《The Paladin in the Abyss》


 Chapter 1 Prologue

    With a thud, the hurried footsteps suddenly stopped, as if someone had tripped over a wide robe. But the footsteps quickly resumed, seemingly even more urgent than before.


    In a majestic hall, a man dressed in luxurious attire paced back and forth on a high tform, restless. This ce had once been where the lords met with the Emperor, the center of power for the entire empire.


    Yet, aside from the man on the tform, there was no one else in the hall at that moment. Still, he felt as if he stood at the center of a stage, being watched by countless eyes.


    "Your Majesty! The eastern gate has been breached. Albert''s knights have stormed in!"


    The footsteps finally reached this ce. A male servant rushed into the hall, only realizing after he had shouted that the hall was empty, except for the man on the tform.


    He looked around in terror, then swiftly turned and vanished into the shadows outside the door without a backward nce.


    The man referred to as His Majesty seemed not to have heard the servant''s shout, merely muttering to himself:


    "Rebels! Traitors!"


    "Buried alive! Burned at the stake! Hanged! No, no, no... that would be too easy for you. I will personally slice, slice..."


    "I am the Emperor of the Pharis Empire, the great Turas the Ninth. You must, you must submit to me!"


    "Die, die, die! All of you, die! All of you, all of you, all of you die!"


    The sound of steel shing with stone interrupted him. At the entrance of the hall, knights d in heavy armor, wielding swords and long spears, filed in, led by a striking blonde man adorned with a gold griffon on his cloak, who walked in surrounded by the crowd.n/?/vel/b//jn dot c//om


    "Albert! You cur!"


    The man on the tform roared with a contorted face.


    The neer was the famed Knight King, Albert Pancardes, the leader of the revolutionary coalition, soon to be the downfall of the Pharis Empire.


    "You surprisingly didn''t flee nor kill yourself, which is quite astonishing." Albert stood at the ce where servants used to kneel, looking directly at the reigning Emperor. "It seems the rumors about you are not entirely urate, as you still have a bit of courage to face the impending judgment."


    The man on the tform was Turas Sextus Pharis, the Emperor of the Empire. The Pharis dynasty had unified the human world thousands of years after the Toya Dynasty, but unlike the 150 and more Emperors of the Toya Dynasty, in just under 300 years, widespread rebellions had ignited everywhere, likely marking the end of the Empire''s history today.


    "Ha ha ha ha ha ha, you rabble of lowly, shameless, filthy, son of a whore think you can judge me?" Turasughed maniacally, hisughter echoing through the hall.


    "So this is the Emperor of the Pharis Empire, truly sickening." The crowd murmured, and three figures stepped forward.


    All were women, not d in armor, clearly not knights.


    The soft robes could not conceal their graceful figures, but what caught the eye were their stunningly beautiful faces and the long ears on either side of their heads.


    Turas turned his head, and upon clearly seeing who was approaching, he stumbled backwards.


    "Elves! So you are involved too! I should have burned down the forests of the Eastern Continent... yes, yes, let everything be destroyed!"


    His gaze became wildly furious, suddenly spinning around, startling everyone and causing them to raise their weapons in defense.


    When the current Emperor turned back around, people saw that he was holding a dagger iid with splendid jewels, its de plunged into his own chest at the heart.


    The Emperor of the empire gasped for air, his eyes still crazy, shing a bizarre smile.


    "I am the master of this world! A master has the right to do anything with his property! Yes...anything...the army ising...you all...you all...will join my burial..."


    He fell to the ground, blood gushing out, the floor seemingly activating something, as a deep humming echoed through the air. The three elves looked shocked, the foremost elf urgently said:


    "This is not good! It''s arge spatial array, Albert, get everyone out! Quick!"


    The Knight King, confused by the sudden change, but trusting the elves whose uracy had been proven multiple times, waved his hand, and everyone quickly but orderly evacuated the hall.


    As thest few knights were still walking out of the hall, the sounds around them suddenly vanished. They saw theirrades ahead gesturing wildly as if shouting, but heard nothing, pausing in bewilderment.


    Above the hall, the space seemed to have split open, and the entire building shattered like a mirror, the fracture smooth and polished, the fragments floating mid-air as if gravity had been lost. The few still dazing realized something was amiss only because theirrades were looking at them with fear and gradually retreating backwards.


    They finally reacted, sprinting forward frantically.


    Unfortunately, it was toote. Onlookers watched as they abruptly split apart, turning into chunks of flesh ensconced in armor, maintaining their original direction of motion until they finally crashed to the ground.


    The three elves'' faces turned pale, they exchanged nces as if confirming something. The lead elf spoke:


    "Albert, have everyone prepare for battle."


    Albert had regained hisposure by then; he drew his longsword, signaling readiness for battle.

 Chapter 2 Prologue_2

    "Everyone on guard! Captains,e to me."


    Soon seven or eight people emerged from the crowd. They were the Knight King Albert''s trusted lieutenants and his strongest warriors. All of them had a serious look on their faces; this was supposed to be a moment of celebration for victory, but the turn of events seemed to have surprised everyone.


    "What enemy are we facing?"


    A tall knight spoke up. He was around 30 years old, approaching six and a half feet tall with slightly curved ck hair. His resolute face was chiseled like a sculpture, covered with a stubble that seemed carelessly shaved. Beneath deep-set eye sockets were a pair of light blue eyes that reminded one of ake nestled in the valleys.


    "Sir Lancelot, do you remember the ancient history I once spoke of?" The leading elf spoke warmly to the valorous knight.


    You''ve told many fine stories, High Priestess Aspasia," the tall knight named Lancelot replied politely. "Which one do you refer to specifically?"


    Elves, the favored children of heaven and earth, immortal beings. They had joined the Rebel Army not long after the rebellion broke out¡ªsessive Emperors of the Pharis Empire had ordered the dense forests of the Eastern Continent to be burnt to the ground, and those forests were the elves'' home.


    They guided the rebel forces through the woods, used mysterious herbs to heal the wounded, and were also the finest scouts and archers, greatly aiding the cause of the rebellion.


    "Of course, I''m talking about the great war that shattered the elf race thousands of years ago," said Aspasia, the leader among the three elves. "I feel the presence of the Abyss. It seems the elders have always been right to suspect the Pharis Empire''s Royal Family. Brace yourselves, the portal is stable now; something is about toe through."


    The grand hall had been thoroughly destroyed, and the gravity in the area seemed to have returned to normal, with broken tiles and rubble scattered everywhere.


    Only then did people notice theplex and vast Magic Formation inscribed on the ground, its deep red lines like slowly flowing blood. In mid-air, a Portal was emerging, with a terrifying aura emanating from it, and the air began to fill with the smell of sulfur.


    Thud, thud, thud, a cluster of hoofbeats came from the Portal, like sharp ws scraping over rough stone, unbearable to hear.


    The crowd couldn''t help but take another step back, everyone''s tension ratcheting up even further, and the elves took out several gemstones, murmuring in a mysteriousnguage, as powerful energy began to gather in their hands.


    Finally, with a noise like the popping of a can, several strange creatures burst forth from the Portal. They resembled hyenas in appearance but were the size of calves, with exceptional muscle definition, long, sharp teeth in their mouths, and towering bone spurs on their backs.


    Some had two heads, and the one in the front had three.


    The creatures seemed shocked by the sudden change in their surroundings, looking around bewildered. Realizing they were surrounded by a host of metallic monsters, they didn''t attack but instead retreated and huddled together, issuing a deep growl toward the crowd as if issuing a threat.


    The knights, though they had never seen such ugly creatures, instantly felt the terror of the enemy due to years of battle experience.


    "Charge!"


    Albert seized the moment and roared as he brandished his sword. Following his shout, the tall knight named Lancelot led the way, swinging his great Two-handed Sword. Under his lead, all the knights began their assault.


    Lancelot''s target was the beast with three heads at the forefront; he had discerned that it was a leader.


    The creature didn''t stand idly by. With a roar, it charged at the knight head-on.


    When they were still several yards apart, the beast suddenly leapt into the air, all three ferocious mouths biting viciously forward.


    Seeing this, Lancelot forcefully stepped forward, and the ground immediately spider-webbed with cracks. Using this foot as a pivot, he concentrated all his strength, swung his Longsword from below, and viciously thrust upward at the falling creature.


    The Great Sword''s length yed a decisive role in this confrontation, striking the creature''s middle head midair. Fangs and sharp teeth were no match for the fearsome force of the Metal weapon; the Sword de cut through like a hot knife through butter, splitting the creature''s upper body in two, drenching Lancelot in crimson blood.


    But Lancelot didn''t pause for a moment, spinning around with a Horizontal sh, andpletely cleaved the body still in the air into two halves.


    His triumph greatly inspired the knights behind him, and the crowd surged forward, quickly cutting down the remaining creatures, leaving the square filled with spilling blood and chunks of flesh.


    "Looks pretty fierce, but it wasn''t much in the end, scared me to death, hahaha..."


    Rxed voices echoed through the crowd. Fear always stems from the unknown, but once the object of your Fear is in by your weapon, Fear vanishes like smoke.


    But the captains under the Knight King didn''t rx; they gathered again, looking towards the Portal in the sky. Albert spoke to the elves:n/?/vel/b//in dot c//om


    "High Priest, what exactly are these creatures? Where do theye from? What world lies beyond the Portal?"


    The elven Priestess Aspasia stared bewilderedly at the bodies of the creatures, not speaking right away, while another elf responded:

 Chapter 3 Prologue_3

    ```


    "It looks like a dog,rger in size, with bone spurs on its back, multiple heads, just like the descriptions in the sacred texts, High Priest, take a look..."


    "It is indeed an Abyssal Hound, I never thought I would see these creatures again," Aspasia said, seemingly awakened from her memories, her voice deep and solemn, "Albert, we have trouble."


    Albert frowned at these words and hesitated before speaking:


    "You mentioned the great war from tens of thousands of years ago..."


    "Yes," Aspasia nodded. "About 50,000 years ago, the Elves, like humans now, spread across every corner of the world and even started exploring other worlds. Soon, we discovered a ne called the Abyss."


    "That ne was fascinating, filled with all sorts of terrifying creatures and rich in magical resources. Initially, we only thought the environment was harsh and failed to realize that it was the creatures of the Abyss that posed the real threat."


    "We constructed a vast portal in an attempt to delve deeper into this ne. Although the beings there were powerful, they seemed mindless and unorganized, and at first, we encountered little resistance. However, when several Abyssal Lordsbined their forces, a terrible war erupted."


    "The enemy had an overwhelming advantage in numbers, and some of their higher creatures were incredibly powerful. We simply couldn''t hold them back. After the portal fell, these Abyssal creatures rushed into our world through the passage."


    "The Elves finally realized their grave mistake, but it was toote. In the final moments, the five Elf Kings united and assembled thest of their armies, making a suicidal assault on the portal''s location, the once supreme royal city."


    "The attack seeded. The portal was destroyed, along with the enemy''s main forces and an entire tract ofnd. The inner sea of the Western Continent was formed from that explosion."


    "Although Elves have near-infinite lifespans, because the environment of this world was severely damaged, it became difficult for us, born from natural forces, to reproduce. The remnant Elves, less than one percent of the original poption, retreated into the dense forests of the Eastern Continent."


    "Some of the peripheral Abyssal creatures became fish that slipped through the, their shadows still in your legends and folk tales, you call them Demons, a very appropriate name."n/?/vel/b//in dot c//om


    Everyone listened with reverence to the High Priest''s narration of the ancient history, those events that took ce before the existence of mankind. Lancelot asked in a soft voice:


    "High Priest, were you a witness to that war?"


    "Yes," Aspasia looked again at the portal of light in mid-air. "I was very young at that time, too young to fight, and that''s why I survived that catastrophe. Lia and Xilis were born muchter, they only learned of these histories from the texts."


    "How do we close the portal?" Albert, who had heard these stories before, was now more concerned about how to deal with the current situation.


    Aspasia replied with a smile.


    "The good news is, this portal has just been opened and is still unstable, easy to close. As long as we make it disappear before any Abyssal Lord notices it, there shouldn''t be any problem."


    "And what''s the bad news?" The Knight King keenly caught the implication in the High Priest''s words.


    "We need a warrior to go in and detonate the channel near the other end, thoroughly destroy the spatial fluctuations, so that the Demon magicians can''t locate our world to open the portal again." Aspasia paused, "This warrior can only retreat through the other side of the channel and cannot return."


    The crowd fell silent. The rebellion had just seeded, they had just witnessed the death of Emperor Pharis, and it was time to divide the spoils of victory. Wealth and glory waited for every person present, and no one wanted to give up everything at hand at this moment.


    An awkward silence continued when a voice appeared in time.


    "I am willing to go."


    Everyone seemed to breathe a sigh of relief. Albert lookedplicatedly at the person who had volunteered. The strong Lancelot, the brave Lancelot, the righteous Lancelot, the Lancelot who always charged ahead.


    Everyone knew of a Lancelot in the rebel army who had never lost a battle, but not everyone knew that the leader of the rebel alliance was Albert.


    Reality was so ironic. Even though Lancelot had always been loyal to Albert, the increasing fame had made Lancelot the greatest threat to Albert.


    "Are you sure?" The High Priest hesitated slightly. The lifespan of humans,pared to Elves, is very short, so she could not quite understand human thoughts.


    The ck-haired Knight didn''t speak but simply nodded lightly.


    "Very well, Sir Lancelot. On behalf of the Elf Race, I extend the deepest gratitude to you," Aspasia said solemnly.


    Lancelot managed a strained smile:


    "I trust in your wisdom; someone had to do it. What exactly should I do?"


    The Elf took out an exquisitely woven bag and loaded it with gemstones she had prepared earlier. Then she took out a dark red branch, inserted it into the mouth of the bag, and tied it securely. She handed the bag to Lancelot, exining:


    "Once inside, you will find yourself in a corridor-like environment, surrounded by the most beautiful starry sky you have ever seen."


    "Do not look at those stars; they will cause you to get lost. Focus straight ahead, and you will see a door in the distance, the exit to another world."


    ```

 Chapter 4 Prologue_4

    "Words cannot describe the distance between you and that door; you won''t feel like you are moving, but the light door in the distance will be closer and closer, while the door behind you will grow farther and farther away. After about a thousand heartbeats, you will arrive in front of the door on the other side,"


    "Just before you leave, snap the branch sealing this bag and violently throw the bag backward," Aspasia pointed to the bag that had just been handed over.


    "The gemstones in the bag will explode within three breaths, releasing energy that will destroy the passage and thoroughly disrupt the surrounding space. Of course, you should be fine as long as you sprint forward immediately after exiting through the light door."


    Lancelot listened silently, then nodded his head and said,


    "There''s no time to dy, I will depart now." He turned to look at Albert, "Your Majesty, I wish you all the best."


    Albert suddenly felt somewhat ashamed, yet he had never loathed the man before him so intensely. He suppressed all his emotions and said nkly,


    "Thank you for your service; we will all remember your achievements."


    "Thank you, you will surely be a fine Emperor," Lancelot bowed onest time to Albert, resettled the Great Sword on his back, adjusted his armor and cloak, and turned to walk toward the light door.


    He had once sworn to serve this man forever, but perhaps he had performed too well, as Albert seemed to wish he had never appeared.


    The timing of this door''s opening was perfect. The Elves didn''t need to recount those ancient tales. Whether he truly wished it or not, he was inevitably the one to sacrifice himself to save the world. Stepping forward was actually his easiest choice.


    He spoke immediately, not wanting to give Albert time to think. Everything so far had been within his eptable range. But had Albert shown even a hint of coercion, he was unsure whether he could remain loyal to his previous vows.


    "Wait a moment, Sir Lancelot," the High Priest of the Elves called out to Lancelot. "I have a gift for you."


    Lancelot stopped in his tracks, looking at the three Elves approaching him.


    The three favored by nature surrounded him, their hands sped in front of their chests, their ethereal prayers echoing in his ears:


    "Goddess, please hear my prayer¡­"


    "This man is about to journey far, fearing he may never return to his homnd¡­"


    "Themon people are saved because of him, yet no one knows, nor can they repay¡­"


    "We wish to exchange our power for your blessings upon him¡­"


    The Elves'' bodies emitted a strong light that enveloped Lancelot. He felt a warm current surge into his body, his soul seemed to be filled with something, and myriad colors danced before his eyes, with unfamiliar sounds drifting through his ears.


    The ceremony started very abruptly and ended just as quickly. The three Elves each took a step back, looking exceptionally tired.


    Lancelot discovered his vision had greatly improved, and his hearing had be very sensitive. Aspasia gave him a weak smile and said,


    "This gift is called the Elves'' blessing; it allows you to have a body like an Elf and some other abilities, just like a real Elf..."


    Lancelot subconsciously reached to touch his ears.


    The High Priest yfully winked, "But unfortunately, elf-like ears are not included."


    "That''s the essence," Lancelot realized he was speaking an unfamiliarnguage.


    "It seems you''ve noticed, this blessing also includes much knowledge, and..." The High Priest paused. "It grants you a lifespan many times that of an ordinary person."


    Lancelot was utterly stunned.


    The High Priest smiled. "This blessing has drained the magic power we three have umted over countless years, but we dly did so, as this is the Elves'' way of thanking you."


    "The world beyond is barren and dangerous, a ce of survival of the fittest, but I believe you can survive. Go forth, bearing our blessing; from now on, time shall not weaken you. We hope that one day, you will find your way back home."


    Lancelot smiled, his smile no longer heavy.n/?/vel/b//jn dot c//om


    "Thank you, High Priest, I am suddenly filled with anticipation for the future," he said.


    Having spoken, he no longer lingered but stepped through the light door.


    Oh, homnd, will I ever see you again...

 Chapter 5 Battle in the Mines

    The Berserk Demon discarded the whip in its hand.


    To them, whips were too soft, and their own ws were far more useful.


    The young Dwarf clutched his Cross Pickaxe tightly in both hands. He knew he might not see tomorrow''s sun, but he would rather die than continue living such a humiliating life.


    The Demon and the Dwarf merely confronted each other briefly before the Demon impatientlyunched its attack. Using its powerful legs, like a real toad, it leaped fiercely, shing downward at its target with both ws.


    The Dwarf tried to defend himself, but the Cross Pickaxe was not a very good substitute for a shield. He barely managed to deflect the first strike, but he was powerless against the second one that immediately followed. He only had time to protect his vitals as he was struck squarely by the w and sent flying.


    The watching Berserk Demons let out a cheer, and even the overseer forgot his duties, issuing a shrill shout of encouragement.


    The young Dwarf struggled to his feet, his arms and shoulders bearing horrific wounds, but only a little blood flowed out.


    Dwarves had rock-like bodies and were naturally resistant to bleeding. Although the young Dwarf looked quite disheveled, he had sessfully avoided a fatal hit and had not lost hisbat ability.


    Seeing him stand again, the toad Demon roared angrily. This time, it charged on all fours like a wild boar, opening its gaping maw to bite ferociously.


    The young Dwarf hugged his head and rolled on the ground, narrowly dodging the attack.


    The audience let out a huge boo, disliking this kind of evasivebat.


    As the dominant Duelist, the Berserk Demon, spurred on by the booing of its peers, became somewhat frantic. It turned around impatiently and lunged at its opponent, intending to use its previously sessful double w strike again.


    This time, the young Dwarf did not try to parry with the Cross Pickaxe; he continued to roll on the ground, keeping low and dodging the attack.


    But this time there was something different.


    The upper limbs of the Berserk Demon were extremely thick, and its head was directly atop its shoulders with almost no neck, which made it unable to see clearly the actions of the Dwarf beneath it while in midair.


    As he rolled underneath, the Dwarf maliciously extended the Cross Pickaxe.


    A rtively small body had many clever uses, such as quickly adjusting one''s posture and exerting force for an attack while rolling and dodging.


    A sound of bones shattering was heard. The young Dwarf drove the sharp end of the Cross Pickaxe into the Berserk Demon''s knee, shattering the bone inside.


    The Berserk Demon let out an earth-shattering scream. Itsnding aggravated the knee injury, rendering itpletely unable to stand, only able to prop itself up with its ws, sprawled on the ground.


    "Haha, who said three-legged toads are hard to find? Here''s one right here!"


    All of the Dwarves burst into madughter, and not even the fiercely falling whips could stop them.


    The painpletely enraged the Berserk Demon. Madness and the desire for ughterpletely took over its mind, and it wanted nothing more than to tear the detestable little Dwarf to pieces.N?v(el)B\\jnn


    It charged at the Dwarf again, using its one good leg and two arms, while the young Dwarf turned and ran, circling around the bottom of the mine.


    The three-legged toad Demon couldn''t catch up with the nimble Dwarf, its dragging, injured leg and crawling with ws on the ground appearing quiteical, elicitingughter from everyone, including the other Berserk Demons.


    Perhaps it was theughter that irritated it, or perhaps the young Dwarf grew tired from running, but the gap between them gradually closed.


    Finally, the three-legged toad seized an opportunity, pushed off the ground with its single leg, and sprang forward ferociously, while the Dwarf ahead seemed to have carelessly run into a dead end, facing a rock wall with no space to dodge.


    "No, no, no, no!"


    "Tear it to pieces!"


    "Son!"


    "Kill, kill, kill!"


    "Be careful!"


    "Croak!"


    The audience emitted various cries of rm. In the eyes of the Demons, the oue was already sealed. The little Dwarf might be agile and strong, but it was only by luck that he managed tond a hit earlier; a direct confrontation would leave him with no chance of victory. They could almost see the little Dwarf being torn to shreds by those sharp ws.


    The Dwarves, on the other hand, revealed looks of despair. The flicker of hope that had briefly ignited in their eyes was quickly extinguished in their pupils, and the more timid among them even covered their eyes.


    The young Dwarf did not look back but continued running forward.


    Just as the ws were less than ten centimeters from his back, an astonishing scene urred.


    The young Dwarf stepped on the rock wall, ran up it vertically for a step, then leaped backward. His body soared over the Berserk Demon,nding behind his opponent and perfectly dodging its determined strike.


    With a thunderous crash, the huge toad mmed into the rock wall, the impact nearly knocking itself unconscious.


    And behind it, the Dwarf''s Cross Pickaxe was raised high.


    Another cringe-worthy sound was heard, and the knee of the other leg was also smashed.


    The Cross Pickaxe was indeed highly effective against hard objects.


    The noise from the stands abruptly ceased, and everyone watched the scene in disbelief. A Dwarf ve, armed with just a Cross Pickaxe, had defeated a Berserk Demon?


    The dim-witted toads were still struggling toprehend what was happening before them, while the dwarves with normal intelligence gripped their cross pickaxes even tighter. Those with empty hands looked around to pinpoint the nearest cross pickaxe.


    This mining pit was akin to an arena, and at this moment, the battle within had yet to conclude.


    Even with both knees broken, the massive toad disyed the terrifying physical prowess of demons. Using its forelimbs and thighs, it crawled on the ground, lunging once again at the young dwarf.


    Fear is one of the demons'' weapons, but at this point, its opponent had already fought with confidence. The young dwarf dodged all the attacks and, seizing the opportunity, shattered both elbows of the Berserk Demon.


    Yet the demon hadn''t lost itsbat strength. In ast ditch of ferocity, it opened its bloody maw wide, attempting to bite the young dwarf.


    This time, his opponent didn''t dodge but instead thrust the cross pickaxe in his hand forward.


    With a "puh" sound, like a fish biting the hook, each end of the cross pickaxe pierced through the nostrils and chin of the dying Berserk Demon.


    The pain caused it to struggle violently, showcasing to everyone just how formidable a demon''s life force could be.


    At that moment, a foot stepped onto its back.


    The young dwarf, holding the wooden handle of the cross pickaxe, used the demon''s pierced upper jaw as a fulcrum and forcefully bent the pickaxe backward.


    His shoulder and arm muscles bulged, making him look like a track switcher working in the royal dwarf subway, about to save a train from derailing.


    "Aaaaargh!!!"


    The dwarf let out a roar that used all his strength, and the head of the Berserk Demon underfoot was hooked ever higher.


    A breaking point was finally reached: first, the lower jaw of the Berserk Demon torepletely off, and its lengthy tongue, no longer supported by the chin, dropped right out of its throat; next, the steel helmet-like skull was utterly flipped open, revealing an inside covered with numerous revolting tumors and a brain slightly bigger than an apple.


    Following a brief silence, the entire mining pit erupted.


    The dwarves cheered wildly, despite themselves, the Berserk Demons roared in anger, but the most piercing was the demon overseer''s scream:


    "Berserk Demons! Kill him for me! I want to skin him alive!"


    In reality, some Berserk Demons had already leaped down before the overseer''s words even finished, and the young dwarf stood no chance. He could only rely on his small stature to dodge back and forth. However, overwhelmed and outnumbered, he was tripped and fell to the ground, struggling to get up, and the situation was extremely dire.


    The dwarf ves sprang into action. They grabbed cross pickaxes and swung them wildly, dying the steps of several Berserk Demons, but more leaped down from the spectator seats, ready to join the onught against that diator.


    A shadow moved faster than them; it was Lancelot, who had been watching from the sidelines for a while.


    The young dwarf''s battle had made his blood boil, but he had restrained himself from taking action immediately, as interrupting an honorable duel was not the conduct of a knight.


    However, he had also taken the opportunity to clearly observe the enemy''s situation. The Berserk Demons were strong and heavily relied on their sharp ws and fangs inbat, but they were irritable and foolish, with brute strength but no more skill in battle than wild beasts.


    The overseer didn''t appear to be skilled in closebat, but its fly-like body and stiletto-like mouth suggested itsbat style might favor stabbing, and its shrill voice indicated it could also have some kind of sonic attack.


    Energy surged from his Dantian, True Qi rushing through each meridian.


    This was Lancelot''s first battle since bing a Spiritual Cultivator, and he felt his great sword was so light, as if he had boundless vigor throughout his body.


    The moment hended, he skewered an enemy to the ground. Twisting the hilt of his sword, a bloody hole appeared at the back of his foe''s head.


    On human battlefields, wielding a two-handed great sword, he would be at the very front of the line, shattering the enemy''s dense spear formations. In the Abyss, against enemies like the Berserk Demons, who stood a head taller than humans, the great sword was even more outstanding.


    The long sword de ensured Lancelot could stay as far as possible from the dangerous ws of the Berserk Demons while the destructive power of the great sword allowed him to critically injure every enemy he struck.


    After chopping off several ws and cleaving several toad heads, the assault against him ceased. The Berserk Demons surrounded Lancelot but refrained from approaching out of fear.


    Only then did Lancelot reach out to pull up that brave young dwarf,ughing as he said,


    "You fought very well, little brother."


    "Who you calling ''little''? You''re the one without even a beard," replied the dwarf.


    The two of them burst into heartyughter before Lancelot introduced himself:


    "My name is Lancelot Durek, a knight who has fallen to this ce, no, a Pdin. What''s your name?"


    The young dwarf bowed:


    "Thank you. I''m Bruto Frostforge, a cksmith. It seems you won''t be needing that shield on your back for the time being, may I borrow it for a while?"


    "You haven''t formallypleted your apprenticeship!" It seemed that the elder dwarf wouldn''t be dying anytime soon.


    "That''s because of these damned demons!" Bruto, realizing his father was awake, yelled back excitedly yet somewhat embarrassed.


    Lancelot unhesitatingly removed the shield. It was a cavalry shield, used to fend off enemy knights'' long spear charges, very thick and durable but too heavy for dismounted use.


    However, it was quite suitable for Bruto¡ªdwarves, while only two-thirds the height of humans, weighed about the same, with very sturdy builds and strength surpassing that of humans; and the shield wasrge enough to protect their entire body.


    Lancelot nodded in satisfaction, seeing Bruto looking like a fully-equipped infantryman:


    "Ready to handle the rest of these toads?"


    "Let''s go, pal. I''m positively starving for action!"

 Chapter 6 Barrend

    As the roar erupted, a tall and a short figure charged towards the Berserk Demons.


    Although it was their first time working together, they exhibited a good understanding ¡ª mainly Lancelot coordinating with Bruto.


    With a sturdy shield and powerful muscles, Bruto could directly block the Berserk Demons'' bites and ws, smashing a few knees in his spare time, while Lancelot took care of protecting Bruto''s nks and rear, shing off ws that Bruto didn''t see, stabbing his sword into the mouths of giant toads, and stomping on the brains of the fallen Berserk Demons with his steel boots.


    They had knocked down several Berserk Demons almost instantly, and just as they were about to clinch an overwhelming victory, suddenly, a piercing howl sounded from above.


    This was an attack using sonic waves emitted by the wings of the Demon taskmaster, a sound so loud and sharp it was unbearable, forcing everyone to huddle and squat on the ground, trying to block out the maddening noise.


    The Demons were much less affected, seizing the opportunity to break away from the fray. Demons have terrifying regeneration abilities; given a short period, severe injuries could be minor, but there weren''t many giant toads left alive, and those remaining were almost crippled by Lancelot and the other Dwarves.


    The Demon taskmaster, like a spider, crawled down the nearly vertical pit wall and moved towards Lancelot and Bruto.


    As it drew nearer, the horrific sound waves it emitted became more intense, robbing people of the ability to resist and leaving them at its mercy. This ability was almost impossible to counter for the Mortal Races with hearing and required a higher level of strength to withstand.


    This is also why these humanoid fly-like Demons are often appointed as taskmasters; their terrible screeching could quickly quell any ve uprising.


    It moved step by step towards Lancelot, this unexpected human. If not for him, the bold Dwarf would have been torn to shreds, a scenario proven multiple times to be very effective in boosting the work efficiency of the ves.


    As for the death of a Berserk Demon, it couldn''t care less; after all, Berserk Demons were just cannon fodder.


    With a wave of their mighty hands and a bit of their seemingly inconsequential magic power, the Demon Lords could turn swathes of Coward Devils into Berserk Demons with screams of agony ¡ª they were then usually thrown into meat-grinder battles, resulting in Berserk Demons having the shortest average lifespan in the entire Demon Race, less than 24 hours.


    It walked up to Lancelot, satisfied to see the human clutching his ears in a death grip, oblivious to the approach.


    The humanoid fly Demon raised its head, its half-meter-long pointed beak gleaming with lethal cold light, ready to plunge into the throat of the man.


    It nced at its prey out of the corner of its eye, sensing that something was off. Although the man was covering his ears, his expression was not one of agony; in fact, the corners of his mouth were curling into a faint smile.


    In that brief moment of its hesitation, an iron hand shot out like lightning, seizing it by the root of its beak.


    Lancelot had actually used True Qi to block his ears from the start, and while it couldn''tpletely shield out the terrifying buzzer, it was at least no longer unbearable.


    The Demon struggled violently in his grasp, but Lancelot''s hand was like a mp, holding it firmly in ce.


    He pulled down on the beak with his left hand, forcing the Demon''s head to droop, then drew his sword with his right hand and swooped down in one motion to decapitate the Demon from its body.


    The remaining few Berserk Demons, seeing this, let out a strange cry and fled clean away.


    The decapitated body continued to flutter its wings, emitting that terrible screech, forcing Lancelot to chop off the pair of translucent wings as well.


    The world finally fell silent.


    When Bruto lifted his head, removing his hands from his own, the first thing he saw was Lancelot holding a head.


    In his hand, he held the long beak of the Demon taskmaster, with the headless corpse of the fly Demon nearby, which had been the source of many months of suffering for the Dwarf ves.


    Seeing the Dwarves waking up, Lancelot tossed the long-beaked head over.


    "This long beak seems quite sharp; is it possible to make it into a short sword or dagger or something?"


    Bruto''s gaze followed the rolling head on the ground, and he suddenly burst into tears. The crying spread like contagion, all the Dwarves began to wail loudly, their cries so heart-wrenching that Lancelot was left awkwardly unsure of what to do.


    When the crying gradually subsided, Lancelot stepped forward and patted Bruto on the shoulder.


    "Are you all right?"


    "Waah... I... we... we''re fine. Very... very sorry..."


    Bruto ran off to check on his father. The old Dwarf was in good spirits, despite the nasty fall and the severalshes he had received, but judging by the volume of his crying, he seemed to be mostly unharmed.


    Lancelot waited patiently on the side. He couldn''t imagine what this group of Dwarves had been through, but in this terrifying world, losing one''s freedom was definitely one of the most dreadful things.


    After a while, Bruto came over supporting his father. The old Dwarf bowed deeply to Lancelot and said:


    "Thank you, kind Sir. I am Barrend Frostforge, a cksmith. If not for you today, we wouldn''t know how long our envement would havested, and my foolish son would surely have been dead."


