(TL/N I never liked nor will I ever like Pandaria, it is the first slop/fanservice ever put out by Blizzard and where things started to spiral down)
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"Shandris Feathermoon? Who is that?"
Ten thousand years ago, Shandris was still very young and was merely a member of the Envoy Delegation, not a key decision-maker for the mission. Chi-Ji had truly never heard her name.
"Mortal, I cannot confirm whether your words are true or false, and I cannot easily trust the Black Dragonflight, which has a criminal record."
Chi-Ji remained rooted in place and questioned, "You claim to represent the Wyrmrest Temple. Do you have a token to prove your identity?"
Although Onyxia was usually quite easygoing, she wouldn't foolishly allow others to slap her face when they challenged her directly.
Before Andreas could respond, the Black Dragon Princess first sneered mockingly, "My status as the Black Dragon Princess is the greatest proof. You don't trust Black Dragons? That's fine, just don't block our path."
Chi-Ji was not known for his good temper, and Onyxia's sarcastic remarks made him crouch down again.
"The Black Dragon Princess, a direct descendant of the fallen black dragon king Neltharion, means I definitely cannot let you pass easily!"
Andreas rolled his eyes and tapped the back of Onyxia's head. "Why did you interrupt? You just complicated something that could have been explained in a few sentences."
"Hmph!"
Onyxia raised her head, completely unwilling to admit fault. "Who told this guy to put on such a high posture first? I've seen plenty of Demigods; how many dare to show off in front of me?"
After all, Onyxia was the Black Dragon Princess, having inherited Neltharion's powerful talent. After years of intense training, her strength was now far greater than before.
Among the awakened Demigods today, truly no one dared to claim they could definitely defeat her. Even the proud Goldrinn treated her as an equal.
"Move aside, let me handle the negotiation."
Andreas irritably pushed Onyxia aside. "Lord Chi-Ji, we..."
"More words are useless!"
"Roar!"
Chi-Ji, already annoyed, felt even more displeased when he perceived Andreas' words lacked the respect a Mortal should show a Demigod.
It wasn't that he required every Mortal to kowtow to him, but Chi-Ji was very strict with himself and others. The Monks of the Temple of the White Tiger under his command placed great importance on etiquette.
"Uh..."
Andreas' mouth twitched. He hadn't expected that restraining his aura would cause a misunderstanding.
Given Andreas' current status as a Demigod, he truly did not need to adopt a humble posture toward Chi-Ji.
The last time he went to Zandalar to meet Rezan, Andreas had just been promoted to Demigod, and his power was not yet stable. The appearance of a Mortal Demigod had caused quite a stir.
Since then, he had continuously tried to restrain his outward power fluctuations, doing his best to avoid attracting the special attention of certain big shots, lest he be scrutinized everywhere he went.
"Bring it on! Who's afraid of whom! I refuse to indulge your foul temper!"
Onyxia rolled up her sleeves, intending to revert to her true form. Aside from the Aspects and other older generation big shots, there were truly few people who could make the Black Dragon Princess suffer a setback.
Andreas gloomily grabbed the collar of Onyxia, who was about to step forward. "Come back! Stop causing trouble for me. Let me handle this."
After being grabbed, Onyxia clicked her tongue in annoyance. "Tch! Sick Cat, I don't know whether to say your luck is good or bad. Enjoy the fight."
Chi-Ji narrowed his eyes, not because of Onyxia's provocation, but because of the casual attitude between the two of them.
Onyxia, as the Black Dragon Princess, possessed noble status, yet a mere Mortal could order her around without hesitation. This situation instinctively made Chi-Ji feel that something was wrong.
Andreas pulled Onyxia back and stepped forward, scratching his head helplessly.
"Lord Chi-Ji, because we came in a hurry, I genuinely did not prepare a token to prove the Wyrmrest Temple's commission, however..."
"Whoosh!"
As Andreas released his aura, Chi-Ji's body slightly sank. The Monks who were hiding and peeking from the mountain path simultaneously felt a tremendous pressure envelope them, and many of the weaker Monks were instantly forced to the ground.
Andreas shrugged at Chi-Ji, whose face was filled with surprise and doubt. "My strength should be enough to prove my identity, right?"
However, Andreas' action only provoked the other party. Through the Mortal Demigod before him, Chi-Ji was reminded of Queen Azshara, who had once brought catastrophic disaster to Azeroth.
"Another Mortal Demigod after Azshara."
Chi-Ji released his aura as well. The two auras clashed on the mountaintop, and the pressure on the Monks of the Temple of the White Tiger immediately lightened.
"If you want to gain my recognition, prove it to me through battle!"
"Roar!"
Giving Andreas no time to explain further, the massive white tiger leaped high into the air. Sharp claws sprang from its paw pads, and a blinding white light flashed on both sets of claws.
'Troublesome...'
Andreas usually preferred to persuade unexpected enemies verbally, but when faced with a martial faction that couldn't be reasoned with, he could only abandon his wishful thinking and see the fight through.
According to the theory Andreas understood from his previous life, the White Tiger governs the West, belongs to the element of Metal, and excels at warfare. Chi-Ji's preference for action over words was not entirely unexpected.
Using Shadowmeld to dodge Chi-Ji's frontal pounce, he instantly teleported behind the massive white tiger.
Just as Andreas was about to instantly cast Shadow Magic to attack Chi-Ji's soul, the tail behind Chi-Ji whipped out like a massive steel whip.
Changing his move in haste, Andreas slammed his staff onto the ground, and a golden hemispherical barrier enveloped him.
"Boom!"
The collision of Demigod-level powers spread a shockwave centered on the point of impact. Most of the Monks on the mountain path were thrown backward by the shockwave, nearly rolling all the way down the path like gourds.
Liu Xing, the current disciple of the White Tiger Temple, shouted, "Those who lack strength, retreat immediately! The rest of you, observe Lord Chi-Ji's battle carefully. This is a rare opportunity to learn."
Chi-Ji was greatly surprised by Andreas' ability to display two completely opposing energies in such a short time.
'Can Shadow and Light truly coexist?'
Andreas didn't give Chi-Ji time to think further. Since the fight had started, he needed to demonstrate his true strength.
Multiple golden light swords appeared near Chi-Ji, forming a combined attack under Andreas' control and flying toward Chi-Ji.
"Roar!"
Dragons follow the clouds, tigers follow the wind. The moment Chi-Ji roared, strong winds and heavy snow swept through the area, obscuring Andreas' vision.
'There was no sensation of hitting the target, could it be...'
He subconsciously activated the Speed of Holy Light beneath his feet, swiftly dodging to the left while simultaneously sensing the disturbance of the airflow beside him.
A cold, gleaming claw narrowly missed the spot where Andreas had just been standing.
'Using wind power? Then...'
The eye of Elune at the tip of the staff emitted a dazzling golden light. The snow-covered mountaintop gradually melted under the brilliant Holy Light, and the moisture-laden white clouds above the summit were also dispersed by the high temperature.
Without clouds and snow, simple wind could no longer easily obscure vision.
The sudden burst of Holy Light not only eliminated the nearby moisture but also flashed blinding white light in front of Chi-Ji's eyes.
Closing his eyes, Chi-Ji relied on his other senses to track Andreas' movements. Sensing an abnormality coming from beneath the ground, Chi-Ji immediately leaped aside like a spring.
But before he could land steadily, a sharp stinging sensation from his landing spot startled Chi-Ji.
'I was tricked!'
Large patches of thorn vines infused with Nature Power tightly surrounded Chi-Ji, restricting his movement to a very small area for a short time.
Sharp white currents of air spread around Chi-Ji's body, and the nearby thorn vines were successively severed.
Andreas hadn't intended for this move to trap Chi-Ji for long. While Chi-Ji was clearing the thorns, a golden Magic Array centered on the eye of Elune was rapidly being constructed.
The instant Chi-Ji broke free, a Holy Light energy cannon, compressed by multiple layers of the Magic Array, shot out from the tip of the staff, colliding with the white pillar of light that Chi-Ji had hastily gathered and unleashed.
