"Austin?"

"Yes!" Austin quickly nodded, removing the covering from his head to reveal a joyful expression. He regarded Chen Feng and his demeanor as if Chen Feng were the Emperor himself.

Austin, being the Emperor, had taken extensive precautions for his secret outing; without his speaking, Chen Feng might not have recognized him at all.

"I heard the Senior had returned to the family, so I rushed over..." Austin began.

"Heard I was coming and rushed over? Heh..." Chen Feng let out a cold sneer, his tone laced with an icy chill. "More likely, you engineered my return!"

Hearing this, Austin knew his scheme had been seen through. Cold sweat immediately beaded on his forehead. "I..."

"No need to explain. You used various means to transfer the entire national treasury into the Caint Family's coffers, then spread rumors to draw in the Lockey Empire to contest it, thus pushing the Caint Family into peril. Once the family faced a crisis, I would naturally appear. Your meticulous planning is impressive!" Chen Feng stated.

"I..." Austin nearly collapsed to his knees. Intense fear caused every hair on his body to stand on end, as if he were transported back six years to Dragon's Map Mountain, where the other man moved like a phantom, knowing every thought in his heart.

"Enough. You were coerced, I don't blame you. Tell me what you need," Chen Feng said plainly.

Austin wiped the cold sweat from his brow. "The predicament the Finlay Empire faces, the Senior must already know. I implore the Senior to lend a hand!"

"No time!" Chen Feng held no interest in the power struggles between great empires. While Austin had treated him well, the Emperor had always sought to exploit him—a fact Chen Feng strongly disliked. Thus, he had no intention of intervening.

"Senior..." Austin said nervously, "Only you can help us. Otherwise, the Finlay Empire will truly perish!"

"All empires must eventually fall. Worrying about it is useless," Chen Feng replied, his words devoid of any sympathy.

"The Finlay Empire has stood for millennia; how can it be allowed to perish by my hand! If the Senior can help me through this crisis, I, Austin, swear upon the highest honor of knighthood: the entire nation shall revere the Dragon God." Austin spoke with firm resolve.

The Four Great Empires originally had no state religion, often fabricating deities for easier rule and to manipulate the populace. Their pantheons were usually varied. Austin’s sudden declaration to worship the Dragon God clearly indicated his intent to establish it as the state religion.

"Revere the Dragon God?" Chen Feng's heart stirred. If the [Sweep the Horizon] Legion could establish a dynasty in the Chaotic Regions, why couldn't they unify the Four Great Empires? Thinking of this, a smile touched Chen Feng’s lips. "Fine, I can help you. But... some rules cannot be broken. I will only lend you one person!"

"One person?" Austin, who had been overjoyed when Chen Feng agreed, saw his face dim upon hearing the number. What could one person accomplish? Even someone at the Saint Domain level couldn't salvage such a rout!

Chen Feng seemed to sense his thoughts and laughed. "One person, of course, is not for fighting, but for commanding. Do you remember what the Lockey Empire's greatest strength was?"

"The Pterodactyl Knights!" Austin exclaimed without hesitation. As soon as the words left his mouth, his eyes lit up, and he said excitedly, "Does the Senior mean to give me the Pterodactyl Knights?"

Chen Feng nodded. "Send men to the Glacial Demon Garden to find the Pterodactyl King. Tell him I have summoned him to assist you!" Chen Feng then took a small vial from his waterskin, let a drop of blood fall into it: "This is the token. When your envoy arrives, give this to the Pterodactyl King, and he will bring the pterodactyl swarm."

"Yes!" Austin hastily took the vial, his hands trembling slightly with tension. He hadn't held much hope for this trip but was returning with an immense reward.

Pterodactyl Riders might not be individually powerful, but their strength multiplied when paired with the flying beasts. Attacking ground forces from the air was as easy as an adult bullying a child.

Chen Feng’s decision to gift the pterodactyls to Austin also served his own calculations. The Four Great Empires, though not overwhelmingly powerful, had endured for so many years on the Overseas Continent for a reason. Using the pterodactyls to cause trouble for the Dragon Clan would be the perfect strategy.

Firstly, the Dragon Clan had never acknowledged the pterodactyls as part of their race. Even if some transgression occurred, Chen Feng could easily distance himself from the Dragons. Secondly, pterodactyls were indigenous to this continent; it was perfectly normal for them to assist the Finlay Empire now, just as they had once helped the Lockey Empire. Even if they ended up bowing to the Dragon God, no one would object.

After all, despite the Dragon Clan not claiming them, pterodactyls recognized the Dragon Clan's supremacy.

In essence, handing the pterodactyl swarm to Austin was a move that benefited him in every conceivable way.

Austin bowed deeply to Chen Feng, feeling the dawn of victory, while his awe and fear of the man deepened. His spies had long since gathered intelligence on the events of ten days prior—the silent annihilation of 10,000 allied troops in under ten minutes. Such power was terrifyingly immense!

"Do not forget your promise. Once you have established a powerful empire, revere the—" Chen Feng continued, his voice trailing off meaningfully.