    Lancelot also returned a gesture:


    "Your son shows great courage, and his glorious battle has inspired us all." Then, with a tinge of curiosity, he asked, "How do you know I am a knight? Do you have humans in your world, too?"


    "My old man''s craft is famous far and wide. We often get orders from the human kings," Bruto proudly interjected.


    The old Dwarf gave his disrespectful son a punch on the head, a blow so powerful it seemed to kick up the dust on the ground, but Bruto appeared unfazed.


    "In the world wee from, humans and Dwarves once fought each other, but amon enemy brought us together, and we formed a sacred alliance to fend off the Orcs and Goblins'' attacks," Barrend exined. "Your full body armor indicates you''re a nobleman, and among humans, nobles are addressed as ''Sir.''"


    Lancelot nodded in understanding and continued to ask:


    "Could you tell me of your experiences? To be honest, I''ve only been in this world for a day, and I have many questions."


    Upon hearing this, Bruto and Barrend''s eyes widened and the outspoken Bruto eximed:


    "Judging by your fighting, we thought you were the legendary Abyssal Ranger."


    At this, Lancelot grew curious:


    "Abyssal Ranger? What is that?"


    "A good person wandering in the Abyss," shrugged Bruto.


    "Some are forced to flee here yet are fortunate enough not to lose their freedom, like you," the old Dwarf said, sighing. "The Abyss is a dangerous ce, but it can also easily make one stronger. Those who gain power here yet refuse to fall are called Abyssal Rangers. But you must understand, such individuals are few and far between, and they mostly lead a life in hiding."


    By then, the other surviving Dwarves had also gathered around, thanking Lancelot, with Barrend introducing them one by one:


    "This is Adrick, this is his brother Adbeke, and these three are Delg, Dain, and Darak..."


    "We wanted to forge a warhammer as a gift for the coronation of the new King. I organized this mining team to enter an ancient mine in hopes of finding the finest Mithril Ore."


    "We knew the dangers deep within the mine, but that was the only ce where Mithril Ore could still be found."


    "Deep underground, we found what we were looking for. In fact, we discovered an entire vein of Mithril Ore, and everyone was so excited that they forgot the repeated admonitions of the Miners'' Guild before we set out."


    "There wasn''t much left to mine inside, and if a new vein was discovered, what we should have done was to leave quickly, not linger on."


    "Just as you humans cannot resist the temptation of gold, we Dwarves also cannot step away when we discover a precious ore vein. By the time we came to our senses, the mine behind us had disappeared."


    "The Demons that roam the underground quickly found us; they seem to frequently capture such unlucky fellows. They didn''t tear us to pieces on the spot, but instead brought us to a steel fortress on the surface, where our very began."


    "There, we saw arge number of other ves, most of them Dwarves but also humans, Elves, and even Orcs and Goblins. A Demon with huge wings was our master; it drove us to collect ores and forge equipment for it, until one day a more powerful Demon Lord came and hung its corpse on the city walls, and we had a new master."


    "Such events happened every few months. We''ve been in this world for over a year, right up until we met you."


    Lancelot nodded sympathetically, consoling:


    "The days of hardship are finally over. We will surely find a way back to our original world."


    "That''s almost impossible," the old Dwarf''s eyes darkened. "We once met an Elf who was a well-learned Schr before he became a ve. He told us that the Abyssal ne is beneath all the Main nes, like a rubbish bin, the destination for all evil, fallen souls. Descending from the upper nes through portals is quite easy.


    Any careless Mage might identally open a portal to the Abyssal ne, but ascending from a lower ne to an upper one is very difficult, requiring the strength of at least a Demigod to achieve."


    Lancelot was also struck by this news, but he immediately thought that with his own practice of the Spiritual Cultivation Tao, there might be a glimmer of hope.


    "That Elf may not be entirely correct; there might be other methods he doesn''t know of," Lancelot tried to sound more upbeat. "What are your ns now?"


    A small debate quickly broke out among the Dwarves, but Barrend eventually persuaded everyone.n/?/vel/b//in dot c//om


    "We n to head to Twin Bridges Town."

 Chapter 7 Demons and Demon

    "What kind of ce is Twin Bridges Town? Is there anything special about it?"


    Barrend''s eyes lit up with longing as he answered:


    "Twin Bridges Town is one among the few neutral towns in the Abyss, and it''s the closest to us. It lies just beyond the foothills on the other side of the Shattered Mountain Range. We should be able to see it once we get over this hill."n/?/vel/b//in dot c//om


    The word ''neutral'' caught Lancelot''s attention, and he asked with confusion:


    "Neutral Town? Neutral between whom and whom?"


    "Between Demons and Devils, of course. Didn''t you know?" Bruto looked at Lancelot oddly, then remembered something and apologized with a smile, "Sorry, I forgot you''re new here. Old man, better you exin."


    "I''ve heard of Devils." Lancelot answered, "They don''t get along with Demons?"


    "It''s more than just not getting along. If one day all the Demons in the Abyss vanishedpletely, the first suspects would definitely not be the Holy Warriors from Mount Heaven." Barrend stroked his gray white beard. "Although both Devils and Demons are incarnations of ultimate evil in this universe, they severely sh over many doctrines."


    "How does one differentiate evil from evil?" Lancelot asked curiously.


    "If there are distinctions within the good alignment, there are naturally also distinctions within the evil alignment."


    "Wait, could you first exin the distinctions within the good alignment?"


    "Well, the simplest example: A just Judge and a robin-hood-like thief. They''re both good people, with kind hearts, thetter mocks the former''s prudishness and naivety while the former believes that regardless of whom the stolen itemse from, or how they''re handled, theft must be punished by thew."


    "An interesting view, but most people probably aren''t that extreme, right?"


    "Indeed not, but to some extent, everyone has some inclinations," Barrend spread his hands, continuing, "Perhaps that''s why we''re mortal. Unfortunately, Demons and Devils happen to be at these two extremes."


    "Could you borate?"


    "You guys go and sort out our stuff first, see what else we can use." Barrend first turned to speak to the other Dwarfs, then found a rock to sit down on. "Let me briefly tell you what I know." (Author''s note: Those familiar with the setting may skip this part)


    "Demons represent chaos; they simply desire the destruction of the world, tearing apart anything that has a semnce of order. They are a group of powerful madmen, their intentions changing from one second to the next, and you can''t expect them to follow any rules or strictly implement any n, but mind you, they are crazy, not stupid.


    High-level Demon Lords control the lower-level Demons mostly through violence and magic, but this is quite limited. There are a few high-level Demons known as Abyssal Lords who control one or severalyers of the Abyssal worlds. These high-level Demons are constantly fighting each other in an eternal and bloody conflict but might only unite temporarily against the Devils."


    "Devils, on the other hand, represent order; they aim to conquer the whole world, to own the soul of every being. They live in a ne called Barto Hell which supposedly has nineyers, thus it''s also called the Nine Hells. To achieve their goals, Devils can spend years nning and even longer executing those ns.


    They have a strict hierarchical structure and at the pyramid''s apex is Asmodeus¡ªthe supreme ruler of the Nine Hells and, legend has it, the strongest and first fallen among the beings created by the gods as angels to fight Demons. Devils are rational, respect rules, but they''re keen on exploiting loopholes in these rules.


    Unlike Demons that simply wish to destroy mortals, Devils enjoy dealing with mortals, trading in power, wealth, or beauty, employing every conceivable method to fulfill mortal desires, but their only true desire is the mortal''s soul."


    "For Devils, the most important part is the brain, as their power derives from their scheming nature; it is the source of their Magic Power. For Demons, on the other hand, the most important part is the heart, as their poweres from their destructive essence, the heart is the fountain of their life.


    For lower-level Demons and Devils, it doesn''t matter much, destroying any part can kill them, but when facing higher-level foes, one must be careful not to make a mistake."


    "The Bottomless Abyss and Barto Hell are both lower nes, and teleporting across these two nes is quite easy. The long war waged by the demons and demons to destroy each other is known as the Blood War. From what I understand, the current war situation has the demons at an advantage. They have established several fortresses in the homnd of the demons and are continuously attacking.


    It is said that the demons have also once invaded Barto Hell, but I have my doubts about this, as it''s quite strange to imagine these Tanari cooperating."


    "However, the demons are far from losing this war because demons can be directly born from the chaotic energy in the Abyss, making their numbers nearly infinite and easy to replenish. Demons, on the other hand, cannot do this as each new demon needs a fallen soul, which often leads to them facing a shortage of forces."


    "Therefore, the profession of Blood War Mercenaries exists. They are from the upper nes of mortal races,ing here in pursuit of wealth, power, or merely being deceived, serving one side of the Blood War, which is why neutral towns like this exist."


    "A neutral town is typically ruled by a powerful Subus. Subi are born directly from the projection of mortal lust in the lower nes and, by your human standards, each is incredibly attractive and seductive, merely seeing them can arouse your primal desires.


    Most Abyssal Lords have one or more subi as lovers or advisors, and demons have found subi incredibly effective at tempting mortals into falling. Whether they are demons or devils is still debated, but both sides can tolerate their presence, which is very rare in the lower nes."


    Lancelot was utterly engrossed, as these pieces of information were not in the knowledge left to him by the elves. He remembered another question and hurriedly asked:


    "By the way, are we in the firstyer of the Abyss?"


    "Correct, this is the topmostyer of the Abyssal ne, named the ins of the Abyss. The ins of the Abyss is thergestyer in the Abyssal ne and the battlefield of the eternal Blood War."


    Lancelot pondered for a moment; a neutral town was immensely enticing to him. He could obtain information, supplies, and even refuge there. If he wanted to survive in the Abyss for a long time, a neutral town that weed him would be very helpful.


    "A neutral town sounds perfect for me right now. Can Ie with you?"


    "Of course, no problem!" Bruto interjected happily.


    "The Abyss is full of dangers. To have a powerful and noble knight like yourself apany us would be our pleasure," Bruto''s father added more seriously. "But we are not in a rush to leave; we might still stay here for a few days."


    "What? Why not leave immediately? Is there something else you haven''t handled yet?" Lancelot asked, puzzled.


    "Haha, look around you, there''s a group of Dwarves and a mine here," Bruto answered with augh. "And to be honest, this is a really good mine. If the demons would treat us a bit better, there would be no need for whips. Just two days, no, three days, and we can arm everyone here."


    Lancelot asked, genuinely surprised:


    "Can you start work right here?"


    "With a Cross Pickaxe and cksmith Hammer, we can start work anywhere. There are ore materials here, magma for heat, and a true master¡ªI''m talking about my old man. Speak now if you have any requests; it will cost youter."


    "What nonsense are you speaking?" Bruto was again soundly punched by his delighted father. "Don''t mind thisd''s nonsense, Sir Lancelot. If you have any needs, you can approach me anytime. Dwarves never forget those who lend a hand during tough times."


    "You''re too kind. I really don''t have anything to offer as payment right now," Lancelot said, scratching his head awkwardly. "I would like to turn this fellow''s mouth into a short sword or a dagger. Also, this armor might need some maintenance. If you could make the moving parts quieter, that would be great¡ªcharging head-on in the Abyss might not be a good idea."


    "Making weapons from special materials is my forte. We''ve also found some excellent copper ore and Dragon Scale Charcoal here. Just a small technique is needed to make your armor as smooth as if it were oiled," the former best cksmith of Rivet Fort proudly said. "Just you wait and see."

 Chapter 8 Methods of Cultivation in the Abyss

    Not far from the Dwarf mines, Lancelot was sitting cross-legged in a cave. He had been cultivating here for the past two days, striving to enhance his cultivation level.


    It wasn''t that there was anything special about the cave, it was simply because the hammering of the Dwarves wasn''t as piercing here.


    He found he no longer required sleep; after finishing his cultivation sessions, he could naturally enter into meditation. Resting for just an hour or two in a meditative state would leave him as refreshed as if he had slept through the night.


    His cultivation speed was now much slower than when he first experienced sensing Qi, but Lancelot was clear that this was the normal state of affairs.


    A rapid increase in strength out of nowhere was nothing but a castle in the air, and the journey of Spiritual Cultivation was really about building a tower of sand¡ªumting slowly day by day until, eventually, countless streams return to the ocean, transcending the mundane and entering the realm of the holy.


    Of course, these eloquent words were not his own; they came from Han Tianzun who left the bamboo slips containing his cultivation insights. Every day, Lancelot would read the contents rted to cultivation knowledge and experiences with a voracious thirst, in addition to his own practice.


    Han Tianzun came from a world where Spiritual Cultivation was mainstream, where there were various Magical Treasures and Elixirs that could aid in cultivation, some great sects even provided these for free to their outstanding members'' progeny; there were abundant spiritual energy reserves in blessednds and caves, typically upied by various powerful forces, but where one could advance by leaps and bounds in cultivation; and there were also ancient caves and secret realms left by sages of old, where obtaining the lost Divine Skills and Magical Treasures could be exchanged for rich rewards from the great sects, or the bold among them might quietly keep the treasures for themselves, silently amassing a fortune.


    Such things obviously did not exist in the Abyssal ne, but Han Tianzun had left behind methods of Alchemy and Artifact Refining, which Lancelot might try out if he got the chance.


    Another matter that he took great interest in was the mention by Han Tianzun one day regarding the "anomalous" nature of the spiritual energy in this world.


    In the words of the old Dwarf Barrend, the Abyssal ne was practically the Main ne''s trash bin, septic tank, the ultimate destination for all that was evil, filthy, and Fallen. Naturally, the spiritual energy one could absorb while cultivating in this world had its issues.


    The Qi Sea in his Dantian was currently dominated by his own Innate Power. Innate Power was like an unfathomably deep ocean, deep and serene when calm. The spiritual energy he absorbed through cultivation from the outside world was different, however; they were like raging magma and roaring waterfalls, powerful but difficult to control.


    Yesterday, Lancelot tried practicing a Qi Refinement Realm Combat Technique called Gathering Qi sh. The essence of this technique was to channel True Qi along a special path through the Meridians before releasing it with a shing motion.


    He used the stone tform on which he was seated as the object of his experiment. When he exercised his power using Innate True Qi, the stone tform was sliced into two pieces as easily as a hot knife through butter.


    But when he switched to the spiritual energy of the Abyssal ne, his Great Sword glowed red as he began to channel Qi, and with one strike, the tform exploded into over a dozen pieces upon contact with the Sword de.


    That was why he was now sitting on the ground.


    Although visually the effect of a single explosive sh was very cool, the actual utilization of energy was quite low. In terms of power, it was clear that the version using Innate True Qi was much stronger.


    Lancelot felt quite helpless about this; he had tried many methods from the bamboo slips, including the Ice Heart Spell for resisting the Heart Demon, and the Three Purities meditation for controlling emotions, but sadly, they were not very effective. Instead, they did help to stabilize his impatient state of mind considerably.


    After various attempts, he found that only a Dharma Method called "Imperial Qi Body Tempering" was effective. When circting the Heavenly Cycle, if a small strand of True Qi was initiated from the Dantian, the result was the umtion of new spiritual energy from the environment.


    But if he gathered as much True Qi as possible right from the onset at the Dantian, his body would be strengthened under the stimtion of True Qi.


    This form of cultivation was akin to power training in the world of Spiritual Cultivation, but it had two minor additional effects: it could slightly increase the homogenization of the True Qi in his body and enhance his control over the True Qi, both of which were precisely what Lancelot needed at the moment.


    As Cultivators possessed immense strength, they rarely deliberately exercised their bodies, generally opting to undertake such training to adjust their body''s condition only when their Cultivation Technique was about to attain perfection and they were on the verge of a breakthrough.


    Furthermore, the effect of enhancing the homogenization of inner spiritual energy was useless for those who cultivated under normal conditions.


    Spiritual Cultivators usually prioritized advancing to the next Realm as quickly as possible since ordinary people have a limited lifespan, and only by breaking through to the next stage could they postpone their own aging. Endowed with the Elves'' blessing, Lancelot already had several times the lifespan of an ordinary person, so he didn''t mind putting in some extra effort to solidify his strength.


    At that moment, he sensed someone entering the cave, so he concluded his Cultivation session and stood up.n/?/vel/b//in dot c//om


    "Lancelot, are you up?" Bruto''s booming voice came from the entrance of the cave.


    "Even if I were still sleeping, you would have woken me up by now," Lancelot said helplessly.


    "Ha ha, I''m here to deliver goods; your order ispleted," Bruto''s figure appeared at the entrance, dragging behind a small trolley used for transporting ores.


    Excited, Lancelot ran towards him. Although he was already a Spiritual Cultivator, he was still not ustomed to going without armor.


    "Pdins are knights too," the armored little person inside Lancelot''s heart insisted.


    Bruto, proudly taking out a dark green short sword from the cart, said, "Take a good look, this is Dwarf craftsmanship. That annoying humanoid fly is only good for its gabbing. My dad named it the Kiss of Deadly Poison."


    Lancelot took the short sword and examined it carefully in his hands. The weapon was about as long as his forearm, with no crossguard, but the grip had been specially treated to prevent slipping. Most of the de was unsharpened, but it had been crafted into a triangr spike at the end, which seemed very sharp.


    There was also a scabbard made from carapace, likely originating from the same source as the sword.


    "The hardness of this short sword is as good as any metal weapon, but the toughness is just average, so you can confidently thrust it into anything you want, but please don''t rely on it to block for your life."


    Upon hearing this, Lancelot tried a few thrusting motions, the de shing frighteningly in mid-air.


    Bruto involuntarily shrank his neck back and continued, "This weapon also retains the demon''s poison, so enemies hit by it will be very weak, uh, if they aren''t killed by you on the spot, that is."


    "Thank you, I''m very satisfied," Lancelot said as he put the short sword away. "I also like the name Kiss of Deadly Poison; it suits it."


    "My dad''s always had a knack for naming weapons," Bruto beamed, continuing to pull more items out of his little cart. "Here''s your armor. We''ve made some modifications at the joints as you asked, so you can try it on."


    Lancelot took the armor, now disassembled into parts, and noticed the joints had turned the color of brass, dotted with coin-sized ck spots.


    "That''s graphite. We extracted it from Dragon Scale charcoal. It will make the brass very slick. You''ll know once you put it on."


    Lancelot, filled with curiosity, put on the armor right there.


    "Wow, I didn''t think you''d manage on your own," Bruto eximed, impressed that Lancelot had swiftly donned the full set of armor without assistance.


    Lancelot was also startled for a moment. Full body armor was very heavy, and it was quite difficult to put on without an attendant''s help, but now he had managed to do it by himself.


    It seemed that cultivation had indeed greatly improved his physical condition.


    "I''ve specifically trained for it," boasted Lancelot modestly.


    He moved around and found that the nging of metal no longer sounded; now it was more like the noise of sand rubbing against sand. Although it was far from silent, it was much quieter than before when it could be heard from thirty paces away.


    "I really can''t thank you enough," Lancelot suddenly felt a bit ashamed. "I don''t have much to offer as a reward, but I will ensure your safety with all my might on our uing journey to Twin Bridges Town."


    "Don''t mention it, but speaking of a reward..." Bruto suddenly seemed a little embarrassed. "Well, about that shield of yours, I found it quite handy to use. Could I possibly¡­"


    "Haha, not a problem. We worked really well together when you took the shield," Lancelot pointed at the great sword leaning against the wall. "I prefer using this now."


    Bruto looked at the weapon, nearly two heads taller than him, with awe, "That thing sure is imposing. It''s very fitting in this world. Unfortunately, we Dwarves can''t use it ¡ª its center of gravity is just too high, making it hard for us to maintain bnce when swinging it."


    Lancelot chuckled and patted his shoulder, "Now whenever I see a Cross Pickaxe, I can almost feel an ache in my knees."


    "Haha, the Cross Pickaxe is certainly the greatest invention of this world after the forge," Bruto said with aughing smile. "Alright then, the preparations are all done. It''s time for us to set off."

 Chapter 9 The Way Down the Mountain

    Lancelot followed Bruto out of the cave where he''d been practicing his cultivation and returned to the edge of the mine.


    In just three short days, the ce had been transformed into a temporary Dwarven forge. Lancelot saw piles of coal, earthen forges, casting molds dug into the ground, and bellows fashioned from the wings of Demons.


    Although the facilities were very simplistic, they had sessfully equipped all the Dwarves with Armor and Helmets, and each had a Hand Axe and Warhammer tucked at their sides, fully armed to the teeth.


    "Only those who have lost their freedom know how sweet it tastes." Bruto ced the Helmet he''d been carrying on his back on his head. "And those who try to enve us will either get our corpses or nothing at all."


    "What is that on your Helmet?" Lancelot noticed a tall statue of a Berserk Demon that was quite lifelike on Bruto''s Helmet.


    "Ha, it''s a memorial of the first enemy I killed," Bruto answered proudly. "Now everyone calls me Frog yer."


    "Was that your first battle?" Lancelot asked in surprise, Bruto''s calmness and bravery had left a deep impression on him at the time.


    "True as true can be, I''m only 35 years old, and before that, I was an Apprentice in my dad''s forge," Bruto said, straightening his back. "Maybe I have a knack for being an Adventurer."


    Lancelot inwardly sighed at the thought of being only 35 years old. But for Dwarves, who lived past 300 years, one was considered young until the age of 50.


    He took another look at Bruto''s Helmet and secretly suspected that the main purpose of the toad-like figure was to make the wearer appear a bit taller.


    "Oh, Sir Lancelot, you''re here. How''s the Armor?" Bruto''s father, a master-level Dwarven Artisan, walked over.


    "The craftsmanship of the Dwarves truly lives up to its reputation. Thank you, Master Barrend, I am very satisfied."


    "Ha! These are all makeshift, put together in haste." Barrendughed. "The conditions here are really poor. When I get the chance, I''ll show you what true Dwarven craftsmanship is all about."


    Lancelot too smiled. In thepany of these cheerful Dwarves, he''d almost forgotten he was in such a terrifying ne.


    --------------------------


    The group got their equipment in order and began their march towards the other side of the mountain peak.


    Even though it didn''t look far, they had to navigate around so many mine pits that they zigzagged along the narrow trails on the edges of the pits, finally arriving on the other side of the Shattered Mountain Range just as the weak sun crested above them.


    Lancelot walked to the edge of a mountain pass and looked out into the distance.


    The Elves'' blessing had already enhanced his vision once, and now, as he channeled his True Qi into his eyes, his sight was further strengthened, allowing him to see far into the distance until his view was obstructed by clouds or mountain ranges.


    In front of himy a red wastnd. The ground was covered with terrifying cracks and holes, with threads of the Stygian River winding through like capiries. Here and there were ck spots, the iron fortresses of Demons and Devils.


    Within his line of sight, at least three ces were the scenes of massive battles involving thousands of participants, some were Demons fighting Demons and others were Demons shing with Devils.


    The fighting between Demons was chaotic beyond measure, with big guys grappling each other while the cannon fodder shed indiscriminately. Lancelot wondered how the cannon fodder managed to distinguish friend from foe, or perhaps the Commanders on both sides didn''t really care?


    The armies of the Devils, however, were easy to identify. They had neat legions, tight formations, and goodmand¡ªLancelot watched as hordes of Demons walked right into an ambush set by the Devils, first stunned by a barrage of stones falling from the sky, and then shredded apart by a well-timed cavalry charge.


    Seeing those demon knights, Lancelot couldn''t help but look forward to the opportunity to match their prowess in the future.


    In the distance, a giant demon with double wings on its back and a ming great sword in hand was single-handedly dismantling a castle. The inhabitants were fleeing like ants that had their nest disturbed, and the destruction of the castle was only a matter of time.


    This is the Abyssal ne, where war and destruction are the main themes. To survive, one must constantly be stronger, Lancelot silently reminded himself.


    Barrend shielded his eyes with his hand and looked around, suddenly pointing towards a certain location and speaking,


    "There, see it? On that ind in the middle of the Stygian River, that should be Twin Bridges Town."


    Lancelot followed his pointing hand and looked. It was located to his lower left, not far from the base of the mountain. Twin Bridges Town was built on a huge ind in the middle of the Stygian River, with a red castle standing in the center of the town. Two arched bridges connected the ind to the riverbanks on either side, which must be the origin of Twin Bridges Town''s name.


    Lancelot shifted his gaze and started searching back and forth on the Shattered Mountain Range for a suitable route down the mountain. He couldn''t help but mutter to himself,


    "The way down looks treacherous, I''m afraid it might take two days..."


    "No need for two days, half a day at most," Bruto approached, holding something. "As long as you learn to use our dwarven mode of transportation."


    Hearing this, Lancelot turned around and saw that the so-called mode of transportation was just a pair of slender metal boards, with one end curled upward and what looked like a ce to put boots welded in the middle.


    "Uh, what''s this?" Lancelot asked, suddenly having a bad feeling.N?v(el)B\\jnn


    "This is called a pair of skis," Bruto said, his face filled with an excited frenzy. "Skiing is one of the favorite sports among us mountain dwarves, and skis are simple to use, very easy to learn."


    "I know what skiing is," Lancelot swallowed hard. "But where is the snow here?"


    "Look under our feet, big guy," Bruto stomped on the ground, kicking up some dust. "Every corner of the ins of the Abyss is covered with a thickyer of ash that you can treat just like snow, its friction is even less than that of snow. See those smooth slopes? The ashyer there is at least three meters thick."


    "But this seems very dangerous," Lancelot insisted.


    "That''s why we have a full set of protective gear. Well, they''re also armor." Bruto handed two ski poles to Lancelot and began helping him put on the skis. "We''ll just follow behind the others. The veterans will find a suitable path ahead."


    Barrend had already set off with the other dwarves. It''s worth noting that skiing is indeed a very simple sport for dwarves, who have a lower center of gravity.


    Besides, their bodies were like stone; if they were to crash into something, the one taking more damage might not be these dwarves.


    With Elves'' blessings and the enhancement of Spiritual Cultivation, I should be able to survive the journey down the mountain, Lancelot consoled himself.


    "By the way, your armor should be able to withstand an impact of over a ton, right?"


    Lancelot''s face changed and he was just about to answer when Bruto pushed him out.


    "Bruto!!!!!! Aaaaaah!!!!!!!"


    Bruto wore a mischievous grin, then adjusted his helmet and leaped out after him.

 Chapter 10 Alpine Slides

    After a brief moment of panic, Lancelot swiftly regained his bnce thanks to his excellent physical conditioning.


    His memories of skiing were instinctively awakened, a skill he learned during a vacation with his brother when he was younger.


    After the initial steep descent, the slope became slightly more gentle. Lancelot worked hard to control his skis, making wide turns on the dusty slope to avoid picking up too much speed.


    Bruto, making smaller, quicker turns, caught up from behind and crossed paths with Lancelot while skiing.


    "You''re skiing pretty well!"


    "What?" The wind blowing straight at him was too loud, and Lancelot couldn''t hear clearly.


    "I said you''re doing pretty well!" Bruto roared, and Lancelot quickly nodded to show he had heard.


    "I won''t wait for you!" Bruto bent his body and, like a fish, shot forward instantly, leaving Lancelot in the dust at the back.


    Lancelot shook his head and continued at afortable pace, moving steadily forward.


    The wind from the Abyss carried the scent of sulfur as it brushed Lancelot''s face. He skied down following the marks left by the Dwarfs, fully enjoying the thrill speed brought.


    His heart gradually became calm, quietly feeling the atmosphere of bing one with nature.


    From his Dantian, a strand of True Qi naturally separated and began circting through his Meridians in the Cirction of Qi.


    At this moment, he entered a mysterious state. ording to the records on the bamboo slips, Spiritual Cultivators sometimes feel very attuned with nature and subconsciously enter a state of "Enlightenment," where their primary Cultivation Technique naturally operates, significantly increasing their cultivation level and providing an indescribable insight into the "Tao."


    Compared to normal Cultivation, the speed of absorbing nature''s Spiritual Energy was much faster now. By the time Lancelot came out of this state, his body emitted a visible white vapor.


    He realized that he had unknowingly broken through to the mid-stage of Qi Cultivation, but he had no time to rejoice over this; he was merely annoyed that the mysterious state had ended so quickly.


    During that state, it seemed like he hadprehended many things, and questions about Cultivation that he had been pondering over for a long time seemed to have answers, but now, he could remember none of it, only a vague impression remained.


    He could only collect his thoughts and continued skiing while resuming his Cultivation.


    About half an hourter, he entered a gentle slope area with the thickest dust. The Dwarfs'' figures also appeared in front, and no longer controlling his speed, he quickly caught up with them.


    Bruto noticed Lancelot and shouted back:


    "How about it? Feels good, right?"


    "Indeed, it feels quite nice." Lancelot said with a slight smile, appearing unexpectedly calm andposed, catching Bruto off guard and nearly making him tumble.


    Lancelot thought to himself, ''my bad, my bad,'' for startling the Dwarf, and promptly ceased his imitation of Han Tianzun''s demeanor.


    "What was that about just now?" Bruto, pushing a few times with his ski poles, caught up and asked.


    "Ah, just feeling a bit touched by the sunny weather and scenic beauty of the Abyss, that''s all."


    "Psh, you were definitely just trying to act cool and cover up how slow you were going," Bruto grumbled, making a sharp turn in an attempt to throw a faceful of dust at Lancelot, who easily dodged.


    "Damn, are you part Elf or something?" Bruto muttered discontentedly.


    "Hey, I really could be considered part of the Elves." Lancelot answered him, keeping his upper body still while just letting his feet swing from side to side, looking quite a bit like the elegant charm of the Elves.


    "What do you mean?" Bruto was about to press for details when he suddenly noticed a change in Lancelot''s expression and Lancelot turned sharply toward him.


    "Hey, what are you doing! You''re going to crash into me, dangerous aaaaah!"


    Bruto turned sharply, trying to dodge Lancelot, but saw Lancelot also twist and head in another direction, instantly widening the distance between them.


    "What the..." Bruto''sint was cut short when a thick meaty column suddenly rose from the greyyer between the two, its surface covered in centipede-like segments, and as thick as a centuries-old oak tree, about three to four people could embrace it.


    Bruto looked up to see the end of the meaty column split open into a massive mouth filled with sharp teeth,ing right at him.


    He let out a strange cry, his hands spinning furiously like wheels on his ski poles, shooting forward like a streak of light, with the grey worm chasing relentlessly behind at a matching speed, seemingly determined not to stop until it had devoured this intruder into its territory.


    "Aaaaaah!!! Keep it away from me! Get this thing off me!!" Bruto nced back and saw the mouth was almost upon his backside, scaring him out of his wits, iling with all his might to slightly increase the distance from the sandworm again.


    Lancelot wanted to help, but he simply couldn''t catch up, so all he could do was watch anxiously from behind.


    Suddenly, a spark of inspiration shed in his mind, remembering the records about "Flying Sword" on the bamboo slips.


    The day Han Celestial Sovereign controlled a small Flying Sword, he almost instantly chopped a demon wielding great axes into pieces¡ªthe image deeply embedded in his memory.


    So, when he learned from the bamboo slips that he would need the cultivation level of a Demigod in the Nascent Soul Stage to operate a "Flying Sword", his heart sank in disappointment.


    ording to the exnation in the bamboo slips, the Flying Sword''s ability to fly relies on the control of the Spiritual Cultivator''s outwardly exerted Spiritual Power. Spiritual Power originates from the Transformation of True Qi after reaching the Golden Core Stage, and being able to manipte it with ease requires reaching the Nascent Soul Stage.


    Although he only had True Qi and couldn''t exert it outward, the principle of the Flying Sword could still be borrowed.n/?/vel/b//jn dot c//om


    True Qi surged from Lancelot''s Dantian, he referenced the Gathering Qi sh technique to umte the True Qi under the snowboard at his feet, and then released it explosively from the back of the board.


    A loud explosion came from the back of the snowboard, the strong thrust causing his body to lean back instantly, and Lancelot felt like an arrow shot from a bow.


    After breaking through to the Middle Rank of Qi Cultivation, the True Qi in his Dantian Qi Sea was nearly full, and he could feel a clearly stronger flow of True Qi during cultivation. This strength made Lancelot initially lose control due to excessive force but thankfully adjusted quickly.


    Bruto heard the sound of rushing wind from behind, thinking the sandworm was about to bite him, and too terrified to look back, he screamed out loud.


    Suddenly, he felt light, as Lancelot had caught up with him, grabbed Bruto with his left hand, and tucked him under his armpit.


    Lancelot continued to spur the snowboard under his feet, their speed skyrocketing, quickly leaving the terrifying sandworm far behind.


