Three days passed in a blink.


    After the three Druid elders attacked Cloudview County, and following the apocalyptic event at the Bird Totem in Endless Forest, the Druid forces seemed to have vanished.


    Even with the Moon God''s death, the Druids didn''t retaliate against Cloudview County with the expected fury.


    However, Druids continued to gather at the edge of Endless Forest.


    The six tribes led by Mike hadn''t left, and the Psychics of Cloudview County remained vignt, constantly reinforcing the border with formations and traps.


    Diana had briefly regained consciousness after copsing.


    She had told Amelia, "The ckwoods no longer need to fear experts above the Basic Mastery stage," before falling unconscious again.


    Amelia had taken her back to Glory City.


    The ckwood n understood that Diana had yed a crucial role in their victory, but Amelia exined that only her Celestial Botanical Technique and exceptionally rare treasures could truly heal the Demon Lord.


    Ordinary methods were ineffective, leaving the ckwoods unsure how to repay Diana''s kindness.


    The ckwood n gathered, kneeling before the Forebearer Psychic Position, expressing their gratitude to Ethan for ying the Moon God and saving their family once again.


    Ethan, perched proudly on the altar, waved his hand dismissively.


    "It was nothing, hehe, just a small matter."


    As if he hadn''t spent the entire day after using ''Fight, My Dear Forebearer'' in a daze, suffering from the agonizing aftereffects.


    "Forebearer, I acted recklessly, dragging our family into war with the Druids. Please punish me!" Nathan kowtowed, filled with guilt.


    Ethan wasn''t angry.


    Everyone in the ckwood n knew that Nathan hade to Border town prepared to die, to secure a future for his family.


    But neither Ethan, the Forebearer, nor the ckwood descendants would abandon any of their own.


    They would face all challenges together.


    Ethan activated the skill ''Forebearer''s Caress.''


    Charlie Crackle, in his Mist Serpent form, appeared before the Psychic Position, rying Ethan''s words, which he had written on the translucent panel.


    "Master says, what''s done is done. Facing the consequences with courage is the righteous path."


    "Thank you for your forgiveness, Forebearer!" Nathan kowtowed repeatedly, secretly pleased that the Forebearer favored him the most.


    The ckwood n gathered in the ancestral hall to discuss the future of Cloudview County.


    As Ethan had said, now that they had returned, neither the Emerald Empire nor the Druids could take theirnd.


    They would use every means at their disposal to make it clear that Cloudview County belonged to the ckwoods!


    "Forebearer, Edward, as I instructed, obtained the title of Duke from the ancient god, along with his promise. This status will allow us tomand many powerful individuals and factions. I believe Edward should be the one to hold the title of Duke."


    Edward, who had been listening attentively to his elders, was taken aback.


    "Great-grandfather, me? As Duke?"


    Surely, there were many elders more qualified than him.


    "Yes." Nathan smiled.


    "Martin already holds the title of Duke. Even with our close rtionship, having two Dukes in one county could lead to conflict. But you are different. Keh is your brother-inw, and you have ties to the Martins. He would be delighted. Besides, the old tree is never wrong.


    He said you would sit on the throne, so sit boldly."


    "I understand." Edward nodded solemnly.


    The old tree, now in human form, closed his eyes and puffed out his chest with pride.


    Edward retrieved several items from his Storage Ring: a jade slip with the imperial decree, a jade seal signifying his dukedom, and a magnificent robe.


    He stepped out of the room, and with the ckwood n''s approval, took a deep breath and engraved his name on the ancient god''s decree.


    A formation descended from the sky above Cloudview County, bathing Edward in a pir of natural energy.


    A throne materialized in the air.


    Everyone in Azure Cloud''s Border town stared in awe at the pir of light. Explore more at m,v l''e-NovelBin


    Edward ascended with the light, taking his ce on the throne!


    His voice boomed across the sky.


    "Today, Edward ckwood of Azure Cloud, by decree of the ancient god, assumes the position of Duke of Cloudview County!"


    Natural energy surged from the formation, converging upon Edward.


    His aura swelled!


    ...


    Meanwhile, in the imperial capital, during the court assembly held every eighteen days...


    Chaos erupted among the officials.


    "News from the Azure Cloud border! All the Psychics who evacuated Cloudview County have returned! Led by Daniel ckwood, theyunched a brilliant ambush, ying four hundred and thirty thousand enemies!"


    "Unbelievable! Not a single one obeyed the order to retreat! A mere county town withstood six tribes! And the Azure Cloud ckwoods are no ordinary n. Nathan ckwood has undergone the Nine-Nine Thunder Tribtion and single-handedly held off a Druid Apostle. Intelligence reports indicate that another ckwood, named Amelia, is also about to undergo the Nine-Nine Thunder Tribtion."


    "I heard the Druids even sent elders this time. That hasn''t happened in thirty thousand years! The ckwoods used their trump card and killed the Moon God!"


    "Hiss..."


    Their astonishment was understandable.


    During thest court assembly, they had all but written off Cloudview County.


    Now, against all odds, it had survived!


    Some even felt a secret thrill.


    The cession of the twelve border counties had been a humiliation for many of the high-ranking officials present.


    This victory was a much-needed morale boost.


    But among the officials, none looked as grim as National Advisor Lance.


    The ckwood n''s victory brought him no joy.


    Ceding the twelve counties in exchange for a millennium of peace had been a perfectly reasonable trade in his eyes, a political achievement he had intended to boast about.


    But the ckwoods'' defiance had disrupted his ns, even sowing seeds of doubt among the officials.


    The survival of a county and a n that had been deemed expendable was a p in his face, a public deration of his folly.


    "Your Majesty!" Lance bowed towards the ancient god, who sat behind a curtain.


    "The ever-victorious general, Owen, disobeyed your orders and engaged in battle with Druid elders in Cloudview County. He has jeopardized the alliance between Your Majesty and the Druids. This is treason! Please issue a decree, and I will immediately dispatch men to bring Owen back for punishment!"


    His words ignited a storm of outrage among the military officials.


    The grand hall echoed with the shouts of both civil and military factions.


    Numerous generals pleaded for permission to lead their armies to Azure Cloud''s aid.


    Some even proposed summoning reclusive experts to lead the charge, emting Grand Tutor Gilbert''s northern expedition, to conquer the Mystic Alliance''s Druidnds and im them for the Emerald Empire.


    Even some of the most conservative civil officials in the grand hall supported this idea.


    As more and more officials voiced their support for military action, the ancient god''s voice finally rang out.


    "This matter will be discussed upon Grand Tutor Gilbert''s return."


    His words silenced the court.


    Grand Tutor Gilbert had been campaigning in the north for millennia.


    By the time he returned, Cloudview County would be overrun with Druid totems.