if necessary."
After saying this, Elune's consciousness gradually faded away.
Loken also seemed to feel the departure of the other party's will and breathed a sigh of relief.
Having been in a slump for tens of thousands of years, under the surprises and scares given by Elune, Loken finally felt a faint glimmer of hope for the future once again.
"Since the Titans are still alive..."
Pushing himself up from the ground, Loken swayed weakly and leaned against the wall for a long while to steady himself.
"I can't continue to be this decadent anymore."
Andreas rolled his eyes. "Are you an unfledged chick? You don't know what to do without the guidance of the Titans?"
Loken shook his head with a bitter smile. "You wouldn't understand the status of the Titans in the hearts of us constructs. Any Titan Construct would fall into a state similar to mine upon learning of the Pantheon's downfall."
'A bunch of mama's boys...'
Andreas curled his lip and changed the subject. "What are your plans next? Are you not going to take back your power?"
"Power..."
Loken clenched his hands. Compared to his once overflowing power, he was now incredibly weak, with less than a tenth of the energy he had at his peak. This was also why Andreas had been able to easily flick Loken away earlier.
"Speaking of which, how is that little fellow who stole my power and called himself Lei Shen?"
Loken said with some emotion, "That child still maintained a vigorous fighting spirit even after learning of the Pantheon's downfall. That is very rare."
"However, his methods and philosophy were a bit extreme. He hasn't come to tell me about the developments of the outside world for so many years... I suppose he must have met with disaster and died, right?"
Andreas was a bit surprised by the relationship between Loken and Lei Shen. "You don't blame him for stealing your power?"
Loken shook his head. "To be precise, I semi-voluntarily transferred my power to him, letting him walk a path completely different from my own style, while I stayed in this secret chamber to quietly think of a solution."
"Unfortunately," Loken shook his head helplessly, "tens of thousands of years have passed, and I haven't been able to think of any way. No matter how I consider it, the destruction of Azeroth by the Burning Legion seems almost inevitable."
"Really?" Andreas curled his lip and said mockingly, "The Burning Legion came once ten thousand years ago and was beaten back by the Azeroth Allied Forces. No one told you about that, did they?"
"What?" Loken asked in surprise. "Is that true?"
"Of course it's true, but that story is too long to tell. It might take several days and nights to finish. You should learn about it slowly through history books instead."
Loken nodded. "Very well. But I still need to retrieve my power first. Where is Lei Shen's body?"
...Boom!
The dome above the Hall of Flesh-Shaping was blasted through by a golden pillar of light. Having received the signal, Onyxia once again unleashed a Deep Breath toward the palace walls, vaporizing a large number of archers on the battlements. She then turned her head to look at the hall behind her.
"Stormstout, we should... hmm?"
Onyxia looked left and right; the two Pandaren had already slipped away at some unknown time.
"Tsk~ guys who like to court death."
Onyxia smacked her lips speechlessly, not paying much attention to the whereabouts of Cheng Bo and Chen. Anyway, she had given them all the warnings she should, and Andreas couldn't blame her.
"Whoosh!"
Flapping her wings, she took off from the entrance of the Hall of Flesh-Shaping. Taking advantage of the gap in the Mogu race's army, Onyxia flew over the hole blasted in the hall. Andreas soon rose from below, carrying a giant covered in scars.
"Go!"
Tossing the powerless Loken onto Onyxia's back, Andreas jumped on as well. "Where are Cheng Bo and Chen?"
A puff of white vapor escaped Onyxia's nostrils. "Those two little things courted death and slipped away. Let them be."
'As expected...'
Andreas shook his head speechlessly. "Fine, the wicked live long; they probably won't die that easily. Let's evacuate as quickly as possible and go straight to Kun-Lai Summit."
"No problem, hold on tight!"
"Boom!"
With a sonic boom cloud appearing in the air, Onyxia disappeared before Taran Zhu's bewildered gaze once again.
Having finally rallied the Cloud Serpent Riders of The Shado-Pan to charge into the heart of the Isle of Thunder, Taran Zhu looked at the rapidly retreating black dragon with a face like he was constipated, nearly spitting out three pints of blood to relieve the frustration in his chest.
"...Are you playing with me?"
"Help!"