    "Whew, whew, thank you so much, Lancelot. You really are, truly are, my lifesaver," Bruto said, breathless.


    "Haha, your screaming just now was truly magnificent. Could you give us another one?" Lancelot teased, seeing his face smeared with snot and tears.


    At these words, Bruto managed an embarrassed smile, but suddenly his face stiffened, turning into horror, and he shouted:


    "The cliff ahead! The cliff!"

 Chapter 11 Lord of the Sandworms

    Lancelot fixed his gaze and discovered that there was a cliff ahead of them, their speed too fast to turn in time now.


    In their haste to escape, they had long since veered off the path. Whaty below the cliff was now unseen; they could only take a gamble.


    "Hold on to me!"


    He shouted loudly, then once again spurred the snowboard beneath his feet to increase his speed. There was likely nothing but unumted dust and scattered rocks below the cliff, so he had to fly as far as possible to hopefully find a suitable area tond.


    "No, no, no, no, no! Don''t jump, don''t jump! Ah, ah, ah, ah, ah!"


    Amidst Bruto''s screams of terror, two figures flew out from the cliff.


    Lancelot continued to stimte the snowboard with True Qi. Although he couldn''t manage it like flying a Flying Sword, he was still able to adjust the direction and speed of his glide through the air.


    Lancelot looked around for a suitable ce tond but what he saw once again brought his heart to a stop.


    In front of them was a gigantic sand worm, at least ten feet in radius and nearly a thousand feet long, rearing up like a cobra with its gaping maw wide open, waiting for them.


    In that disgusting giant mouth were rows upon rows of sharp teeth, and Lancelot had no doubt that anything caught between them would be reduced to a paste.


    "Fuck, fuck, fuck! Not like this! We''re going to die!!!" Bruto had lost all coherence, the shock of the past five minutes had exceeded what a Dwarf could bear.


    "Hold tight!"


    Lancelot too was scared by the massive mouth resembling a tunnel entrance, but he knew he still had a chance to fight. He drew his Greatsword from his back, silently estimating the distance as he poured all his might and Innate Power into the Gathering Qi sh.


    A golden-red Sword Aura extended along the sword, making the Greatsword appear to have doubled in length.


    Just as he was about to fall into the maw of the Lord Level monster, Lancelot twisted his body into an inverted position and funneled all the remaining True Qi sourced from the nature''s spiritual energy into the snowboard on his feet.


    An explosion sounded in the air as the snowboard beneath Lancelot''s feet shattered, his body changing its original trajectory by utilising the explosive force, plummeting like a meteor.


    It seemed he would narrowly miss the gaping mouth, but with his current velocity, hitting the ground would likely still spell certain death.


    "Haah!!"


    The unbelievable happened. As Lancelot brushed past the sand worm Lord, he fiercely shed with the Greatsword exhaling golden Sword Aura in his hand.


    The sand worm, thought to be soundless, let out a ground-shaking wail. Lancelot''s weapon cut through the lower jaw of the giant worm as easily as a hot knife through a cake, slicing downward.


    He gripped the sword hilt tightly to slow his descent. The Greatsword, like unzipping the belly of the sand worm Lord,id it open and spilled its guts for all to see.


    The insides of the sand worm Lord were mostlyprised of the sand and mud it had consumed. If not for the creature''s massive girth, Lancelot''s strike could have split itpletely, as easily as chopping wood.


    Bruto held tightly to Lancelot''s thighs, his eyes shut tight, missing this spectacr moment.


    For a Dwarf, the experience of feet not touching the ground for so long was still too terrifying.n/?/vel/b//jn dot c//om


    Finally, he felt his legs touch the ground, and Lancelot patted his shoulder:


    "There, there, we''vended, you can let go now."


    Bruto carefully opened his eyes and looked around.


    The first thing that came into view was the corpse of the sandworm overlord, its colossal body split open in the middle, looking like an opened book, still standing upright in mid-air.


    "By Moradin''s long beard!" Bruto eximed, using the name of the dwarf creator. "Lancelot, from today on you are my big brother, how did you do it?"


    "Eh, give me the shield first," Lancelot, looking up, said with a serious face.


    Without any hesitation, Bruto took off the shield from his back and handed it to Lancelot.


    "Big brother, here you go. Are you going to give me an autograph?"


    Lancelot wordlessly raised the shield over his head and thumped it on Bruto''s head:


    "Hurry up ande back to your senses, this is to use as an umbre for a moment."


    Before his words ended, a torrential blood rain hammered on their heads, the fresh blood spurting from the inside of the sandworm; and because Lancelot had fallen too swiftly, it reached the ground ahead of the blood. The small shield hardly covered their entire bodies, and the areas exposed were splotched with blood red, as if sshed with paint, in an instant.


    Bruto let out an odd cry, once again clinging tightly to Lancelot''s thigh. Lancelot thought Bruto''s voice had taken on a sharper tone, considering how often he had made such cries today.


    Following that was arge amount of sand, which was the food the sandworm consumed into its belly. A sandstorm descended upon the two of them, as Lancelot held the shield steadfastly; a clinking sound filled the air, obviously mixed with rocks and other hard substances within the sand.


    Bruto, still clutching Lancelot''s thigh, twitched his ears, as if discerning something carefully; then he tilted his head up, staring dumbly at the shield raised above his head.


    Perhaps it was some faint, crisp collision sound that stirred him; Bruto suddenly released his grip on Lancelot and leaped outside.


    "What are you doing?"


    Lancelot cried out in surprise, perplexed by Bruto''s strange behavior.


    "I heard it! I heard lots! There are so many!"


    Bruto''s voice was instantly drowned out by the sand; in fact, his entire body had been buriedpletely by the continuously falling sand. Fearing that Bruto would be suffocated, Lancelot quickly reached out and dragged him back.


    "Have you gone mad? This is..."


    Lancelot''s words were cut mid-sentence when he saw that Bruto was holding a fist-sized yellow crystal stone, grinning foolishly.


    "Bruto, what is this?"


    "Pure mountain crystal! Even bigger than the one on the Dwarf King''s crown! And there are lots more inside! I definitely didn''t hear wrong!"


    Lancelot paused for a moment, then suddenly realized. The sandworm had been burrowing through the ground, consuming sand and soil, surely swallowing many precious ores and gemstones over time. This huge sandworm overlord might be like an old m, with its belly full of treasures.


    What caught his attention more was the feeling that this mountain crystal contained arge amount of spiritual energy, very much like the spirit stones described in the bamboo slips.


    Spirit stones are a verymon resource in the world of spiritual cultivation, ssified into lower, middle, upper, and even top grades based on the quality of spiritual energy they contain.


    They could be directly absorbed by cultivators to replenish energy during battle or cultivation, and were used in artifact refining, alchemy, to power formations, and many other aspects, acting like currency among the lower and middle rank spiritual cultivators.


    Lancelot''s eyes suddenly gleamed with excitement, as the bamboo slips recorded several rare encounters, including killing fierce beasts and seizing the treasures they guarded, which appeared to apply just as well in the Abyssal ne!


    We''ve struck it rich!

 Chapter 12 Brutos Career

    As the sandstorm had just started to subside, Lancelot and Bruto plunged into the sea of sand.


    Strictly speaking, within a few days, these grains of sand would have be the excrement of sandworms, but who could ignore the treasures buried within? This wasn''t the time to be squeamish.


    Describing their current state as wading through a ''sea of fecal maggots'' was not an exaggeration. Lancelot, with his sensitivity to spiritual energy, could pinpoint and retrieve a crystal stone with each try. Bruto, on the other hand, leveraged a Dwarf''s innate sensing (or perhaps obsession?) for gemstones, frantically digging in the sand, which allowed him to find quite a lot as well.


    Lancelot grasped a mountain crystal and with a thought, the spiritual energy within the crystal stone was absorbed into his body, quickly restoring much of the True Qi he had expended in the recent battle.


    Absorbing the spiritual energy from crystal stones could replenish his strength, but it couldn''t exceed his original limits; to improve his level of cultivation, he still needed to practice assiduously. However, confirming that these mountain crystals could be used as spirit stones greatly exhrated Lancelot. This made many actions that required spirit stones now feasible.


    Once they had thoroughly sifted through the sand dunes, the two huddled together, exhausted, counting their spoils of war.


    Lancelot had found arge number of what Bruto called mountain crystals¡ªcrystal stones emanating rich spiritual energy, which a sensitive Spiritual Cultivator would find hard to miss.


    Bruto, on the other hand, had collected various gemstones and pure ores. Sandworms were not picky eaters when it came to feeding; sometimes, they would even consume an entire vein of ore. Those raw ores would be refined in their stomachs, leaving behind just a small, undigested part of pure ore, which was an exceptionally precious forging material.


    The young Dwarf looked at the vast treasure scattered on the ground with eager eyes, painfully yet firmly pushed them towards Lancelot, saying,


    "These are your spoils of war, Lancelot. They do not belong to me. It was you who killed that monstrous worm and you also saved me. If it weren''t for you, I might be with these gemstones right now¡ªinside the belly of a sandworm."


    Lancelot chuckled, patted Bruto,


    "Those mountain crystals are indeed useful to me, but if it weren''t for you, I might have missed them. How about this, you pick three of your favorite gemstones from here as a reward for discovering the treasure."


    "I think one would suffice for the merit I contributed," Bruto said seriously as he picked up thergest and most beautiful ruby.


    "Are you sure? Don''t you want to take more?" Lancelot asked politely.


    "Lancelot! Are you a Demon? Resisting temptation is really difficult!" Bruto roared in anger.


    "Uh, you were also quite scared today, so consider it a constion for your emotional distress,"


    "That makes sense," Bruto''s expression changed as he quickly grabbed a lump of pure iron ore. "This thing is not of much use to you; we Dwarves are satisfied as long as we can work with such precious material. Later, if you want a new weapon or armor, just let me know."


    "Haha, I''ll be waiting for your cksmith shop to open. I''m looking forward to updating my equipment."


    "Lancelot, I want to discuss something with you," Bruto started hesitantly.


    "What''s up? You want to take a few more pieces?"N?v(el)B\\jnn


    "No, not that. Really? No, no... I mean, could I possibly join you on your adventures in the future?" Bruto''s face turned slightly red.


    "Why would you want that? You''ve seen what happened today. Bing an adventurer probably means that such incidents will be routine," Lancelot didn''t want to overly dampen Bruto''s enthusiasm but felt obliged to offer a gentle reminder.


    "Two reasons, I suppose. First, I might never be as excellent a cksmith as my father; I don''t have the talent. You might not quite understand, but realizing this fact really sapped my motivation," Bruto exined, spreading his hands. "In that fight for freedom, I found that I preferred wielding weapons over forging them, and it seems I actually have a talent for it.


    Not to mention, in the Abyssal ne, this might be our only hope of getting out of here."


    "Sounds reasonable," Lancelot nodded. "What''s the other reason?"


    Brutoughed and pointed at Lancelot:


    "Because of you."


    "Me?" Lancelot touched his nose, puzzled.


    "What''s the most important thing on an adventure? Of course, it''s a trustworthy partner," Bruto said, answering his own question.


    "Wow." Lancelot was moved and asked, "Are you saying that I''m a partner you can trust?"


    "We Dwarves find it very hard to trust others. The old man always says that by the time you truly consider a human a friend, they are usually old and about to die," Bruto said with a serious and sincere expression, "but you managed to win my trust in just three days. You''ve saved me twice, twice!


    My life is yours to give, so from now on, I am willing to give you my back unreservedly, will you ept my trust?"


    Overwhelmed with emotion, Lancelot blurted out:


    "I am willing!"


    As these three words were spoken, the atmosphere suddenly turned very peculiar, and both fell silent.


    "I mean, from now on, we are an adventuring team," Lancelot was the first to speak, trying to break the awkward silence.


    "Of course, of course, haha," Bruto seemed to breathe a sigh of relief.


    "Right, then let''s pack up and head out. Your fathers must be getting anxious waiting."


    Their skis had been destroyed in the fight, but they were not far from their target. Lancelot cast a spell to summon his warhorse, first helped Bruto mount it, then he too leapt onto the horse and they rode towards their originally intended destination of the crazy mountain descent.


    After riding for about half an hour, they met Barrend and the others, who were anxiously waiting in ce. On the road, Lancelot had already agreed with Bruto not to disclose all their gains, for even if these Dwarves had no ill intentions, letting even a little information slip could attract more trouble than they could handle.


    The final exnation they gave was that they had been chased off course by a sandworm and their skis were broken, so they were dyed for such a long time.


    Barrend was still a bit skeptical; all of them had heard the earth-shattering scream which hade from the direction Bruto and Lancelot wereing. However, seeing his son unharmed, he lost the interest to probe further.


    After the group joined up, they continued on toward Twin Bridges Town, and finally, as the round, blood-red sun was about topletely disappear from the horizon, they reached one of the two arch bridges that spanned the Stygian River, the entrance to Twin Bridges Town.


    A humanoid figure with huge bat wings was giving instructions to a pair of Berserk Demons guarding the bridgehead. On hearing someone approaching, she turned around.


    Lancelot felt as if his heart had skipped a beat.


    This was a shockingly beautiful female Demon. She wore a leather outfit that barely covered anything, her proud figure seeming as if it would burst free from its confines. Two straight horns extended from amidst her ck hair on top of her head, and behind her were a pair ofrge bat wings and a tail with an arrow-shaped tip.


    This was a Subus, rumored to be born directly from mortals'' fantasies and desires for beauty and sex. Countless facts proved they were the perfect embodiment of the word ''licentious.''


    The Subus smiled at them enticingly and greeted:


    "Good evening, gentlemen, my name is Tijana, wee to my town. Are you here for business or pleasure?"

 Chapter 13 Tijana

    Facing the scantily d Subus with stunning looks, Lancelot couldn''t help feeling parched and his heartbeat sped up.


    He struggled to move his gaze away from that beautiful face, but the body of the Subus was even more blood-stirring.


    The verses of the Ice Heart Spell naturally came to his mind, and the True Qi inside his body circted in tandem,pletely calming him down. He refocused his attention on the Subus''s face, but his gaze had be pure.


    Tijana noticed his wandering gaze, which made her turn her head, just in time to meet Lancelot''s eyes.


    She realized these pale blue eyes were looking at her without any impure thoughts, as if merely appreciating a beautiful piece of art. She had been very familiar with this kind of gaze, but it had been hundreds of years since someone had looked at her this way.


    She carefully sized up this tall, dark-haired human male with strong self-control, and involuntarily licked her lips.


    This action nearly made the Berserk Demons around them shoot fire from their eyes, but the Dwarves seemed indifferent to it. Barrend cleared his throat and said,


    "Honoreddy, we are a group of skilled craftsmen seeking shelter. Is there any use you have for us? But we must rify in advance that no matter what your conditions are, we will not surrender our freedom."


    "Ah, shelter, Twin Bridges Town indeed provides such service, and I''m not interested in your freedom." Tijana moved her gaze away from Lancelot, which finally allowed him to breathe a sigh of relief; something in the Subus''s gaze earlier had made him want to turn and run.


    "I only need you to hammer these metal ingots into the specified shapes. In fact, there are already quite a few Dwarves in the city, and they are free to leave whenever they wish."


    "What is the cost for them to be residents of Twin Bridges Town?" Barrend was still cautious.


    "Talk to your kin first, they will probably use many pleasant words to describe me. When you''ve decided you still want to stay,e find me." Tijana''s gaze returned to Lancelot. "You haven''t introduced yourself yet, is this how you show courtesy to ady, Sir Knight?"


    "My name is Lancelot, honoreddy." Lancelot gave a knightly bow. "At your service."


    "Ha ha, had I not known you better, I would have taken that statement seriously," Tijanaughed lightly, her wings stretched behind her, obscuring her smile and her exposed body, leaving only a pair of beautiful eyes looking at Lancelot.


    Lancelot was somewhat at a loss, and could only bow formally again.


    "So, do you also wish to be a resident of Twin Bridges Town and receive my..." Tijana''s wings suddenly opened wide. "protection?"


    "If you permit it." Facing this striking scene, Lancelot feigned calmness and nodded, then slightly tilted his nose up.


    "You don''t really need my protection, you were just being polite with me earlier."


    Tijana began circling around Lancelot, her tail wrapping around his waist like a snake.


    "Unlike these Dwarves, you only need a haven, to asionally return here, deal with the spoils of your adventures, repair equipment, purchase supplies, find the next quest or employer," she whispered hotly into Lancelot''s ear,ing close with her head. "And to relieve the stress umted in this dreadful world, or perhaps something else."


    Lancelot took a step forward, escaping the increasingly bold tail.


    "Take your time wandering around this city, and you''ll find it perfectly meets your needs," the Subus said, her wings beating as she rose into the air. "Thene to my castle, I have a special task for you. Completing it will earn you the right toe and go freely here."


    Lancelot watched Tijana''s figure gradually disappear into the sky and sighed:


    "So this is the legendary Subus, indeed they possess an irresistible charm."


    Bruto gave him a pitiful look:


    "You haven''t fallen for her charm, have you? I''ve heard that thing is really tricky, and you humans often fall for it without realizing."


    Lancelot, surprised, retorted:n/?/vel/b//jn dot c//om


    "What do you mean ''you humans''? Don''t you feel your heart racing too?"


    "Not at all," Bruto shook his head. "Just imagine your perfect partner in your mind, then double her height andpress her width to a third."


    "Okay, they''re definitely not your type," Lancelot shrugged and began walking towards the bridge. "But you have to admit she''s pretty."


    "Indeed, very pretty, that''s how they make their living," Bruto said, stepping forward and gazing up with a look of disdain at the Berserk Demons serving as guards along the bridge. "It''s said that Demons originate from the souls of mortals who fell into the Abyss, so the Subi have the same deadly allure to them, throwing themselves upon this to curry favor with the Demon Lords."


    "That requires some serious diplomatic skill, hard to imagine a Demon having the patience for that."


    "No, women are born with it and enjoy it, even among the crazy race of Demons," Bruto said gravely. "Never trust the words of a being without a handle; their sweet nothings are like beautiful bubbles that ultimately leave you with nothing."


    "Sounds like you''ve got plenty of stories," Lancelot said, barely holding back augh.


    "Yes, hopefully, we''ll find a tavern here, or we definitely won''t be settling in this ce."


    As they spoke, the group had already crossed halfway over the arch bridge, and Twin Bridges Town was now fully in their view.


    Despite being naturally protected by the Stygian River, Twin Bridges Town still boasted towering city walls, although they looked very decrepit and seemed to have been breached not long ago. At the end of the bridge was a massive gate; after passing through a narrow and dark passage, the group entered the interior of Twin Bridges Town.


    The first thing that caught their eye was a crowded and chaotic street made of broken paving stones, and the buildings on both sides fully reflected the chaotic nature of the demons, each constructed haphazardly, bizarre and ugly, each appearing as designs that survived numerous wild attempts, clearlycking anything resembling a city nning bureau.


    Despite this, Lancelot noticed some less unconventional structures including taverns, shops, and brothels, obviously operated by non-Demonic races (or possibly less crazy among the Demons).


    At the end of the street was a small square with a rather exquisite statue in the center, depicting a Subus leading an army like amander, Lancelot recognized that Subus as the likeness of Tijana.


    Just as he was about to examine the details of the statue, he suddenly felt his Spirit Perception triggered. His right hand shot backward, grabbing a w that had reached into his pocket.


    The w was attached to a small, grey-skinned Demon, gradually fading from invisibility, looking at the person who caught him with a face full of fear.


    "Oh, great," Bruto raised an eyebrow. "A Quasimodo Demon thief."

 Chapter 14 Dingke

    "Dingke surrenders! Dingke has surrendered!"


    "No one should expect the peacekeeping standards here," Lancelot said to Bruto. "However, I''m quite curious as to what would happen if we handed him over to the guards."


    "No! Don''t! Dingke has treasure! For you! All for you! Don''t hand Dingke over to the big toad, the big toad will tear Dingke to pieces, and you''ll get nothing!"


    "Oh, that''s possible," Bruto said, rubbing his hands together, "For instance, we could witness a scene where a Quasimodo Demon is ripped in half, and maybe that Berserk Demon will even throw the corpse straight into its mouth. Such spectacles are not easily seen."


    "No! You can''t do this!" the captured Quasimodo Demon screamed.


    Suddenly, Lancelot saw the image of the Quasimodo Demon before him contort in a terrifying manner; its eyes emitted a horrifying glow as it opened its mouth full of fine teeth, saying:


    "Mortal, release me at once!"n/?/vel/b//in dot c//om


    Its voice became eerie and hoarse, like an existence that absolutely must not be defied.


    However, Lancelot was not frightened at all, viewing the poor performance of this green demon with an amused spectator''s attitude, but Bruto seemed to have been influenced slightly, retreating several steps with a look of terror.


    "Hey!" shouted Lancelot at the Dwarf, his voice slightlyced with True Qi.


    Bruto immediately came to his senses, realizing he had been cowed by the little trick of the Quasimodo Demon, which made him fuming with anger. He rolled up his sleeves, preparing to hit the detestable creature.


    Lancelot found the behavior of the little demon quite amusing and decided to use its own methods against it.


    Nature''s spiritual energy from the Abyssal ne flowed from his Dantian, filling the meridians throughout his body and gathering in his eyes. He stared fixedly at the Quasimodo Demon and said in a voice that startled even himself:


    "How dare you!"


    The intimidation had a very good effect, in fact, it might have been a bit too effective.


    The demon named Dingke''s eyes bulged, and its body went limp, copsing on the ground. Its gray-green skin oozed a dark brown, foul-smelling mucus, but thankfully, Lancelot had released his hold before it hit the ground.


    "Uh, what did you do to it?"


    Bruto was also utterly bewildered by the situation.


    "Nothing much, just gave it a bit of a scare too," Lancelot replied, though deep inside he had another guess. Demons were said to be born directly from the energies of the Abyssal ne, and he didn''t believe the nature''s spiritual energy he absorbed had no connection with the essence of demons.


    "Waaah!!!"


    A shocking sight dawned upon both Lancelot and Bruto, as the Quasimodo Demon actually started crying.


    Although no one had ever seen a demon cry, they could easily identify the act from the liquid flowing from the eyes, body convulsing, and the soundsing from its mouth, confirming that the demon before them was indeed frightened to tears.


    "Wuu wuu... Mama... Don''t kill Dingke... Wuu wuu... Dingke doesn''t want to die..."


    "Hey!" Bruto couldn''t take it anymore and kicked it. "Alright, alright, stop the wailing; we won''t kill you. But any demon passing by might take a swing because you''re acting so disgracefully for a demon."


    Dingke, however, just stared straight at Lancelot. As if having a sudden realization, it gathered beams of red light from within its body, eventually forming a blood-red orb above its head. The green demon knelt fearfully before Lancelot, holding out the red orb with both hands.


    "Dingke''s essence, please take it, Master! Once you take it, Dingke bes your servant! Take it and don''t kill Dingke!"


    Lancelot curiously observed the red orb; his Spirit Perception told him it was harmless, but he cautiously did not immediately ept it. He asked:


    "What use do I have for your essence? More importantly, what use do I have for you?"


    Dingke, as if seeing some hope, answered very quickly:


    "Holding Dingke''s essence, Dingke''s life is in the master''s hands! The master can see what Dingke sees, hear what Dingke thinks, Dingke knows this ce, Dingke can guide the master, scout information for the master, Dingke is useful, very useful!"


    This gray-green demon was almost shrieking by the end.


    Lancelot nodded and took the small red orb.


    As he grasped the orb, a very mysterious bond was established. He felt as if he had gained another pair of eyes, eyes that were staring at a pair of familiar steel boots, trembling slightly with fear.


    Besides, he also felt an intense joy as if seeing a transparent Quasimodo Demon muttering to itself:


    "Dingke is to be a ve, but Dingke won''t die now, Dingke smashed into mother''s envoy, Dingke was supposed to be dead for sure, but the master epted Dingke''s essence, Dingke really is lucky! Dingke, Dingke!"


    This additional visual and auditory experience had a strange sense of detachment and did not affect Lancelot''s own thinking in any way.


    Moreover, he was acutely aware that if he destroyed this small orb, the demon in front of him would immediately scream and dissolve into a pool of blood,pletely vanishing from this world.


    It seems this Quasimodo Demon mistook him for some formidable being, and the way it thought of ''mother'' was also intriguing, but that could be researchedter. Pretending to be stern, Lancelot said to it:


    "Stand up, Dingke, I ept your loyalty."


    The Quasimodo Demon named Dingke immediately stood up, eagerly asking:


    "Master, what do you need Dingke to do?"


    Bruto, who was standing nearby, watched all this with his eyes wide and mouth agape. He turned to Lancelot, confused:


    "You''ve just taken on a demon as a minion?"


    Lancelot shrugged his shoulders and said with a smile:


    "It must have been subdued by the murderous aura on me. After all, we did kill quite a few Berserk Demons before, which it fears the most."


    "Makes sense, but I''ve also killed plenty, why isn''t it afraid of me?"


    "Who made you freeze up because of it just now?" Lancelot rolled his eyes.


    Everything that had happened was actually over in an instant, and Barrend and the other Dwarves had also gathered around by now, all looking curiously at the small demon who was less than half their height, with sharp horns on its head. Some Dwarvesined indignantly:


    "Quasimodo Demons, they''ve often caused trouble when we were working, hiding the ore we painstakingly mined, just to see us whipped!"


    The demon being scrutinized covered its head and shouted in its defense:


    "Dingke didn''t! Dingke never did! It wasn''t Dingke''s doing!"


    "Alright, alright, this Quasimodo Demon has already been subdued by me." Lancelot took out the red orb. "See, it willingly gave me its demon essence."


    "I''ve heard of this thing, very few demons are willing to hand over their essence, they''d rather howl and fight to the death, except for the Quasimodo Demons." Barrend frowned as he looked at the item in Lancelot''s hand, "They''re too weak, so they often serve more powerful beings in exchange for a chance to survive. How did you get it?"


    "It stuck its w into my pocket and I caught it on the spot, then I simply showed it a bit of my power, and so it was." Lancelot sensed Dingke''s intense distress due to the onlookers, so he turned and said to it: "Aren''t you familiar with this town? Introduce us to it, lead the way."

 Chapter 15 Twin Bridges Town

    After wandering through the twisted and oppressive streets of Twin Bridges Town for two hours, Lancelot and Dingke found themselves back in front of Tijana''s statue.


    The intelligence andnguage abilities of the Quasimodo Demon were not great, and it couldn''t quite fulfill the role of a tour guide. Luckily, Lancelot was able to read its thoughts directly, eventually getting a rough understanding of the situation in Twin Bridges Town.


    This town, built on Riverheart Ind, was not small, equivalent in size to a county seat in the human realm. ording to their main functions, the entire town could roughly be divided into four areas:


    First was the cksmith district, where arge number of craftsmen shielded by Tijana gathered, including dwarves, humans, goblins, and other odd races, tirelessly producing goods day and night for her weapons trade business.


    In that area, Barrend met several of his former "prison mates," who were now inquiring about the local working conditions, while Bruto stayed there with his old man.


    Then there was the trade zone, where most of the "shop owners" were sales agents sent by the Demon Lord to deal with the spoils of war. There were also members of the mortal races from the higher nes. Lancelot regretfully learned that they all belonged to certain organizations, brought here in the form of a summon by his predecessor.


    They would automatically return to their original world when their time was up, receiving a substantial allowance for their externship in the dangerous zone.


    The merchandise here included treasures with potent curse effects, various toxic substances that even demons could not immunise against, and even jars of human-faced worms that wailed; basically, there was nothing he could use, except for one human shop whose employees dressed in red robes. The enchanted equipment and magic scrolls inside seemed quite practical.


    The street they had just passed was part of the mercenary quarters. This area was filled with plenty of taverns, inns, and residences of local inhabitants (some more urately called dens), some of which were even avable for rent.


    Types included single rooms above taverns, vis with gardens, dungeons, and interrogation rooms, tombs under mass graves, channels that lead directly to the Stygian River, and cesspits connected to all the public toilets¡ªessentially, most races could find a ce that met their needs here.


    However, the most important building was a mercenary hall, akin to an arena, offering services to the foolhardy adventurers who dared enter the Abyss. They could ept various dangerous missions, with rewards so substantial that one would take any risk, though of course, no reward is worth anything if you''re dead (though in some cases, taking the form of undead or spirits also works).


    Finally, there was the military area with Tijana''s red castle at its core. The castle was surrounded by the barracks of the Subus Lord''s army, the exact number of troops stationed there was undetermined,posed of various types of soldiers including Berserk Demons, iron cavalry demons, Flomos, and other low-level demons.


    Themanders, ording to Dingke, were "several snake women with lots of hands," but Lancelot noticed avake behind the chaotic and dense barracks, empty for a hundred feet around, conspicuously noticeable, which reminded him of a particrly terrifying high-level demon recorded by the Elves.


    No one knew what happened inside the castle, but Tijana asionally held banquets there. The guests would discovervish food and fiery Subus Maids; everyone would leave fulfilled, and always a few male guests mystically disappeared from the feast.


    Most of the missing would be found a few dayster in some dark sewer, sapped of will and iming to have lost the past week, but at least they hadn''t lost their lives. As for what actually happened, everyone politely kept to themselves, secretly hoping they would be the next to disappear.


    Lancelot also learned many things about demons from Dingke, such as the fact that demons actually don''t need to eat. They merely enjoy the sensation of eating, and making bystanders ufortable (such as a bystander''spanion) while eating particr things.


    Demons also don''t need sleep; if you find a demon deep in slumber, it''s likely already aware of you, and waiting for you to be the fool who tries a sneak attack.


    The essence of demons are fallen mortal souls that have plunged into the Stygian River and have been washed ashore as worms in some corner of the Abyss. Most of their memories as mortals have vanished, but the instincts are preserved, hence, none of the seven deadly sins¡ªpride, envy, wrath, sloth, greed, gluttony, and lust¡ªare missing.


    These seven desires are magnified countless times after bing a demon,pletely dominating their behavior, with only the fear of death to counterbnce it.


    They are always enthusiastic about invading the mortal realm because it is a ce where they can indulge in their destructive desires, and even if they are killed by the heroes of the Mortal Realm, their true forms will be revived immediately in some corner of the Abyss.


    Lancelot acutely realized how dangerous the portal he had shut down was.


    It was a very rare, semi-permanent giant portal that required a vast amount of resources to build. The biggest difficulty in constructing such a portal was that it was almost impossible to be that foolish, yet his world had done it not just once, but twice. The only exnation was that his world must be bobbing in some corner of the Multiverse, with even the gods unaware of its existence.


    Otherwise, they would have inflicted divine punishment to destroy this world by now, just to concede no connection to this level of stupidity.


    Apart from those seven desires inherited from mortals, the greatest craving for most demons is promotion, to ascend into a higher-ss demon. There are many ways to ascend, with the mostmon being ying a demon of the same rank and absorbing their demonic energy to promote oneself.


    This process is long, bloody, and cruel, directly leading to the high-ss demons'' fondness for wantonly ughtering low-level demons for fun¡ªof course, in the Abyss, causation can often be interchanged.


    Anothermon method is for higher-ss demons to directly promote lower ones at the cost of expending magic power, but this approach is generally used to create cannon fodder; demons don''t actually look forward to this type of promotion.


    Sometimes, the Abyss itself directly "blesses" a demon, which wholly depends on the Abyss''s own chaotic and insane will. Dingke had a multitude of memories where, at some ce and time, a peculiar wind blew, or a bolt of lightning struck, or a surge ofva erupted, and a Quasimodo Demon was instantly transformed into a higher-ss demon.


    This made Lancelot unable to resist the surge of another idea, and he signaled Dingke toe over.


    "Master, what do youmand?"


    "You''ve served well today,e with me."N?v(el)B\\jnn


    Lancelot found a deserted street corner and ordered Dingke:


    "Kneel down, I''m going to bestow a reward upon you."


    On hearing the word "reward," an overwhelming fear welled up in Dingke''s heart, which Lancelot felt clearly.


    In the context of the Abyss, this was not a good word at all. Owing to the demons'' cruel sense of humor, a "reward" usually preceded phrases like "eternal slumber" or "endless agony."


    The skin color of the Quasimodo Demon directly reflected its psychological changes; it turned ashen grey, like cinders. But still, it knelt down, unable to resist because of the red orb Lancelot held in his hand.


    "No, Master! What did Dingke do wrong ... Dingke has treasures, more treasures to offer the master!"


    "What nonsense are you thinking, kneel properly!"


    Lancelot ced his hand on Dingke''s head.

