Chapter 71

After Bai Cangdong refused the Earl Fenghua, the banquet hall fell silent, as if the air itself was about to freeze. In Fenghua City, no one had ever dared to refuse the Earl Fenghua. She was the sky and the queen here, and no one could defy the will of heaven or the command of the queen.

Earl Fenghua's expression remained unchanged as she looked at Bai Cangdong and asked calmly, "Why?"

"Because I want to become an earl myself," Bai Cangdong replied straightforwardly. Now he had no choice but to stand firm; becoming Yan Mengyun's knight was absolutely impossible.

"Too arrogant, to think you can become an earl."

"A dreamer's talk."

The hall was filled with reprimands. Whether out of their true feelings or to please Earl Fenghua, they all mocked and ridiculed Bai Cangdong.

"Fine." Earl Fenghua only said one word, then no longer mentioned making Bai Cangdong a knight or choosing someone else to receive the third set of armor.

The banquet continued as usual, but the atmosphere was always a bit off. After it ended, Bai Cangdong and Feng Xian left the earl's mansion together.

"You shouldn't have directly contradicted the earl. At least you should have been more tactful," Feng Xian said.

"Can't back down. A half-step back is a thousand-foot cliff," Bai Cangdong shook his head.

Feng Xian wanted to say more, but a maid from the earl's mansion blocked their way.

"Viscount Mask, the earl requests your presence."

Bai Cangdong frowned slightly but could not refuse. He followed the maid to Earl Fenghua's study.

"What does the earl want from me?" Bai Cangdong asked, bowing.

"I hope you will reconsider and decide whether to become Mengyun's knight," Earl Fenghua continued before Bai Cangdong could speak. "Don't rush to refuse. I know you have great ambitions, but sometimes, unrealistic dreams are far less practical than what you can easily obtain."

"You haven't seen an earl-level undead, and you don't know how terrifying they are. You will understand in the future. It's impossible to become an earl with just your own strength. I will keep this set of armor, martial arts, and undead egg for you. You can come and take them anytime, along with the position of the knight commander." Earl Fenghua even offered the position of the knight commander.

After Bai Cangdong left, Yan Mengyun came out from behind the screen.

"Earl, why must Viscount Mask become my knight?" Yan Mengyun was puzzled by Earl Fenghua's high regard for Bai Cangdong.

"I told you, you can call me mother when no one is around," Earl Fenghua frowned slightly.

Yan Mengyun lowered her head, seemingly dissatisfied with Earl Fenghua's request.

Earl Fenghua sighed lightly, "I know it's hard for you to accept, but never mind. We have plenty of time to be together, and I will make you accept me."

"Viscount Mask is not an ordinary viscount. If he can fully assist you, your chances of becoming an earl will greatly increase." Earl Fenghua learned from Lingbo how Bai Cangdong and Feng Xian had rushed to the altar and shattered the eternal life process, and ordered Lingbo not to tell anyone what she had seen.

"Not an ordinary viscount?" Yan Mengyun didn't understand what Earl Fenghua meant.

"First, he has the privilege of defying fate, which is crucial for becoming an earl. Although the undead don't have the three major privileges, higher ranks naturally have some suppressive effect on lower ranks. Defying fate allows him to be more free and fully utilize his strength when facing earl-level undead. Also, his strength is very powerful. I don't know how he did it, but he can now match a viscount with 360 slots of complete golden life force. Do you think any other viscount in Fenghua City can do that besides him?"

"How is that possible? Viscount Mask has only been a viscount for a short time, and I heard he has less than ten slots of golden life force. How can he match a viscount with 360 slots of complete life force!" Yan Mengyun said, disbelieving.

"If he didn't have such strength, how could he and Feng Xian have rushed to the undead altar and shattered the eternal life crystal together?"

"Didn't Feng Xian use the life-explosion pill and sacrifice herself to shatter the eternal life crystal?" Yan Mengyun's eyes widened, clearly not expecting there to be more to the story.

Earl Fenghua said calmly, "That's what I told others, but the truth is that Viscount Mask and Feng Xian rushed to the undead altar together, and it was Viscount Mask who restrained most of the undead, giving Feng Xian the chance to shatter the eternal life crystal. Even if Feng Xian used the life-explosion pill, she couldn't have broken through the defenses of powerful undead like the Hell Flame Messenger to shatter the eternal life crystal. Now you understand why I must have Viscount Mask become your knight."

"He doesn't seem willing to become my knight," Yan Mengyun said.

