"Ha!"
My swordsmanship might not be great, but I have some confidence in my horsemanship. Like a gust of wind, I charged out of my guard formation. In a flash, I glimpsed a cluster of figures and a spray of blood flying from the trees lining the path, finally collapsing on the ground, struggling in their death throes.
Don't let the title fool you. I saw it clearly: the half-dead figure on the ground was a fae. Though her body was covered in blood and gore, from her build, I, with my ample experience, could stake my life that she was female, definitely not an old man.
Just as I was about to reach the fae, a powerful, blinding bolt of electricity shot from the direction she came from, hurtling towards the fae lying on the ground.
Lightning magic?
As the saying goes, a master's touch reveals their skill. To unleash such a "seasoned and potent" lightning bolt, the incoming person's magical power was far from simple; at least a few notches above mine.
Earth Magic - Earth Wall!
I dared not be careless and immediately used my most proficient defensive magic. A massive wall, over twenty feet high, erupted from the ground beside the female fae, intercepting the lightning bolt perfectly and even channeling its current into the earth.
Five figures strolled leisurely out of the treeline, but my heart jolted.
All five of them were fae, and they appeared to be from the Dark Fae clan. Regular fae typically have pure, blonde hair colors, but Dark Fae all possess black hair and darker skin, making them easily distinguishable.
Leading them were a man and a woman. I had already clearly seen their strength, so what truly made my heart tremble was the female fae. I've seen many beauties, and I've met many fae before. I've even encountered super beauties with equal allure to this female Dark Fae. However, her extraordinary and unique aura was something I had never witnessed in my life.
Beyond her stunning beauty, she exuded a sense of incongruity. Regardless of their specific type, fae are generally simple and natural. Yet, this female one before me was different from ordinary fae, possessing a haughty, almost self-important, noble air, as if her very existence was a miracle in the world.
And furthermore, her skin tone was noticeably lighter than her companions, further highlighting her distinction within her race. I had a hunch that she had deep ties with humans.
"What are you staring at?"
The female fae seemed to notice I was only staring at her face. With a sharp cry, she suddenly slashed a sword at me, a sword qi laced with electricity striking directly at my eyes.
Momentarily stunned, I hadn't expected this tall, slender beauty to be a fae swordswoman. I could only awkwardly roll off my horse to dodge the sword qi. The sword qi sliced past, and before I even hit the ground, the horse I had been riding had its head severed, blood splattering into the air.
The sound of swords being drawn echoed, and the more than thirty knights accompanying me also arrived behind me, forming a fan-shaped formation, confronting the five fae.
"Humans, this is a matter for us fae. If you don't wish to die in vain, please leave immediately."
The female fae's male companion spoke softly. Though his words were polite, he didn't even look at us as he spoke, and his tone clearly revealed undisguised disdain, as if telling us he didn't even acknowledge our presence.
The fae's magical power and techniques were inherently superior to humans. Coupled with the pressure those two, the male and female, exerted on us, and the knowledge that they were powerful experts in both magic and combat, their fearlessness in the face of my more than thirty elite knights was not without reason.
I suddenly threw my head back and laughed heartily, calmly getting to my feet. As if nothing had happened, I patted the dust from my clothes, then leisurely raised my middle finger at them.
Seeing my impolite gesture, the five Dark Fae's expressions all changed.
Actually, the reason for their changed expressions wasn't my gesture, but the priceless Magical Light Ring on my middle finger, which glowed with black light.
Dark and Light elements are the rarest and most peculiar elements on this land. There are no more than fifty divine artifacts containing these two great elements in the entire wild, but each one possesses its unique power.
They were masters among the fae, so they naturally knew how terrifying this ring was. If I were to detonate the high-pressure dark elements within the ring, no one could predict what would happen.
"Hmph! I don't care if you're fae or whatever, but you're brawling and killing in my territory, and openly attacking me. You are truly too arrogant!"
The exceedingly beautiful female fae's face grew cold, an astonishing killing intent enveloping the entire scene. However, the male fae finally looked at me directly, then fell into thought.
"Yelan, don't be rash."
Yelan, this beautiful female fae's name was Yelan.
"Do we really need to fear this trash? I don't believe this trash has the guts to activate that cursed ring."
"Haha, well said! I originally didn't have the guts, but it's rare to have a beauty like you as a burial companion, so I'm not afraid anymore. Knights, have you all clearly recognized these Dark Fae?"
The knights behind me responded in unison.
"Trespassing on human territory and attempting to assassinate its lord – this is your Dark Fae's declaration of war against our nation!"
The five fae's expressions shifted simultaneously, but I gave them no time to think. I began to slowly inject magical power into the Magical Light Ring. The crystal ring immediately erupted with black light that enveloped my form. At the same time, I signaled my subordinates, and they all moved backward, preparing for escape.
With our forces, we truly couldn't overcome a few of them. However, if my forces were to flee, they also couldn't stop us. If my subordinates returned to Ferbenley City and testified that I had died by Dark Fae assassination, then the Dark Fae clan would have to face our nation's retribution, and at the very least, my father's and brother's hundred thousand Black Dragon Legion would surely fight the Dark Fae to the death.
Suppressed by my commanding presence, the male fae's eyes flashed with surprise and respect. He spoke, "Are you Lord Avanti Radell of Ferbenley County?"