 Chapter 16 Demons Promotion

    Lancelot had just ced his hand on Dingke''s head with nothing happening initially, but as he began to mobilize the True Qi within his body, a list seemingly appeared before his eyes, detailing the energy needed for various demonic transformations.


    The sensation was quite vague, possibly due to his not very high realm. He cautiously injected about one-tenth of his True Qi. This amount was not enough for Dingke to transform into a higher-level demon, but it should enable aprehensive enhancement of its current form.


    As the True Qi surged from his Dantian, the diminutive demon let out a muffled grunt, as if it had been struck on the head.


    Its body began to change dramatically. Muscles swelled fiercely, skin tore into pieces; its skeleton instantly grewrger, piercing through the skin, but was quickly covered by new flesh; the demon horns on its head gradually grew thicker andrger, forcing the skull to crack open, revealing the boiling brain inside.


    "Aaaahhhhhhh!!!"


    As the body''s transformation nearedpletion, only then did Dingke scream out, the entire process taking less than a minute.


    Ity on the ground, gasping heavily, then slowly stood up, incredulously sizing up its new body, a euphoric emotion permeating its heart, the color of its entire skin rapidly changing from newborn pink to lush green.


    With thepletion of the advancement, through the mysterious bond between them, Lancelot felt that he too had received some form of enhancement, his resistance to magic seemed to have improved.


    "Thank you, Dinke, my great master! Dingke will forever and ever serve you!"


    Lancelot took a step back, feeling his boots being nearly corroded by Dingke''s kisses.


    It appeared his conjecture was correct. The True Qi formed from cultivation came directly from the Abyssal ne''s natural spiritual energy. Since high-level demons could consume magic power to advance low-level demons, his True Qi certainly should too, and the effect would only be better.


    "Go now, when I need you, you will hear my call."


    "As youmand, my Lord!"


    The figure of the newly born demon gradually became transparent, eventually disappearing into the air, the sound of its hooves gradually fading away.


    Lancelot sensed briefly and discovered that Dingke''s small brain was racing, plotting how to retaliate against a few Quasimodo Demon peers who had once bullied it.


    It seemed that its intelligence had also improved a bit, at least it wasn''t foolish enough to seek revenge on some big toad.


    As Dingke departed, that mysterious enhancement effect disappeared too; it seems it only worked when they were within a certain distance. He returned to the small square with Tijana''s statue, where he and Bruto had agreed to meet.


    Lancelot found a secluded corner and waited quietly, meanwhile observing the passers-by.


    The most numerous were human adventurers dressed simrly to him. After the initial surprise, Lancelot''s interactions with them were not pleasant. Either they were demon worshippers or arrogant adventurers; he was not like them and found it hard to engage in conversation.


    Next were wizards whose faces were hidden under hoods. Most were bustling through the streets surrounded by several demon attendants, rushing and disappearing into some dark corner of the market area. nar travel was not difficult for them, and throwing a few people down was easy, but taking people back to the upper nes was different, beyond the capabilities of amon wizard.


    There were also many visiting demons, their forms a revtion to Lancelot, and most were not recorded in the Elves'' archives. They could be serving under a Demon Lord or independent mercenaries seeking opportunities to ascend to higher demon levels.


    One particrly memorable demon had the body of a man and the head of a goat and held a Great Sword disproportionate to its size; it quickly noticed Lancelot''s gaze. It nodded to Lancelot with a politeness uncharacteristic of demons, then walked away.


    "Interesting fellow," Bruto''s voice came from behind.


    Lancelot turned around and noticed his Dwarfpanion.


    "How''s it going? Did you enjoy chatting with your former colleagues?"


    "Not so good. Actually, it was downright terrible." Bruto said with a gloomy expression. "You really should have heard how they were talking about Tijana, it would''ve broadened your vocabry."


    "Were they enved by the Subus?"


    "No, but it''s hardly any better. They truly have the freedom Tijana mentioned, but that''s about all they have. Tijana''s terms are simple: the craftsmen finish the amount of work she assigns each week, and she ensures they won''t be a demon''s dessert. Those who fail toplete their tasks get kicked out of the city; she ignores everything else."


    "Let me guess, the amount she asks for is so high that they can only sleep for four hours a night?"


    "For demons, who don''t need rest, the concept of sleep is hard to understand."


    "That does sound incredibly harsh." Lancelot sighed. "But I guess your dad still ns to stay."


    "Uh, how did you know?"


    "Because there aren''t any better options."


    "Yeah, there are no better options." Bruto found a rock and sat down. "I talked to my dad about it."


    "What did you tell him? About your n to change careers?"


    "Yeah. He always wanted me to inherit his skills and reputation, so he was always extra strict with me. I prepared a whole lot of excuses, but he just stayed silent for a long while, then agreed." Bruto hung his head, looking quite disheartened. "Staying here means barely surviving with no hope.


    Being an adventurer is filled with dangers, and being one in this world is downright terrible, but at least there''s hope to leave."


    "Come on, it''s not that bad when you have me. We''ll definitely make it back to where we came from." Lancelot tried to lighten the mood, "I''m good buddies with the Emperor over there, I''ll make you a Royal cksmith, and you''ll absolutely bring honor to your ancestors, I guarantee your dad would be pleased."


    "Pfft, as if I cared." Brutoughed too. "What about that little guy named Dingke?"


    "I let him go. But if needed, I can call on him anytime." Lancelot decided it was best not to reveal his unique abilities just yet. "How about the thing you were helping me with?"N?v(el)B\\jnn


    "It''s already been processed." Bruto handed Lancelot a small box. "Had limited time, couldn''t make anything tooplex, but it''s a ssic design. Are you sure this thing works on demons too?"


    "Not sure, but it''s better to have it than not." Lancelot opened the small box and took a quick peek. "Though I don''t know much about this, I can tell the craftsmanship is really exquisite, thanks a lot."


    "Mostly, it''s because the stuff we got from that sandworm''s stomach is all top grade. You should have seen those guys'' reactions¡ªthey nearly wanted to go back to the Shattered Mountain Range right away and strip every sandworm there."


    Bruto disyed a silly grin, making one doubt whether he had exaggerated his role in the battle with the sandworm.


    "Are you sure you want to give it away as just a meeting gift? In our world, this thing could trade for a castle."


    "There''s plenty of good stuff in the Abyss, and by the time we find a way back, you''ll definitely struggle deciding which treasures to throw away." Lancelot looked disdainful. "No matter how precious, it''s of no use to us now, and besides, they might not even fancy it."

 Chapter 17 Gifts

    Lancelot was not entirely confident about this gift either. Earlier at the bridgehead, he had confirmed that the Subus Lord was not wearing any jewelry.


    "In theing period, this will be our base of operations, and it''s essential to be on good terms with the Lord, considering your old man is working for her, isn''t he?"


    "That''s logical enough. But your actions still don''t match my impression of humans." Bruto stroked his chin, "Are you sure you haven''t been charmed or hit with some sort of suggestive technique? Do you need me to hit you with a shield? No offense, just to be safe."


    "No, thank you. A person under the influence of these spells coulde up with so many reasons?"


    "They can, but they can only convince themselves with strange logic, unlikely to articte itpletely to others as you do."


    "Well then, that settles it." Lancelot put away the small box but suddenly became hesitant again. "I''ve changed my mind, hit me after all."


    "Kneel down."


    "...Alright."


    ng (a loud crash).


    "Any new thoughts?"


    "Yes, lots of regrets."


    "As expected, you were charmed."


    "No, I deeply regret cooperating with you."


    "Was my strike too light? Do you want another one?"


    "Can you pull me out of this hole first?"


    "Sorry about that. As you''ve seen, this is Riverheart Ind; the soil is quite loose."


    "That was quite a heavy hit just now, enough to break most controlling spells." Lancelot climbed out of the hole, rubbing his head. "Let''s get going and see what tasks our hostess has in store for us."


    -------------------------


    Lancelot and Bruto waited for almost two hours before they were finally summoned by Tijana.


    It was a typical fortress-style castle, likely designed by human or Dwarf craftsmen, or possibly magically copied from a temte in the Mortal Realm.


    After entering the main gate, the first area was a waiting zone for servants to dine and stand by, which also served as the first line of defense inside the castle during wartime, as the narrow passage could only amodate two people side by side. Meanwhile, guards could be positioned along the second-floor corridor for ranged attacks, cross-firing at invading enemies from various angles.


    At the end of the waiting zone were two returning staircases, and after stepping onto the steps and passing through two reinforced doors, Lancelot and Bruto entered the main hall used for audiences with the Lord and hosting banquets.


    The main hall of the castle was spacious and splendid, fit to host banquets for hundreds of people. Long tables were set up in the hall for banquets, plush carpets covered the floor, and lifelike gargoyle statues served as candle holders on the walls. Thin gauze hung on the corridors of the second floor, obscuring the view inside.


    This was a Subus''s castle, with arge number of Subi moving about as both servants and guards.


    Tijana was leaning against the throne at the high podium, with several Subus Maids standing behind her.


    Lancelot had heard many stories about women who brought disaster to their countries, and the Subus Lord before him was the embodiment of such tales, brazenly disying her Demon Horns and bat wings.


    Lancelot carefully performed a Knight''s salute, and Bruto mimicked the gesture.


    "Honorabledy, we request your permission to be residents of this town and to receive your protection."


    "Interesting," Tijana didn''t rush to answer but instead turned her head to look at the Dwarf. "It seems you are different from your father, not intending to spend your lifefortably beside the Iron Anvil and forge."


    "Dwarves can get hot-headed too." Bruto said lightly, "And right now, you have one standing in front of you."


    "We are an adventure team." Lancelot took over, reaching for the box. "Furthermore, we have prepared a gift for you."


    "Oh? A gift?"


    A gust of wind blew past, and Lancelot''s eyes narrowed, for he saw Tijana raise her whip and swing it towards him.


    He suppressed his body''s reflex, as the target of the whip was not him. The shadow of the whip shed past his hand, and the small box appeared in the Subus Lord''s hand.


    First, Tijana cast several Detect Magic spells on the box with suspicion, then, after confirming it was not a trap, she cautiously opened it.


    All eyes curiously turned towards us.


    The entire hall seemed to flicker for an instant as the subi let out murmurings of admiration, their gazes turning fervent.


    Lying within was a diamond ne. The size of the main diamond was close to that of a mortal''s pupil, weighing at least ten carats. The setting and the chain were crafted from mithril, sparkling under the candlelight.


    These were the spoils of war Lancelot had obtained from ying the Sandworm Lord. Although the diamond was exceptionally beautiful, it did not contain nature''s spiritual energy, so he felt no pain in parting with it.


    Tijana delicately picked up the ne, and instantly, everyone in the hall was dazzled.


    Seeing the familiar expression on all the subi''s faces, Lancelot knew his gift had achieved the desired effect.


    "I hope you enjoy this gift," he reminded, snapping the indulged Subus Lord back to reality.


    "This is the first time someone has given me a gift in the literal sense," Tijana giggled, her smile bringing a touch of spring to the hall.


    "Only ady as beautiful as yourself is worthy of this ne," Lancelot asserted, while Bruto watched him askance.


    "Very well, as a token of gratitude..."


    The Subus Lord stood up and gracefully walked towards Lancelot.


    "I will allow you to kiss my hand."


    With her wings subtly folded behind, she bashfully extended a jade arm, as if inviting him, while the revealing leather she wore emanated a primal allure, making one want to pull her into an embrace without a second thought.


    Lancelot rolled his eyes inwardly; this woman''s acting was a bit over the top.


    He removed his steel gauntlet from his right hand, tucking it under his arm, and then cautiously cradled the subus''s palm, pursing his lips to lightly brush the back of her hand.n/?/vel/b//jn dot c//om


    The fingers were rather firm, certainly capable of piercing his throat with not much difficulty. The palm, however, was incredibly soft.


    "I''m not one of those disgusting toads, and I don''t have poison nds in my skin," Tijanamented, apparently surprised by Lancelot''s restraint. She was well aware of the actions males might take under her charm and had rich experience in dealing with them.


    She returned to her throne, resuming herzy posture, and began:


    "To be a resident of Twin Bridges Town, you must prove you can be of use to me. Dwarves make excellent craftsmen, so their value is beyond question. If you wish to stay as mercenaries, you must show you''re at least capable ofpleting low-level tasks."


    "Please give your orders."


    "It''s simple, just apany me for one night," she stated.


    Lancelot began to cough dramatically, Bruto silently stepped back several paces during their exchange. Tijana had said ''you'' not ''you all,'' right? So this had nothing to do with him whatsoever.


    "Cough, cough, I''m sorry, what did you say?"


    "Hehe, I''m just joking, seeing that look of panic on you," Tijana yed with her hair idly. "That stench called ''kindness'' emanates from you. I can smell it from this distance."


    "I apologize, please don''t put me in a difficult position."


    Upon hearing this, the Subus Lord''s face darkened.


    "What do you mean? How is that putting you in a difficult position?"


    Oops. Sweat instantly broke out on Lancelot''s forehead.


    He hesitated for a moment, then decided to speak candidly:


    "I believe that in this dangerous world, any sexual conduct is extremely crazy and perilous, even if the propositiones from someone as charming as..."


    "A subus," Tijana interjected.


    "Lady," Lancelot corrected.


    "That''s quite right, your thinking is indeed very urate," Tijana suddenly shed an ambiguous smile. "Gentlemen, let''s end this topic here."


    "I just so happen to have a little matter that needs handling, consider it a test for you. The task involves rescuing helpless maidens from the hands of demons, which should suit the tastes of you altruists just fine."

 Chapter 18 Saving Succubus Grace

    ```


    "Twin Bridges Town has always been like a lighthouse on the bank of the Stygian River, attracting those runaway ves, mortals who''ve strayed here, and ambitious adventurers. It''s one of the few ces willing to shelter them, and the price is very reasonable."


    "Recently, I''ve been receiving numerousints, near the Screaming Woods upstream, a Bag named Kuka has been abducting passersby with reckless abandon."


    "I can''t possibly take out every guy on the menu who belongs to the mortal races, but it keeps attacking travelers headed for Twin Bridges Town, and there''s no doubt that this is an affront to me."


    "Just eight hours ago, I sent a maid to warn it, but she hasn''t returned yet. Clearly, that buffoon has done something to her."


    "Your mission is to bring poor Grais back to me and give Kuka whatever punishment you can administer."


    The Subus Lord produced a scroll, and with a mysterious fluctuation, it seemed as if shadows were diving into it.


    "This is the Mission Scroll, it has the target location and detailed information about Bag Demons," Tijana tossed the scroll to Lancelot, "There''s also Grais''s portrait inside¡ªshe has quite the pretty curled horns, so don''t you go doing anything weird with it."


    Lancelot carefully opened the scroll and nced over it, confirming there was nothing wrong with it.


    "Are you really that curious," Tijana mocked, "Grais might be suffering unspeakable torment right now. If you want to see her, you better set off quickly."


    "I hope she''s unharmed," Lancelot said as he bowed with Bruto. "We will take our leave now."


    Tijana waved her hand, indicating they were free to go.


    "Wait a moment."


    Just as Lancelot was about to step out of the hall, Tijana called out to her again.


    Lancelot turned around and caught the object that Tijana threw at him.


    He looked down to find he was holding an emblem engraved with the Twin Bridges Town emblem, emitting a strong evil aura as if it had just been blessed with magic.


    "The scent of goodwill on you creatures... it''s simply too strong. In this world, even a stone on the ground would wish toe alive and attack you," Tijana exined, "Carry this trinket with you¡ªit''ll conceal the presence of any good creatures within a radius of five meters. It''s effective for three days."


    "Thank you," Lancelot expressed his gratitude for the Subus Lord''s kindness, managing to hide his surprise quite well, unlike Bruto, whose eyes were almost bulging out.


    "Also, if Grais is alright, don''t bother with that fool Kuka. Just bring her back as soon as possible."


    "Understood," said Lancelot, waiting on the spot to see if there were any more instructions.


    "Alright, now get out," the Subus Lord suddenly seemed to lose her patience, turning her head away from him.


    Lancelot bowed again, then turned and left with Bruto.


    ----------------------


    After leaving the castle, the pair first made their way to the cksmith district to bid farewell to Bruto''s father.


    The old Dwarf had already agreed to let Bruto go on an adventure, but he was still very worried. He hugged his son for a long time, repeatedly reminding Bruto to be cautious, and handed him a newly crafted warhammer.


    This hastily finished Ram''s Horn Warhammer didn''t look particrly impressive, but its luxury of using powerful steel as the main material made it much heavier than it appeared. The handle of the hammer was inscribed with mysterious Dwarf Runes in mithril, and the head was iid with a mountain crystal.


    This endowed the hammer with magical effects: whoever held it gained a boost in strength, and there was a chance when swinging it to unleash the mountain crystal''s energy, delivering a devastating blow to the enemy.


    ```


    The shield that Lancelot gave to Bruto had also been enhanced, its face hardened, while the back was likewise engraved with power-boosting Dwarf Runes in mithril and iid with mountain crystals.


    All these precious materials were generously sponsored by Lancelot himself. His thinking was straightforward; he wanted to elevate Bruto''s survival capabilities as much as possible.


    Only by surviving could one gradually be stronger, and as for splitting enemies in half, having him around was enough for now.


    After parting with Barrend, Lancelot summoned his demonic steed again. It sniffed Lancelot back and forth, seemingly very puzzled by the change in its master''s scent but still obediently let the two of them mount its back.


    Lancelot controlled the mount to trot along the Stygian River, while telepathically signaling Dingke to keep up. Quasimodo Demons possess the ability to transform, allowing them to take the form of small animals to follow their masters.


    Bruto, seated with his back to Lancelot, was studying the Mission Scroll that Tijana had handed to them.n/?/vel/b//in dot c//om


    "Kuka, elite... elite level Baal... Demons..."


    "Bag Demons." Lancelot corrected.


    "Ah, Abyssalnguage makes my head spin reading it; this script is mostly cursed anyway."


    Bruto said helplessly. Having spent over a year here, he had learned to speak thenguage of the Abyss, but reading its script was still very difficult. Thenguage of the Abyss, resembling hieroglyphics, is derived from the various insane natural phenomena of the Abyss and is mentally unbearable to read.


    "You read it; I''ll take a look at the picture. This gori-like demon is Kuka, right?"


    "Correct. Kuka, an elite Bag Demon, nearly 10 feet tall, estimated to weigh around 1000 pounds, wow!"


    "That''s a big one. Apart from that mouth full of fangs, it''s basically an erged gori. What is this long passage on the side about?"


    "Mostly about its behavioral patterns andbat style." Lancelot had a photographic memory, another benefit of bing a Spiritual Cultivator. He recited the content from the scroll, "Bag Demons, when in trees, possess incredible agility, skilled in climbing, jumping, and ambushing. They have natural invisibility and can also see through an enemy''s invisibility spell."


    "Their main weapons are their incredibly powerful fists, and if the opportunity arises, they can also bite your head off from your neck with their mouth. They like to hide in the dark andunch ambushes, using their terrifying leaping ability to jump on your head before you can react and deliver a rapid session of devastating blows."


    "They have a supernatural ability called ''kidnapping,'' which can forcibly transport onerge or two small creatures over a short distance, difficult for normal beings to resist. This ability allows them to remove an injured target from its teammates to be dealt with one-on-one. It will also use this ability to capture innocent travelers as snacks for its amusement."


    "Sounds like it would likely use that ability on me." Bruto was somewhat anxious.


    "It shouldn''t, as long as you''re fully defending, it won''t be able to do much to you in the short term, and since the transportation distance isn''t far, I can quicklye to support you. Bag Demons aren''t stupid; they can only use that ability once a day. If I preserve some strength from the start, it''s very likely to assume that I am the easier target."


    "Good n. Anything else?"


    "It mentions it appeared in Screaming Woods about half a year ago, initially only attacking those who entered its territory, butter began leaving its region regrly to attack passing travelers." Lancelot frowned as he remarked, "I feel there''s something off about this."


    "What part seems off? Based on the description, this Kuka sounds like a model demon of the Abyssal ne."


    "The issue is the pattern. Within a hundred miles, you''d only find a speck of order from Tijana, and I can''t see any reason why a wild demon would behave in any orderly manner. Demons don''t need to feed; abduction and torture are merely out of a cruel nature, they relish in the screams of living beings being torn apart and don''t have a need to replenish their food stores regrly."


    "Who cares, we just have to find this Subus Grais, and then use my new hammer to give a few knocks on that stupid gori''s head, and the mission is done."


    "Let''s hope so," Lancelot mused as he looked at the Twin Bridges Town emblem in his hand.


    A bat was following them from a distance, that was Dingke.

 Chapter 19 Ran Away by Itself

    Thanks to Tijana''s adept diplomatic skills, there were no other significant powers near Twin Bridges Town. On the way to the Screaming Woods, they didn''t encounter any obstacles, except for a group of entwined Coward Devils. These timid and foolish low-level demons feared any creature stronger than themselves and scattered at the first sound of Lancelot''s horse hooves.N?v(el)B\\jnn


    But the journey was definitely far from pleasant. The sun overhead zed like a furnace, scorching the earth, making the entire sky seem ame, and the ground temperatures were unbearably hot. The asional gusts of wind could bring a slight coolness, but they offered limited relief for Lancelot and Bruto, d in full suits of armor.


    Fortunately, the Screaming Woods were not far off. After riding along the Stygian River for about an hour, they could see the distinctive, spear-like tree crowns of the Screaming Woods.


    Here grew the Abyss''s unique fang-like fir trees. These trees could reach up to eighty feet tall but had neither branches nor leaves¡ªjust a bare, iron-hard trunk, shooting straight out from the ground like the quills on a porcupine, standing solitary in the destend.


    Lancelot suddenly pulled on the reins, and Bruto, due to the abrupt stop, bumped into his back.


    He twisted his head around in surprise and swept a gaze forward but didn''t find anything unusual.


    "What''s wrong?"


    Lancelot nodded towards the front, "Look there."


    There was a dark shadow in the sky, gradually growingrger. Bruto shaded his eyes with his hand and squinted in that direction. After a while, the outline of the shadow finally became clear, and Bruto could see what it was.


    "Your eyesight is really good," the Dwarf said enviously, then yelled at the top of his lungs, "Hey! Over there, Subus! Are you Grace?"


    The Subus in the sky paused momentarily, then flew towards them.


    "Who are you? Why are you here?"


    This Subus kept her distance, remaining wary. Lancelot scrutinized her, confirming that she was indeed the rescue target described in the Mission Scroll.


    Though known for their boldly revealing attire, the Subus before them was disheveled by any standard. Her exposed skin bore many bruises and purples, seemingly after enduring a terrible ordeal.


    Lancelot fist his hand and ced it over his chest, performing a Knight''s salute as he introduced himself,


    "I am Lancelot, and this is Bruto. We are mercenaries from Twin Bridges Town. Tijana believed you were kidnapped by a Bag Demon named Kuka and sent us to search for you."


    "Has it been so long already¡­" Grace blurted out, noticing Lancelot''s questioning look, she exined, "I mean, thank Tijana for sending you to rescue me. My mission today was to warn that gori to behave or beware of Tijana''s wrath. Little did I know that I''d be captured by that simian demon¡­"


    "Hold on, can''t you fly? Is its jumping ability that strong?" Lancelot caught onto important information and interrupted. "We need to re-evaluate itsbat strength¡­"


    "No, it was my negligence. I didn''t expect it to be so bold¡ªI flew a little too close and it directly captured me with its kidnapping ability."


    "And then?" Lancelot prompted further.


    Grace''s cheeks flushed, herrge eyes slowly filled with moisture, and she said in a tearful voice,


    "It¡­ it did things to me¡­ it''s too strong¡­ I couldn''t break free¡­"


    Crystalline tears slid down that beautiful face as Grace, covering her face, wept and said:


    "Even as a subus, I dislike being forced to do... that thing... That gori... he seemed to have limitless stamina... I eventually passed out..."


    "And then? How did you escape?"


    "Lancelot, please, let''s not ask anymore..." Bruto interjected softly.


    "Thank you." Wiping her tears, Grace gave the dwarf a faint smile.


    "I don''t know how much longer I was tormented after I fainted, but when I awoke, that gori was sound asleep beside me. It seems like... he passed out in the middle of it."


    "So you took the chance to slip away?"


    Grace revealed a bitter smile:


    "Yes. A subus isn''t harmed by such activities, except in pride."


    "I understand," Lancelot nodded, "I''m d you''ve escaped its clutches. Please allow us to escort you back to Twin Bridges Town."


    "Oh, that would be wonderful!" Grace seemed to breathe a sigh of relief, "Whenever I close my eyes, I see those people locked in cages. If I hadn''t escaped, I might have lost my freedom forever like them, getting eaten at any time. That would be worse than death."


    She turned to Lancelot with a sweet smile: "You are a knight, right? I''ve heard knights protect helplessdies, and I''ve always hoped a knight would protect me."


    "I am indeed a knight, and assisting the weak is my duty," Lancelot turned to look at the Screaming Woods. "But I am sorry, mydy, I''m afraid I must retract my offer to escort you. There are others who need my help even more right now."


    At those words, Grace''s face showed surprise, "I''m sorry, I don''t quite understand..."


    "You mentioned there are prisoners held captive in their of the Bag Demon," Lancelot pointed out, "At least 9 hours ago, they were still alive."


    "But I''ve just been through that ordeal, and I''m really scared. Please don''t leave me alone," Grace pleaded, her tear-stained beautiful face making it difficult to refuse. "Once that gori realizes I''ve escaped, he will surely take out his full rage on those prisoners. By now, most of them are probably eaten. Let''s head back quickly, I... I really don''t want to see that creature again."


    "It will pay for its actions," Lancelot assured her. "But we have juste from Twin Bridges Town, and the road is very safe. Human lives are at stake; we must check if the prisoners are still alive. Going there a second earlier could save an innocent life."


    Grace opened her mouth as if unable to believe Lancelot''s decision, but then she adopted a serious expression and earnestly said, "I''m sorry, I was being selfish, only thinking of myself. Let me go with you, I want to see that gori punished with my own eyes! I know the location of itsir and can guide you, but I''m not good at fighting. Please make sure to protect me, I beg of you!"


    "Rest assured, your safety is directly linked to the sess of our mission. I won''t let Kukay a finger on you," Lancelot considered for a moment, then said, "You will fly above uster, staying at a height it can''t reach. You can observe from above and guide us. Leave the fighting to us."


    "Good, after such an intense exercise, it might be very weak now." Grace showed a sly smile, then murmured in a low voice, "If it were a mortal, it would be dried up by now. These low-level creatures are really annoying, not providing me with Essence, really..."


    Grace abruptly stopped talking, her face flushed with embarrassment, but she then sneakily nced at Lancelot again.


    "Please lead the way," Lancelot said, pretending to have heard nothing, with an impassive expression.

 Chapter 20 Battle in the Woods

    In the Screaming Woods, Lancelot and Bruto had dismounted their steeds, gripping their weapons and shields tightly, cautiously guarding against a lethal ambush from the Bag Demons.


    The Fang Tooth Trees had no branches or leaves; although tall above the ground, they were actually degenerate, relying on a vast underground root system to sustain their life. This allowed for a considerable distance between each Fang Tooth Tree, enough for a ten-foot-tall gori to move and strike freely.


    The wind slicing through the woods shattered into piercing howls as it shed with the sharp trunks, as if the souls of the damned lingered there.


    Bruto, shield in hand, walked ahead of the two. Therge trunks easily obscured visibility from the ground, and the massive apes could hide in the shadow of the treetops, ready to strike from above at any moment.


    The Dwarf had to frequently look up to check his surroundings, a situation he found quite ufortable. Although Grace was flying high above, the Bag Demon''s ability to be invisible made it difficult for her to issue timely warnings.


    Bruto suddenly stopped and pointed ahead, panic-stricken:


    "By Muradin''s beard! What in the world is that?"


    On an unusually thick trunk ahead of him hung a horrifying totem. It was likely made from a Coward Devil, its legs brutally broken at the knees, with the shinbones piercing through the eye sockets, pinning the corpse to the trunk.


    It wasn''t hard to imagine that the primary material was likely still alive at the start of its making. Flesh from the Abyss degraded rapidly; using a body that had already perished would hardly keep the entire skeleton intact on the trunk.


    With its legs cut in half, the skeleton resembled a gori. It was a typical Bag totem, whose true significance was unknown to outsiders, but everyone knew what it represented: you had entered Bag territory, and you should prepare to be such a totem.


    Bruto, hands on his hips, mustered the courage to stare directly at the terrifying totem. Once he saw it clearly, there was nothing to fear, the totem was merely a deration of its creator''s cruelty, a reminder Bruto knew all too well.


    Lancelot, on the other hand, had a thought. He noticed a blood-red little nt below the totem, emitting faint waves of Spiritual Energy.


    He knelt down, dug up the little nt along with the surrounding soil, then carefully brushed off the dirt clinging to its roots, and tucked it into a small bag filled with mountain crystals.


    Various knowledge about Spiritual Cultivation was recorded on the bamboo slips left in his mental world by Han Tiansun; Lancelot, regardless of his understanding, would read them in his mind when idle, and thus, he learned how to identify usable herbs.


    ¡ª Shadow Spirit Grass,monly found beneath the suspended bodies of the tragically died, nourished by the deceased''s resentment and fresh blood, with red leaves and ck stems, extremely Yin in nature, often used to neutralize other overly Yang medicinal materials, the method to ascertain its medicinal properties is...


    This was the record regarding Shadow Spirit Grass on the bamboo slips, and the nt before him matched the description well. He didn''t have a Jade Box to prevent the loss of Spiritual Energy, but the slips said surrounding it with Spirit Stones could work the same; so, he stored the nt with the mountain crystals, nning to study it further upon his return.


    "You know how to identify herbs too?" Bruto asked, surprised.


    "A little bit," Lancelot replied.


    The Dwarf rolled his eyes, convinced that the guy was just pretending.


    "That skeleton isn''t useful to you, right?"


    "Not at all," Lancelot shrugged. "What are you thinking?"


    Upon hearing this, Bruto directly raised his new hammer, thought for a moment, then switched to his shield and smashed it violently against the horrifying totem, shattering it into pieces.


    "Doing this," he exined.


    "Roar!!!!!!!" The reply was a heavens-shaking roar; Bruto''s face turned white in an instant.


    It seemed that the Bag Demon had discovered them long ago, using its invisibility to lurk in the shadows. Bruto''s reckless action unexpectedly enraged it, forcing it to reveal itself.


    Kuka suddenly leaped down from the top of a thick Fang Tooth Tree, his fists, full of rage, violently smashed towards the two.


    Lancelot and Bruto, alert from the moment they heard its roar, jumped aside in time, dodging the deadly blow.


    "I will grind you into pieces!"


    The enraged ape demon roared, its ambush foiled but it seemed to have entered into a berserk state.


    "Dream on!" Bruto responded, unyieldingly.


    "ROAR!!"


    Kuka hated this detestable dwarf to the bone, it was he who hadpletely ruined his meticulously crafted totem; no one had ever done that before!


    People always saw the Bag totem as a territorial symbol, a warning to intruders. But in reality, each totem was a piece of art into which the Bag demons poured great amounts of effort, a tool they used to disy their taste to the outside world.


    Of course, for demons, taste generally pertained to the methods of ughter and the novelty of torment.


    Although Bruto was tall for a dwarf, standing over five feet, his opponent was nearly twice his height. The massive fists pounded down like air hammers; if one hit him squarely, it would likely drive him straight into the ground. Brutopletely gave up on counterattacking and used his best rolling technique.


    He moved across the ground like a dung beetle, making it very difficult for Kuka tond a hit.


    Lancelot had already charged in with his sword. He carefully made a stabbing attack, maintaining as much distance as possible while attacking since hecked Bruto''s size that provided dodging bonuses.


    The de deeply prated the raised behind of the ape demon, causing Kuka to scream in pain. It whirled around with a swinging punch, but hit nothing; Lancelot had immediately lept back after delivering the stab.


    The de had gone nearly a foot deep, blood reddening the area around the wound, but any injury to the buttocks was hardly fatal, something Lancelot was well aware of.


    "Ha ha, you stupid ape, why is your butt as red as a monkey''s?"


    Bruto teased shamelessly. Seeing Lancelot''s sessful strike and Kuka turning its back again, he wanted to try out his new hammer too.


    "Bruto, watch out!!"


    Lancelot urgently shouted, but it was toote. The ape demon spun around with rming speed and threw a punch. Bruto couldn''t dodge in time and could only barely lift his shield to block.