The cries for help from below interrupted Taran Zhu's thoughts. Two Pandaren compatriots were being hunted by dozens of times their number of stone Mogu.
"Save them! Prepare to evacuate! Now is not the time to start a war with the Isle of Thunder. Fall back to the camp and wait for the main force to arrive!"
"...After the Mogushan Vaults comes the Isle of Thunder; you two really know how to cause trouble for Pandaria."
At the Temple of the White Tiger, Chi-Ji looked gloomily at the indifferent Onyxia and the laughing Andreas. Behind them stood a flesh-morphed giant that made Chi-Ji feel a sense of familiarity.
Loken had changed too much over these tens of thousands of years. His once solid Guardian body had turned into flesh, he had even grown hair, and his face was covered in a scruffy beard. Chi-Ji didn't recognize him for a moment.
"And this is?"
Looking at Chi-Ji's confused eyes, Loken said with some emotion, "I didn't expect that those companions Freya adopted back then would become the Celestials guiding the progress of Pandaria's Mortals. Indeed, much has changed over these tens of thousands of years."
'Back then? Tens of thousands of years?'
Chi-Ji's ears twitched. He vaguely sensed a familiar aura from the giant, but because the change was so great, he wasn't quite sure.
"Could you be..."
Loken nodded with a smile. "Yes, I am Loken, once known as the Great Guardian by you all."
Chi-Ji tilted his head: "..."
Chi-Ji: "!!!"
The news of the Great Guardian's return quickly spread among the august celestials. Except for Yulon, who was too weak to travel, Niuzao and Chi-Ji rushed over from their respective temples.
Yulon, far away at the Temple of the Jade Serpent, finally understood the motives of Andreas and Onyxia.
Not even the august celestials knew where Loken had gone during the tens of thousands of years he was missing. They hadn't expected this Mortal demigod to easily free the Great Guardian who had been imprisoned by Lei Shen.
"To be precise, he wasn't imprisoned."
Andreas shrugged and said to the three celestials, "It should be called self-exile. Lei Shen taking Loken's power originally involved Loken's own will. Otherwise, do you think a mere low-level Titan Construct could defeat the Great Guardian and seize his power? That would be too fantastical."
Loken's physical condition was terrible. Although his flesh-and-blood form didn't require him to eat or drink like a Mortal, he needed time to adjust from his tens of thousands of years of decadence. Otherwise, rashly accepting vast power would only lead to him being overwhelmed by the replenishment.
Under the orders of the four celestials, the monks from the four temples were divided into two groups.
One group was sent as reinforcements to The Shado-Pan camp on the Isle of Thunder beach, striving to push the Mogu on the Isle of Thunder back into the Throne of Thunder and reseal them as soon as possible.
The other group infiltrated the Kun-Lai Summit to search for Lei Shen's true tomb. They had already ruled out three false tombs.
As soon as Loken left the underground palace, he plunged into the archives of the Mogushan Vaults. Tens of thousands of years of missing knowledge required time to catch up on, and Pandaren Lorewalkers cooperated by organizing relevant historical materials for the Great Guardian to read.
If the point in time when Loken secluded himself was still the Age of the Keepers on Azeroth, then the present era was completely and utterly the Age of Mortals.
The Pandaren records only extended to the Burning Legion invasion ten thousand years ago and the subsequent Sundering. For the next ten thousand years, they only recorded the history relevant to Pandaria.
After Loken finished reading the earlier content, Andreas orally recounted the general trajectory of the most recent ten thousand years.
After some care, Loken's appearance looked less decadent, and the wounds on his body gradually healed with the help of Pandaren healing spells.
After listening to the history recounted by Andreas, many questions lingered in Loken's mind.
His first concern was the issue of his Keeper companions and Ulduar. "You said Ulduar fell? Are you serious?"
Ulduar was the location of the Forge of Wills, one of the most important strongholds of the Titan Keepers. But according to Andreas, this fortress had completely become a den of the Old Gods due to the treachery of an insider, a fact Loken could not easily accept.
Onyxia interjected, "It is absolutely true. The Aspects have sent signals to Ulduar many times, but not once have they received a response."
"The Aspects." Loken gave a wry smile. "I know of the Proto-Dragon father Galakrond, but I didn't expect Tyr would facilitate the Aspects helping to guard Azeroth."