The surrounding mountains shook violently due to the energy clash. Avalanches occurred on the peaks of several snow-capped mountains, and innocent animals fled in panic.
A group of Pandaren in tight-fitting clothes, climbing the mountain below the Temple of the White Tiger, suddenly changed expression. The Pandaren leader, who was carrying dual blades on his back, quickly gave an order.
"Speed up! The enemy is extremely powerful. Hurry to the scene to support Chi-Ji!"
When the tremors atop White Tiger Peak finally ceased, a rift split the small summit platform. Howling mountain winds lashed the monks lying prostrate along the path, sending shivers through every one of them.
Liu Xing could not tell whether he shook from cold or from the terrifying might of the clash between the two great powers. His thoughts were a mess, his gaze vacant as he stared at the fissure that now cleaved the mountaintop.
Noise drifting up the slope snapped him back to his senses. A band of Pandaren in close-fitting garb strode upward behind a hulking leader.
"Xu Kun?"
"Liu Xing, where's the enemy? Has Lord Chi-Ji won?"
Liu Xing shook his head and motioned toward the temporarily quiet battlefield. "See for yourself. For now, it looks like a draw."
'A draw?'
The Pandaren called Xu Kun narrowed his eyes.
He knew better than anyone how strong Chi-Ji was; the fierce White Tiger almost never found himself deadlocked in single combat.
Chi-Ji fought with sweeping, open strikes, always pressing the attack. His wins and losses were obvious—draws were vanishingly rare.
Much like the legendary duel between Chi-Ji and the Mogu emperor Lei Shen known throughout Pandaren history: had Chi-Ji been willing to fight cautiously, he could have remained undefeated far longer.
But the hot-tempered tiger never compromised. He met the lightning-wielding emperor head-on and went down in a blaze of glory.
More than a minute had passed since that violent burst of energy at the summit, yet the battlefield remained silent. Liu Xing and Xu Kun exchanged glances and cautiously edged forward.
The peak's terrain was ruined; the three combatants stood separated by the great rift. Onyxia hovered in her true form while Andreas faced the huge white tiger across the gap, each studying the other.
At length Chi-Ji asked, voice tinged with puzzlement, "Night Elf, why did you hold back?"
Andreas gave an easy smile. "It was only a misunderstanding; I never meant to fight to the death. Stopping at first blood seemed enough."
Chi-Ji's white brows drew together; he was plainly dissatisfied.
Save for bouts with the impossibly stolid Niuzao, he had not felt this frustrating in-between outcome in a long while.
"Hmph! Victory is victory, defeat is defeat. A draw is dull."
With a grunt Chi-Ji straightened, relaxing his guard, and the oppressive air cloaking the summit began to lift.
"Since you still had strength left to spare, in truth I lost."
Liu Xing and Xu Kun, just arriving, gasped. Liu Xing, who had watched the whole fight, could barely accept it; Xu Kun stared wide-eyed at the hairless foreign Mortal.
"Impossible!"
The three had long sensed the monks approaching. Once sure Chi-Ji stood down, Onyxia and Andreas turned curious eyes toward them.
Andreas raised a brow in surprise. 'Those clothes… could they be…?'
On the Wandering Isle, Pandaren favored loose robes; even training wear was rarely skin-tight.
But these black-clad Pandaren looked far sharper than their easy-going kin, the air of grim purpose about them clashing with the slow-paced Pandaren way of life.
"Lord Chi-Ji, Xu Kun has come uninvited; please forgive the intrusion."
Xu Kun saluted Chi-Ji with clasped fists, then fixed sharp, suspicious eyes on Andreas, flicking a glance at Onyxia as she landed.
Seeing Xu Kun about to speak, Chi-Ji cut him off. "Don't be hasty. Judge a man by his combat, know his heart—this Night Elf demigod bears no ill will."
'Demigod?!'
Xu Kun's heart jumped; he reined in his stare, studying the smiling stranger only from the corner of his eye.
"Ha~"
Onyxia yawned. "Finished with the small talk? Can we get to business?"
Chi-Ji tilted his head downhill. "Come. I'll have the monks mend the rift."
"No need."
Onyxia slapped a draconic claw to the ground; ochre light flowed into the earth.
The sundered stone knit itself shut. Save for a slightly uneven seam, the ghastly crack might never have existed.
Chi-Ji gave her a sidelong look. "Masterful earth-shaping—worthy of the madman's own daughter."
Onyxia lifted her snout proudly. "Flattery will get you nowhere. Lead on."
…On the way back to the Temple of the White Tiger, rows of monks bowed low with clasped fists. Under their escort, Andreas and a human-shaped Onyxia followed Chi-Ji into the main hall.
Though called a temple, the monks worship no Buddha; their way is closer to a school of philosophy.
And each of the august celestials teaches a different path, giving rise to many monastic styles among the Pandaren.
Those who studied under Chi-Ji favored fierce, aggressive forms—every strike aimed to seize the initiative—far removed from the styles Andreas had seen on the Wandering Isle.
The fight had loosened Chi-Ji's limbs and left him in good spirits; Xu Kun, however, looked grim.
"Let me introduce you."
Chi-Ji swept a paw toward Liu Xing, then Xu Kun. "This is Liu Xing, the current disciple of the White Tiger Temple. And this is Xu Kun, leader of The Shado-Pan."
"The Shado-Pan were founded by Emperor Shaohao before he became the Mists. Not limited to monks, any Pandaren willing to defend Pandaria with their own two hands may apply."
Xu Kun added proudly, "That said, our entrance trials are harsh—not just any random cat or dog can join."
Chi-Ji chuckled and shook his head. "Your tongue is as sharp as ever."
The White Tiger himself was blunt; Xu Kun's swagger earned Chi-Ji's respect, and in idle moments he would occasionally offer the Pandaren pointers.
'So they are The Shado-Pan… and is every generation's leader this prickly?'
Before becoming the Mists, Emperor Shaohao had dissolved the Pandaren empire, leaving them without a central government.
Had the Pandaren not been so self-disciplined and innately laid-back, ten thousand years of anarchy would have spelled disaster.
Yet the absence of a central state did not plunge society into chaos.
Emperor Shaohao's final creations—the Golden Lotus and The Shado-Pan—took over civil and military authority.
The Golden Lotus preferred wu-wei governance, keeping a low profile whenever possible, while The Shado-Pan—charged with Pandaria's defense—appeared far more often before the common folk.
Be it local crises or the Mantid invasions every few decades, Shado-Pan warriors were always first on the front line.
At this time the order's leader was not yet the famous Taran Zhu whom Andreas knew. Barring mishap, this Xu Kun should be Taran Zhu's immediate predecessor.
Though awed by Andreas and Onyxia, duty kept Xu Kun from backing down.
He bowed with clasped fists, neither servile nor arrogant. "I am Xu Kun of The Shado-Pan. Guarding Pandaria is my charge. For caution's sake, I must ask how and why you two entered our land."
From Andreas' understanding, the Shado-Pan were essentially the pandaren's Ministry of Defense in a time without an official government, so it was only natural for them to be protective and wary of outsiders.
"No problem, Master Xu Kun."
Andreas gently explained, "We entered Pandaria guided by the great sea turtle Shen-zin Su. As for our purpose… we've already told Lord Xuen."
"Shen-zin Su?"
Xuen exclaimed in surprise, "I didn't expect that little sea turtle to still be alive. No wonder you were able to pass through the thick mists to enter Pandaria."
The pandaren are one of the many mortal races of Azeroth, with a lifespan of only about a hundred years. The pandaren who followed Liu Lang out to sea long ago had already become legends in Pandaria.
But Xuen, the White Tiger, as an immortal demigod, still remembered the events of that time very clearly, especially since Liu Lang had spent some time training at the Temple of the White Tiger before setting sail.
Xu Kun was also a little surprised, "Shen-zin Su is the legendary sea turtle companion of Liu Lang, isn't he? Has the Wandering Isle returned to Pandaria after all these years?"