    "BOOM!"n/?/vel/b//in dot c//om


    A loud sound, the Bag demonnded a direct hit on its target for the first time that day.


    Bruto flew backward like a ball kicked with great force, smashing hard against a tree and spitting out blood from his mouth.


    Seeing the attack effective, the ape demon immediately lunged at Bruto, its body beginning to emit magical fluctuations.


    Lancelot, sensing trouble, drew a dark green short sword from his waist. He had asked Barrend to make it from the beak of that demon overseer when they encountered the dwarves.


    The True Qi surged out of his Dantian, he executed the Gathering Qi sh technique, fiercely hurling the short sword at Kuka.


    The Kiss of Deadly Poison shot out like a green bolt of lightning, easily entering the ape demon''s back. Unfortunately, it didn''t hit the heart for a fatal blow, nor did it stop the Bag demon''s supernatural ability from taking effect.


    A sh of white light, and both Kuka and Bruto disappeared from the spot.


    Lancelot immediately concentrated his Spiritual Energy in his ears and soon heard the sound of two heavy objectsnding not far away.


    "I see them, they''re over there!"


    Just then, Gracended on the ground from the air, pointing in the direction of the sounds.


    Lancelot didn''t look back as he dashed towards that direction, astonishingly fast, with the subus straining to keep up.


    "Hang in there, little dwarf!"

 Chapter 21 Sneak Attack

    As soon as the teleportation ended, Bruto saw a pot-lid-sized fisting right at his face.


    "Fuck! Why me!"


    He raised his shield as fast as he could and took another solid punch, but this time, the mountain crystal on the shield emitted a burst of light. The shield became incredibly heavy the instant it was struck, absorbing most of the impact force, allowing Bruto to only stagger back a few steps before tripping over a rock and falling to the ground.


    This was an asional effect triggered when mountain crystal-embedded equipment was hit by a massive force, in the blink of an impact, converting its contained energy into extremely high mass. When embedded in a weapon, it would inflict tons of damage (literally) upon activation; when in a shield, it could render a potentially fatal blow harmless.


    Bruto had no time to feel relieved, as he quickly rolled to the side to avoid the imminent follow-up attack.


    However, the anticipated fist didn''t materialize. As the dwarf got up with the help of his roll, there was no sign of the Bag Demon in his line of sight.


    "What, it ran away? Could it be that it sprained its hand with thatst hit, haha!"


    Bruto mumbled to himself, holding up his shield and hammer, anxiously scanning his surroundings, fearing another ambush from the enemy.


    Only then did he notice arge pool of blood where Kuka had stood, and it seemed a weapon was discarded there.


    He cautiously approached and realized it was his father''s creation, Lancelot''s Kiss of Deadly Poison.


    This less than a foot long sword was now nted in the soil, with all but the top two inches of the de drenched in bright red blood.


    Clearly, the weapon had plunged deep into some part of Kuka''s body, causing severe injury. After knocking Bruto away, the ape demon did not pursue but instead ran off.


    "What kind of monstrous burst strength does Lancelot have."


    Bruto murmured softly to himself.


    Lancelot really had quite a few secrets up his sleeve, Bruto still hadn''t forgotten the lord of sandworms gutted and dismembered corpse fromst time. It seems this guy''s trump card is these sudden outbursts, catching the unprepared enemypletely off guard.


    Footsteps approached rapidly; his knight teammate and the subus rushed over.


    "I scared that guy off."


    Bruto said with his hands on his hips.


    "Since when is bragging one of your dwarves'' traits?"


    Lancelot replied with a smile, stepping forward to pick up his shortsword.


    "After it hit me, it ran off. I misspoke just now," Bruto shrugged his shoulders, "It''s too agile, I couldn''t hold it down."


    Lancelot cast a skeptical nce at Bruto''s clean new hammer and decided not to pursue the topic any further.


    "While it''s heavily injured, we should hurry and catch up to it," suggested Grace.


    "Hmm, do you know where itsir is?"


    "I could find it with my eyes closed," the subus licked her lips eagerly, "I can''t wait to see this dumb ape die."


    "Then let''s get going."


    Guided by Grais, the three of them quickly set off deeper into the forest.n/?/vel/b//jn dot c//om


    The trees around them grew thicker and the ground became more rugged and uneven, making it quite a struggle for the two males who couldn''t fly.


    Finally, the Bag Demon''sir came into their view.


    It was a cleared spot where severalrge saber-toothed fir trees were broken in half by frightening strength. The Bag Demon constructed a huge canopy out of tree trunks which was filled with all sorts of items plundered from the outside world, obscuring the view inside.


    As soon as Bruto saw this, he rushed towards it, only to be quickly restrained by Lancelot.


    "Don''t be hasty, something isn''t right."


    Bruto paused, then also realized.


    There were no bloodstains around the shack, so Kuka probably wasn''t inside.


    Just as the two hesitated for a moment, the ground beneath their feet began to writhe. Weeds and vines surged up from underground, entwining their legs and arms as if they hade to life.


    This is another innate casting ability of the Bag Demon, the Entanglement Technique. But casting it requires concentration, which means...


    Lancelot suddenly looked up, a dark shadow was rapidly growingrger.


    The True Qi in his Dantian surged into the Meridians throughout his body, and Lancelot burst out with tremendous strength, jumping away from the spot with Bruto in the nick of time.


    With a loud boom, the Bag Demon above missed its strike. Lancelot focused and saw that this one was not Kuka, but another Bag Demon, visibly smaller than Kuka.


    "Sneaky Goblin bastard!"


    Bruto roared angrily as he pounced forward.


    The young Dwarf had been taking hits all day, thoroughly frustrated, and this new arrival seemed a bit weaker, providing a suitable outlet for his rage.


    Therge and small figures quickly became entangled in a brawl. Despite how fiercely Bruto roared, he didn''t take hits head-on when attacked, instead cleverly rolling around on the ground, utilizing his size advantage, and only using his shield to block a punch when there was no other choice.


    He finally got to use his new hammer after narrowly dodging a heavy blow from the Ape Demon, smashing down hard on its fist that was too slow to retract.


    The clear sound of bones shattering could be heard as the Ape Demon let out a scream of pain.


    This time Bruto had learned his lesson; like Lancelot, afternding a sessful strike, he quickly retreated, keeping a safe distance, but his mouth kept taunting:


    "Stupid gori, sorry about killing your big wife, why don''t you spend more time pampering your little wife next, hahaha!"


    Lancelot did not join the fray but remained on full alert, watching his surroundings.


    The Entanglement Technique just now must have been cast by Kuka, who was certainly hiding somewhere, waiting to deal Lancelot a fatal blow.


    "Ah!" Behind him, the Subus screamed, but Lancelot did not turn his head and instead looked sharply upwards.


    The huge figure of Kuka was descending rapidly. The Ape Demon''s fists were raised high, ready to smash the detested human below to a pulp. Had Lancelot been distracted by her cry just now, it would have been toote to dodge.


    Suddenly, a familiar voice rang in Lancelot''s ear:


    "Watch out behind you!"


    Behind him, Subus Grais extended her ws that glinted with cold light, but her target was not Kuka, it was Lancelot!


    If Lancelot had jumped back as he had previously, he might havended right into Grais''s sneak attack, which could have left him seriously injured or even dead.


    But as if he had anticipated this, he had already crouched down before the voice even warned him, rolling forward.


    At the same time, the Emblem of Twin Bridges Town fell beside him, its surface splintering inch by inch, emitting a dazzling white light.


    Grais looked on in horror as a whip shadow flew out from the white light, binding her tightly in an instant.


    "It''s you! How is this possible!"


    The answer came in the form of a p from the Lord of Twin Bridges Town, her sharp ws tearing Grais''s delicate cheek to a bloody mess.


    "How dare you betray me!"


    Anger was written all over Tijana''s face, but then, a loud thud of a heavy object falling to the ground behind her made her expression change, and she quickly turned her head to look.


    Kuka''s massive bodyy in an odd position on the ground, limbs touching the floor, back arched as if sheltering something underneath.


    Tijana then noticed something new on its back.


    It was a section of a Sword de, protruding like a Bone Spur from the Bag Demon''s broad back, with fresh blood flowing down from the tip of the de.


    Lancelot had seized the deadly w of his enemy. With a roll, his 7-foot Great Sword stood erect like a gpole, and Kuka, falling fast and unable to dodge, was impaled.


    The Human Knight, as if having bathed in blood, crawled out from under Kuka, kicked over the massive corpse of the Ape Demon, and pulled out his Longsword.


    Turning to the familiar figure, he smiled and greeted Tijana:


    "Good day, mydy. I''m so pleased to see you again."

 Chapter 22 The Truth

    "Come back, you bastard! We haven''t settled the winner yet!"


    Bruto''s indignant roar came from the other end of the battlefield.


    The Bag Demon that Bruto was dueling was bing increasingly ethereal. Its face was also full of anger, its left arm grotesquely twisted outward, clearly Bruto''s handiwork.


    The young Dwarf''s condition wasn''t good either. His face was battered and bruised, his armor smashed to pieces by the iron fists of the ape demon, and even the reinforced shield had a chunk missing, looking like a chipped te.


    Bruto, still displeased, walked over to Lancelot, loudlyining:


    "What''s this about now? How can it just run off in the middle of a fight?"


    "That was Kuka''s summoned assistant. Once a Summoner is killed, the entities they''ve summoned immediately return to their original location," Tijana exined, hands on hips, "If you''re unsatisfied, our Arena is always recruiting volunteers, and the rewards are very generous."


    "Uh, are you... Tijana?" Bruto only then noticed that the Subus before him was no longer Grace. He quickly bowed his head in greeting, "I mean, good day, madam. That''s... Grace? What happened?


    Why is she tied up?"


    "She tried to stab yourpanion in the back," Tijana exined sinctly, then raised an eyebrow at Lancelot, "It seems you were prepared for this and have been waiting for her to slip. Care to exin why?"


    "There were too many suspicious things about her," Lancelot said, bending down to pick up the fragment of the Twin Bridges Town Emblem, "First off, does this emblem have any functions other than masking our presence?"


    Upon seeing the emblem, Grace cried out in horror, but Tijana promptly gagged her with her whip.


    "This emblem allows me to hear and see the affairs around it, and it has a positioning function that lets me teleport to its location in the form of summoning."


    "So you witnessed the entire process," Lancelot nodded, "That makes it much easier to exin."


    "Is this... concern for our safety?" Bruto eagerly interjected.


    "Hahahaha, you are really... adorable," Tijanaughed delicately. "No, I''m worried that Grace is in a very weak state and you foolish males might get ideas."


    "Ouch," Bruto grimaced. "That hurts a little; we are all gentlemen here."N?v(el)B\\jnn


    "A w that needs urgent correction," Tijana mocked mercilessly, then turned to Lancelot, "My Knight, please continue."


    "From the moment I saw her, I felt something was off, not like she was... well, more like a naughty child who yed too long and missed dinner time. By the way, do Subi really get knocked out from that sort of thing?"


    "Maybe, do you want to find out for yourself?"


    "Uh, no, I don''t. Where were we?"


    "The anomaly upon first meeting."


    "Right. And then there was her reaction when I said I wanted to rescue the captives," Lancelot turned to look at Grace, "I''m not sure, but it seemed like she was trying to use the Charm ability on me then, trying to persuade me to give up the rescue to protect her back to Twin Bridges Town?"


    "She indeed used the Charm ability then," Tijana said disdainfully looking at her servant. "It was terribly clumsy, truly embarrassing."


    "If I hadn''t already been suspicious, I might have agreed," Lancelot observed.


    "But you''ve also brought yourself into greater danger, I warned you, if she was alright, you should havee back as soon as possible."


    "I appreciate that, but I think she let slip about there being surviving prisoners identally. This prisoner could likely testify to things extremely unfavorable to her, which is why she strongly opposed any rescue attempts, otherwise she wouldn''t have tried to use charm to interfere with my decision-making."


    "That makes sense, but it doesn''t exin your caution when you were chasing Kuka."


    "She said she was kidnapped by Kuka using his abduction ability, which ording to my information, a Bag Demon can only use once per day, meaning Kuka shouldn''t have been able to use that ability again without sufficient rest." Lancelot pointed out the biggest contradiction, "But based on Grace''s description, Kuka and she were engaged in a prolonged, intense¡­activity, which doesn''t sound like enough rest, yet Kuka still used the kidnapping ability just now, trying to deal with Bruto first."


    "That is indeed an obvious w, well done, your mind is always very clear. But I still don''t think you would have dodged Grace''s final sneak attack based on this alone, youpletely missed her attempts to distract you, and your body started moving even before I voiced my warning."


    "I suppose I can''t hide anything from you." Lancelot helplessly gestured toward a certain direction, "Dingke,e out and say hello to everyone."


    A ripple-like glow emerged from an apparently empty tree trunk, and the silhouette of a bat gradually became clear. It pped its wings, flew over, and transformed back into its Quasimodo Demon form:


    "Lady Tijana, I am Dingke, the magical pet of Master Lancelot."


    Tijana looked surprised, "An elite Quasimodo Demon, these little fellows can indeed be very useful if utilized properly. No wonder you seem to have eyes on the back of your head, it turns out you actually do have eyes watching your back."


    "You tter me." Lancelot humbly said, "I am used to making thorough preparations beforehand."


    "Demons should be thankful that mortals have such a habit for being over-cautious," Tijana maintained her superior level of sarcasm as she pointed to Kuka''sir, "Now go in and bring out all the prisoners for me, I want to hear what this little wretch doesn''t want me to know."


    Lancelot and Bruto obediently crawled into Kuka''s huge hut. Thanks to the former owner''s size, the hut was very spacious, but the overpowering stench was almost suffocating. Inside, it was filled with various items: the wreckage of wagons, smashed boxes, barrel mounds (most of them empty), a few piles of Gold Coins, and arge hole dug in the ground.


    Bruto just nced at it and then started retching violently on the side.


    The pit was filled with half-eaten limbs and mutted bodies.


    Lancelot silently stared at the pit, reminding himself repeatedly of where he was.


    "Stop looking, it''s no good for you, no matter how much you look, you''ll never get used to a scene like this."


    A hoarse voice rang out behind him.


    Lancelot turned towards the sound and saw that there was a cage, like the ones used for transporting prisoners, and it held four or five humans, one of whom, a tall, thin man, was leaning on the bars waving at him.


    "I heard some wonderful noises, has that Bag Demon been killed?"


    "I avenged those in the pit." Lancelot turned back and patted the still retching dwarf, "Bruto, we need your hammer."


    "What?"


    Lancelot pointed at the newly discovered prisoners.


    Bruto staggered up, walked unsteadily to the cage, and looked up at the approaching inmates, managing to spit out two words.


    "Back off."

 Chapter 23 Prisoner

    With a loud bang, the prisoners staggered out of the cage, supporting each other.


    "Congrattions on leaving that tiny cell anding to a slightlyrger one," Lancelot said with a bitter smile.


    "Thank you, Sir," the tall and thin man said gratefully, "at least we don''t have to worry about the fate of bing food anymore."


    "Uh, actually, that risk hasn''t decreased by much. How long have you been locked up here?"


    "I just got here three days ago."


    "About two weeks, I guess."


    "Me too."


    "I don''t remember, at least a month I think."


    "I remember, I''ve been counting the days; you''ve been here for two months."


    "I know you have a lot of questions, but ady is waiting for you, she has some questions that need answering. Please follow me."


    Lancelot nodded, signaling everyone to follow him out.


    The prisoners walked out of Kuka''sir timidly, but the moment they saw Tijana, a look of fear appeared on everyone''s face.


    "A Subus, it''s a Subus!"


    "It''s over, is this a trap? Are we going to be executed?"


    "Wait a minute, this isn''t the same one from before¡­"


    Tijana frowned at the noisy situation and let out a delicate scold:


    "Silence!"


    Everyone immediately fell silent, as if their throats had been suddenly squeezed shut.


    "Good," Tijana nodded in satisfaction. "Who among you has been here the longest?"


    No one spoke, but involuntarily, everyone''s gaze turned to one person.


    Seeing there was no way to hide, that person stepped forward and stammered:


    "Subus Lord, I''ve been captured for half a year, the longest among those still alive."


    "I need you to answer a few questions for me."


    Hearing Tijana''s words, the person involuntarily looked up, only to be captivated by the Subus Lord''s intoxicating eyes, their gaze bing increasingly nk.


    "Now, you will answer my questions truthfully."


    "As youmand, my Lord."


    "How long have you been on the Abyssal ne?"


    "27 weeks and 3 days, my Lord."


    "Have you seen this bound Subus before?"


    "I have."


    "Describe the scene at the time."


    "We were being chased by a group of terrifying creatures. She drove them away and told us to follow the Stygian River where we would find a town built in the middle of the river, where we could earn shelter by working. However, a gori attacked our group on the way, and I was captured."


    "I will send maids to patrol the surrounding area periodically," Tijana exined expressionlessly, unclear to whom. She continued to inquire:


    "Have you seen her since then?"


    "I have; she often came to find the big gori, and then they left this ce together. Sometimes we could hear her screams from far away, and afterward, the gori would return here and eat one or two of ourpanions¡ªit always ate them in front of us¡­"


    The extraordinarily terrifying scene seemed to unfold once again before this man''s eyes, causing his body to shake uncontrobly as his mind teetered on the brink of copse. The red glow in Tijana''s eyes zed brighter, barely calming the man, who then copsed, falling asleep on the ground.


    With a fierce tug at the whip in her hand, Grace was dragged to Tijana''s feet. Tijana released the whip from Grace''s mouth and asked coldly,


    "Do you have anyst words?"


    Grace spat a mouthful of bloody saliva against Tijana''s boot fiercely.


    "Torturing these people has brought me endless joy. I know who you really are, Tijana. Once the Demon Lords find out that you are..."


    The whip that bound Grace suddenly emitted a burst of red light, silencing her midsentence as her flesh melted like butter, turning into a puddle of filth that seeped into the ground; only a skeleton remained, which turned to powder as Tijana retracted the whip, the wind scattering it, leaving no trace.


    "I''ve changed my mind," she shrugged at Lancelot, "Let''s bring these people back, if they wish toe."


    No sooner had she finished speaking than the Subus Lord''s figure shimmered with a familiar glow and vanished from the spot.


    Lancelot turned back to see everyone staring in stunned silence. He touched his nose and said,


    "Do you have any questions that need answering?"


    People hesitated, then all asked at once:


    "Who are you? And who was that just now?"


    "Where is this?"


    "Are we free now? How do we get back?"


    Lancelot looked helplessly at the barrage of questions, raising his voice to interrupt,


    "Hold on! One at a time!"


    The newly freed prisoners silenced at once. They looked at each other, and finally, the tall, thin man who had first greeted Lancelot spoke,


    "Thank you again for rescuing us. We haven''t had the chance to ask your name, Sir?"


    "My name is Lancelot, and as you can see, I am a knight," Lancelot decided to forgo promoting the title of Pdin.


    "Thank you, Sir Lancelot. My name is Klin, and I am a schr. I don''t hold out much hope, but I have to ask if you have a way to get us back to the Main ne?"


    "I''m ashamed to say that I, too, am searching for such a method," Lancelot replied with a wry smile.


    "As expected," the man sighed, "My second question, pardon my bluntness, but... are we your captives now?"


    "Of course not, you are free to go wherever you want," Lancelot hurried to rify, "But this is the Abyss, and you don''t have many options."n/?/vel/b//jn dot c//om


    "Yes, ordinary people are like walking desserts on this ne, sigh," Klin sighed heavily. "I know that there are some neutral towns in the Abyss where mortals can survive as something other than ves. Can you tell us about the ce you''re taking us to next?"


    "Uh, actually, I''ve just arrived here myself and am undergoing a mercenary qualification assessment," Lancelot scratched his head, "Ordinary people can find refuge there as hiredbor, but as you might guess, these are very hard and poorly paid jobs."


    "Such work probably isn''t suitable for me," Klin said despondently, feeling very hopeless about his future.


    "There''s a market district in the town. Maybe you can find a shop there willing to hire you?"


    "Sigh, I guess I can only hope... And what was with those two Subi just now?"


    "The one killed was named Grace. Her Lord thought she had been kidnapped by that gori; my mission was to rescue her, but it turned out the two were lovers, and they hoped no one would expose their secret."


    "What about the other Subus? Was she the Lord''s lieutenant?"


    "Oh, no, that was the Lord herself, Tijana of Twin Bridges Town."


    As Lancelot spoke, Klin looked as though he had been struck by lightning, his face etched with shock.


    "You mean to say... that was... the Pearl of Stygian Riverbank, the legendary Tijana who rose to prominence three hundred years ago, the Lord of Twin Bridges Town?"


    "Well, it should be her," Lancelot said, a bit puzzled, "Is she that famous?"


    "To certain people, she''s practically a superstar." Klin bowed deeply, "Allow me to reintroduce myself. My name is Klin, a Seeker of the ck Cult. Please ensure my safe arrival at Twin Bridges Town, I beg you!"

 Chapter 24 Black Cult

    "The ck Cult? That doesn''t sound like a respectable organization," Bruto leaned in closer. "You''re not some kind of secret society that worships demons, are you?"


    "Our primary research subject is indeed demons, but our purpose in understanding them is tobat them," Klin said, pulling out a notebook from somewhere and jotting something down, "We can discuss the specifics on our way to Twin Bridges Town, let''s get moving."


    "Hold on a minute, we need to clean up the loot," Lancelot efficiently took out several empty bags.


    In the end, they filled four full bags with at least a thousand Gold Coins. After Kuka''s body dissolved, Lancelot found a pair of metal rings that, after being struck year after year by the ape demon, had be extremely hard; Bruto took them to use as bracers and they fit perfectly.


    Lancelot cast the spell to summon his warhorse again, this poor Abyssal creature being treated as a packhorse every time, Lancelot had never once ridden it into battle.


    Fortunately, it seemed to harbor no desire toin and followed obediently behind Lancelot.


    The group proceeded downstream along the Stygian River. Compared to their journeying here, the sky was no longer clear, andrge patches of dark clouds made the temperature no longer so unbearable.


    Lancelot and Klin walked side by side, both full of curiosity about the other.


    "Mr. Klin, could you tell us more about your ck Cult?"


    "Just call me Klin," Klin fanned himself with his notebook. "Let me ask you a question first, where does your knowledge about the Abysse from?"


    "The Elves of my world. Thousands of years ago they explored the Abyss deeply, but after that, a great war broke out, and ever since they have lived in the shadow of a potential demon invasion. Before I entered the Abyssal ne, they left me with a wealth of knowledge about the Abyss, but I''ve found a lot of it seems outdated¡­ Klin?"


    Lancelot realized the person beside him was gone; the Klin who had been walking with him was now standing still behind him, staring at him with a look that appeared when he first learned Tijana''s identity.


    "Uh, what''s the matter?"


    "If I told you I am now extremely grateful to havee to the Abyssal ne, would you believe me?"


    "That''s not surprising. In a sense, the Abyss is a treasure trove."


    "What you just mentioned solved a long-standing problem that puzzled researchers. asionally, ancient Elven relics are found in the Abyss, and everyone is baffled about their origin, leading to various hypotheses."


    "I imagine some of those are quite absurd."


    "The boldest hypothesis suggests that the Abyss may have originally been no different from a normal ne of existence, and that Elves originated from the Abyssal ne,ter leaving for the Ster Realm as the conditions in the Abyss deteriorated."


    "Elves are quite proud of their rtionship with nature,"


    "Haha, so it''s not difficult to imagine, elves paid many enthusiastic visits to the founder of that theory," Klin''s lips couldn''t help but curve up, "Let''s return to our previous discussion. In the world Ie from, for a long time, people knew nothing about the Abyss. Invasions by demons were like fires, floods, and earthquakes.


    Apart from the asional direct intervention of deities, humans were helpless and could only start over in ruins after everything had been destroyed."


    "Everything changed after the appearance of a schr named Turgeit No Am," Klin automatically ced her hand on her chest and made a gesture of respect at the mention of this name.


    "He was a schr who specialized in researching and organizing demon knowledge, systematically summarizing and categorizing themon types of demons, assessing their ranks,bat strength, habits,monly used magic, and supernatural abilities. This greatly helped the warriors who fought against demons. Humanity finally had the opportunity to confront the horrors brought forth by the Abyss."


    "He sounds like a great pioneer, but I imagine the demons were not indifferent to his actions?"


    "When you gaze long into the Abyss, the Abyss also gazes into you. Every schr who casts their curiosity into the Abyss catches its attention, especially those who actually achieve some results. Those who research the Abyss and don''t know when to stop, will sooner orter encounter various cmities.


    But Am aplished achievements before hisplete destruction thatter generations could not surpass. His works even contained detailed information about several famous Abyssal Lords and the specific conditions of their territories,"


    "It''s hard to believe that those terrifying Abyssal Lords would tolerate him to such an extent."


    "The general view is that the key lies in the theory he proposed about demons and the origins of the world. The Abyss cooperated with his research to a certain extent because it hoped he would spread this theory."n/?/vel/b//jn dot c//om


    Lancelot''s curiosity was piqued, and he asked several consecutive questions:


    "Does the Abyss itself have a will? What kind of view could have such an effect? Is it dangerous to discuss the specifics of that theory?"


    "Discussing these theories will neither attract demon attacks nor divine intervention, which in itself proves their credibility in a certain form," Klin, talking about her field of expertise, became very talkative and looked excited.


    "Am''s theory contends that the Abyss is the source of everything, the universe was originally aplete chaos, and the first deities who emerged from it took the beautiful things out of chaos, creating mountains, earth, life, and civilization, forming the Prime Material ne that belongs to mortals, along with the various purer upper nes, taking them over, dividing them, and calling them the domains of the deities."


    "Conversely, the Abyss became the abandoned dump, a breeding ground for demons. Am believed that the Abyss itself has will, an existence that even deities cannotprehend, and demons are the crystallization of this will. Demons are the tools of the Abyss, their impulse to destroy everything is the mission given to them by the Abyss.


    The Abyss wishes to return everything back to the state of absolute, pure chaos of the origins; it sees that as the proper state of the universe."


    "This is the core theory of our research into demons, the Abyss, and the eternal battle between order and chaos. It effectively answers three key questions: what demons are, where their poweres from, and what their purpose is."


    Klin spoke with fervent passion, and Lancelot listened, his heart surging with excitement. He inquisitively followed up:


    "What happened to Am in the end?"


    "As his research deepened, his powers grew stronger, but in the end, he could not escape the fate of destruction," Klin said regretfully. "His works contained too many urate descriptions of demons and even Abyssal Lords. Just as deities hear the prayers of their followers, the entities described in his works established a mysterious connection with the works themselves."


    "From the day his famous Scroll of Darkness waspleted, attempts to destroy it didn''t cease. In the end, several Abyssal Lords who felt threatened took action. Am and his homnd were destroyed together, but most of the Scroll of Darkness survived. Many im that Am enchanted these scrolls, giving them a sort of living quality.


    After that, many were fortunate enough to see fragments of the Scroll of Darkness. These scrolls had the ability to teleport on their own, actively avoiding demon searches, preventing them from falling into a fate ofplete destruction."


    Klin paused and gave a wry smile.


    "But there''s one problem when it detects danger and makes a run for it, it doesn''t take its reader along."

 Chapter 25 Kalalin

    Lancelot was surprised and asked curiously:


    "You''ve read the Scroll of Darkness before?"


    "Yes, a foolish decision. As a Seeker, when one finds the Scroll of Darkness or any demon-rted items, the correct move is to immediately bring them to the nearest Cult branch.


    But just like everyone in the Cult, I was filled with curiosity about demon knowledge," Klin spread his hands, "The attacking demon pulled an entire room into the Abyssal ne, but at thest moment, the scroll teleported away from my arms."


    "Uh, how did you escape from that attacking demon?"


    "The attacker was a Subus. These demons are not as keen on ughter as others, so it seemed to have little interest in me. Anyway, I survived that attack. With some understanding of the Abyss, I managed to survive the initial days, but eventually, a Bag Demon named Kuka captured me."


    "I see." Lancelot nodded, "You mentioned you are an Explorer, what exactly does that entail?"


    "The ck Cult''s mission is to collect writings of Am scattered across the universe, and to continue exploring demon-rted knowledge in his footsteps. The job of a Seeker is to search for items or information rted to this for the Cult. This could be weapons and items used by demons or exact descriptions of encounters with them, even capturing a demon for research.


    The Cult calctes contributions based on the value of findings, provides rewards, and ordingly elevates a member''s rank within the Cult."


    "I see, so the ck Cult must be a highly respected organization."


    "Uh, actually, that''s not often the case. As you can imagine, the demons have a predictable attitude towards the Cult. Most of the time, a branch of the Cult, for safety reasons, must remain low-key and secretive.


    And because we''re always engaged in demon-rted activities, you can imagine how bad the Cult''s image might look to the uninformed public," Klin shrugged helplessly, "Fortunately, the ruling ss usually recognizes the role of the ck Cult, especially when a real demon invasion erupts in their territories."n/?/vel/b//in dot c//om


    "This does sound incredibly useful, but I guess you don''t actually like reaching theirs of the subjects you study."


    "Indeed, those who study war don''t enjoy being on the battlefield, and those who study demons certainly don''t want to face them directly," Klin sighed again. "We are experts in theory more than practice, far less capable inbat than professional adventurers. Our greatest value is actually the knowledge in our heads, which can help adventurers correctly respond to various demons."


    "You have in front of you a man who could use that knowledge," Lancelot said interestedly. "What advice do you have for fighting demons?"


    "Your great sword is very suitable for fightingrger enemies like demons," Klin pointed at the hilt of the sword that protruded from Lancelot''s back, towering over him by a head. "The most effective against demons are holy or good-aligned weapons, but such things are unlikely to be found in this ne and could attract unexpected enemies like a fire in the night.


    Besides that, cold iron is very effective and not so rare; it costs only about twice as much as regr weapons. It has no restriction on the moral nature of its user, so even demons like to use these weapons."


    While listening eagerly on the side, Bruto suddenly interrupted:


    "Are you talking about that special metal that is always buried underground, emits cold, and needs low-temperature forging?"


    "Uh, yes. Are you familiar with this material?"


    "That''s our n''s specialty!" Bruto Frostforge said gleefully. "My dad is an expert among experts in the field of cold iron processing. Should we let Tijana know? Is there a chance to improve my dad''s treatment?"


    "Your father is in Twin Bridges Town as well? Is he a mercenary too?" Klin asked with surprise.


    "No, his father works in the cksmith forge of Tijana at Twin Bridges Town," Lancelot exined. "This guy, Bruto, didn''t want to be stuck next to a forge in the Abyss for the rest of his life, so he chose to be an adventurer. Did I mention before? Our qualification as mercenaries was assessed by Tijana through the rescue of a Subus named Grace.


    Although the oue was not quite as expected, it seems we passed."


    "Ah, the famous mercenary services of Twin Bridges Town! Tijana always personally tests each applicant," Klin eximed, his excitement reigniting.


    "Why do you react so strongly to Tijana? Is she that famous?"


    "The story of how she established Twin Bridges Town is utterly fascinating; it would take three days and nights to tell it all, and the fifth battle to defend Guardian City is considered a miracle, demonstrating her extraordinary strategy and leadership. She''s simply the protagonist of a legendary tale," Klin said shyly.


    "Given her identity as a Subus, one can''t help but indulge in fantasies, and by demon standards, her demeanor towards humans could even be described as friendly. It''s not hard to understand the researchers'' interest in her."


    "She indeed is a very charmingdy," Lancelot agreed, nodding his head.


    Bruto rolled his eyes discreetly.


    ------------------------


    The group advanced along the Stygian River with Lancelot and Klin chatting as they walked. But after they rounded a small hill, they unexpectedly encountered a creature familiar to Lancelot.


    About ten Abyssal Hounds were drinking from the Stygian River. These demonized beasts seemed immune to the deadly toxins in the water, as well as other various negative effects.


    Among the pack was one with two heads, who immediately noticed Lancelot and his group.


    Unlike theirst encounter with these creatures, Lancelot didn''t have the advantage in numbers this time, so the pack of hounds showed no signs of backing down. They nced over, their sharp teeth bared and saliva dripping continuously, clearly deeming the human party before them as a meal sent from heaven.


    Lancelot knew he couldn''t hesitate at this moment; if the enemy surrounded them, it would be hard to protect everyone. He immediately drew his weapon and charged at the pack of hounds, shouting to Bruto:


    "I''ll handle these guys, you protect the others!"