"There will always be a way," Earl Fenghua said confidently.

Bai Cangdong left the earl's mansion and saw Feng Xian still waiting outside.

"Are you okay?" Feng Xian asked, worried.

"I'm fine. The earl just talked to me for a bit."

"Can you tell me what she said?"

"She said she would keep the armor and other things for me, and I can come and take them anytime, along with the position of the knight commander," Bai Cangdong said truthfully.

"To entrust the knight commander position to you, it seems the earl values you highly. Are you really not considering becoming Yan Mengyun's knight?"

"I've already said my goal is to become an earl, not to be a knight," Bai Cangdong said firmly.

Feng Xian sighed, "You might be in trouble. The earl is not someone who easily changes her mind. If I were you, I would leave Fenghua City immediately and never come back."

"It's probably too late for that," Bai Cangdong also wanted to leave Fenghua City immediately, but Earl Fenghua wouldn't let him go so easily.

"I thought so. What are your plans?" Feng Xian asked.

"Go back, sleep, and then leave Fenghua City immediately."

"Do you need my help?"

"Pray for me, I hope the earl doesn't personally intervene."

Bai Cangdong really did go back and sleep, sleeping deeply until dawn.

Without seeing Feng Xian again, Bai Cangdong left a note and left Fenghua City from the east gate. He hadn't gone far when he saw Hua Qianwu riding a three-meter-tall, entirely red, lizard-like undead with a flaming tail.

"Mask, you are too arrogant and overconfident, daring to defy the earl's command," Hua Qianwu said coldly, looking at Bai Cangdong.

"The earl didn't say I couldn't leave Fenghua City," Bai Cangdong replied calmly.

"Don't try to argue. The earl has ordered you to stay in Fenghua City for a while."

"I'm afraid the earl will be disappointed. I have important matters to attend to and can't stay in Fenghua City," Bai Cangdong said and then leaped up, running towards the forest.

"This is your own path to death," Hua Qianwu ordered, and the twenty-five viscounts charged forward, with her fire-tailed beast leading the way, quickly approaching Bai Cangdong.

"You're not the only one with a mount," Bai Cangdong summoned a golden undead egg, which instantly transformed into a golden lion.

Bai Cangdong jumped onto the golden lion's back, and the golden lion roared, rushing into the forest faster than Hua Qianwu's fire-tailed beast.

"How did you get the golden lion of the Four Knights?" Hua Qianwu was shocked to see the golden lion.

Bai Cangdong didn't answer, just rode the golden lion and fled into the forest. Once he entered the forest, Hua Qianwu and her group would find it hard to catch up.

As the golden lion was running, eight green eyes suddenly appeared in front of him, revealing the Eight-Eyed Celestial's Heavenly Eye technique.

Fortunately, Bai Cangdong was prepared. The immortal bird flew to his shoulder, blocking the Eight-Eyed Celestial's Heavenly Eye technique.

The Eight-Eyed Celestial, with a crab-like body and eight green eyes, appeared not far in front of Bai Cangdong, blocking his path. On the Eight-Eyed Celestial stood Lingbo, fully armed.

This was the first time Bai Cangdong saw the true form of the Eight-Eyed Celestial. The one he encountered at the undead altar had mutated and gained significant power, including the ability to become invisible during battle. This Eight-Eyed Celestial clearly didn't have that terrifying ability and was exposed once it used the undead light.

With Lingbo blocking him, Hua Qianwu and the other knight members rushed up, surrounding Bai Cangdong.

"Brother Mask, I'm sorry, but the earl has ordered me to come," Lingbo's face was pale, and she looked unwell.

Bai Cangdong nodded and said nothing, then turned to Hua Qianwu, "I didn't want to shed the blood of my kind, but since the earl insists on making things difficult for me, I have no choice but to fight."

"Arrogant talk, today is your end," Hua Qianwu ordered, and the viscounts immediately attacked Bai Cangdong, while she herself stood by to prevent his escape.

These twenty-five viscounts were the elite members of the knight corps, each with silver life force and over forty slots, equipped with baron-level but high-quality armor, and wielding viscount-level lances.

Due to long-term training, these viscounts were more skilled in coordinated attacks. The twenty-five lances attacked in waves, trapping Bai Cangdong inside. Despite his combined strength with the golden lion, he found it difficult to break through.

Bai Cangdong recalled the golden lion. He had only recently obtained it and was not familiar with its abilities, making it hard to control. Riding it actually restricted his movements and prevented him from fully utilizing his strength.