The pandaren of the Wandering Isle should have already landed on the Dookin Beach in the northern Kun-Lai Summit. Andreas briefly recounted how he found Shen-zin Su and returned to Pandaria, after which the conversation turned to the main topic.
"It's this child."
He unhooked the little Dracogryph from his chest. The little fellow was sleeping comfortably and was very displeased by Andreas' interruption of his rest, scratching at his head with his tender little paws.
Xuen looked at the golden little dragon, which was neither one thing nor another, with a strange expression. "Is this a cloud serpent? But it doesn't seem quite right."
Andreas smiled wryly and shrugged, "Even the Dragon Aspects don't know what kind of creature this little guy is. He looks like a hybrid of a dragon and a cloud serpent."
"Hmm…"
Xuen watched the squeaking little Dracogryph for a while. "Alright, I can help you contact Yu'lon, but I can't guarantee a response."
Andreas was a little taken aback by this. "Why?"
Xuen shook his head and said, "Because of the cycle of rebirth. Yu'lon suffered a difficult-to-heal fundamental injury in the battle against Lei Shen back then. Every so often, she needs to reside in a jade statue to undergo a new cycle of rebirth and growth."
"She just began a new cycle of rebirth a few years ago, and I don't know if she has awakened from her slumber yet."
"Uh…"
After hearing Xuen's explanation, Andreas finally remembered. The memo also contained related information.
Xuen turned his gaze to the Shado-Pan master and instructed, "Xu Kun, send someone to the Jade Forest, to the vicinity of the Serpent's Heart statue, to confirm Yu'lon's condition."
"Yes, sir!"
Xu Kun clasped his hands in response, then turned and called out to the outside of the main hall, "Taoren, come in."
A young pandaren quickly hurried in from outside the hall.
"Master."
"Hmm, you should have heard, right?"
"Yes, I'll depart immediately."
Before Andreas could observe him carefully, the swift pandaren disappeared from outside the hall again.
Noticing Andreas' interested gaze, Xu Kun briefly explained, "That is my direct disciple, Zhu Taoren. Although he is still very young, he is capable and very talented. Please rest assured, Taoren will not mess things up."
Andreas nodded noncommittally, but in his mind, he complained, 'I'm not worried about that. I'm afraid he'll suddenly get chest pains and cough up blood halfway there.'
… With the intention of both monitoring and understanding, Xuen temporarily kept Andreas and Onyxia at the Temple of the White Tiger.
As the master of the Shado-Pan, Xu Kun was busy all day long, with many matters in Pandaria requiring his personal attention. After Xuen promised to personally watch over the two outsiders, he quickly flew north of the Temple of the White Tiger on a dark-colored cloud serpent.
News of the Wandering Isle pandaren landing in Dookin Village had already arrived, and Xu Kun had to rush there as soon as possible to take charge of the situation, lest these long-lost wanderers clash with the locals due to differences in customs.
Although being kept at the Temple of the White Tiger felt like a form of house arrest, Andreas and Onyxia were outsiders who had intruded upon someone else's closed home, not to mention having fought Xuen earlier, so a certain degree of precaution was only natural.
The Kun-Lai Summit is the highest region in Pandaria, with continuous snow-capped mountains and lower temperatures. Under Xuen's influence, the pandaren living in the Kun-Lai Summit are more driven than those in other regions.
If the contents recorded in Andreas' memo were correct, a secret treasure vault of the Mogu should also be buried deep within the Kun-Lai Summit, and a Titan device called the Nalak'sha Engine was placed in the deepest part of the vault.
However, Xuen still harbored some caution towards him, so Andreas did not rashly bring up the topic of the Mogu'shan Vaults.
Even in his youth, Zhu Taoren had a decisive and efficient style. He returned from the Jade Forest in just three days and reported what he had found to Xuen.
"Lady Yu'lon has awakened, but she is still very weak and is being protected by the monks of the Temple of the Jade Serpent in the deepest hall of the temple. She is not convenient to see anyone at the moment."
Xuen turned to Andreas. "That's the situation. What do you plan to do?"
Andreas lowered his head in thought. "Traveling back and forth in Pandaria is too troublesome. If Yu'lon doesn't need much time to recover, I can wait."
Xuen nodded and said, "Based on past experience, Yu'lon usually needs about a year to emerge from her weak period after rebirth. You'll probably have to wait about half a year."
"Half a year, huh…"
Andreas calculated the time.
It was now May of Year 7 of the Dark Portal. The Orcs' second invasion was approximately around Year 8 of the Dark Portal.
However, Andreas wasn't very interested in this half-hearted invasion. In the second invasion, the Orcs didn't intend to continue fighting Azeroth to the death, but rather to quickly snatch a few artifacts and then return to Draenor.
According to the recorded timeline, nothing particularly noteworthy seemed to happen until before Year 18 of the Dark Portal.
Instead, the Burning Legion secretly dropped the soul of an old orc into the Icecrown Glacier during this period, thus beginning the prelude to the Lich King's rise.
Since Draenor was an unprotected world, and given Kil'jaeden and the Burning Legion's obvious focus on that planet, Andreas had no intention of foolishly rushing over to walk into a trap.
The memory of beating up a fragment of Sargeras' soul was still fresh. If the vengeful Sargeras found an opportunity to personally descend and cleave Draenor in two, Andreas wasn't sure if he could survive in the airless void of space.
'Let the Alliance handle the task of retaking Draenor. However, considering future developments, I might need to contact Velen before the Dark Portal closes.'
If everything goes smoothly, six months from now will be around the year 8 of the Dark Portal. Leaving Pandaria and returning to the outside world should allow us to catch the tail end of the Black Gate closing.
Having calculated the time, Andreas informed Xuen of his decision.
The White Tiger demigod didn't offer any opinions on the matter, merely asking Andreas and Onxyia to remain at the White Tiger Temple for another month, after which he would assess the situation and grant them freedom of movement.
Andreas didn't mind; he had already spent ten thousand years cooped up, so a mere month was nothing.
But Onyxia had a slight grievance about it. She had followed Andreas to Pandaria to relax and see the sights, and being confined to the snow-covered White Tiger Temple made the black dragon princess somewhat unhappy.
"Andreas, you don't have to be afraid of that sick cat, why do you have to follow his instructions? Why don't we just sneak away?"
Andreas unhappily tapped the black dragon princess on the head. "You have the nerve to say that? If it weren't for you causing all this trouble, we might already be soaring freely in the sky."
"Behave yourself during this time. Treat this month as a period of self-training and don't cause any more trouble for me."
Onyxia pouted in annoyance, "Tsk~ boring."
Andreas didn't idle away this month. Just like when he lived on the Wandering Isle, he continued to wake up early every day to "exercise" with the White Tiger Temple monks.
Compared to the balanced offensive and defensive martial arts of the Five Dawns Temple, the White Tiger Temple monks' style was more extreme and aggressive.
At the demigod level, technical skills are usually learned instantly. While training with the monks, punching and kicking, Andreas quickly picked up the White Tiger Temple's martial arts techniques.
Xuen was well aware of this, but he simply turned a blind eye. Unless he temporarily halted the monks' training, it was only a matter of time before Andreas observed and learned the White Tiger Temple's forms.
Before the scheduled one-month deadline, Liu Xing, with Xuen's approval, eagerly sent off the great god and his companion.
In just half a month, Andreas' martial arts prowess had caught up to his own, after decades of practice. This frustratingly overwhelming talent nearly drove the White Tiger Temple monks insane.
To prevent Andreas from further irritating his poor apprentices, Xuen, after initially confirming the two were harmless, eagerly released them.
After descending the White Tiger Temple's mountain gate, Onyxia excitedly transformed back into her original form.
"Where should we go first? This is such a vast continent, there must be many fun places, right?"
Andreas gestured with a small grappling technique in his hand and casually said, "Whatever you like, just make sure to set aside time for the serious business. We can wander around freely for three months."