    The Abyssal Hounds charged at him with no less ferocity, but Lancelot was no ordinary knight. True Qi naturally surged from his Dantian, his Great Sword swinging at an inconceivable speed, like a tornado rising out of nowhere.


    The charging enemies were like little fishing boats caught in a storm, instantly torn to shreds.


    The two-headed Abyssal Hound, seeing this, let out a whining sound, and a few hounds tried to bypass Lancelot to attack the people behind him.


    Lancelot thought this was bad, but as the enemies tried to nk him from both sides, despite his best efforts to block them, two Abyssal Hounds slipped past.


    "Bruto! Stop them!"

 Chapter 26 New Member

    Bruto roared as he went up to meet the enemy, swinging his chipped shield fiercely, knocking one of the hounds to the ground, followed by his hammering down and smashing the enemy''s dog head into a shattered apple.


    The other Abyss hound had no intention of helping itspanion, it lunged towards the people at the back who were not wearing armor, its eyes red with hunger and madness.


    Lancelot had already drawn the Kiss of Deadly Poison, ready for another throwing attack.


    Just then, Klin suddenly raised his right hand, and a ring on his ring finger emitted a strong sh, the nearby beast let out a pained howl, covering its eyes as it fell to the ground.


    By this time, Bruto had already arrived, and with one hammer blow, hepletely eliminated this potential threat.


    "Kill the one with the most heads first!"


    Klin yelled at Lancelot.


    Lancelot didn''t think twice, directly throwing the Kiss of Deadly Poison he was holding in his hand.


    The dark green dagger urately hit the heart of the two-headed Abyss hound, nailing its body firmly to the ground. The two-headed demon dog''s limbs twitched violently in the air a couple of times, then it moved no more.


    All the Abyss hounds immediately stopped fighting, tucked their tails, and ran awaypletely.


    "Not bad," Lancelot swung the Great Sword, flicking the blood clean off it. "You''re much more useful than you im to be."


    "The leaders generally have the most heads among these creatures. Once you deal with the leader, the rest will scatter. That''s the power of knowledge." Klin grinned, pointing to the bodies of the Abyss hounds on the ground, "These creatures are beasts, not demons, hence their flesh remains after death instead of dissipating quickly like demons.


    Their hide is great material, whether for making boots, handbags, or belts, and it''s a shame to waste it."


    Upon hearing this, Bruto took out a dagger and skillfully started skinning. Lancelot, curious, asked:


    "What was that just now? Are you a spellcaster?"


    Klin shook his head in response.


    "Strictly speaking, schrs are not spellcasters. Schrs don''t have the magic talent required to be a mage, but we have mastered the technique of casting spells relying on items like scrolls."


    "What does it mean to cast spells relying on scrolls?"


    "The essence of magic is reshaping the Magic Net to affect the world. The main reason schrs are not like mages is due to insufficient control over the Magic Net, unable to cast spells quickly in battle like mages can.


    Scrolls, however, allow the operations needed on the Magic Net by a spell to be ''prepared'' in advance, and during usage, simply performing the final step of injecting magic power can release the spell."


    "But it looked like you were using this ring just now, right?" Bruto pointed at Klin''s hand, curious about the seemingly ordinary ring.


    "Scrolls are generally single-use but are inexpensive; repeatedly usable magic items require much higher costs and effort." Klin extended his right hand, and people then noticed the fine patterns engraved on the ring. "This ring contains the sh technique, which can create a bright light, very effective against enemies close enough, provided they have eyes."


    "Quite impressive," Lancelot said with interest, looking at the ring. "So, you''re saying that with proper preparation, Schrs and Mages aren''t much different, are they?"


    "No, the gap is still quite significant," Klin replied with a bitter smile. "Schrs learn Magic much slower than Mages. A magic apprentice could master Third Circle Spells after about two years of training, while a Schr''s apprentice is still struggling to cast a First Circle Spell."


    "Uh, sorry to interrupt, but what do you mean by ''Circle''?" Lancelot curiously asked.


    "You can cast the summoning horse spell and you don''t know about this?"


    "Not at all," Lancelot shook his head. "The Elves taught it to me, I just meditate, make gestures, and recite incantations as they told me to, and if I''m lucky, a saddled horse appears before me."


    "Hmm...


    maybe you actually have a talent for magic," Klin said enviously before continuing, "The Circle Rank of a spell can be simply understood as the level of the spell, the highest Ninth Circle spells require a lot of preparation and expensive materials, but their effects are very powerful, offering spells that can change reality like ''Wish'', or spells that can transport someone out of this ne like ''Gate''.


    On the other hand, Cantrip Spells are very simple, but can still be effective in the right situations like the ''sh'' I just used."n/?/vel/b//jn dot c//om


    "So, you''re saying, if you keep getting stronger, you could one day cast that ''Gate'' spell, to get us out of this Abyss world?" Bruto quickly grasped the point, looking hopefully at Klin.


    "Unfortunately, it''s almost impossible for Schrs to master Ninth Circle Magic," Klin shook his head. "The strongest Schr I know could barely cast an Eighth Circle Spell, and he had to spend a full month preparing for it in advance and then spent three days in bed due to the physical toll."


    "Ah, well," Bruto''s face showed disappointment. "At least we know how to leave this damned world, find a high-level Spellcaster, right?"


    "A high-level Spellcaster could indeed do that," Klin nodded. "But don''t forget, high-level Spellcasters are incredibly powerful and convincing them to help isn''t easy, especially not in the Abyss."


    "What''s the highest Circle of Magic you can currently master?" Lancelot was more concerned about Klin''s strength.


    "My limit is two Second Circle spells and four First Circle spells. Cantrip Spells are not limited, but I still need to prepare scrolls in advance, and I must have a full rest before I can restore my magic power," Klin confessed somewhat sheepishly.


    "However, we have an advantage, most spells can be memorized in our minds, we don''t need to carry a spellbook like Mages do, and due to a lot of practice and prior preparation, Spells cast through scrolls by Schrs are slightly more powerful and harder to resist."


    "How powerful are the Second Circle Spells?" Bruto asked curiously.


    "Well, Acid Arrow is a typical Second Circle Spell, and with my capability, I can release three Acid Arrows at once, which... just about seriously wounds a Coward Devil," Klin admitted somewhat sheepishly. "I know, it''s not evenparable to Sir Lancelot''s recent disy ofbat ability, but my primary focus is on academics, not just enhancing fighting power."


    "If you sacrifice offensive capabilities, do you have any supportive or self-protective spells?" Lancelot''s expression became serious.


    "Among the Cantrip Spells I''ve mastered, there''s ''Mending'' which can repair equipment; ''Detect Poison'' to check if an object or area is poisonous; a First Circle spell simr to your horse summoning called ''Mount''; ''Grease'' which greatly increases your movement speed, ideal for escaping; ''Protection from Evil'' which is effective against various evil beings; and even one that can double your height and strength, called ''Erge Person''."


    At this moment, Klin realized the implication in Lancelot''s words and his expression turned solemn. He continued:


    "I can only cast two Second Circle spells per day, so I must choose carefully.


    The Second Circle spells I''ve mastered include the previously mentioned ''Acid Arrow,'' ''Wind Creation Spell'' that can summon a strong wind, ''Levitation Skill'' to free a willing subject from gravity, ''Invisibility Spell'' to make a person or item disappear along with its counter ''See Invisibility,'' and several other spells that enhance teammates'' strength, agility, and other attributes."


    "All very useful." Lancelot smiled brightly, "So, Mr. Klin, may I formally propose you join my adventure team? On one hand, you wouldn''t have to worry about how to obtain residency in Twin Bridges Town anymore, and on the other, our adventures could fully satisfy your curiosity about demonology."


    "I was just wondering how to approach you about the same thing," Klin smiled as well. "It would be my pleasure, Sir Lancelot. I believe I can definitely be of help."

 Chapter 27 Six-Armed Serpent Demon

    In the magnificent hall, Lancelot awkwardly adjusted his stance. On the way in just moments before, all the Subi seemed to be looking at him with a strange gaze, which made him quite ufortable.


    "Oh, your little band of adventurers has a newpanion?"n/o/vel/b//in dot c//om


    Tijana lounged regally in her throne. Although she was speaking to Lancelot, her half-closed eyes were not looking at him.


    The captives whom Lancelot had rescued earlier had been led away by a foreman, about to start their careers in the cksmith area, while Klin did not follow them. At this moment, his gaze was intently fixed on his own toes, trembling slightly, whether from fear or excitement, it was hard to tell.


    "Interesting, a member of the ck Cult actually ran away to the Abyss." Tijana''s smile was chillingly sinister. "This group, keen on studying Demons, has hardly refrained from summoning them and then dissecting them alive."


    "But his knowledge is indeed useful," Lancelot hurriedly defended Klin. "With his help, I believe many missions will go much more smoothly."


    "Just as long as he doesn''t set his sights on undermining Twin Bridges Town," Tijana teased. "These people are very focused on the situation in the Abyss, I believe he''s well aware of the consequences of such actions."


    "I swear on my soul, I will absolutely not do anything that harms the interests of Twin Bridges Town or yours, mydy," Klin spoke eagerly. "Mydy, if there is anything you need, my wisdom is at your service."


    "Rather use your wisdom against this knight''s enemies," Tijana said, shifting her attention away from him and back to Lancelot. "You''ve alreadypleted your assessment task, recruit whom you like but you are responsible for their safety, including a head tax of 300 gold coins per person per month. No refunds in case of death, remember that."


    "Thank you, mydy," Lancelot bowed.


    "Take this, it''s your proof as a mercenary." Tijana tossed a Twin Bridges Town emblem to him. "Use it to purchase a residence at the Mercenary Hall, ept missions, and pay the Head Tax."


    "Understood, mydy."


    Lancelot nodded knowingly, Tijana had not asked for the gold coins seized from Kuka, meaning he didn''t have to worry about being evicted in the short term.


    Bruto stepped forward and began, "There''s one more thing, mdy. Are you familiar with Cold Iron?"


    "I''m not, does it have any special properties?"


    "It''s a metal buried deep underground, rare but not umon, and weapons forged from it are especially effective against Demons and Devils. Plus, unlike weapons of good or holy properties, anyone can use them."


    "Interesting," Tijana sat up straight. "Let me guess, you''re offering me a weapon made from this material?"


    "Well, we don''t have one now, but this ore needs a special low-temperature forging technique to process, and the Frostforge n happens to possess this technique," Bruto bragged proudly, hands on his waist. "We''re naturally resistant to the low temperatures produced during the processing of this metal.


    If we could find Cold Iron Ore, we could produce these weapons on arge scale, and I believe your clients would be interested, but I hope to improve the... ah... working conditions for my dad and others."


    "So you don''t have anything in hand yet," Tijana, now disinterested, leaned back. "Don''t worry about your dad, he has already proven his worth. When you actually bring in some Cold Iron Weapons, we''ll test if they''re really as powerful as you im. Dismissed."


    "As you wish, mydy," Lancelot saluted again, pulling Bruto and Klin as they turned and walked out. He vaguely sensed that the Subus Lord seemed to be watching his back the entire time.


    Perhaps it was just an illusion born from an overly good impression of himself.


    ----------------------


    "What do we do now?"


    After leaving the castle, Bruto, anxious, was the first to speak up.


    Lancelot fidgeted with the Twin Bridges Town emblem. His Spirit Perception told him that this was truly a normal emblem this time, at least devoid of any bizarre spying effects.


    "Let''s first sort out where we''re going to stay, then take Klin around the city to familiarize him with the environment," he said as he put away the emblem and nced at the young Dwarf, "and finally, visit your father regarding the Cold Iron matter. We still need to hear a professional''s opinion."


    Brutopletely ignored the criticism in Lancelot''s words. He sped his head with both hands and strode towards a building resembling an arena not far away.


    The Mercenary Hall was located on the east side of the castle, very close by. Further easty a sprawling series of buildings, constructed year by year by mercenaries who came here.


    The road to the Mercenary Hall wasn''t very crowded, but each individual looked fierce and malevolent, almost as demonic in temperament minus the antlers.


    When the three stepped into the Mercenary Hall, they were startled by the receptionist.


    This was a creature straight out of myth. ''She'' stood over nine feet tall, the upper body resembling that of a humanoid female, even beautiful in face, but the tightly pursed lips disyed a very cold demeanor, and her eyes emitted a terrifying murderous aura that could stop one''s breath.


    Her overly elongated torso was nked by three pairs of arms, adorned with various types of jewelry, the clearly defined muscle lines signaling that this was a highly efficient killing machine.


    ''Her'' lower body was an extremely thick serpentine tail, broader than Bruto''s shoulders, covered with green scales that could invoke one''s primordial fears, stretching about twenty feet from head to tail tip.


    Bruto turned to run but was grabbed by Lancelot. Klin, after the initial shock, seemed quite interested in observing her.


    "This is a Merrylis, also known as a Six-Armed Serpent Demon," his words squeezed out between clenched teeth in a very soft volume. "Don''t panic, you see, she isn''t holding any weapons in her hands, which means chopping up visitors isn''t her current duty."


    Bruto recovered from his panic and then noticed that the Serpent Demon was holding various documents and seals, while weapons rested in twelve sheaths on her back.


    In Lancelot''s mind, he recalled the Elves'' information on such creatures. Six-Armed Serpent Demons were masters of closebat, each of her arms wielding a longsword during battle, unleashing a tempest of strikes against her enemy. If you were lucky enough to parry all six of her arms'' attacks, her tail would be thest straw to crush you while you gasped for breath.


    More importantly, they were among the finestmanders in the Demon armies, one of the few who could rally other Demons during battle. Their strategic and tactical acumen was as outstanding as theirbat skills, striking the battlefield at the most opportune moment, wreaking havoc on the most vulnerable part of the enemy lines.


    Without them, Demons'' performance in the blood battles would likely be much worse, perhaps even risking the firstyer of the Abyss bing dominated by the Devils.


    "If you don''t have pressing matters, it''s best you disappear from my sight immediately."


    The ghostly voice that rose, reminiscent of a snake slithering over sand.

 Chapter 28 Goblin Phil

    "Um, hello, Miss Sonam, you''re called Sonam, aren''t you?" Lancelot nced at the table in front of the six-armed serpent demon, which had a small rectangr sign on it with the name Sonam written on it. Lancelot guessed this was probably meant to be a namete.


    "State your business," the six-armed Serpent Demon Sonam said, looking impatiently at the human in front of her, one hand already on the hilt of her sword behind her.


    "We are here to register as mercenaries," Lancelot hurriedly took out the emblem and ced it on the table.


    "Oh, neers, just passed the assessment, did you?"


    One of Sonam''s hands pulled out a short wand from somewhere under the table and lightly tapped Lancelot''s emblem with the crystal on top.


    The emblem emitted a faint glow and a line of text emerged on the surface:


    "Number 9527, Tijana"


    "It looks real, indeed," the six-armed Serpent Demon said, her face showing a hint of regret. "So, how many of you are there?"


    "Three."


    "The head tax for the first month, 900 Gold Coins."


    Lancelot exchanged a helpless look with Bruto and threw out arge bag.


    They had previously agreed that spoils from future adventures would be allocated as needed, while gold would be divided equally among the three. Lancelot and Bruto suggested that they pay Klin''s head tax for the first month, but he insisted it was just an advance and would be offset by his future spoils.


    Sonam took the bag, weighed it in her hand, and tossed it behind her, where itnded in arge chest.


    "Um, aren''t you going to count it?" Bruto asked, curious.


    "We might count it on a whim once in a while," the six-armed Serpent Demon lifted an arm and pointed behind them, "that''s for the fools who dare to underpay even by a single coin."


    The three of them turned around and saw a small hill made of skulls, with the ones at the top appearing rtively fresh, still with remnants of flesh and blood.


    "Um, we''ll make sure to throw in a few extra each time, just in case," Bruto said, a bit uneasily.


    "No worries, we don''t check every single time," Sonam opened her mouth, revealing a smile that sent shivers down their spines. She pulled open a drawer filled with rings of various materials, including gold, silver, but more were bronze and ck iron.


    As expected, three ck iron rings were tossed in front of Lancelot.


    "This is your identity proof, a little bit of Magic Power will make it disy my mark, valid for one month, remember toe in time for renewal."


    "Um, why not give us a Gold one?" Bruto asked, raising his hand voluntarily.


    "The material of the ring represents your mercenary rank. Completing five corresponding assignments can raise your mercenary rank; for each rank gained, the head tax each month is reduced by 100 Gold Coins."


    "How many ranks are there? ck iron, bronze, silver, gold? Are Gold Rank Level mercenaries exempt from head tax?"


    "That''s correct, and you''ll also be invited to banquets in the castle every time, isn''t that what you male creatures are looking forward to the most?" The six-armed Serpent Demon''s face showed a look of scorn, "Now, if you want to take assignments, take the passage on the right, if there''s anything else, go the other way. Any other questions?"


    "Well, I just can''t help but ask..." Bruto raised his hand again, and Lancelot felt a bad premonition stirring within him.


    "Speak."


    "You clearly only have six arms, so why did you carry twelve weapons?"


    Unexpectedly, Sonam was not annoyed by this silly question, but instead shed an understanding smile:


    "Because after chopping down a hundred little guys like you, the sword des will be dull."


    "That means your weapons are not good enough, in the cksmith area, you can find a frozen Iron Anvil emblem, that is our n''s emblem, I guarantee my dad is the best ck..."


    Bruto''s words were cut off because Lancelot had already dragged him into the left-hand passageway. Klin, embarrassed, bowed several times hurriedly and followed.


    "What''s the matter?" Bruto asked, full of bewilderment.


    "Although it is said that the patience of a six-armed Serpent Demon is very good, I am still afraid you might cross her line," Lancelot exined helplessly. "Maybe it''s intuition, but I feel like her gaze is a bit off."


    "Ahem." The voice that came from behind interrupted them, "Good afternoon, gentlemen, is there anything I can assist you with?"


    Turning around, Lancelot saw a Goblin sitting behind a table watching them. This creature, standing less than three feet tall, had soil-yellow skin, a t and bulbous hooked nose, and on its head was a ludicrouslyrge top hat.


    "Greetings, I''m Phil," the Goblin said, taking off the ill-fitting hat to salute Lancelot, revealing his balding pate. "For any services you need, you maye to me."


    "Uh, we would like some information about this ce," Lancelot said, noticing a sign hanging above Phil''s head which read ''Absolutely Fair Trading Company.''


    "That means you''re in need of consultation services," the Goblin snapped his fingers and leaned back. "Ourpany''s charges are very fair¡ªone Gold Coin per question."


    "Do you charge even if you don''t know the answer?" Bruto asked curiously.


    "Oh no," Klin let out a wail.


    "Not knowing is also an answer," Phil extended a palm. "The first question, one Gold Coin."


    Bruto, infuriated, rolled up his sleeves ready to throw a punch, but Lancelot stopped him just in time. He noticed a price list behind the Goblin with ''Getting hit, five Gold Coins per punch'' written in an inconspicuous spot.


    "That''s fair," Lancelot said as he took out a Gold Coin and tossed it over. "You must have made a good amount of money with this trick, huh?"


    "Thank you for your patronage, but generally speaking, I earn more from taking a punch. However, let me remind you, only paid inquiries count as services provided; not paying is considered assaulting the staff, and the Guards would be very happy to have a reason to cut you into pieces," the Goblin caught the Gold Coin, bit it with his teeth, and then began to cough violently.


    "Ptui, ptui, ptui, why is there a stench of gori?"


    "If you don''t like it, you can give it back to me," Lancelot extended his hand.


    "I like it; I like any gold," Phil pped away Lancelot''s hand and pressed the Gold Coin under his buttocks. "Do you have any other questions?"


    Lancelot took out another five Gold Coins and dropped them down; the Goblin pounced on the table with a howl, scooping the Gold Coins into his bosom, bubbles of joy covering his face:


    "Wow! Boss is awesome! Boss is generous! May the boss have good health, awooo! Five questions, right? Just ask away, I''ll make sure you''re satisfied!"n/?/vel/b//jn dot c//om


    "Good, you''ve already taken the money, so you should provide the service. Right?"


    "Of course, of course," Phil gathered the five Gold Coins in his hand, shaking them gently near his ear, delighting in the tinkling sounds they made. "Oh, such a delightful sound! What would you like to know?"


    "No, you''ve misunderstood," Lancelot pointed at the remote corner of the price list. "I was talking about the service that costs five Gold Coins at one time."

 Chapter 29 Service Area

    Phil''splexion changed, and then he put on an expression like a dead pig not fearing boiling water, "No refunds once services are provided,e on! Just punch me!"


    "Are you sure? Maybe I should demonstrate the power of my punch first."


    Lancelot raised his fist, thought for a moment, and then summoned up thirty percent of his True Qi, mming it viciously into the nearby stone wall.


    With an explosion-like bang, the wall was hit as if by a battering ram, creating a three-foot-wide depressed crater surrounded by a cobweb of cracks.


    "Phil! Are you dead? If you''re not, make a noise, or else I''m heading to your cer!" A shrill female voice came from not too far away.


    "I''m fine! And there''s nothing in my cer!" Phil quickly recovered from his daze and shouted back, then pushed the five Gold Coins back with a pained expression. "Erm, actually, the service wasn''t provided this time, so refunds are supported."


    "But I feel like my Dwarfpanion was yed for a fool and needs to vent."


    "That''s indeed a problem, and I did provide an answer to it," the avaricious Goblin said, his face turning red with the effort of holding back tears. "How about we treat that previous question as a free promotional gift, and you ask me a new one?"


    "Hmm, sure. First question, what''s the purpose of this area?"


    "This is the service area for mercenaries," Phil said, timidly extending his palm.


    "Be more specific." Lancelot took out a Gold Coin but didn''t hurry to hand it over to the Goblin in front of him.


    "Well, it caters to various needs of mercenaries, like renting a bed for the night, treating injuries and diseases, lifting curses, recharging magical equipment, and so on. You can also find information brokers and traders who buy war spoils. Of course, all these servicese at a reasonable price."


    "Good," Lancelot flicked the Gold Coin to Phil and continued, "Second question, what''s the approximate price of property suitable for the Mortal Races to live in?"N?v(el)B\\jnn


    "That, of course, depends on the location and size," Phil said eagerly, catching the Gold Coin. "My personal rmendation is the Southeast District, where Vampires congregate. Aside from the annoying rats, bats, and thick fog, Vampires have a very good reputation as neighbors. They only move about at night, don''t care what you do in your own room, and never hunt near theirirs.


    A three-story house there with a garden and crypt would cost about 5000 Gold Coins. It might be a bit pricey, but it''s definitely worth the money."


    Lancelot nodded in satisfaction and took out another Gold Coin to throw to Phil.


    "Tell me about the specifics of purchasing property here in Twin Bridges Town."


    "Allnd and buildings in Twin Bridges Town, whether formed naturally or constructed artificially, permanently belong to Lord Tijana of Twin Bridges Town," Phil said, gesturing a bow towards the direction of the castle. "Everyone is essentially a tenant of Lady Tijana, with each lease periodsting three years.


    Subletting is prohibited, and once a tenant dies or falls behind on rent, the property is immediately repossessed. You just have to talk to Sonam about this, thedy outside with six arms and a friendly demeanor."


    "It''s said the Serpent Demon with six arms'' favorite food is Goblins and ratmen," Klin casually added.


    "Haha, no wonder she looks at me so affectionately every time I go to work," Phil let out an unpleasant snicker and quickly changed the subject: "Gentlemen, any other questions?"


    "Onest question," Lancelot ced a Gold Coin on the table, "Among those traders inside who recycle war trophies, is there anyone who has a preference for gemstones?"


    "Everyone wouldn''t turn down those shiny little rocks, as such high-value items are much more convenient than carrying around a big pile of Gold. However, the highest bidder, without a doubt, is that Red Dragon named Krivtar, a big fellow that you absolutely can''t miss. Today you''re in luck; it just happens to be around, but actually, it onlyes by asionally.


    Besides that, there''s also a Devilspawn named Catez who enjoys collecting any pretty jewelry to please his dear mother¡ª the madam of thergest brothel in town. But you''d best not mention that brothel in front of him, ''The Undercer of the Seven Heavens.''"


    "The Undercer of the Seven Heavens, hahaha," Bruto was tickled by the name.


    "Demons are not devoid of a sense of humor," Klin said seriously, "it''s just that often this humor is hard to distinguish from cruelty."


    "You see, the money isn''t that hard to earn," Lancelot lifted his finger off the coin and turned towards the depths of the corridor.


    After traversing a not-so-lengthy corridor, the three of them entered into a bustling hall. It resembled a small marketce with dozens of stalls, and figures that looked like mercenaries weaved through, asionally stopping to converse softly with a stall owner.


    Phil was right; that Red Dragon was indeed very conspicuous. It coiled at the entrance of a huge aperture on the wall, looking down at the crowd below with a contemptuous gaze.


    Lancelot came here naturally wanting to sell some gemstones that were of no use to him to first take care of his lodging situation. He also quickly spotted the Devilspawn named Catez, who was absent-mindedly scanning the crowd.


    Even though the Goblin had said that the Red Dragon''s offer was highest, Lancelot had no intention of trading with someone he probably couldn''t handle.


    "Find a ce with a better view and keep an eye on our surroundings,"


    he whispered to Bruto and Klin before walking up to Catez''s small stall alone, silently sizing up the Devilspawn.


    Although umon, it was indeed possible for Fiends from the lower nes to reproduce with humanoids, and the mostmon of such couplings involved Subi and Nightmares, who seduced mortals through lust. It was impossible for Fiends to conceive or cause conception by ident; they had various reasons for choosing to create offspring, love also being a possibility.


    But their progeny were destined to be taboo. If one parent was merely an ordinary mortal, the offspring would mostly still be a pure-blooded Fiend, but if the mortal''s strength surpassed that of the Fiend, the child might end up being a hybrid with the physical features of both parents, along with Antlers, tails, and bat wings.


    This was how Devilspawn came to be.


    The first generation of Devilspawn could almost never escape the evil nature that came with their bloodline, regardless of their upbringing.


    However, after several generations, the Fiendish characteristics in the offspring started to diminish, the evil from their bloodline being restrained by reason and emotion, and they didn''t necessarily take the path of evil, although the constant discrimination they faced often forced them to do so.


    This Devilspawn in front of him was undoubtedly a first-generation; he had deep red skin, an exceptionally handsome face, and a well-proportioned, slender figure. Short sharp horns adorned his forehead, and giant demonic wings syed from his back, while a thick tail rhythmically thumped the ground.


    He raised his eyes that seemed forever aze with anger and spoke in a condescending tone,


    "What can I do for you?"

 Chapter 30 The Price of a Soul

    Lancelot was not annoyed by the attitude of the Devilspawn; in fact, this was already considered rtively polite by Abyss standards.


    "I heard there''s a guy named Catez who can offer a good price for gemstones."


    "A fresh, unfamiliar face," the Devilspawn looked at Lancelot with an amused gaze, "Today, with that damn Red Dragon around, someone stilles to me?"


    "I don''t like dealing with someone who is much stronger than me," Lancelot stated the reason he didn''t go to see the Red Dragon Krivtar.


    "That creature isn''t even of age yet. Sooner orter, I will ughter it and take all the treasures from itsir for myself," Catez red hatefully at the Red Dragon and then asked, "How much do you think your goods are worth?"


    "I''m not sure, but they are all beautiful."


    "Is that so," Catez sneered, "Don''t tell me you''re a fool who picked up a few pretty pebbles and is fantasizing about making a fortune. Show me what you have."


    Lancelot reached into his pocket, thought for a moment, and drew out three gemstones, giving his wrist a gentle shake to let the gemstones roll slowly on the table.


    They were three blue gemstones, two of them were very clear, and one was so dark it almost appeared ck.


    The experienced Bruto had already appraised these gemstones, the two lighter-colored ones were ordinary sapphires, each worth about a thousand Gold Coins; the darker one was a ck Sapphire, also known as ''ck Pearl,'' starting at five thousand Gold Coins, it was one of the most valuable gemstones.


    Bruto had already carried out a preliminary cutting of these gemstones. Although he imed that his skills were not even one-tenth of his father''s, Lancelot believed that to be modesty, for he couldn''t discern any ws with his naked eye.


    As the gemstones gently tumbled, their facets continuously shed dazzling highlights, especially the dark gemstone.


    Greedy and excited eyes appeared in Catez as he reached out for the gemstones.


    "Roar!!!!!"


    An urgent dragon''s cry came, followed by the strong gust of wind from the pping of massive wings.


    Catez''s face changed, he turned and grabbed a Spear leaning nearby, pointing it at the iing Red Dragon and roaring:


    "Krivtar! It''s not your turn to run wild in Twin Bridges Town!"


    "Rx, I was merely attracted by some beautiful shimmering." The juvenile Red Dragonnded, casually crushing a hapless stall beneath it, and with azy swipe of its tail, another stall also suffered coteral damage.


    This Red Dragon truly had not yet reached adulthood, but its size, over twelve feet tall, was definitely a dominating presence here. Everyone nervously moved away from their original spots; some slinked right out, while others took on the attitude of watching a good show from a safe distance.


    Its gaze was drawn to the three gemstones on the table, a fervent light shining in its dragon eyes.


    "Wow, these are some fine treasures," it noticed Lancelot standing to the side, "Ah, a neer, no wonder you didn''t know toe to Krivtar for selling gemstones. But no matter, you know now. Krivtar always offers the best prices."


    "Bastard, how dare you steal my business directly!"


    "Tijana told me we can''t rob or kill within the boundaries of Twin Bridges Town, but she didn''t say anything against stealing business."


    "You!"


    "Gentlemen, if I may," Lancelot interjected, cutting off their argument, "The items seem to be mine, right? Esteemed Red Dragon, I appreciate your willingness to make a more generous offer, however, Mr. Catez did approach me first, and I believe he has the right of first refusal."


    "Fine, I''ll just watch from the side, and if you''re not happy with his price, you can stille to me," the Red Dragon said, squinting at Lancelot with a less than friendly look in his eyes.


    The Devilspawn, angered, mmed his spear hard into the ground and dered:N?v(el)B\\jnn


    "Eight thousand! I bid eight thousand Gold Coins!"


    "Why so stingy, Catez? Is eight thousand just for that ck pearl?"


    "Don''t push me too far!" Catez, grinding his teeth in anger, turned to Lancelot and said, "Eight thousand Gold Coins for all three! I''m making no profit at this price¡ª if you want more, go find that Red Dragon."


    "Eight thousand is a reasonable price," Lancelot nodded, "Deal."


    "Hmph." Krivtar snorted heavily, pped his wings, and turned to leave.


    "Good." Seeing Lancelot didn''t push for a higher price, Catez nodded in satisfaction, turned, and shouted across the hall, "Letisha! You wench, get over here quick!"


    "Oh, you didn''t talk like that in bed the other day," azy voice said, drawing closer.


    "Nonsense." Catez waved his hand awkwardly, "Everyone can go ask around; I, Catez, am known as the ''Bull of Twin Bridges'' with the silver spear,..."


    "Is the deal settled?" A beautiful figure descended gracefully from the air, interrupting the Devilspawn''s self-praise. She was a Subus; she nced around the room and her eyes lit up when she saw Lancelot.


    "Oh, if it isn''t Sir Lancelot, good afternoon, Sir."


    "You know me?" Lancelot touched his nose.


    "My sisters have all been hoping to receive such gifts one day," the Subus Letisha giggled, turning to Catez, "Silver Spear Pretty Boy, what do you want with me?"


    "Watch yournguage!" Catez shouted angrily, "Pay Sir Lancelot eighty Soul Coins from my treasury."


    "Uh, what are Soul Coins?" Lancelot asked curiously.


    "You''re new here, it''s normal not to know," Letisha exined enthusiastically, "Soul Coins are issued by the banks of the Nine Hells of Demons, one Soul Coin is worth a hundred Gold Coins, or ten tinum Coins."


    "Currency issued by Demons?" Lancelot asked, shocked. "Do Demons ept this...?"


    "We prefer Soul Stones that directly store Souls, but those are of no use to humans like you, and you don''t have the ability to assess the value of a Soul.


    However, the ruler of the Nine Hells, Asmodeus, has publicly promised that each Soul Coin can be redeemed for a Soul or a hundred Gold Coins," the Subus shrugged nonchntly, her simple gesture oozing endless Charm, making those around her stare nkly, "Thanks to the well-known preferences of Demons, they will never give you Souls.


    A Soul Coin is worth a hundred Gold Coins, which Demons believe is the minimum price to make a Soul fall."


    "This... What kind of fool would go to a bank in Hell to withdraw money?" Bruto was incredibly shocked.