"I will never forget!" Austin quickly replied. Since the Dragon Clan could help establish the Finlay Empire, they could equally empower other empires. In his current situation, he had tied himself to the great tree of the Dragon Clan; he could never break free.

Of course, with this great tree sheltering him, everything else became secondary. No matter how strong the Lockey Empire or the Tony Empire became, could they possibly surpass the Dragon Clan?

"Also, someone I send will find you tomorrow. His name is Luo Bo. He is a Saint Domain expert and will help you deal with other Saint Domain opponents." Lending one person, and one not overwhelmingly strong at that, was hardly a concession.

"Yes!" Austin acknowledged and took his leave. Only upon stepping outside did he realize his back was completely soaked with sweat. The man exuded an intimidating presence without even raising his voice; all of Austin's petty tricks and schemes were laid bare before him. If he couldn't make the man nervous...

As Austin departed, Chen Feng narrowed his eyes slightly, then rose to his feet. "It is time for me to leave as well. It is time to settle the old grievances with the Lockey Empire."

……………………………………………………………………

Using a private teleportation array, he returned to the Domain, retrieved Luo Bo, and sent him to find Austin. He then had Dictus and his forces encamp outside Dragon Mountain Town. Chen Feng left several teleportation arrays behind, allowing him to summon them at any moment without the panic that a mass aerial movement of troops would cause. With everything arranged, he left the Caint Family residence and flew toward the Lockey Empire with Ling Feng and Little Tiger.

Due to the ongoing conflict, many towns were decaying. The trio saw little spectacle on their journey. They used teleportation arrays when available, otherwise relying on flight, though they spent the majority of the time airborne.

Three days later, the trio appeared at the border between the Finlay and Lockey Empires, at a place Chen Feng remembered: Middle Merchant Town, which, according to the map, belonged to the Lockey Empire.

Since it was a hub for commerce, the town had been spared the ravages of war and remained bustling. After several days of continuous travel, Little Tiger was growing restless and welcomed a chance to rest here.

Entering the town, Chen Feng and the others headed toward the largest inn in the center.

What they needed most now was a good bath, a decent meal, and a solid night’s sleep.

Normally, given their cultivation level, such mundane needs were optional, but Ling Feng was still a girl, and after days on the road, she felt itchy without a wash.

Upon entering the inn, Chen Feng and his companions walked directly to the counter. "Three rooms for us, please. Preferably one with a backyard!"

"I am terribly sorry, but all rooms are occupied for today!" the innkeeper said with visible difficulty.

"Full?" Chen Feng hadn't expected such a crowd. He glanced at Ling Feng and said helplessly, "Let's check elsewhere."

Ling Feng nodded in agreement. Just as the trio turned to leave, a spirited youth burst in from outside. "Innkeeper, I need a room!"

"Certainly! Young Master Milo!" The innkeeper smiled and nodded, then called out to a nearby clerk. "Hurry and take Young Master Milo to the guest rooms in the backyard!"

"Yes!" A clerk immediately bowed and walked ahead of the youth.

Little Tiger felt this was unfair and stepped forward. "Why is it that we come and there are no rooms, but when he arrives, there are rooms?"

The innkeeper glanced at Little Tiger but returned to flipping through his ledger, ignoring him.

Little Tiger slammed the counter. "Hey, I’m talking to you! Are you deaf?"

"I am not deaf, are you? I told you to go somewhere else; there are no rooms here!" the innkeeper replied impatiently.

Hearing the argument, the youth who had only stepped a few paces outside turned back, seemingly eager to watch the unfolding drama.

"Young Master Milo, please wait. I will resolve this matter quickly!" The innkeeper, sensing the youth watching, grew anxious and spoke quickly.

"I'm in no hurry. The beast fight hasn't started yet. I'd like to see how you handle this. It might be more entertaining than the spectacle itself!" the youth said with a smile.

The innkeeper quickly plastered on a servile smile. "Yes! Yes!" He then turned back to Little Tiger and roared, "Fine! We refuse to do business with you today, alright? Get out, or I'll have people drag you out!"

"Fine! Then get someone to drag me out!" Little Tiger angrily sat down directly on the counter.

Little Tiger's temperament was such that soft words mollified him, but stubbornness only provoked him. Had the innkeeper spoken a few conciliatory words, he wouldn't have been so angry.

"Oh, it seems they aren't afraid of you," the youth mocked the innkeeper.

The innkeeper felt his face burn with shame and roared at Little Tiger, "Get down from there!"

Before the words were fully out, he felt a tight grip on the collar behind him, and his feet left the ground as he was bodily lifted up.

"Who did you tell to get down?" A cold voice rang out.

ps: Not feeling well. I’ve been writing since I uploaded the last chapter at eight o'clock—a full five and a half hours just to churn out three thousand characters. My apologies, my apologies!! I will try to write more tomorrow. Another two chapters for today! (To be continued. For the rest of the story, please log on to www**m for more chapters, supporting the author and genuine reading!)