"Of the Four Celestials' temples, three are located within the Serpent's Spine, while only Niuzao the Black Ox's temple is in the Kun-Lai Summit, where the Mantid frequently appear. I'd like to experience the martial arts style of the Temple of the Black Ox first."
Onyxia rolled her eyes. "Why are you suddenly so interested in monks? You're not thinking of changing professions, are you?"
"Not at all." Andreas smiled as he climbed onto Onyxia's back. "It's just a personal interest. Besides, the long life of a night elf needs some things to spice it up. Didn't Aurora also continue her pursuit of art?"
Speaking of Aurora, Andreas had received a letter from Celesse, sent from Quel'Thalas, before he departed.
According to Celesse's description, placing Aurora in Quel'Thalas was like throwing a mouse into a rice bin.
The free-spirited High Elves, while not excelling in everything, were more advanced in humanistic and artistic development than the Night Republic, which focused on rules and regulations.
Aurora's primary work was going very well, and Celesse didn't overly restrict her pursuit of personal hobbies. The girl felt so content in Quel'Thalas that she seemed to have forgotten all about returning home.
Although named Kun-Lai Summit, the main activity area of the mantid is actually in the Dread Wastes further south. The most numerous race in Kun-Lai Summit are the large numbers of Yaungol who thrive there.
The Yaungol are the source of all Tauren sub-races. Initially, they all lived in the central part of ancient Kalimdor, competing with trolls for hunting grounds and receiving guidance from Cenarius.
Finally, one day, the Yaungol grew tired of the endless battles with the Trolls. They migrated as an entire tribe to Pandaria, in the southern part of ancient Kalimdor.
But unfortunately, Pandaria at that time was under the brutal rule of the Mogu. The Yaungol were enslaved by the Mogu before they could even get their bearings in the area.
After uniting with races like the Pandaren, Jinyu, and Hozen to overthrow the Mogu's rule, a great schism occurred within the Yaungol.
The Tauren, who yearned for their past life, migrated back to central Kalimdor, once again embracing Cenarius' teachings. The Taunka, on the other hand, went to the remote Northrend, living alongside the gentle Tuskarr, leading a peaceful and secluded life in the icy Arctic continent.
The Yaungol who remained in Pandaria continued to maintain their savage customs; they were far more fanatical about battle than the peace-loving Tauren and Taunka.
There are no defenses between the Kun-Lai Summit and the Dread Wastes, so the Yaungol living there must constantly face attacks from the Mantid, but this actually suits their preferences.
Although this plateau, covered in lush green grass, is the birthplace of the Mantid, due to their greater focus on breaching the Serpent's Spine, the Mantid's territory in the plateau region is gradually being encroached upon by the Yaungol.
Every few decades, the Mantid would pour all their tribal strength into assaulting the Serpent's Spine Great Wall, a custom that has been maintained since the Mogu's reign until now.
However, compared to the other two branch races of the Aqir Empire, the Mantid, having lost their master Y'Shaarj, did not act as aggressively. They believed that each routine attack on the Serpent's Spine was merely a grand culling.
Members who survived the assault and showed active prowess would join the Klaxxi Council, becoming the most elite and honored existences in Mantid society.
On the way to Kun-Lai Summit, Andreas briefly described the Mantid's ecology to the curious Onyxia.
"The Klaxxi Paragons are a hidden move the Mantid devised to break the stalemate; their repeated attacks on the Serpent's Spine are actually a process of selecting powerful warriors."
"These paragons will maintain their peak strength and willingly seal themselves in kyparium amber, awaiting the opportune moment. Once the Mantid believe they have accumulated enough paragons to reverse the tide, they will unseal all the Klaxxi together and break through the Serpent's Spine, which is heavily guarded by the Pandaren."
Onyxia was silent for a moment before asking, "Do you think they will succeed?"
"I don't know."
Andreas shrugged. "Theoretically, as long as the Mantid are patient enough to keep saving their 'wife money,' they will eventually accumulate enough strength, but real life doesn't always proceed so methodically. Many unexpected changes always occur within the plan."
Andreas vaguely remembered that during the Pandaren expansion, this Paragon Council seemed to have encountered some accident, and all the living Paragons were unsealed.
To defeat their fallen queen, the Klaxxi actively sought help from the player characters, but then seemed to have turned hostile in a later expansion for unknown reasons.
Although he couldn't recall the specific reasons, anything that dared to oppose the players rarely came to a good end. The Klaxxi Paragon Council, planned by the Mantid for tens of thousands of years, was completely wiped out, and the entire Mantid race never recovered from the two consecutive blows.
It has to be said that Xuen the White Tiger setting up his temple in the Kun-Lai Summit was quite bold; this is, after all, the birthplace of the mantid, and every so often the temple would be attacked by nearby mantid swarms.
When Andreas and Onyxia arrived above the Temple of Xuen, the temple was surrounded by mantid, and the pandaren monks guarding the temple were fending off their attacks.
Mantid can fly, and to counter these aerial incursions, the towering walls of the Temple of Xuen were manned by numerous archers wielding bows and arrows.
Overwhelming numbers of mantid charged from outside the temple, dark and oppressive. Large volleys of flaming arrows rained down into the mantid formations, and every now and then, mantid with burning wings would shriek and plummet from the sky.
"There are too many of them, aren't there?"
Onyxia was a little taken aback. The Shado-Pan pandaren she had seen at the Temple of the White Tiger before were also mixed in with the archers, jointly resisting the mantid's invasion.
"I hear this is actually a small number."
Andreas leaned out to look down. "I heard him mention it when I was chatting with Taran Zhu before. The mantid who launch full-scale assaults on the Serpent's Spine are even more terrifying. Each time they defend against their attacks, the pandaren pay a huge sacrifice."
"If it weren't for the pandaren's excellent fertility, they would have been overwhelmed by the mantid's crazy, all-out tribal expeditions years ago."
"Even so, the pressure on the Serpent's Spine is growing with each passing time. Taran Zhu worries that these insane followers of the Old Gods will one day break through the defenses and wreak havoc in the peaceful pandaren hinterlands."
"I hate bugs, especially when they appear in swarms."
Onyxia finished speaking and then descended, taking a deep breath.
"Roar!"
Shadowflame dragon's breath spewed from the black dragon princess' mouth, and the raging flames ignited large numbers of mantid flying in the air, the fire spreading rapidly through the mantid swarm as if contagious.
Charred mantid corpses fell from the sky like dumplings, and after several large-scale dragon breaths, the Temple of Xuen, which had been completely surrounded, finally had an opening.
The mantid were not pushovers who would take a beating without fighting back. Under the command of their commanders in the rear, large numbers of mantid changed direction and flew towards Onyxia.
"Hmph~ Overestimating yourselves."
A thick dragon tail lashed out, sending large numbers of mantid scattering into pieces in mid-air.
Andreas, sitting on Onyxia's back, was made a little dizzy by the sudden sharp turns.
"Stop, stop, stop!"
Seeing that Onyxia was still planning to roll to dodge, Andreas quickly stopped her.
"If you keep this up, I'll probably be suffering from acid reflux from your invincible whirlwind before all the mantid are killed. Let me handle it."
As Onyxia obediently stopped rolling and used her dragon's breath to repel the enemy, the Staff of Gan'ir in Andreas' hand flickered with a dim light, and countless dark meteor showers rained down from the sky, avoiding the massive Onyxia and smashing into the mantid formation.
After the dense meteor shower continued for a minute, the mantid that had been flying in the sky were almost completely gone. There were still many bugs struggling on the ground, and Onyxia very simply gave them a quick end with a mouthful of concentrated acidic spray.
The total number of invading mantid was probably over ten thousand. Under the combined attack of Onyxia and Andreas, they were quickly annihilated, and even the commanders on the battlefield could not escape.
Seeing the crisis dissipate, the monks of the Temple of Xuen, under Xuen's command, lifted the anti-flight enchantment that enveloped the temple. Onyxia, guided by members of the Cloud Serpent Riders, landed on the training grounds of the Temple of Xuen.