    "Devotees of Demons, merchants who travel between the lower nes, and even the Demons themselves," Klin exined, showing his profound knowledge of the lower nes, "It is said that for every Soul Coin issued, there''s a corresponding soul wailing, hanging on the firece of the ruler of the Nine Hells."


    "I''d rather not find myself one day in Barto Hell demanding Gold from Demons," Bruto said, showing his disgust, "Let''s just stick with Gold Coins."


    "Gold Coins, gold bars, whatever form you want, you pick."


    "Do you have tinum Bars?" Klin interjected, "A tinum Bar should weigh two pounds, worth the equivalent of a thousand Gold Coins."


    "Of course, we do," Letisha winked at Lancelot, "They''re as hard as your body, Sir, if you know what I mean?"

 Chapter 31 The New Owner of Hagrid Manor

    A momentter, the trade among the three parties waspleted, and Lancelot and Bruto had several dozen pounds of "cargo" on them.


    Watching the two skillfully insert Metal Ingots into the gaps of the armor as if they were armor tes, Klin, who could only wear robes as a schr, couldn''t help but feel some helplessness.


    The Red Dragon Krivtar had already left, satisfied, while the Devilspawn Catez looked at them meaningfully and spoke:


    "It''s said that the Sandworm Lord of the Shattered Mountain Range was ughtered, a huge gash left on its body. Everyone says it was probably done by a Barlow me Demon passing by."


    "Oh." Bruto raised his eyebrows, "What does that have to do with us?"


    "Someone heard some interesting rumors in the cksmith District, too exaggerated, must have been those Dwarves bragging after a few drinks," Catez chuckled, "There''s also a rumor about a new Human Knight in town, incredibly generous, who sent our revered Lady Tijana a beautiful big Diamond, driving all the Subus mad with envy."


    "That''s just the Dwarves'' way of saying thank you," Lancelot replied coolly, unflustered, "The Demons in charge of the work wouldn''t actually go into the mines themselves, watching over every stone the ves dig up."


    "Of course, of course, no one takes such absurd rumors seriously." The Devilspawn leaned back, his bat wings rxing and stretching out. "We had a very pleasant trade today, didn''t we? If you have any good items to sell in the future, remember to look for your old friend Catez, Sir Lancelot."


    ---------------------


    Afterward, Klin ''borrowed'' some money from Lancelot and Bruto to buy some Parchment and writing materials for making scrolls.


    After leaving the service area, the three of them came again to the entrance where the Six-Armed Serpent Demon was.


    "Speak." Sonam clearly didn''t like her current role.


    "We need to buy, no, rent a property." Now that he had money in his pocket, Bruto felt a bit more confident, although it might also be due to the severalrge chunks of Metal Ingots at his waist.


    The Six-Armed Serpent Demon looked skeptically at the group before him. Most mercenaries were miserly until they survived long enough to reach the Silver Level, and even if they had some money, they spent it on brothels and equipment. Where did these guys get the money to buy property?


    Lancelot took out a tinum Bar and said:


    "We just dealt with some spoils of war inside."


    "Lucky you," Sonam turned around, and only then did Lancelot notice behind her many bronze tubes, open at the ends like trumpets, resembling the speaking tubes used formunication in castles.


    The Six-Armed Serpent Demon knocked on one of the trumpets and spoke into it:


    "Vidia, you have a customer."


    After a moment, a Subus flew out from a hole in the ceiling andnded in front of them.


    "My, my, if it isn''t Sir Lancelot. You''re not thinking about renting a house too, are you? I heard Lady Tijana has reserved a room just for you in the castle!"


    Lancelot, already ustomed to the Subus'' teasing, responded with a smile:


    "The entire Double River Town is Lady Tijana''s castle, isn''t it?"


    "Hahahaha¡­" Vidiaughed heartily, "Fair point, fair point. So, do you have an area of interest? I must say though, the north district where the Subus are won''t do; Lady Tijana would kill me."


    "The Goblin at the entrance of the service area mentioned the Southeast District is nice."


    "Ah, excellent choice, quite befitting your noble status, though the neighbors are rather dull." The Subus pouted, "Lady Tijana neither allows them to hunt in the city nor to keep blood-fed pets; I think those bats wille down with something sooner orter. Come with me. There''s a nice house there that just became avable."


    Lancelot nodded, then led hispanions as they turned and walked away.


    The walk from the Mercenary Hall to the Southeast District, where the vampires resided, took about 20 minutes.


    As they neared, the surroundings underwent a stark transformation: a thin fog began to appear in the air, rats and bats wandered the streets unabashed, the roadside nts were all dead, their twisted branches sprouting thorns that should not have been there, and even their own shadows seemed to stir restlessly.


    "Honestly, I''m not very fond of this ce," Bruto said, surveying the eerie environment with some nervousness.


    "Don''t worry," Klin reassured, "aside from the vampires themselves, the various anomalies near their nests aren''t dangerous; their main purpose is to scare away those who wander here uninvited."


    "Lancelot, you wouldn''t mind if I set up a forge in the basement, would you?"


    "I would, actually. First, the sound of smithing is loud, and second, I''m worried you''d burn down the house if it''s in the basement."


    As they tried to dispel the gloomy air through casual conversation, a charming small building appeared before them.


    This building was made of stone bricks, boasting a beautiful three-story structure, each floor containing four to five rooms, resembling a country vi of some noble. Adjacent to the building was a garden about 100 feet long and 50 feet wide, enclosed by a low stone wall, but the flowers within had long since withered, leaving only strangely colored weeds growing among them.


    "Gentlemen, wee to Hagrid Manor," Vidia introduced with a smile like a real estate agent, "The former owner of this ce was the renowned Count Wolfgang von Barlow, who was seen a week ago being staked in the chest and thrown into the Stygian River at noon, very thoroughly dead. The perpetrator was an unknown Lich. Naturally, the property was reimed."


    "Liches have umted too much knowledge in their endless lives," Klin remarked with a curl of his lip, "Like the three major banes of vampires¡ªstakes, sunlight, and running water. Silver or silver-ted weapons can also cause them extra harm. How did the Earl manage to provoke one of the top-tier undead, a Lich?"N?v(el)B\\jnn


    "Clues to some divine artifact, mysterious rumors, who knows," Vidia shrugged, "But you can rest easy, that Lich definitely won''te looking for trouble in Twin Rivers Town. Let''s go in and have a look now."


    Lancelot was actually very pleased and didn''t have much in terms of interior d¨¦cor requirements, but the furniture inside was somewhat beyond his expectations. Contrary to what he had anticipated, only the drawing-room and dining room felt somewhat luxurious, and the only presentable furniture was the kitchenware.


    The furnishings in the other rooms were very modest, reflecting the former owner''s true financial situation, which wasn''t great, but everything looked very tidy, as if someone cleaned it often.


    The first floor housed a dining room, drawing room, kitchen, and two bedrooms. Both the second and third floors had five rooms each, but they were all empty. The basement was even more extensive than the building above ground, and unsurprisingly, Lancelot found a storage, prison cells, a torture chamber, and a tomb.


    Considering the former owner''s identity, the tomb probably served as the actual master bedroom, containing several stone coffins, most of which were empty.


    "I am satisfied," Lancelot finally decided, "How much would it cost to rent this ce for three years?"


    "Just seven thousand gold coins, and you''ll be the new master of Hagrid Manor."


    "Why so expensive?" Bruto frowned, "Can''t we get a discount?"


    "What mercenary level are you now?"


    "Uh, iron."


    "Sorry, no. Only Gold Rank Level mercenaries can enjoy a fifty percent discount."


    "That''s pricey, Lancelot, shall we look somewhere else?"


    Lancelot shook his head; the ce met his requirements in every aspect. As a Spiritual Cultivator, he shared the need for discretion with the vampires.


    "As the leader, I''ll cover the cost; this will be our base from now on. But Vidia, are you sure there''s no one from the Barlow family who can inherit his estate? I don''t want any disputes."


    "Don''t worry, properties in Twin Rivers Town can only be inherited by residents registered in Twin Rivers Town. I''m certain that the guy thrown into the Stygian River was thest of the Barlows. Besides, this ce has already been reimed by Lady Tigana, and once you pay, it''s yours."


    A momentter, the subus Vidia, carrying several pounds of metal ingots, flew away satisfied.


    "Lancelot, can I have a room on the first floor?" Bruto asked happily as he sprawled onto the drawing room''s sofa, exhaling at the end of a long day.


    "Hold on," Lancelot said, ncing at the setting sun and pulling a silver dining knife from a kitchen cab.


    "We still have a little problem to take care of first."

 Chapter 32 Pre-Battle Analysis

    "Uh, what do you mean by that?" Bruto was a bit puzzled, while Klin''s expression changed.


    "Lancelot, what did you discover?"


    "There is a coffin in the crypt that is covered, and I''m sure there''s a vampire lying inside, but it doesn''t feel very strong. Klin, how much do you know about vampires? I''ve only heard of such creatures in folklore."


    "Vampires are a rtivelymon type of Undead." Klin''s face became serious, "In addition to the widely known weaknesses like stakes, running water, and sunlight, vampires also have these characteristics."


    "Firstly, vampires are actually a kind of Earthbound Spirit, bound by their own coffin or burial site, and must rest there during the day. High-level vampires can resist this nature to some extent, but during the day their strength is still greatly diminished."


    "Secondly, they carry the curse of the gods, and without the invitation of the owner, cannot enter any human dwelling."


    "Thirdly, apart from the well-known bat form, vampires can also turn into mist form. In this state, they can''t attack or manipte objects, but they can move and are immune to all damage except magic."


    "Fourthly, when they are killed outside theirir, they actually transform into mist form. They must return to theirir within two hours to recover from their injuries, otherwise, they will be utterly destroyed."


    "Fifth, not all creatures bitten by vampires be vampires. Only those killed by vampiric abilities and then buried will awake as a vampire the night of the burial, the mostmon being those blood-fed by vampires.


    Vampires transformed this way are under the absolute control of the vampire that created them, thus they are referred to as vampire derivatives, and only when the controlling vampire dies can they gain freedom and be a true vampire."


    "Lastly, the state of being a vampire is more like a curse, or a blessing, depending on your point of view, so it''s a reversible condition.


    The Seventh Circle divine art of Resurrection used by priests is the mostmon method, which after resurrection, will revert the individual to their state before bing a vampire, but since this spell doesn''t work on naturally dead beings, it can''t be used to transform those vampires who have lived for a very long time, having exceeded the limits of their lifespan; another method is the Ninth Circle magic Wish used by mages, which, as I''ve exined before, has the power to alter reality and can directly remove the vampire state."


    "So you''re saying that since we are actually sitting right on top of the vampire''sir, the one in the crypt is easy to deal with?"


    "Exactly." Klin nodded. "Lancelot, how do you feel about that vampire''s strength?"


    "About the same as Dingke."


    "Andpared to Bruto?"


    "Still a bitckingpared to Bruto."


    Listening, Bruto''s face became lined with frustration, "So now I''ve be a unit of measure forbat strength..."


    "That''s not quite it." Klin shook her head, "You use mithril for your hammer, right? Lancelot''s sword is too big, and he probably won''t be able to wield it properly in the low-ceilinged crypt. If his little knife isn''t effective, we might still have to rely on your hammer."


    "I see." Bruto suddenly brightened up again, "Don''t worry, I''m not afraid of any opponent who''s within twice my height."


    "Given its strength and that shabby coffin, I think the likelihood that it''s a victim is higher, but we should still prepare for the worst," Lancelot turned to Klin, "Do you have any suitable spells for battling vampires?"


    "Let me think," Klin scratched his head, "the most effective against vampires are the divine arts of Priests and Holy Warriors, as for usable spells..."N?v(el)B\\jnn


    "The first-level spell ''Dpose Corpse'' is good; we often use it to deal with the corpses of our research subjects, and it can severely weaken the Undead, but the casting material required is a dried poisonous mushroom, which I''m afraid we won''t be able to get at this time."


    "Sonic-based spells work well against Demons, so I specifically learned a first-level spell called ''Piercing Scream.'' If the target is grievously injured to a mist form, then this magic can deal it a lethal blow andpletely finish it off."


    "Vampires'' night vision abilities in the darkness give them a certain advantage, Dwarves also have dark vision, but Sir Lance and I do not, so a zero-level ''Light Spell'' would be very useful. It can make an object glow, bright enough to cover an area of 20 feet, which ispletely sufficient for an environment like a tomb chamber."


    "We also have to guard against the vampires'' charm abilities; the second-level spell ''Owl''s Wisdom'' can enhance resistance to such abilities, and I think it should be used on Lancelot."


    "Why not on me or yourself?" Bruto asked curiously, "Shouldn''t we be weaker?"


    "The reason I''m not giving it to myself is that I''m the least threatening; charmed by me, you''d pose no threat to each other," Klin said nonchntly, "The reason I''m not giving it to you is simr; even if you were charmed, Sir Lance would not have much trouble dealing with you. But if he were charmed, that chamber below ground might well be our resting ce."


    Bruto opened his mouth to say something in rebuttal but could only helplessly agree, "You make a good point."


    "One of my second-level spells, ''Stream of Water,'' is also suitable; this spell creates a gentle stream of water, usually used for swimming, but since living water affects vampires like strong acid, this spell can cause them significant damage."


    "Lastly, in line with the principle of not wrongly using a good person, I have a very practical first-level spell, ''Detect Alignment.'' This spell can reveal whether the target''s alignment is good or evil, but it requires the zero-level ''Detect Magic'' to first confirm whether the target is under the effects of magic or carries magical items."


    "That''s all the spells I can think of," Klin concluded.


    "Magic is truly marvelous," Lancelot eximed. He pondered for a moment before saying, "Prepare the zero-level spells ''Light Spell'' and ''Detect Magic''; they will indeed be useful. The first-level ''Detect Alignment'' should be enough; hold off on ''Piercing Scream'' for now, as itsir is right beneath us and it can''t escape. As for the second-level ''Owl''s Wisdom''...


    I think I can resist it, after all, I withstand the likes of Tijana... I should have resisted, right? And with the sun setting in a little more than an hour, is there enough time to prepare second-level spell scrolls?"


    "Not enough time indeed," Klin nodded reluctantly, "My speed of making scrolls is already fast, but an hour is indeed only enough for me to prepare two zero-level spell scrolls and one first-level spell scroll."


    "We must resolve this threat tonight; let''s get ready quickly," Lancelot then checked the sun''s approximate position again, "We should have enough time. Bruto, can your hammer be used as a cksmith Hammer?"


    "Sure, what for?"


    Lancelot pulled out a silver coin, "I think I have a pretty good throwing arm, so help me sharpen the edges of these coins."


    "Throwing money at them, huh." Bruto excitedly lifted his hammer, "That''s a good idea, leave it to me."

 Chapter 33 Vampires Nature

    The night descended upon Twin Bridges Town, yet it remained as bustling as ever. The streets were crowded withborers out to unwind after a day''s work, mercenaries in search of amusement, and demons who seemingly had no concept of rest. Torches were lit along the streets, primarily for the sake of the pitiful mortals, as most demons possessed excellent dark vision.


    But this did not mean that the pedestrians could afford even the slightest drop in their vignce.


    Quasimodo Demons weaved through the crowd, punishing those careless enough not to watch their wallets; the passersby would sometimes get into fights over mere shoves, with the guards enthusiastically joining the onlookers before dragging away the losing party; horrific screams would asionally rise from dark alleys only to stop as abruptly as they started, but no one was interested in taking a closer look.


    "It''s just like Twin Bridges Town to have such good public order," Lancelot remarked as he walked down the most bustling Chaos Street in the mercenary quarter.


    Hisment was not without reason. The standard ofparison matters. In a city of the Abyss, it was an achievement to keep the streets free of fresh corpses, and petty thievery and public brawls werepletely normal here.


    Moreover, because of Dingke''s influence, no Quasimodo Demon would trouble them. The enhanced Dingke was overwhelmingly powerful against ordinary Quasimodo Demons. ording to it, it was now the boss of all Quasimodo Demons in the East City District, though this "boss" title seemed to serve no actual purpose.


    Lancelot took Isabe shopping with the intention of helping these Quasimodo Demon thieves recognize who to avoid, though he wasn''t very confident in their observational skills. Luckily, being a vampire, it wasn''t that easy to be killed, and even if they were reduced to nothing but a cloud of mist, a night''s rest in the tomb chamber back at Hagrid Manor would likely be enough for recovery.


    Little Isabe remained agape throughout the experience. The inhabitants of the lower nes were always whimsical in appearance, and the chaotic power of the Abyss twisted things to the utmost, while Twin Bridges Town, as a neutral city, included all kinds.


    Here one could see beautiful women who, if ced in the Mortal Realm, could cause a rift between father and son, as well as repulsive monsters that made one feel like bugs were crawling out of their pores.n/o/vel/b//in dot c//om


    The more approachable Klin was bombarded with questions by the curious vampire, while Lancelot and Bruto eavesdropped nearby, taking the opportunity to familiarize themselves with a host of new species.


    Having passed through the mercenary quarter, they arrived at the market district. As a maid, Isabe would likely have to shop here in the future, so it was necessary to familiarize herself with the area beforehand.


    After several rounds through the market district, they found a few shops selling food for the Mortal Races. The prices were obviously exorbitant, with a piece of ham costing ten Gold Coins, which made Bruto curse the rip-off, but in the end, they still bought some bread and dry rations to have a supply of food.


    Incidentally, the city was equipped with coin-operated water dispensers, which produced two gallons of pure water for one Gold Coin. These fixtures solidified the Water Conjuring Spell of the Druids, though it was unclear where Tijana had sourced them from. Vampires were allergic to running water, but ordinary purified water had no harmful effects on them.


    While passing a magic shop named ''Arcane Brilliance,'' Klin seemed to suddenly remember something, ran inside to chat with the owner, and then came out looking regretful.


    "What''s wrong? They didn''t have what you wanted?"


    "Hmm, I remembered a magic spell called ''Turn Wine to Blood,'' and asked about it. They don''t have it now, but they''ll send a message to their headquarters to order it and told me toe back next week to check," he exined.


    "Turn Wine to Blood?" Lancelot also realized something, "Is it for little Isabe?"


    "For me?" the young vampire asked with a look of surprise. "What is this spell for? Why would I need it?"


    "Have you ever felt hunger and thirst, a desire to drink fresh blood?" Klin asked seriously.


    "Ew!" Isabe looked disgusted, "Absolutely not, I don''t want to be a criminal who harms others."


    "Good," Klin nodded, "Unlike the general perception of people, vampires are not all born evil, especially those who were transformed from ordinary humans. But the thirst for fresh blood is one of the prices of immortality; some indulge their desires, and fall into depravity in a feast of ughter; while others find the act of feeding revolting and strive tobat this nature.


    But as hunger can turn mortals into beasts, a prolonged absence from that sweet red can drive a vampire insane."


    "How could this be¡­" Isabe''s face stiffened as she trembled at the horrific prospect painted by Klin. "I don''t want to turn into such a terrifying beast, maybe you should just kill me..."


    "Things aren''t that bad, you''re not the first of the Blood Race to struggle with this; they''ve made many attempts," Klin quickly exined, "The mostmon is to draw blood from non-sentient creatures, which is no different from ordinary people eating livestock meat, but in the Abyss, it''s rare to find a beast whose blood isn''t toxic."


    "Turning wine into blood is the solution offered by magic. As a second-tier Transformation System spell, it can change a bottle of wine into the blood of an ordinary animal, enough to satisfy a vampire''s craving for fresh blood.


    Of course, the higher the quality of the wine used as a material, the better the taste of the transformed blood," Klin''s face became serious again, "Your craving for blood has been suppressed while you were controlled, but starting from the day the vampire who controlled you died, you can probably go about two weeks without thinking about blood.


    After that, you must feed on fresh blood, or you''ll gradually experience withdrawal and slowly lose your sanity. Right now, I happen to be able to cast second-tier magic, and once I learn this spell, I''ll be able to solve your ''eating'' problem."


    "Phew, that''s such a relief," Isabe sighed, then looked embarrassed, "Thank you, Mr. Klin, I will be in your debt from now on."


    "Haha, no trouble at all, no trouble at all, we''re fellow vigers after all, helping each other is only right," Klinughed happily, while Lancelot and Bruto moved slightly away from the two.


    After a short stay in the market district, the group headed to the cksmith district.


    From a distance, they could feel the heat emanating from the cksmith district, and after entering, it was like being in the desert at noon. Even at night, the cksmith district showed no sign of rest, with every forge radiating intense heat and the sound of hammering metal ringing nonstop.


    It seemed to be a shift change, as Smithy Street was crowded with bare-chested workers. Dwarves were undoubtedly the main force, but there were also men and other races easily identified by their stature. They joked with each other, or cursed loudly about something. Though it seemed chaotic, the atmosphere was full of vitality.


    Bruto quickly led the group to the ce where his father worked. New craftsmen would be assigned to respective positions, and Barrend had been appointed as the manager of arger cksmith shop. Tijana said that Barrend had proven his worth, which seemed no lie.


    "Dad!"


    Bruto found his father, who was working hard at the forge, and ran over happily. The father and son embraced each other tightly, a scene that reminded Lancelot of two ck bears wrestling.


    "It''s great that you''vee back safe and sound, and you''ve made so many new friends," Barrend''s eyes were slightly moist as he looked at the three people behind Bruto. "Give me five minutes to hand over my work, and then we''ll go for a proper drink!"

 Chapter 34 Dwarf Gathering

    The cksmith district was located to the west of Twin Bridges Town, and the dormitory area for the cksmiths was in the farthest western corner.


    This cluster of buildings had the typical characteristics of a Dwarf architecture, with half of the houses on the surface and the other half underground, each bedroom connected by amon living room. Barrend and three otherpanions, who had initially ''rebelled'' together, shared a dormitory.


    The Dwarves did not find this arrangement to be objectionable; in fact, they were quite adapted to this collective style of living.


    At the moment, Lancelot and hispanions were sitting on the sofas in a public lounge of the dormitory area, holding a mug of beer in their hands, watching a group of Dwarves gather around Bruto, listening to him recount the adventures they had just experienced.


    Lancelot had never been exposed to this type of drink before, with alcohol content not very high and giving off white bubbles, but he found that he preferred this lively atmosphere of drinking and chatting,pared to the polite ritual of sipping red wine from a ss at a dining table.


    "... the gori''s fist was as big as Aunt Berya''s cooking pot. With a whoosh, it came smashing down from above, but it was too tall, and with a roll to the side, I easily dodged it..."


    Bruto, standing on a table, was telling his story with such animation that his saliva flew in all directions, captivating the audience around him, including Lancelot, who found him to be truly entertaining.


    Little Issa was also attracted by this story, her pale blue eyes wide open, as if she were watching Bruto''s heroic battle with her own eyes.


    Lancelot clinked sses with Klin and said with a smile,


    "If only we poor souls cast down into the Abyss could have half his optimistic attitude."


    "Dwarves are just such a resilient and optimistic race." Klin drained his ss in one gulp. "I also want to thank you, Sir Lancelot, for if one can be assured of their personal safety, the Abyss is simply paradise for us schrs who study Demons."


    Lancelot took the bottle and refilled his own and Klin''s sses, "Regarding safety, it''s best not to be too optimistic. The Abyss always has unexpected ways to take your life."


    "Indeed. The more you study the Abyss, the more you realize that chaos is its essence. Moreover, ording to Am''s theory, the gods have extracted most of the good from this chaos, so the chaos we see here is often filled with malice."


    At this point, Barrend left the crowd around his son and came over to Lancelot. He raised his ss formally and said,


    "I''d like to toast to you, Sir Lancelot, in gratitude for taking care of Bruto."


    "Don''t mention it." Lancelot quickly stood up, clinked sses with Barrend, and then poured the drink down his throat. "Bruto has performed better than I expected. In addition to the typical Dwarf strength, his agility was also impressive."


    "That little scamp has been naughty since he was a boy, always getting smacked by his mother, without any sense of standing still to take his punishment when he messes up."


    "That''s because mom''s strength is just too great." Bruto joined in with augh, having just finished telling about his minute-long fight with a summoned Bag Demon. Suddenly his expression became a bit somber. "I miss mom. It''s been over a year now, and she must think we''re dead. I can''t begin to imagine how sad she must be."


    "I miss her more than you do, and I am ashamed of the sorrow I have caused her. Luckily, Uncle Vito must be taking good care of her." Barrend pulled his son into his arms. "But I have good news. I found a trade organization from our world in the market district. They use Magic to transfer goods and money between the two worlds.


    I''ve written a letter to your mother and asked them to help deliver it to Rivet Fort. It''s a long journey, though, and it will take about half a year to get there, but I will make sure to write her a letter every month."


    "Oh, that''s wonderful, boo hoo hoo..." Bruto began to sob. "Just thinking about how she has been this past year, I can''t help but feel so upset, wahhh..."


    Bruto couldn''t restrain himself and burst into loud sobs. The crying was contagious; everyone was reminded of their own sorrows, and a group of Dwarves began to wail loudly.


    "Boo hoo hoo, stop crying! We''ll be theughingstock!" Barrend shouted, dabbing his eyes with a handkerchief. "Let''s sing instead!"


    "No matter how splendid the pces and gardens I have passed,"


    "None canpare to my humble homnd,"


    "The sky of my birthce holds a magical magic,"


    "Nowhere in the world can match its beauty!"


    "Homnd oh, sweet homnd!"


    "No ce can match the homnd!"*


    ...


    The dwarves sang in their rough voices a mournful tune, and Lancelot and Klin were also moved by this emotion, even little Issa began to cry loudly. At such a young age, she had lost all the familiar things around her, and had even turned into a monster herself.


    This little girl''s sorrow was probably no less than theirs.


    As the singing faded, the dwarves one by one went to rest. With no outsiders present, Lancelot nudged Bruto¡ªit was time to talk business.


    "Er, Dad, where do we find Cold Iron?"


    "Weren''t you always impatient with learning these sorts of things? Why the sudden question now?"


    Bruto could only cast a pleading look towards Klin, "You exin."


    "Many know that Holy Weapons are the best choice against Fiends, but few realize that Cold Iron is also highly effective, and this type of weapon doesn''t have user restrictions; even Fiends can use it," Klin exined. "Bruto mentioned that your Frostforge n are experts in processing Cold Iron. He believes this could make the Subus Lord view you differently."


    "I see," Barrend nodded and nced sideways at Bruto, "Let me guess, this impatient young man has already spoken to Lady Tijana, and because he couldn''t produce any actual goods, he got a bloody nose?"


    "Dad, you know me so well, heh heh."


    "What''s more important is, we want to hear your thoughts on this matter," Lancelot''s expression became serious, "Would it be a good idea to give this weapon to Tijana? What do those dwarves who have stayed here for a long time think about Tijana?"


    "I''ve been carefully considering this as well," Barrend said, frowning, "The feelings of the dwarves here towards Tijana are quiteplex. On one hand, they detest Tijana''s endless orders and exploitation, and on the other hand, they are very aware of how precious the shelter she provides is."


    "Tijana is indeed an anomaly," Klin agreed, "Among all known towns in the Abyss, Twin Bridges Town is one of the few that has always maintained a stable rtionship with its mortal residents."


    "And to some extent, she has also granted us a degree of autonomy. The affairs of the cksmith district are mostly handled by the Craftsmen Committee, and the chairman is a dwarf over 200 years old. These early settlers of Twin Bridges Town seem to be loyal to Tijana, and a dwarf''s trust is not easily won, let alone maintained for such a length of time."n/?/vel/b//jn dot c//om


    "So your opinion is?"


    "The expertise in processing Cold Iron is not a closely guarded secret. Although Tijana is a demon, she is our protector now, and she has a good reputation in this aspect," Barrend nodded, "It is beneficial for us to provide her with something valuable."


    "That''s great, but where do we go to find Cold Iron Ore?"

 Chapter 35 Foundation Establishment 3 Methods

    "I''m sorry, Bruto, that foolish boy, just hasn''t got the hang of it yet; it''s difficult to exin the gist of it to you in a sentence or two," Barrend''srge handnded heavily on Bruto''s head, causing thetter to cover his head with a look of grievance. "I''m now a senior craftsman, and there''s a rest daying up in four days. I''lle with you then.


    However, I need to report this to the Craftsmen Committee first and apply to review their mining records to find the most likely spot."


    "Then it''s settled, we can use these next few days to rest and build up our strength," Lancelot reached into his pocket, "Ah right, there''s one more favor I need to ask of you."


    Confronted with the old Dwarf''s puzzled gaze, he ced three clear blue gemstones into Barrend''s hand.


    "I need a single-hand longsword for fighting in rtively confined spaces; this is the upfront payment," he exined.


    "How can this be!" Barrend refused to ept, "You are our savior; I must refuse the money."


    "I will bemissioning many more weapons and pieces of equipment from you in the future," Lancelot patiently exined, "If you refuse payment every time, it will only make me feel guilty and turn to other cksmiths."


    "Alright then." Barrend took another look at the beautiful gemstones and finally epted them. "You truly are an honorable human. So, do you have any special requirements for this sword?"


    "Hmm... I hope it''s a bit longer, so I can also wield it with both hands. It will be a frequently used weapon, so there''s no need for fancy decorations. I don''t require any enchantments either, as that''s likely out of my budget and the production time might be too long. Therefore, as long as its performance is good enough, that''s all I need."


    "Understood, four days'' time is more than sufficient then."


    Lancelot nodded, bowed to Barrend, and then rose to leave with Klin and Isabe, while Bruto nned to stay here tonight to spend some quality time with his old man.


    --------------------------


    Three dayster, just before dawn.


    Lancelot was sitting in the master bedroom on the first floor of Hagrid Manor, performing Cirction Transfer with neither urgency nor dy.


    He was in a very mystical state, as if he had a peculiar perspective where he could clearly sense every movement of wind and grass within a hundred feet around him.


    Klin was tossing and turning in a bedroom on the second floor, not sleeping well. Bruto, on the other hand, was sound asleep in another bedroom on the first floor,pletely unaware that he had rolled off the bed onto the floor.


    Isabe, a nocturnal creature, was reading a book in the living room. A few days ago, Klin took her to visit some Vampire neighbors, who showed friendliness towards the young Isabe, as he had expected.


    Klin borrowed some books from them, intended for the young vampire to understand her own condition, such as the one she was reading now, "Night Bloodline," which contained details about the main subtypes of Vampires, research on controlling hunger, and various precautions for being a Vampire.


    Klin believed that this knowledge was extremely important for the young Isabe. After all, for a Vampire to ignorantly walk into the sunlight and then shriek as they turned into ashes was an utterly foolish way to die.


    Lancelot took advantage of the rare few days to calm his mind and cultivate properly, meanwhile nning the path of his future cultivation.n/?/vel/b//jn dot c//om


    Previously, the True Qi in his Dantian waspletely full, a sign of Middle Rank Qi Cultivation Great Perfection. After today''s cultivation, he noticed a strand of True Qi lingering in his Meridians, flowing slowly like the water in a stream, meaning he had officially reached the High Rank of the Qi Cultivation Realm.


    Next, he would face the first major hurdle on the path of Spiritual Cultivation: Foundation Establishment.


    ording to the materials left by Han Tianzun, the Dantian is like an ocean. When a Spiritual Cultivator reaches the Great Perfection of the High Rank in the Qi Cultivation Realm, the body''s Meridians are like great rivers, filled with rushing True Qi.


    To promote to the Foundation Establishment Stage, one must allow the ''river water,'' that is, the True Qi in these rivers, to overflow the banks formed by the flesh and use the True Qi formed by nature''s spiritual energy to wash over one''s body, creating a treasure body capable of carrying the ''Tao'' and truly stepping into the world of Spiritual Cultivation.


    There are twomon methods for advancing from the Qi Cultivation to Foundation Establishment Stage. One is the most primitive method, relying on day after day, year after year of cultivation, absorbing nature''s spiritual energy. Once umted to a certain degree, a quantitative change will induce a qualitative transformation, and Foundation Establishment will follow naturally.


    The reason this method is called primitive is that it''s extremely slow. Without umting over thirty years, it''s impossible to seed. Aside from the forebearers who founded the path of Spiritual Cultivation millions of years ago and Loose Cultivators seeking only to extend their lifespans without any affiliation, only they would use this method.


    After sessfully breaking through, one approaches fifty years of age. Even though they gain additional life span, the Golden Core is out of reach, and their path to seeking Tao may well end at the Foundation Establishment Stage.