"It seems now that Tyr was the wisest and most far-sighted among the Titan Keepers."
By the time the Aspects appeared, Loken had already secluded himself and vanished.
Facts proved that Tyr was right. When the Titan Keepers successively failed, it was the Aspects who stepped forward to maintain Azeroth's stability and helped the Mortals repel the Burning Legion... although the Aspects themselves had a host of internal problems due to the Old Gods' meddling.
The fall of Ulduar left Loken deeply worried.
Mimiron, Freya, and Hodir were all trapped inside Ulduar by Yogg-Saron. After Tyr, Hodir, and Thorim successively departed, there was no one left in Ulduar to restrain the completely corrupted Loken.
Of the two Keeper leaders, Odyn was responsible for managing the Forge of Wills, while the Forge of Wills was guarded by Loken.
Learning that the Forge of Wills had been restarted and was personally overseen by Thorim, Loken finally breathed a sigh of relief.
"Fortunately, the situation hasn't reached its worst point yet."
Loken stroked his chin and said, "As long as I can reclaim my power and control over the nalakshaa engine, and gather the Earthen and Tol'vir under Hodir and Thorim, we should be able to retake Ulduar after a period of accumulation."
Most of the Mogu still alive today have been branded by Lei Shen, and very few Mogu are willing to acknowledge Great Guardian Loken.
Loken planned to abandon them and use the nalakshaa engine to recreate a batch of loyal Mogu. However, considering the crafters engine and the Iron Army controlled by Loken, the process of accumulating troops would definitely require a significant amount of time, and they could not be discovered by Loken.
This meant that even if Loken regained his power, he would still have to remain in Pandaria for at least the next few years.
With Pandaria still shrouded in mist, teleportation could not connect the continent to the outside world. It was nearly impossible for Loken to meet Thorim and Hodir, and he could only establish tenuous communication channels through Mortal messengers.
Loken could understand the Pandaren's intention in shrouding Pandaria. The heart of the seven-headed YShaarj was buried beneath The Jade Forest, and its lingering aura was still affecting the Pandaren, which was why Emperor Shaohao ordered The Jade Forest to be sealed off.
Seeing the persistent worry on Loken's face, Andreas kindly advised, "We still have time. The main force of the Burning Legion has not yet arrived, and the Old Gods still have a long way to go before fully breaking out. There's no need to be overly anxious."
"The immediate priority is for you to retrieve the power stolen by Lei Shen, restore normal order to Pandaria, accumulate troops, and eliminate the Mantid."
"Once the descendants of the Aqir who seek to resurrect YShaarj are gone, the remaining Sha will not be difficult to deal with."
The difficulty of the Sha is only relative to Mortals. They can influence people's hearts and twist their wills, but for beings like the stone Mogu, whose hearts are like bedrock, YShaarj's residual ripples are nothing significant.
Searching for Lei Shen's tomb took a considerable amount of time. Before that, Yulon, the Azure Serpent, emerged from seclusion first. She personally came to the Mogushan Vaults to meet the Great Guardian, and Andreas finally had a formal meeting with Yulon.
"Andreas, I already know your purpose."
Looking at the heart of the aspect swimming around her, Yulon said in a soft and pleasant voice, "I can try to teach this little one how to harness power that doesn't belong to it. As for how much time it will take, that depends on its effort and comprehension."
Andreas and Onyxia bowed their heads in thanks to Yulon. Onyxia said, "I thank you for your help on behalf of the Aspects, Lady Yulon."
The heart of the aspect is related to whether the four Aspects can reclaim all of their power. If they remain in this half-baked state, they are almost guaranteed to suffer defeat again if they encounter the Fallen Black Dragon King crawling out of the abyss of death.
However, before the power of the Aspects could be returned, there was one more problem to solve—Nozdormu.
The Time Dragon King has been submerged in the timestream for tens of thousands of years, and even Dragon Queen SoDomi cannot find out where he went.
"Perhaps I can help."
Loken, who was reading, suddenly interjected, "Amanthul, the Father of the Gods, bestowed a portion of his power upon me. Due to... *cough*, you know."
The fewer people who knew about the destruction of the Pantheon, the better. Loken glossed over the subject and did not mention that part in front of Yulon.