A giant yak, radiating a yellowish-brown glow, stood in the center of the training ground. He was Xuen the White Tiger, one of the Four August Celestials.
"Andreas and Onyxia, welcome. I have heard of you from Xuen."
Xuen's temperament was much more composed than Xuen's. He first thanked the two for helping the temple resolve the crisis, and then, at Andreas' initiative, he discussed the situation of the mantid with him.
"Although the Kun-Lai Summit is gradually falling under the impact of the Yaungol, this is, after all, the mantid's ancestral home. The Temple of Xuen, rooted on the island, is a thorn in their side, and they have wanted to remove us for many years."
The mantid were once followers of Y'Shaarj, and their ecology is very different from that of the Qiraji.
Mantid usually live near large trees called Kypari, using the amber produced by the Kypari trees to build their nests, gradually developing their unique mantid civilization.
There are a total of five Kypari trees around the Temple of Xuen. With Xuen presiding over it, the Temple of Xuen has stood here for tens of thousands of years, which shows how resilient the monks of the Xuen school are.
Andreas' decision to leave the Serpent's Spine for the Kun-Lai Summit first was not merely to fulfill Onyxia's desire for travel.
The mantid, this branch of insectoids, was a hidden danger that would eventually need to be cleared. This trip to Pandaria was a good opportunity to first gauge their strength.
Just as Andreas worried, excluding the overpowered Klaxxi paragons, the individual combat strength of the mantid was not strong, but their population was very large, and the entire race could fly. Air-ground coordinated combat would put great pressure on the defending side, and this point deserved serious attention from the Night Elves.
Xuen's temper was relatively gentle and steady, and the techniques of the monks of the Temple of Xuen under his command were mostly defense-oriented, possessing extreme tenacity, making them very difficult to defeat in battles of the same level.
Andreas and Onyxia stayed at the Temple of Xuen for a few days and, as per custom, learned the techniques of the Xuen school.
After bidding farewell to Xuen, who personally came to see them off, Onyxia skirted the edge of the Dread Wastes, entered the Valley of the Four Winds from the southern end of the Serpent's Spine, and then continued south to the Krasarang Wilds to visit the Temple of the Red Crane.
Before the Great Sundering of ancient Kalimdor, Onyxia was still young and could not travel freely as she does now.
The beautiful scenery of Pandaria greatly satisfied Onyxia, and this trip out was finally not in vain.
Onyxia, who loved to enjoy life, pulled Andreas to stay in the Valley of the Four Winds for a whole month. The ever-changing delicacies at the Halfhill Market every day filled Onyxia's face with happiness during this month.
The pandaren's culinary talent was incredibly powerful, and many of the foods at Halfhill Market were things Andreas had never tasted before.
The variety of foods circulated in pandaren society was all-encompassing, utilizing methods such as stir-frying, quick-frying, sautéing, deep-frying, braising, pan-frying, grilling, stewing, simmering, steaming, blanching, boiling, braising, pickling, mixing, marinating, roasting, brining, freezing, candying, honey-glazing, smoking, rolling, glazing, and baking to create a hundred different delicacies that even Andreas, who considered himself well-traveled, couldn't resist.
For a moment, Andreas had an urge to capture a pandaren chef and bring them back to be his personal family chef.
A month later, Andreas even had a feeling that his physique was gradually expanding.
However, facts proved that this was just an illusion. The excess food that entered his body would be converted into faint energy and integrated into his power system, so there was no possibility of gaining weight.
"Alright, we've had enough fun. It's about time to start doing some serious business."
There were still about three months until Yu'lon emerged from seclusion. Andreas patted the head of the reluctant Onyxia, and the black dragon princess finally left Halfhill Market, looking back every few steps.
After Shaohao's death, the Vale of Eternal Blossoms, located in the center of Pandaria, was sealed. Onyxia had to detour back to Kun-Lai Summit.
Under Andreas' command, Onyxia searched through the snow-covered Kun-Lai Mountains and finally found the entrance to the Mogu'shan Vaults in the middle section of the towering cliffs east of the Peak of Serenity, the monk sanctuary.
The Mogu'shan Vaults were an important hall built by Lei Shen, secretly containing the secret to Lei Shen's mass production of stone mogu.
Unfortunately, the Four August Celestials and the pandaren were unable to decipher the mystery of the Nalak'sha Engine, so they could only temporarily seal it, preventing anyone from entering.
Andreas' travels to various places were not merely for sightseeing; he also took the opportunity to ask the three August Celestials for their respective methods of breaking the seals.
As for the final Yu'lon seal… "Crack!"
Under the erosion of shadow energy, lacking the complementary support of the other three seals, the solitary Azure Dragon seal finally showed cracks and gradually broke apart.
Deep within the Temple of the Jade Serpent in the Jade Forest, a small azure cloud serpent, hovering in mid-air, suddenly opened its eyes.
"The seal on the Mogu'shan Vaults is broken? Who did it? What exactly is happening outside?"
The heavy, creaking sound of the Mogu'shan Vault's door reverberated as it swung open, revealing a dust-filled downward passage.
Onixia, following Andreas' instructions, first exhaled a small stream of fire into the passage. After confirming air circulation, the two entered, one after the other.
Onixia, who entered last, closed the door from the inside and, with a flick of her wrist, added the Black Dragonflight's seal to it.
As they followed the passage into the lavishly decorated hall below, numerous petrified statues appeared before them.
Most of these statues were Mogu in stone form, but there were also some oriental-style stone lions.
Without the Zandalari invasion and the trolls' voodoo magic interfering, these stone carvings showed no signs of activation. Three large stone lions, with different colored patterns on their surfaces, caught Andreas' interest.
'These three guys seem to be the guardians of the vault, right? Maybe I can find an opportunity to move them back home to guard the house later.'
Following the straightforward path deeper inside, they eventually reached an archive storing a vast amount of ancient data. Andreas paused for a moment and casually pulled a document from a bookshelf to read.
'As expected, it's in Titan language.'
This document recorded an ancient Mogu emperor. As Andreas read this, he subconsciously turned to look at the platform in the center of the archive, but no Mogu emperor's soul appeared.
Scratching his head in confusion, Andreas could only attribute the situation he encountered in the game to the special ability of the 'Boss-Pulling Maniac' Lorewalker Cho.
Onixia also helped Andreas search for useful information among the countless bookshelves. The two spent over half a month in this archive.
"Found it."
Onixia handed a scroll to Andreas. "It records the principles and research notes of the Nalak'sha Engine, but I've searched through all the surrounding books, and none of them mention how to use it correctly."
Andreas smiled as he unfolded the scroll to read. "As expected. The Nalak'sha Engine is related to the Mogu's supreme power. Whoever controls it can mass-produce primal Mogu and create an invincible army of Titan constructs for themselves. Lei Shen would certainly keep its secret until his grave."
Although Lei Shen's death was very sudden, he had long anticipated that he might die unexpectedly in the future and had made preparations many years ago.
Since he had a premonition that he would be resurrected, he naturally wouldn't hand over the secret of the Nalak'sha Engine to any so-called "successor."
After all, one day he would return to power. With the Nalak'sha Engine mass-producing troops, no matter who was in power at the time, they would only be an insignificant younger brother in front of Lei Shen, who already possessed formidable strength.
Out of distrust for his own descendants, Lei Shen entrusted the secret of his resurrection to the Zandalari, allies of the Mogu Empire.
That group of high-ranking Zandalari who accompanied Lei Shen on his expedition to Uldum all perished under the terrifying power of the Forge of Origination. Not only did the Mogu suffer endless civil strife from then on, but the Zandalari were also severely weakened and took a long time to recover.
When the Zandalari finally reassembled their forces, intending to seize Lei Shen's former territory after his death and research his secret of immortality, the situation in Pandaria had already changed dramatically.
The Mogu were defeated, and the Pandaren became the new masters of this land.
In the war between the two empires, the Pandaren, with the help of their Cloud Serpent Riders, defeated the Zandalari, who had not yet fully recovered their strength.
