The Ethereal Domains

Chapter 895: King Descended!

King Descended! . . .

Darky charged ahead with its head held high, evidently basking in the adulation from the other horses, brimming with enthusiasm.

"Brother Cha..." Captain Mu's eyes gleamed with fervor. "Your horse... it's the king of horses! It's..."

Cha Eun Xiao was taken aback. "King of horses? Darky?"

Captain Mu nearly toppled from his horse. [Come on, brother. Can't you stop calling it that name?]

Cha Eun Xiao, however, was blissfully unaware.

[What's going on?]

[I asked Erhuo to fetch me a horse because walking for extended periods is exhausting.]

[Erhuo promptly dashed into the forest.]

[After half a day, Darky galloped toward me, and I found Erhuo seated regally on Darky's head...]

Unfamiliar with horse breeds, Cha Eun Xiao had dubbed the pony "Darky" without attributing any special significance to the name.

In his mind, a magnificent horse would invariably boast a towering and robust frame. Since Darky was relatively diminutive, Cha Eun Xiao regarded it as a mere pony for the purpose of his travel, caring little for its appearance. However, it was beyond his comprehension that Darky was, in fact, the "king of horses."

Inwardly, Cha Eun Xiao exclaimed, "Holy heavens," coming to the realization that Erhuo would never select an ordinary horse. Having scoured the region for a considerable duration before procuring Darky, it was evident that this horse was a cut above the rest.

With rapt fascination, Captain Mu scrutinized Darky, enumerating its attributes with the fervor of an ardent suitor who had been celibate for more than a dozen years and had suddenly taken a bride on their wedding night, longing to consume her immediately.

"So exquisite... undeniably the king of horses..." Captain Mu gushed.

Cha Eun Xiao was rendered utterly speechless.

[Exquisite... he described the horse as exquisite...]

[This is beyond belief...]

However, Cha Eun Xiao was oblivious to Captain Mu's underlying apprehension. If Cha Eun Xiao, as an adversary, harnessed the latent power within Darky, the "king of horses," it could spell the ruin of the Black Cavalry Alliance.

The latent might of Darky was staggering. Although animals lacked the capacity for verbal communication, they conveyed their sentiments and intentions through actions. All the other horses would instinctively submit to their king. Cha Eun Xiao could incite an uprising simply by having Darky let out a loud neigh.

Darky held the power to dismantle the Black Cavalry Alliance!

Captain Mu recoiled from the implications, scaring himself with these dire prospects. He had hoped Cha Eun Xiao might cure their young lord, but if he instead introduced a catastrophe...

No one had ever tamed a king of horses before. How could such a proud creature yield to a human and become someone's steed? It was preposterous.

What had transpired with Darky?

After a meal's worth of time, they reached the entrance of an alley. This was their destination, so Captain Mu's horse wisely refrained from leading the group. It understood that the king should always be in the vanguard.

This was a horse of discernment.

[We have arrived already. How could I possibly outrun the king? If my brethren in the valley, numbering in the tens of thousands, were to witness me recklessly charging ahead of the king, they would surely trample me to death before nightfall. I would never dare to display conceit in the presence of the king, but they wouldn't believe me... It tarnishes the majesty of the king... Ah... What a pitiful existence I lead...]

The valley exuded an eerie hush, a perplexing attribute for a valley to possess.

The valley should have been characterized by tranquility, so why did it seem peculiar to bestow such a label upon it?

The reason lay in the fact that the valley was currently home to thousands of horses. How could a valley teeming with horses ever be truly quiet?

However, the paradox was that it was, indeed, hushed.

Every horse in the valley behaved with remarkable decorum. They leisurely wagged their tails and contentedly nibbled on the fodder in their troughs. Their placid eyes darted around, and a sense of serenity pervaded the surroundings. It was as though this day were marked by peaceful, unhurried idyll.

Amid the valley's expansive quarters, a multitude of people from the Black Cavalry Alliance were scattered about. Some engaged in quiet dialogues, others attended to the grooming of their steeds, and still more occupied themselves with diverse tasks.

Collectively, the valley exuded an aura of tranquility and camaraderie.

Yet, this prevailing peace was abruptly shattered by an abrupt, thunderous neigh.

In truth, what truly disrupted the peace was...

The horses dwelling in the valley appeared to apprehend something. They rose to their feet and held still nearly in unison, directing their gazes toward the valley's entrance.

Each horse exhibited a degree of restlessness, swishing their tails anxiously and emitting faint nasal noises. Their ears twitched perceptibly, attuned to a sound that eluded the comprehension of the seasoned equestrians present in the valley.

The horses weren't anxious or fearful; rather, they appeared overtly agitated, as though stirred by a palpable excitement.

The riders, however, were mystified by this collective behavior. Why were their steeds acting so oddly? This was merely the return of the Alliance members who had ventured forth on a mission, an event that recurred at least ten times a day. The horses ought to have become accustomed to it long ago. Ordinarily, such a return wouldn't have merited more than a cursory glance from these equestrians. So why the abnormal display of interest this time?

[What's amiss?]

"Neigh..."

A protracted bellow erupted at the valley's entrance. The cry pierced the sky, its resonance ascending to the heavens, bearing an overwhelming aura of majesty that resonated across the entire expanse of earth and sky.

The onlookers were perplexed, their understanding eluding the significance of this powerful call.

But the horses discerned its meaning.

'Here comes our sovereign! The king descends!'