"I took out this power to keep as a memorial, burying it underground in The Jade Forest alongside YShaarj's heart to suppress it. This is why the crops planted in The Jade Forest can mature in a single day."
"According to Pandaren historical records, that location is now called Mogu'shan Palace. If I retrieve this power transmitted from the Father of the Gods, I might be able to find the whereabouts of that Time Dragon King within the chaotic timestream."
Loken's proposal is an effective solution, but putting it into practice right now is not very realistic.
Mogu'shan Palace is located in The Jade Forest, which has a powerful seal jointly placed upon it by the august celestials. Only when they are all present can the seal be lifted.
Yulon has only recently finished her cycle of reincarnation, and her state is still unstable. She is not suitable for this kind of demanding, delicate work, so Loken's proposal must be temporarily postponed.
Regarding Nozdormu's whereabouts, Andreas has a guess.
The Dragon King of Time, who lacks his power, has likely been tracking the source of the Infinite Dragonflight for many years. He has probably already discovered some clues about the End Time, and following this lead should allow him to be found.
Unfortunately, everything Nozdormu does before recovering the power absorbed by the dragon soul and restoring his peak state is futile; he cannot truly grasp the opponent's weakness.
After all, the leader of the Infinite Dragonflight is a Dragon King-level figure from Azeroth's future timeline who has recovered their peak power.
When Loken had recuperated and was ready to re-accept the Keepers' power, the Monks spread throughout Kun-Lai Summit finally found the True Tomb of the Thunder King.
During this period, Andreas contacted the outside world many times.
The current time has entered the Eighth Year of the Dark Portal, and the Dark Portal was indeed forcibly opened again from the Draenor side.
The Orc Clans that did not enter Azeroth during the last war appeared in the Blasted Lands, including the Warsong, Shattered Hand, Thunderlord Clan, and Bonechewer, among other battle-hardened Clans.
As time went on, the effect of the demon blood slowly began to fade.
The valiant Orcs who drank the most demon blood gradually regained their sanity. Through the accounts of Horde survivors like Teron Gorefiend and Zul'ruk, who fled back to Draenor, the Clans remaining on Draenor received the devastating news of the Horde's defeat on Azeroth.
Teron Gorefiend was an ungrateful wretch personally groomed by Gul'dan, and he always considered his own interests first.
After being defeated on Azeroth, Teron Gorefiend fled back without hesitation, but he did not want to remain in this dying world waiting for death. He had to find a new way out.
For example, traveling to other habitable new worlds.
The strength of a single Death Knight was insufficient to open a brand new spatial portal. Teron Gorefiend intended to find a highly respected Orc to rebuild the structure of the HordeNerzhul.
Although he had fatal character flaws, Nerzhul's ability and charisma were not poor. He immediately saw through Teron Gorefiend's ulterior motives, but the Death Knight's idea of finding other planets truly was the only way out for the Orcs now.
Nerzhul, having been deceived and humiliated by Gul'dan, was utterly disheartened. He believed that blindly trusting Kiljaeden's persuasion, which used his deceased wife as an illusion, was what led the Orcs to their current state, and he remained depressed for a long time.
Teron Gorefiend was Gul'dan's most trusted subordinate. He was very familiar with Gul'dan's dealings with the Burning Legion and was highly skilled at rhetoric.
The Death Knight leader spent a considerable amount of time convincing Nerzhul that even without his mistakes, it was only a matter of time before the Burning Legion targeted the Orcs.
Although it was somewhat a matter of changing the subject, Teron Gorefiend's argument had some credibility. Nerzhul, eager to atone, finally believed his statement and stepped forward again to rally the Orc Clans remaining on Draenor.
Under the support of Chieftains like Grom Hellscream, Kargath, and Fenris, Nerzhul became the Orcs' third Warchief.
He used the skull of Gul'dan, which Teron Gorefiend brought back from Azeroth, as a medium, and spent over a year with many Warlocks repairing the severed energy conduit of the Dark Portal, reconnecting the transit channel between Draenor and Azeroth.
The unusual activity at the Dark Portal had already alerted the Keep. Turalyon ordered an outpost to be established in front of the Dark Portal to constantly monitor the gate's latest status.