After the Cataclysm, the Zandalari could no longer find Pandaria's location, and the secret of Lei Shen, passed down through generations, gradually became a legend, with no one holding any hope for it anymore.
Andreas had prepared before heading to Draenor to complete Elune's mission, ready to depart for Pandaria at any time to find Ra-den.
Ra-den, consumed by self-doubt, had most of his power taken by Lei Shen. Already decadent, he no longer possessed the imposing presence of his former spirited Highkeeper, becoming a rotting salted fish in an underground palace.
To counter-attack Ulduar and eliminate Yogg-Saron, it would be best to persuade either Odyn or Ra-den. With their highest authority, they could regain control of the Storm Peaks' Creator Engine, cutting off Loken's hope of continuously producing reinforcements and, in turn, strengthening their own forces.
But here's the problem: to completely release Odyn, who is sealed in the Halls of Valor, one must sequentially kill Loken and Helya, the two conspirators.
Regarding Helya, Andreas had already thought of a way to deal with her.
But when it comes to Loken, the classic paradox arises.
To release Odyn, Loken must be killed. To defeat Loken's iron army, Odyn's authority must be used to strip him of his ability to mass-produce soldiers. The chicken and egg problem thus falls into an endless loop.
So, there's only one conclusion: temporarily abandon rescuing Odyn and reawaken Ra-den's fighting spirit.
Andreas was speechless about these Azerothian Keepers; almost every Keeper had their own character flaws, perhaps inherited from their respective creators.
Odyn is arrogant, distrusting task-oriented species other than Keepers. Ra-den is mentally fragile and easily gets bogged down in details. Loken has a twisted love for married women, and after his advances were rejected, he killed the woman, thus gradually falling into the abyss woven by Yogg-Saron.
Mimiron is a recluse, only knowing how to hide in Ulduar to research his hobbies, lacking communication and interaction with other Keepers.
Thorim, devoted to his wife, is a typical hothead who loses control when his blood boils. A'zadas lacks initiative and has a severe lack of presence among the Keepers.
Adding Freya, who loves pets more than companions, and Hodir, who is also a hothead, it seems that only Tyr was a qualified Keeper who balanced his own strength and a broader perspective.
Unfortunately, this sole qualified Keeper sacrificed himself to protect his retreating companions. Now, they can only make do with the remaining odd bunch.
The root of Ra-den's decadence lay in the fall of the Pantheon. Thus, the key to breaking the deadlock also lies there. As long as he knows that the Titans of the Pantheon haven't completely perished, this giant baby, who doesn't know what to do without his creators, should be able to rally again.
'To think that mortals have to enlighten them... these Keepers, honestly...'
To restore Ra-den's Highkeeper prestige, simply uplifting his spirit isn't enough; he must regain his power.
And all that power was taken by Lei Shen into his tomb, sealed within his body. To reclaim this power, Lei Shen must first be resurrected.
During his questioning of Xuen, the White Tiger, Andreas discovered that his preconceived notions were wrong.
Lei Shen's body was not in the Throne of Thunder on Thunder Isle, but was buried in the Kun-Lai Summit.
To prevent certain Mogu who coveted Lei Shen's power from stealing his body and violently breaking its seals, his loyal subordinates built seven tombs in the Kun-Lai Summit. Six were fake, and only one truly contained Lei Shen's body.
As for Lei Shen's resurrection ritual, Andreas had already obtained it through Rezan. At the time, the Loa of Kings was quite puzzled, not understanding why Andreas would ask for an outdated ritual that was no longer useful.
If possible, Andreas wanted to eliminate some of Lei Shen's reliance before resurrecting him, to prevent him from causing trouble again after his revival.
The Nalak'sha Engine in the Mogu'shan Vault was of paramount importance. Before figuring out how to unseal it, Andreas planned to first understand what special functions this Lei Shen-modified mass-production machine had.
The archive in the Mogu'shan Vault should have been built by Ra-den. The books here cover a wide range of topics. After a period of perusal, Andreas discovered various types of books including history, poetry, etiquette, astronomy, divination, and ancient Titan technology.
The book explaining the Nalak'sha Engine that Onyxia got was found on the technology shelf. At the time, Andreas was reading a book about how to extract arcane energy from leylines.
Since the book Onyxia brought contained a lot of technical jargon, Andreas tried to skip the parts meant for technicians and craftsmen to study, and directly turned to the pages that were easier to understand.
In the quiet library, only the rustling sound of turning pages remained. Seeing Andreas engrossed in reading, the black dragon princess, understanding, did not disturb him, and slipped away to the living area to find a cookbook for inspiration.
More than half an hour later, Andreas finally closed the book. "So that's how it is."
Although limited by his knowledge, Andreas couldn't fully comprehend all the theories in the book, but he had gained a good understanding of the general origin and principles of the Nalak'sha Engine.
The Nalak'sha Engine was indeed one of the Titan devices left behind by Ra-den, whose original purpose was to produce enough troops to defend against the followers of Y'Shaarj, who are now the mantid, descendants of the Aqir insectoids.
After Ra-den fell into decadence, the Nalak'sha Engine had no one with the authority to use it and was abandoned for countless years.
The initial batch of Mogu, after their master mysteriously disappeared, continued to dutifully guard Pandaria and the Vale of Eternal Blossoms until they began to be affected by the Curse of Flesh.
The early stone Mogu had no greedy desires; the Titan constructs, under strict militarized management, were highly disciplined. But after being weakened by the Curse of Flesh, they became more and more like mortals, and various troublesome desires gradually began to increase.
Endless warlord skirmishes erupted within the fleshed-out Mogu, and Lei Shen emerged against this backdrop.
The book did not mention Lei Shen's origins, but judging by the wording in the book, the person who recorded it was most likely a loyal supporter of Lei Shen, with all sorts of exaggerated praise and flattery appearing incessantly.
Excluding these meaningless praises, at least one thing could be known.
After Lei Shen gained Ra-den's power, he used his formidable strength and ruthless methods to quickly unify the Mogu, establishing the first unified empire in Mogu history.
After conquering most of Pandaria, he personally excavated numerous Titan ruins buried beneath the land, and the Nalak'sha Engine, abandoned for countless years, thus reappeared.
Using this Titan device that produced primitive Titan constructs, Lei Shen could create new species by fusing flesh and stone; species like the Saurok and the Hozen appeared during this period.
Not only that, Lei Shen also researched a method to remove the Curse of Flesh using the Nalak'sha Engine, a feat that even the Titan Keepers failed to achieve.
Although among the descendants of Titan constructs there are many races like the Dwarves and Gnomes who are content with their current state, there are also those like the Tol'vir of the Neferset tribe who still wish to restore their stone bodies and continue to fulfill their duties as Titan constructs.
To be fair, considering combat power alone, fleshed-out races indeed cannot compare to the original Titan constructs.
It was with the help of the Nalak'sha Engine that Lei Shen forged an elite army composed of original stone Mogu.
No one in the entire Mogu Empire could resist his authority; even the Zandalari Trolls, who ruled most of the world at the time, could only lower their proud heads and form an alliance with Lei Shen, each with their own ulterior motives.
If the Nalak'sha Engine could be restarted, setting aside the impact that mass-producing stone Mogu would have on Pandaria, or even the world situation.
Simply reshaping fleshed-out Titan constructs back into their original form should earn Andreas the respect of many Titan construct descendants.
Unfortunately, the book did not detail the operation method of the Nalak'sha Engine, so he would have to find another way to research it later.
According to the book, the Nalak'sha Engine was located directly beneath this library.
Following the book's guidance, Andreas activated a mechanism hidden among countless bookshelves. With a "rumble," a descending staircase appeared beneath the library's platform.
A slightly decayed air wafted from the passage. Since Lei Shen's death and the sealing of the Mogu'shan Vault, this passage had not been entered by anyone for tens of thousands of years.
Curious Onyxia squeezed past Andreas and entered the passage first. Although the air inside wasn't pleasant, it was at least breathable.