The massive Orc invasion immediately triggered a chain reaction within the Alliance.
Although the Northern Kingdoms were still enthusiastically fighting among themselves, the Kingdom of Stormwind, which holds the south, immediately dispatched troops for support.
One cannot allow others to sleep soundly beside one's bed. The Kingdom of Stormwind, being closest to the Dark Portal, had already suffered once and would not allow the Orcs to rampage unchecked within its borders again.
While the Warsong, Thunderlord Clan, and other Clans fiercely tied up the Alliance forces led by Turalyon, Teron Gorefiend's Death Knight squad, facilitated by the Sub-species Black Dragons of the Dragonmaw Clan, established contact with a Dark Entity buried deep beneath the sea of Azeroth.
The last time Andreas received news from the Eastern Kingdoms via Niana, Lordaeron was already showing signs of collapse under the joint siege of the Four Kingdoms.
Terenas was trying to find a way to save face and retreat. He had never expected Lordaeron, the strongest human kingdom in his mind, to be pushed to such an extent.
Beating a drowning dog is an opportunity no sentient creature would pass up. Until Lordaeron relinquished enough benefits, the Four Human Kingdoms that jointly deployed troops had no intention of ceasing hostilities.
But just at this moment, news arrived that Death Knights had invaded Dalaran.
Antonidas was severely slapped in the face by the elusive Teron Gorefiend. Medivh's Book, which had recently been 'borrowed' back from Karazhan, was stolen from the magic vault along with the Eye of Dalaran.
This kind of humiliation was unbearable even for Antonidas, who prided himself on his calmness and self-control. He immediately called upon the other Alliance member nations to mediate and halt the civil war that had lasted over a year among the Northern Kingdoms.
Terenas, who was at the end of his rope, simply didn't want to lose all face. He was already waiting for an opportunity to back down, and Antonidas' proposal suited him perfectly.
After Lordaeron raised the banner that the renewed Horde invasion concerned the crisis of humanity, and even Azeroth itself, the Four Human Kingdoms, led by Alterac, had no choice but to agree to swift peace talks.
But acting at this point was clearly too late. By the time Kirin Tor Council member KelThuzad used necromancy to search the souls of the captured Death Knights in Dalaran for the Horde's true purpose, Teron Gorefiend's scheme had already been achieved.
According to Teron Gorefiend's speculation, tearing open a channel to other worlds required three powerful artifacts. Gul'dan, in order to win over the Death Knights who were starting to have second thoughts, had vaguely revealed some of Azeroth's artifacts to Teron Gorefiend.
Medivh's Book and the Eye of Dalaran were already acquired. The last artifact was extremely difficult to obtain: the Fel Energy artifact hidden deep within the Tomb of Sargerasthe scepter of sargeras.
This Scepter was originally brought to Azeroth by Sargeras' avatar. After Aegwynn defeated the demon king's avatar, she sealed this highly polluting Fel Energy artifact within the tomb.
Andreas originally thought the barrier personally set up by Elisande, leading many Magisters, was sturdy enough, but the facts proved its strength was insufficient.
A group of Naga suddenly rushed out from the deep sea. Their powerful leader effortlessly blew up the barrier set up by Elisande.
For some unknown reason, the demons inside the tomb did not attack these Naga, allowing them to smoothly take the scepter of sargeras buried deep within the tomb and deliver it back to the Eastern Kingdoms to Teron Gorefiend.
Andreas was currently frowning and contacting Leticia. The girl was right outside the Tomb of Sargeras, where Elisande and others were inspecting the damage to the barrier and trying to repair and reinforce it.
"Are you sure Elisande said the barrier was destroyed by a Demigod Arcanist?"
"Confirmed." Leticia, who was usually so boisterous, spoke with a very serious tone now. "The Archmage seems to have guessed who the perpetrator is. Recently, undisguised worry often appears on her facethat is true emotion that cannot be faked."
"Hoo~"
Andreas let out a long breath, rubbed his brow to steady his emotions, and then spoke to Leticia through the Shadow Imp: "I understand. Tell Elisande to heighten her vigilance, but she doesn't need to worry too much."
"Since that Great Figure retreated immediately after breaking the barrier with a single blow, it means she doesn't intend to formally step into the spotlight yet."