"Sigh~"
Shaking his head helplessly, Andreas followed closely behind Onyxia, preparing to enter the passage.
But just then, the Heart of the Guardian Dragon, which had been obediently coiled around his neck, suddenly tilted its head and let out a warning growl.
"Woof!"
At the same time Little Dragon barked, Andreas felt a sense of crisis like a needle prick from behind. He quickly abandoned the passage and blinked to the left.
"Whoosh! Whoosh!"
A series of arrows shot from behind Andreas, their immense force embedding them deep into the bluestone floor where he had just stood, creating cracks on the ground.
Hearing the commotion behind him, Onyxia quickly turned around, intending to return, but at that moment, the passage entrance suddenly closed again. Even with the black dragon princess' immense strength, she couldn't force it open in a short time.
"Thump! Thump!"
Temporarily ignoring the dull thudding sounds coming from the other side of the passage, Andreas cautiously observed the attacker behind him: a Mogu spectral figure wielding a war bow.
"A soul? No wonder I didn't detect it."
The eyes of the Mogu soul before him were vacant, seemingly devoid of consciousness, merely acting according to some preset program.
Without life aura or independent will, it naturally wouldn't generate hostility or killing intent, which was why Andreas was almost caught off guard.
And the most troublesome problem wasn't even here.
Slowly turning his gaze to survey his surroundings, a dozen translucent souls appeared in the originally empty library. Their state was very similar to the Mogu with the war bow; their eyes were vacant as they gripped their weapons and approached Andreas.
Calming Dragon's emotions, Andreas mused, "Is this Lei Shen's arrangement? As long as someone tries to approach the Nalak'sha Engine, these souls will be autonomously awakened."
Judging by the Mogu'shan Vault's progression in the game, these Mogu should be the various great warlords before Lei Shen's rise. He wondered how Lei Shen managed to bind the souls of these ancestors here to guard his gates.
The irrational souls didn't give Andreas any more time to think. The souls wielding melee weapons, once their forms solidified, immediately charged at him.
Wielding the light blade of Gani'er's Staff, he parried a spear thrusting towards his chest. His left hand, holding the Sword of the Dark Empire, cleverly wrapped around a cleaving warblade, deflecting its force to collide with a warhammer nearby.
At the same time, the Mogu archer who had shot the earlier arrows, along with other ranged units, launched their attacks.
Andreas tried to use the cover of the melee souls to avoid various ranged attacks, only activating a protective barrier to withstand them when he couldn't dodge.
Nimbly weaving and redirecting among the tall Mogu souls, Andreas diligently searched for weaknesses in the coordinated actions of these uncooperative souls.
"I never thought I'd one day encounter a situation similar to Lorewalker Cho's. Is it because the important goal is so close that I'm too impatient? I should reflect on this later."
These great warlords were all powerful figures who left a profound mark in the history of the Mogu, each possessing strength close to, or even reaching, the peak of mortal power.
If it were a one-on-one fight, Andreas would toy with them, but with over a dozen attacking at once, they could still cause him some trouble.
He exerted force, pushing away the long spear pressing against the Staff of Gan'ir. Since this archive contained many valuable documents, Andreas was reluctant to use large-scale area spells to clear the area.
Knowledge is a crucial cornerstone of civilization's development, and Andreas did not want these precious ancient books to suffer any damage unless absolutely necessary.
The souls of the Mogu warlords were already under control, making it difficult for mind spells to affect them. Since they weren't acting of their own free will, the Holy Light also found it hard to classify them as purely evil spirits, thus failing to produce a strong restraining effect.
"Tsk! They're quite troublesome."
As time passed, the coordination between these souls was gradually improving, and Andreas knew he had to finish the fight quickly.
The ranged spellcasters and archers were annoying. After dodging a combined weapon attack, Andreas slipped into the shadows to change position, abandoning his previous defensive fighting style and sharply thrusting into the rear ranged positions.
With a combination of sword and staff, Andreas shattered the Mogu's rear positions.
Fortunately, these souls also seemed to have deeply ingrained restrictions, preventing them from using powerful area spells to destroy the environment. This was likely a pre-set program by the Thunder King to preserve the books.
Archers could still struggle a bit when engaged in close combat, but most spellcasters had rather poor melee capabilities.
Before the Mogu in the front row could encircle him, Andreas had already dispersed the souls of four Mogu spellcasters.
The first archer who ambushed Andreas was incredibly agile, using the environment to leap several times to regain distance. Powerful arrows, like sniper shots, once again assailed Andreas from afar.
"Will this ever end?!"
Using the'Shrink Earth' technique he had recently learned, he instantly appeared before the soul. Before its muscular arms could decisively swing its war bow in retaliation, Andreas withdrew the longsword in his left hand and pulled out an exquisite flintlock pistol from behind his waist.
"Bang!"
Accompanied by a loud sound, Andreas' left hand went numb from the recoil. The target soul had been pierced by the splintering bullets sprayed from the muzzle, its soul body riddled with holes, and it quickly vanished within the library.
Dodging a spearman charging from behind, Andreas blew away the white smoke rising from the muzzle. The overheating barrel was rapidly cooling down with the help of a special cooling device.
"Hesitation will lead to defeat."
This flintlock pistol was a gift from Magni and Gnomish to Andreas. It could adjust whether the bullets fired in a shotgun-like spread or a concentrated mode, and its power was terrifying. Its only drawback was that reloading was quite cumbersome.
At this moment, Onyxia finally breached the entrance to the passage, violently collapsing the tightly sealed opening.
With the Black Dragon Princess joining the battle, the subsequent fight became much easier, and the Mogu warlord souls present were quickly annihilated.
As the last soul vanished, both Andreas and Onyxia clearly felt a change in the atmosphere throughout the entire library.
Andreas had previously attributed the solemn and austere atmosphere to the innate sense of suppression created by countless bookshelves surrounding a'study slacker'. However, as these souls were eliminated, the slightly oppressive atmosphere in the library immediately relaxed.
Glancing around the seemingly unchanged library, Andreas chuckled, "Using the souls of his ancestors to guard his door, the Thunder King truly lives up to his reputation as the strongest tyrant in Mogu history."
This combined attack by the warlord souls should have been enough to bury most who sought to uncover the secrets of the Nalak'sha Engine. It was only because Andreas was strong enough that he was able to walk out of this archive alive.
"Let's continue. We should be close to our goal."
...Having deactivated the Thunder King's final defenses for the Nalak'sha Engine, Andreas and Onyxia followed the slightly collapsed passage into the secret space below.
This hidden hall, radiating a cool ambiance, had a simple layout. After reaching a fork, there were only two paths leading directly to the end, and from the fork, they could already roughly see the distant scenes.
Deep within the fork directly opposite the arrival passage was a very spacious, unobstructed hall, with many strange glowing rings suspended above it.
On the other side of the fork, the first thing visible was a control panel covered in buttons. The platform below resembled a small training ground, with numerous pipes connecting the control panel to several pods around the platform.
According to Andreas' notes and comparison with the previous book, the entire underground complex belonged to the Nalak'sha Engine. One side housed the power supply equipment, and the other, the production equipment.
Considering Dragong, who was currently perched on his shoulder, Andreas thought for a moment before entering the power supply hall first.
All the equipment in the hall was in a dormant state, and a small control panel stood before the large central void.
Andreas opened the cover of the control panel and carefully read the Titan script labels beneath the buttons and levers.
Although there were some differences due to varying customs, this control panel still gave Andreas a sense of déjà vu.
He pushed the energy supply lever to its highest position, then pressed the prominent red activation button in the very center.
The sound of machinery whirring began, and the glowing rings previously suspended above the hall started to move in succession. The surface of the large central void rapidly began to fill with energy, and a tangible membrane of light covered the void.
An inorganic mechanical voice echoed through the hall, "Nalak'sha Engine restarting, all systems online, welcome back, esteemed Highkeeper Ra."
"Hmm?"
Andreas and Onyxia simultaneously showed surprised expressions, "Ra?"
After a moment of thought, Andreas speculated, "Could it be that the Thunder King somehow bypassed the Nalak'sha Engine's identification system? That's why this stupid system calls everyone Ra?"
Onyxia shrugged lazily, "Perhaps. I'm not very familiar with Titan equipment."
Andreas rolled his eyes, "Never mind, I shouldn't expect any constructive input from a tech illiterate like you."
"Who are you calling illiterate?!"
While Andreas and Onyxia bickered, the Nalak'sha Engine had completed its restart, and an energy being composed of countless starlight nodes appeared before them.
The composition of this energy being was very similar to the Starcallers that Titans habitually commanded, but its form was not the humanoid shape often used by Starcallers, but rather a purely energetic sky serpent.
As this sky serpent appeared, a wave of light swept over Andreas and Onyxia.
"Error, error!"
The sky serpent, which had been gracefully extended, coiled up alertly. "Highkeeper Ra's energy not detected. Initiator determined to be an illegal intruder. Executing predetermined directive 404: Exterminate!"
"Alright."
Andreas sighed, "It seems we still have to fight. Ony, you deal with it. I'll study the control panel and try to bypass this guy's identification system."
The Black Dragon Princess reluctantly stepped forward and transformed back into her original form, "Yes, yes~ Always making me do the work."
Putting aside the battle between Onyxia and the Starlight Cloud Serpent for now, Anduin returned to the console to carefully observe the small control panel.
There weren't many buttons on the entire control panel, at least far fewer than on the large console at the other end of the fork in the road.
Frowning, Anduin observed it for a while and basically confirmed that he couldn't replicate Ra's method.
"How exactly did Ra rewrite this guy's identification system back then? By cheating with Reidan's power?"
Since he couldn't turn the enemy into a friend, he could only knock this guy down first.
The spacious underground palace had enough room for Onyxia to move around after reverting to her original form, and in the end, with her superior strength, she grabbed the Starlight Cloud Serpent by the neck and slammed it to the ground.
"Warning, warning!"
"Intruder's strength exceeds expectations, requesting self-destruct program execution... No response, requesting again."
Anduin raised an eyebrow. "Request? Response? Requesting from whom?"
No matter who this Starlight Dragon was contacting, it received no response after three consecutive requests.
Most low-intelligence Titan constructs were stubborn and could only follow fixed procedures.
The Starlight Dragon, unable to get permission, seemed to fall into a logical loop, endlessly repeating requests and self-denials.
"Awoo~"
Little Dragon extended a front paw and pointed at the Starlight Dragon lying on the ground like a dead fish, its two shining big eyes seemingly asking why this'alted fish' looked so much like itself.
"Well..." Anduin scratched his head and explained, "Strictly speaking, this Starlight Dragon should be the prototype of all Cloud Serpents. Part of your appearance references Cloud Serpents, so it's natural for there to be similarities."
After subduing the troublesome Starlight Dragon, Anduin meticulously searched the great hall but found no valuable clues.
Leaving Onyxia to guard the Starlight Dragon, Anduin returned to the previous fork in the road and entered the passage on the other side.
The equipment here was even more complex. Anduin speculated that this should be the core workshop where the Nalak'sha Engine produced the original Mogu.
Although Anduin had activated the power supply system, without a Keeper's authority to activate it, he was still unable to manipulate this set of Titan equipment according to his will.
'Damn it! How did Lorewalker Cho do it?'
Frustrated, Anduin slammed his fist on the console, then calmed down again to consider his next move.
'I can only leave this place for now and see if I can get Thorim to come to Pandaria, but...'
Considering Loken's rapidly increasing vigilance towards Thorim, and the fact that Thorim also bore the heavy responsibility of guarding the Engine of Nalak'sha, Anduin was unsure if this plan could be realized.
As for Aza'dass, that was even less likely. If Loken detected his presence, that guy would definitely go crazy and send a large iron army into the Eastern Kingdoms, which might disrupt the hard-won peace.
Aza'dass held proof of Loken's corruption, which was why he and Aelonna had not shown themselves for so many years. Loken could barely maintain peace, deceiving himself that they had long since fallen into a deep sleep and could not awaken.
'The last option is to first go to the Isle of Thunder and release Ra, so he can personally come to the Nalak'sha Engine and reclaim the control that Ra had tampered with, but this plan also has many problems.'
Anduin was unsure if Ra could be so easily persuaded, and most of the Highkeeper's power had been taken by Ra, so whether he could gain the Nalak'sha Engine's recognition was still unknown.
In any case, this trip to the Mogu'shan Vault at least confirmed the status of the Nalak'sha Engine.
Ra had indeed left a contingency plan; no one but him could easily activate the engine to create a Mogu army... After re-closing the Nalak'sha Engine, the power-deprived idiotic Starlight Dragon also disappeared, and Anduin and Onyxia returned through the vault's passage to the Mogu'shan Terrace.
When Onyxia opened the door sealed by the black dragon, there were at least several hundred monks in various attire standing on the suspended platform outside the door.
"Uh?"
Their attire revealed their origins: those in earthy yellow training clothes were from the Temple of the Ox, vermilion ones from the Temple of the Crane, white ones were followers of Xuen, and blue ones should be from the Temple of the Jade Serpent.
Adding the Shado-Pan in black uniforms, almost all major monastic forces in Pandaria were present.
As for Peak of Serenity, the monastic holy land, they were not a militarized organization, but rather an association that gathered elites from all sides to compete in martial arts, and did not have the right to mobilize or command.
Xu Kun's gaze sharply fell on the two outsiders who gracefully walked out of the door.
"I guessed you two had other intentions! What do you have to say for yourselves now?"
"Say for ourselves?" Anduin chuckled and spread his hands. "Master Xu Kun, have you perhaps misunderstood something? We have no need to explain ourselves. The trip to the Vault was just one part of our pre-planned agenda. The three August Celestials must have anticipated this, no?"
When asked to unseal the Mogu'shan Vault so suddenly, Anduin didn't believe that the demigods residing in the three great temples wouldn't have understood his intentions.
But they still cooperated by telling him how to unseal it, which at least indicated that the August Celestials understood his planned agenda and, to some extent, welcomed it.
Liu Xing stepped forward and placed a hand on Xu Kun's shoulder, advising, "Calm down. Grandmaster Xuen's mission for us isn't to interrogate, but to inquire. Let's not make the atmosphere so tense."
The Mogu'shan Vault had remained sealed for over ten thousand years, primarily to conceal the Nalak'sha Engine deep within it.
Anduin knew what the four demigods wanted to know. He gestured for the four familiar monk leaders to come over, accompanied by a gentle-mannered female monk representing the Temple of the Jade Serpent, who had come to understand the situation.
"Simply put, the thing locked deep within the Vault cannot be activated by anyone other than 'that person.' Please tell the August Celestials not to worry about anyone abusing it."
"That person? That thing?"
Liu Xing and the other monk leaders were clearly not informed of the details. Anduin's evasive words left the five monk leaders present utterly confused.
Anduin waved his hand and said, "No need to ask further, just convey this message to the Four August Celestials."
"Also, there are many valuable ancient documents in the Vault. After getting permission from the Four Celestials, it would be best for your Lorewalkers to organize and publish all these books. Don't forget to reserve a complete set of replicas for me."
As the five looked at each other, bewildered, Anduin waved his hand and said to them, "I have something to discuss with Shen-zin Su. You all can handle things from here."
"Hey! Stop!"
Xu Kun, still annoyed, was unwilling to let him go and tried to chase after him. The other four monk leaders quickly held him back.
"Don't chase him. Let him go."
Liu Xing calmly said, "The Four Celestials should have some understanding of his actions, they just haven't told us the details. In any case, let's go back and report his message and see what the Celestials say."
"Tsk!"
Xu Kun clicked his tongue in displeasure. "Ta'laran! Follow them. Keep an eye on these two until they leave Pandaria. Don't let them continue to trespass into forbidden areas so recklessly!"
"Yes, Master!"