    Another method is used by the vast majority of cultivators who''ve sessfully established their foundations, relying on an Elixir known as the Foundation Establishment Pill.


    This broad bean-sized Elixir greatly enhances the activity of True Qi, allowing cultivators at Great Perfection of the High Rank Qi Cultivation Realm to attempt Foundation Establishment, significantlypressing the time needed for cultivation and creating possibilities for challenging higher Realmster.


    The only problem is that the various medicinal ingredients required for refining this Elixir do not exist in this world, at least not in the disgusting ce called the Abyss.


    Han Tianzun, who granted him the legacy and imed to be "extreme in the Alchemy Dao," passed down theplete set of Alchemy Dharma Methods and even included an analysis of various Elixir principles and how to create Pill Recipes with existing materials. But that could only be done after Foundation Establishment, when the Divine Sense can be projected outward to inspect items.


    Lastly, there''s a theoretically viable method that no one has ever tried: using the Spiritual Power from Spirit Stones to forcibly break through to Foundation Establishment. Han Tianzun anticipated the problems Lancelot might encounter and specifically mentioned this method in the bamboo slips he left behind.


    ording to Han Tianzun''s estimates, this method would require consuming about one hundred Upper Grade Spirit Stones to establish a foundation. In the world of Spiritual Cultivation, this is an insane number. The price of one Foundation Establishment Pill is about twenty thousand Spirit Stones, which is also two Upper Grade Spirit Stones.


    Therefore, while this method is theoretically feasible, no one has ever tried it.


    However, this was the method that held the most hope for Lancelot. The Earth Crystals he obtained from killing the Sandworm Lordst time had seven or eight pieces that reached the level of Upper Grade Spirit Stones. Gathering one hundred of them would not be easy, but at least it was possible.


    If Spirit Stones were stripped of their mary attribute, they were just items used for recovery in battle, as well as the energy source for mechanisms, Formations, and prohibitions. They didn''t serve well as a means for Lancelot to store wealth.


    In fact, with the life extension blessings from the Elves, Lancelot could also seed using the first method, but if possible, he still wanted to improve his strength as quickly as he could. After all, this was the Abyss, and if one day a wicked wind blew past and a seemingly innocuous Abyssal worm suddenly turned into a Barlow me Demon, he at least wanted the ability to escape.


    Speaking of escaping, it was necessary to mention some of the Cultivation Techniques that Han Tianzun had left him.


    Han Tianzun said that the world was different, and Lancelot would need to explore theter stages of cultivation on his own, but that was for the stages after the Body Integration Realm. He still left Cultivation Techniques for the early and middle stages for Lancelot.


    He would gain ess to higher level techniques once he reached the appropriate Realm, but the techniques he could currently see fell far short of his expectations.


    Why were there so few attack-type techniques like ''Gathering Qi sh'', and mostly various ''survival-type'' techniques for running away?

 Chapter 36 Cultivation Technique and Training

    Lancelot had spent thest few nights meditating and cultivating, while during the day he practiced several cultivation techniques from a few bamboo slips.


    Although reluctant to admit, techniques like concealing one''s breath and shifting position were indeed extremely useful inbat. He had realized that the forthright style of the knights was actually based on the premise of having strength and equipment no weaker than the opponent''s.


    Against fiends and strange creatures whose muscles were muchrger than his own, it was best not to be too attached to formality.


    He had already self-taught the various applications of Gathering Qi sh without a mentor and had spent thest couple of days organizing them thoroughly. In particr, the throwing attack technique using the principle of Gathering Qi sh had a really good effect.


    Throwing the silver coins that Bruto had sharpened for him previously was incredibly effective, striking with the force of thunder and the speed of lightning. When utilized with full force, the impact was enough to bury a coin a foot deep into rock, and ordinary armor couldn''t begin to stop it.


    In addition to practicing thesebat techniques, Lancelot also delved deeply into the various knowledge of spiritual cultivation, of which the ''Five Elements'' theory interested him most.


    The Multiverse perspective he was familiar with held that there were four basic elements¡ªQi, earth, water, and fire¡ªthat constituted matter, while the Spiritual Cultivation theory posited that all things possessed gold, wood, water, fire, and earth as Five Elements attributes. After a carefulparison, Lancelot found that although the concepts seemed conflicting, they didn''t actually sh.


    One theory spoke of elements and the other of attributes.


    Another concept that greatly interested Lancelot was the idea of a ''Spirit Root''.


    Corresponding to the Five Elements theory, Spirit Roots were also divided into gold, wood, water, fire, and earth. The Spirit Root determined a person''s ability to sense and absorb nature''s spiritual energy and the effectiveness with which they practiced cultivation techniques.


    Those with good Spirit Roots could practice cultivation for one day and achieve what took others three, naturally progressing faster.


    Sir Han had already checked when he passed on the techniques; Lancelot had wood, fire, and earth Spirit Roots, not bad, but merely average.


    In the early stages of spiritual cultivation, fewer Spirit Roots were better as they made it easier to sense and absorb the spiritual energy of the corresponding attribute. Having many Spirit Roots couldplicate discerning the spiritual energy, making cultivation extremely difficult.


    However, Sir Han had said that he started off with even poorer innate talent than Lancelot, possessing four Spirit Roots, yet his strength had be one of the top-most existences in the realm, illustrating that there are no absolutes in anything.


    At the higher realms of spiritual cultivation, cultivators form a cycle of their own Inner World. At this stage, they would use various methods toplete their Spirit Roots to bnce their Inner World.


    Some of the top Divine Skills and Immortal Laws also require aplete set of Spirit Roots; otherwise, they would be like castles in the air or mirrors and moon reflected in the water, impossible to perfect.


    When Sir Han bestowed the inheritance, he also taught Lancelot a specialnguage filled with interesting four-character phrases like ''mirrors and moon reflected in the water''.


    The cultivation technique Lancelot was practicing now was called the Cauldron Immortal Technique. Sir Han imed it was a peerless Divine Skill he created based on a treasure of heaven and earth, boasting unmatched abilities to connect with the universe. Practicing it was meant to be as pleasant as walking on a broad road, and it had many marvelous uses.


    Lancelot remained skeptical because Sir Han had said these were all his conjectures. He had already been at a very high realm when he created this technique; naturally, he couldn''t start all over again. Though he made many improvements afterward, he indeed hadn''t let others try it.


    However, Sir Han also exined that the technique''s unique feature was that it intrinsicallycked a Five Elements Attribute and could be cultivated in any environment, making it the only suitable technique for Lancelot at that time. Sir Han couldn''t predict what problems might arise in theter stages, but he left behind some solutions.


    In fact, reaching the Foundation Establishment Stage by bombarding oneself with Upper Grade Spirit Stones was one of the methods Sir Han had intentionally left behind. Lancelot couldn''t help but admire the foresightedness of his senior.


    To speak frankly, his cultivation speed was already astonishingly fast. The realm he was now in would have taken an ordinary person at least three years to achieve. While this certainly included his own physical foundation and the blessings from the Elves, it was enough to show the exceptionality of the Cauldron Immortal Technique.


    At this moment, the pitch-ck sky began to lighten as dawn approached. Little Isabe, who had been intently reading, seemed to have sensed something.


    She stood up, first cing the already cooled kettle back onto the fire, then bringing over the breakfast for three she had prepared earlier onto the dining table. Having made all preparations, she returned to her underground tomb and slid into her wooden box ''coffin.''


    From Lancelot''s mystical point of view, all these activities were clearly visible. Vampires were notpletely inactive during the day, but Isabe''s strength was just too weak now. Even the early morning sun could leave her exhausted.


    In the previous days, she had tried to stay up to greet the early-rising Lancelot, but her gasping and lifeless appearance looked somewhat frightening and was strongly prohibited by Lancelot.


    When the red sun was high in the sky, Lancelot was already waiting in the courtyard for Bruto. He was dressed in full armor, holding a wooden sword made of fanglike fir.


    It wasn''t long before Bruto also appeared. He too was fully armored, even wearing his helmet with the toad emblem, carrying the repaired shield in his left hand and a wooden Warhammer in his right.


    "Do we really have to do this every day?" the young Dwarfined loudly.


    "I appreciate your instinct-driven fighting style," Lancelot said with a smile, watching hispanion. "But relying solely on instinct can easily get you into trouble in tough situations. You must master variousbat techniques."


    "I get all that," Bruto muttered. "You ready? Cause here Ie!"


    With that, he didn''t wait for Lancelot''s response and charged straight ahead.


    ```


    Lancelot deftly dodged Bruto''s fierce hammer blow and then swung his longsword, parrying the dwarf''s next attack.n/?/vel/b//in dot c//om


    "What''s gotten into you, didn''t you eat enough breakfast?" Lancelot said while fighting, "Hey! Wake up, Bruto, stop sleepwalking!"


    "Shut up!" Bruto suddenly elerated and unleashed his usual set of Triple Strike.


    Lancelot met the first two strikes head-on, his sword de forcefully shing with the side of the hammerhead, nudging the dwarf''s attack off its intended path.


    However, he quickly sidestepped before Bruto''s powerful final blow arrived, circling behind the off-bnce dwarf and lightly tapping his head with the sword as a sign he scored a hit, leaving Bruto to turn around with a frustrated look on his face.


    "Ah, finally woke up, huh? Carry on, but don''t use all your strength every time. Always save a little for unforeseen circumstances," Lancelot counselled.


    Without a word, Bruto charged again. This time, he didn''tunch a desperate attack and Lancelot cooperated by feeding him moves, asionally pointing out Bruto''s vulnerabilities and reminding him to stay alert.


    After shing back and forth for about twenty moves, Bruto began to grow impatient and once more exposed a weakness during an attack interval. The Human Knight deceived Bruto with a feint, opening his guard wide, and then the sword tip touched the dwarf''s beard like a bolt of lightning.


    "Much better than before," Lancelot encouraged, "but remember to stay cautious in a tight spot, especially against an opponent stronger than yourself."


    "Huff¡­" Bruto panted heavily, "Again¡­ let''s go again!"


    ...


    An hourter.


    "Boom!"


    The two weapons had shed countless times that morning, but this time Bruto''s grip faltered. His wooden hammer flew off at an angle, and the young dwarf ended up sitting on the ground with a thud.


    "Ahh, I can''t, I can''t," Bruto gasped, out of breath, "I need a break."


    "Brilliant."


    pping came from the sidelines, where Klin was sitting on a bench with a book whose origins were unknown.


    "Why don''t youe and try with me?" Bruto said, annoyed.


    "I surrender," Klin said with a smile, "As everyone knows, we mundane spellcasters can''t cast spells in heavy armor, not to mention closebat."


    "That''s not necessarily always the case," Lancelot said, picking up a wooden staff from a nearby rack, "I''ve heard that monks from the east can bare their chests and still send fiends running scared. Come on, I''ll teach you some basic techniques."


    "Uh," Klin approached with a gloomy face, "Is that really necessary?"


    "Very necessary," Lancelot nodded, handing the wooden staff to Klin, "If a Mage runs out of mana, should he just surrender without a fight?"


    "Indeed, some Mages prefer to resolve fights using a magic wand," Klin nodded in resignation, "In this ne, it''s always beneficial to know how to defend oneself. I just tend to bicker with this guy out of habit. Please go ahead, Sir Lancelot."


    ```

 Chapter 37 Frostslash

    The next morning, Lancelot and his twopanions arrived at the craftsmen''s quarters located in the cksmith district, where Barrend was already waiting for them.


    The old dwarf was also fully armed today; he wore a set of nk armor, donned a Dwarf Giant Helm with pointed horns, had a folding shovel and a Dwarf Cross Pickaxe at his waist, and carried a Heavy Steel Shield on his back.


    "Hey, old man, your gear looks pretty impressive. It''s been a while since I''ve seen you dressed up like this," Bruto said with a face full of excitement, like a child eager to go out and y with his father.


    "Back in my youth, I also crushed a few Orc skulls!" Barrend said with augh, "I might not be as agile as you young people anymore, but after all these years of cksmithing, I still have some strength."


    "Dad, I doubt your gear will see any action this time." Bruto said arrogantly, "Lancelot has been giving me special training these past few days. You just stay safely behind me!"


    "You little rascal has grown up, eh? But don''t be too confident; your old man still has a few tricks up his sleeve," Barrend scolded with a smile. Then he turned to Lancelot, "Sir, your weapon is ready, and I guarantee you''ll be satisfied!"


    With that, he retrieved a long, narrow object wrapped in thick leather from the corner of the room and handed it to Lancelot.


    With the enthusiasm of a warrior for a new weapon, Lancelot eagerly unwrapped his new toy. What appeared before him was a beautiful longsword, slightly shorter than 4 feet.


    The de was sheathed in a ck leather scabbard,plete with a sword belt; the crossguard, slightly curving toward the tip like a pair of bull''s horns, was thickened; and the hilt was tightly wrapped in circles with dark red leather, ending in a metal sphere that served as a counterweight.


    Lancelot gripped the hilt and drew the de partway from the scabbard.


    "Uh, could this be?" Klin expressed with a surprised look.


    The drawn portion of the de was about four fingers wide and much lighter in color than typical metal weapons. As he drew the de, it emitted a cold light, making it seem as though the temperature in the room had dropped.


    "This is definitely my masterpiece. The handle is wrapped with fire serpent skin, providing a good grip; the end ball is removable, allowing you to easily rece it with any shape you desire or any magical item with special effects," Barrend said proudly, lifting his chin, "Go ahead and give it a try, Sir Lancelot."


    Lancelotpletely drew the weapon, casually swung it to feel its perfect bnce; then, he lightly flicked the de and listened to its crisp ring, like a joyful bird.


    "This is definitely one of the best weapons I''ve ever seen," Lancelot gratefully nodded to Barrend, "What''s its name?"


    "This weapon is forged from cold iron, naturally imbued with a chilling effect, so I''ve named it ''Frostsh.''


    "That''s a very poetic name, and it suits it well. But where did you get the cold iron from? Aren''t we just about to set out to look for Cold Iron Ore?"


    "When I applied to the Craftsmen Committee to ess the mine records, I told them that I was looking for Cold Iron Ore. They only knew that this ore could be treated as regr iron ore, except that it requires a bit more temperature and time."


    "I told them about the special properties of cold iron, but it must be processed using a special technique. They said it was fortunate, and there was still a little cold iron in the storehouse, if you want to ess these records, then prove the value of this cold iron first."n/?/vel/b//in dot c//om


    "When I brought this sword before them, they almost immediately realized the value of the ore and said they would support my expedition fully. This time we just need to locate the vein, then they will organize the manpower for mining, and I just have to craft these ores into longswords, axes, hammers, or any form Lady Tijana desires in the shop."


    "This is really great." Lancelot carefully strapped his longsword onto his back, now with two sword hilts protruding over his shoulder, one of them was his original six foot long great sword and the other was the newly acquired four foot long longsword ''Frostsh''.


    "Dad really ys favorites. I want one too," Brutoined loudly.


    Barrend waved his hand and knocked on his son''s head, "You''ve used up all the mithril Lancelot gave for your hammer. That stuff is more precious than cold iron ore, and you don''t even show gratitude!"


    "Uh, right." Bruto sheepishly smiled and stopped talking.


    "Have you found a ce that might have cold iron ore?" Lancelot asked the question that everyone was concerned about.


    "I''ve found one, but I need to test this youngster first." Barrend knocked on Bruto''s head again, "Brat, do you remember where cold iron ore is most likely to appear?"


    "On the shady side of the mountain, the mine shaft must be deep enough and rtively new, without any associated hematite, and..." Bruto grimaced, holding his head, "There was one more thing I remembered, but it''s all your fault for hitting me too hard, Dad. I can''t think of it now."


    "It''s that the mine shaft shows no signs of magma flow! That I can knock it out of you shows you don''t remember well enough!" Barrend almost roared into Bruto''s ear.


    Sparing Bruto, he turned to Lancelot and said:


    "I''ve found several suitable mines, the most appropriate is an ancient mine that existed before Twin Bridges Town was established, no one can say for sure how deep it is, but it''s at least ten thousand feet deep. Records indicate that cold iron was found there before, and I suspect there might be a significant ore vein waiting for us to discover."


    "That sounds amazing." Lancelot shrugged, "Where''s this mine located?"


    "Right at the foot of the Shattered Mountain Range to the south, about a two-hour journey from here, still within the dominion of Twin Bridges Town.


    The mining difficulty has been increasing over the years, and now very few mining teams go there; many sections of the mine have beirs for subterranean creatures." Barrend frowned, "In fact, a twelve-man mining team, thoughposed of annoying gray dwarves, was supposed to have returned three days ago.


    Though we all serve the Subus Lord of Twin Bridges Town, it would be best if we could locate them."


    "Gray dwarves? What are they?"


    "A bunch of lunatics," Bruto sinctly exined.


    "They were once one of us, but have since fallen, and vehemently despise us who still adhere to the faith of Muradin," Barrend sighed, shaking his head. "Even in the demons'' homnd, they fiercely resist working under the same roof as us."


    "It''s because of their tragic experiences. Driven by a yearning for subterranean riches, they dug too deep and encountered an evil race capable of controlling the minds of creatures, which then enved them for several generations." Klin exined. "Ironically, they finally gained freedom with the help of the Evil God disguised as ''Asmodeus,'' the ruler of the Nine Hells.


    The suffering of envement and the pernicious guidance of the Evil God permanently changed the gray dwarves. From ves, they turned into ve masters, just as wickedly as their former masters."


    "This is a perpetual disgrace for our dwarf race, reminding us not to let greed blind us," Barrendmented. "But there are always foolhardy ones who can''t remember, like this one in front of you."


    "At least we still have a chance to rectify this mistake:" Lancelot pped his hands, "Is everyone ready? Let''s set out, then!"

 Chapter 38 Kalalins Preparation

    The dark red sun of the ins of the Abyss hung nted on the horizon, leaving one uncertain whether it was dawn or dusk. Across the barren and destend, a four-wheeled carriage was making its way to the south at a steady pace.


    To call it a carriage might not be entirely urate, for the two creatures pulling it did not resemble normal horses. Their bodies were as ck as solidified magma, with fierce mes zing around their hooves, manes, and tails.


    These were Nightmares, evil creatures born from the transformation of noble Pegasus, providing services to such powerful beings as Liches, Death Knights, or Demon Lords.


    As part of a Craftsmen Committee-backed operation, Barrend had acquired a brass whistle engraved with mysterious Runes. Blowing the whistle required strong lung capacity, but once sounded, a carriage pulled by two Nightmares, roomy enough for eight, would appear to serve the summoner.


    The carriage could exist for four hours or could be dismissed by sounding the whistle again, after which it could not be summoned again for another four hours at least.


    In theory, the summoned Nightmares were bound to obey themands of the Summoner, but the old Dwarf who handed the whistle to Barrend advised that it was best to prepare some meat and tubers that Nightmares favored; otherwise, they might intentionally misinterpret yourmands and make the passengers'' travel as thrilling as possible.


    The party, having prepared dried meat and cassava in advance, did not suffer too much, aside from the usual sins of traveling in the Abyss, including but not limited to the rugged terrain (there were, of course, no roads here), eerie gales, rapidly rising temperatures, and the constant appearance of various small Demons and Abyssal beasts.


    "The Abyss is indeed the home of Demons, but those more formidable ones generally belong to a legion and are unlikely to be seen in the wild. Amidst the wilds, between iron fortresses and war bastions, the survival game of Low Level Demons is constantly unfolding,"


    While ying the role of a tour guide, Klin practiced his slingshot. The wild creatures that tried to charge at the speeding carriage became Klin''s targets. Of course, this often only served to enrage the enemies further, and it became Lancelot''s job to help by chopping those that got too close into two.


    "What''s the point of all this?" Bruto asked with curiosity.


    "The rules of the game in the Abyss force them to attack each other, and those who are stronger and more cunning often survive, absorbing the essence of the losers and repeating the process," Klin sent a smooth stone flying, which narrowly missed a flesh ball with three mouths. "Some lucky ones umte enough essence energy before being killed to advance to a more powerful Demon.


    The Transformation process is enormously painful, beyond any torment you can imagine, and Demon bodies ensure they do not lose consciousness during it; they must experience every detail of the process while fully awake, making them increasingly vicious."


    "Why would they go through this?" Lance pondered about the situation that urred after he had bestowed a bit of energy on Dingke. "I mean, what''s in it for them?"


    "There''s no benefit. The behavior of Low Level Demons stems more from Fear of death; they only learn the joy of destruction as they grow stronger," Klin spun his slingshot back and forth in front of him, then hurled it outwards, "Remember I told you about Am''s view on the will of the Abyss?


    This phenomenon is one piece of evidence¡ªbecause the end result is a host of evil, twisted, cruel, and battle-hardened High Rank Demons, eager to spread the pain they''ve endured to every corner of the Multiverse."


    Bruto swung his hammer and ttened a w that had already reached the carriage into a thin pancake.


    "You''re really bad at aiming," the Dwarf grumbled discontentedly, "when I''m inbat with an enemy, please refrain from trying to assist with that thing."


    "That''s why I''m practicing," Klin remarked,unching another stone, slightly smaller than an egg, which this time struck its target urately.


    The creature hit was a small Demon that resembled a bizarre hybrid of a mutated insect and a Goblin, featuring twelve legs. It was only slightly dazed by the hit, then charged even faster, only to be sliced into pieces by Lancelot''s Great Sword.


    "It doesn''t seem very powerful even if it hits," Bruto mocked.


    "Because I''m just practicing," Klin exined as he pulled aside a corner of his robe, revealing straps crisscrossed over his chest, filled with many smallpartments containing vials of potions.


    "Uh, what''s all this?" Bruto curiously looked at Klin, who today looked very strange with various pockets and containers hanging all over him, making him appear like a traveling juggler.


    "Some dangerously potent items that aren''t exactly meant for everyday carry," Klin said, taking out a green vial and shaking it in front of Bruto. "These are acid sks, my true ammunition."


    "Ugh," Bruto stepped back fearfully, "Remember to remind me to stay away from your room."


    "Don''t be scared, these special-made sks need a great deal of force to break," Klin said, pleased with the dwarf''s reaction, and took out several vials of blue liquid. "This is a strong alkali; it would be good if each of us takes two vials."


    "Great, I almost forgot about that," Barrend smacked his thigh, grabbed two vials, and put them in his pocket.


    "Um, can someone exin why we need to bring these things?" Bruto was still reluctant to carry such dangerous items. "I''ve been down mines countless times and never needed this."


    "That''s because you never worry about these things," Barrend said irritably. "Have you forgotten those annoying mud monsters underground? A strong alkali reacts violently with their acidic slime. When you''re grabbed by a mud monster, you''ll be d to have a vial of this stuff."


    "Oh, I think the miner''s school did mention something about this," Bruto awkwardly took the two vials and stowed them away.


    Lancelot also reached out for the vials. He was certain he could break free from the mud monsters with his own strength, but carrying two vials would clearly be helpful to rescue friends in trouble.


    "What other preparations have you made?" Lancelot asked, curious about all the odd equipment Klin had on.n/o/vel/b//in dot c//om


    "You''ve already seen my sh Ring, which works great against creatures ustomed to living in the dark.


    I''ve also crafted a ne that can Detect Magic, a staff that can cast the Light Spell, and various trinkets that can unleash cantrips," Klin continued, opening the pouch slung across his body to show neatly arranged scrolls, "Most of these are for detecting secret doors, Feather Fall Spells, and other supportive techniques.


    I don''t know many 2nd-level spells, just the Erge Spell, See Invisibility, but the most important one is Magical Weapon. Enemies that require magicked weapons are tough to deal with; let''s hope we don''t have to use that spell this time."


    "Let''s hope so," Lancelot wasn''t sure.


    Not far away, a dark cave entrance appeared in their field of vision, growing steadilyrger.


    They had arrived at their destination.

 Chapter 39 Mine Entrance

    "Gentlemen, wee to the Demon''s Gut Mine," Barrend hopped off the carriage first, greeting everyone like a host.


    "I think the name is terrible," Klin followed suit, jumping down. "Existing autopsy reports have proven that a demon''s digestive tract ends at the stomach, they don''t have intestines, let alone excretory organs."


    Lancelot and Bruto were thest to disembark, as they unloaded a heavy backpack filled with various mining equipment and supplies from the carriage.


    Watching Barrend struggle with the backpack, bigger than a dwarf himself, Lancelot curiously asked:


    "Isn''t this thing too heavy? It would be hard to escape if we encounter danger down there."


    "There''s a hidden miner''s rest room not far from the mine entrance," Barrend exined. "We can rest there, store supplies and mining tools, and only carry the equipment needed for exploration."


    "I see," Lancelot nodded in understanding, the situation sounding much better than he had anticipated.


    Lancelot''s experience with undergroundbat was notcking, although it involved dealing with bandits upying caves rather than entering mines.


    The entrance to the mine in front of him was muchrger than he imagined, big enough to admit five carriages, dark and gaping like the maw of a monster waiting for food to deliver itself.


    Additionally, there was a small trouble lurking at the entrance of the mine.


    His Spiritual Sense unequivocally told him that several entities were hiding in the shadows of the rocks and cliff walls, watching him expectantly.


    "Get ready," he said in an offhand manner to hispanions, whispering, "There''s an ambush at the entrance."


    "What are the enemies?" Barrend, showing a bit of nervousness, managed to rein in his overly dramatic actions.


    "I haven''t seen them, but they are humanoid, not demons. Should be five of them, as for their strength..." he carefully felt around, ncing at Bruto, "they should be a bit weaker than this guy."


    Bruto said nothing, but by looking at his trembling hands and tense body, Lancelot was sure he was very excited now.


    "Barrend, you and Klin stay in the back and just focus on defense," he instructed.


    The Schr and craftsmen nodded, as Klin opened up his pouch containing scrolls, ready to draw them at any moment.


    "Unless it''s for self-defense, don''t waste precious spells," Lancelot shook his head at Klin, "Now, both you and Barrend pretend to discuss something here while Bruto and I will act like we''re scouting ahead. You can hold the shield, but don''t raise the hammer."


    Bruto simply nodded without uttering a word. Lancelot shrugged, even if the ambushers noticed something amiss, it didn''t matter; they were merely standing in the way of their path.


    Lancelot walked towards the entrance of the mine, and Bruto immediately followed closely behind.


    "This mine is too old, I bet we won''t find anything inside," he purposely spoke loudly, hoping his unguarded demeanor would lower the enemy''s vignce.


    Bruto just nodded again, and Lancelotpletely gave up hoping that he would y along.


    Finally, as they were about to step into the mine entrance, a sharp whizzing sound burst forth.


    The ambushers finally made their move,unching several five-foot Short Javelins from behind the rocks, hurtling towards Lancelot and Bruto with a piercing howl.


    The round of long-range attacks would have thrown anyone unprepared into disarray, but of course, it was no problem for the two prepared individuals. Bruto repelled the attack with his Shield while Lancelot simply dodged all the iing Javelins with agile movements.


    The attackers finally revealed themselves. These humanoid creatures were over six feet tall, dressed in armor made from animal hide, dense brown hair protruding from gaps in their clothing, with a head crowned with a hook-nosed, bushy browed, and eerie-eared face.


    "Goblin bears!" Bruto bellowed in rage.


    Goblin bears were therge cousins of goblins, living off raiding and hunting. These creatures were cruel and arrogant, with equal passion for ughter and treasure, hence sometimes they were also employed by goblins or other evil masters as bodyguards, enforcers, or robbers.


    The group of goblin bears before them might have once been deserters from a Demon Legion, or guards of a ve convoy, but now they likely had no master. After throwing their javelins, three goblin bears, brandishing their weapons, charged out from their hiding spots.


    "Can you handle one, no problem?" Lancelot asked Bruto.


    Bruto pulled out his warhammer and responded by hammering it heavily on the ground.


    Lancelot chuckled lightly and reached over his shoulder, habitually grabbing his great sword. But upon second thought, before facing a tougher enemy, he decided he''d better get used to a new weapon.


    A pleasant hum sounded as Lancelot drew the longsword "Frostsh." Facing the charging enemies, he executed a powerful Horizontal sh, but his purpose was merely to block two of the attackers. The other was left to Bruto to deal with.


    The goblin bears'' major tactic of a surprise attack had failed. With the knight''s armor and treasured sword, they were intelligent enough to recognize the difficulty of their adversaries, but Lancelot''s attempt to provoke them one against twopletely infuriated them.


    Lancelot made a flourish with his sword, positioning the longsword horizontally in front of him, inviting his opponents to attack first.


    The two goblin bears had not lost their mindspletely, they carefully watched Lancelot while slowly sidestepping to upy positions on his left and right, preparing tounch a pincer attack.


    Meanwhile, Bruto was already locked inbat with his opponent. The dwarf initially took a defensive stance, calmly sidestepping the ferocious charge of the goblin bear, dodging the first strike, then quickly raised his shield to block the subsequent attack.


    But he didn''t give the enemy a chance for a third strike. The attack he had just blocked made him realize the enemy''s strength was not greater than his.


    When the rebound of the blocked weapon gave him the opportunity, he swiftly fanned his shield outward with his left hand, throwing off the enemy''s bnce, followed by his right-hand wielding the hammer, urately striking the goblin bear''s closest knee.


    With a ''crack,'' the clear sound of breaking bones echoed in everyone''s ears. The goblin bear instantly fell to its knees, soon followed by a sharp scream of agony.


    "Ah, the knee, my favorite target."


    Havingnded his blow, Bruto immediately leapt back, dodging the enemy''s aimless counterattack.


    Lancelot''s attention was also drawn to Bruto''smotion, and he nced back.


    Seeing him turn his head, the two goblin bears encircling him immediatelyunched their attacks from both sides simultaneously, but Lancelot, as if he had anticipated this, weirdly twisted his body backward, moving three steps back and causing the two attackers to crash into each other heavily without time to react.


    "Don''t rush,dies."


    He stepped forward, and a torrent of sword light immediately enveloped the two goblin bears. Lancelot did not even use True Qi, merely relying on his swordsmanship to suppress both enemies at once.N?v(el)B\\jnn


    He was not quick to deal the killing blow; each time his sword de was about to slice through their bodies, he forcefully stopped, avoiding a fatal wound.


    He was rapidly getting used to the new weapon''s length, weight, and bnce. As his movements grew faster, the two goblin bears couldn''t keep up at all, just wildly swinging their nail-headed hammers in vain attempts to inflict some damage on Lancelot.


    The knight finally felt the weapon had be a part of his body, his sword hand twisted, and almost simultaneously, the sword''s de struck both enemies'' faces, sending them flying out.


    Another lurking goblin bear peeked out, trying to throw a javelin to cover his allies, but a stone hitting right on the nose knocked it to the ground.


    Klin shed Lancelot a victorious sign.


    Lancelot shrugged, turned his head to look at the enemies struggling to get up, and yelled with True Qi surging:


    "Scram!"

 Chapter 40 Miners Rest Room

    "Scram!"


    The volume of Lancelot''s shout even startled himself, and the two bear goblins in front of him were shocked to the point of falling on their butts, eyes rolling back as they entered a dizzy state.


    The scene momentarily entered a rather eerie silence, and Lancelot had to use a normal volume to say,


    "Hurry up and disappear from my sight!"


    The two bear goblins finally reacted, scarcely believing they could survive, and quickly scrambled up to flee the ce.


    Two more bear goblins jumped out from behind arge rock, loudly calling out and hastily following theirpanions to escape.


    Lancelot turned back to find Bruto had already dealt with his enemy. The corpse on the ground had both its knees shattered, and arge dent in its head.


    The dwarf looked to be in not too bad a shape, his shield now sporting a few more white marks, and it seemed he had taken a hit from a nail-headed hammer, leaving his armor somewhat deformed.


    "Are you alright?" Lancelot asked as he walked over, concern in his voice.


    "Just a little bruising, I''ll be fine after some rest," Bruto said with a carefree smile. "I took a hit, but in return, Inded a fatal blow. It was a good trade."


    "What did I tell you before?" Lancelot shook his head helplessly. "Never mind, it seems anger really does give you strength."


    "The victory over the Berserk Demon might be attributed to anger and luck, but in this fight, you truly showed the talent of a warrior," Barrend and Klin also approached, the elder dwarf looking at his son with emotion. "I must admit, among dwarves your age, you''re the strongest I''ve seen."n/?/vel/b//in dot c//om


    "Isn''t that true for all the dwarves you''ve seen?" Bruto said, unable to conceal his joy at his father''s praise.


    "No, your dad at his peak was still a bit stronger than you."


    "Dad, you must be bragging!"


    "Hahahaha..."


    Amidughter and cheerful conversation, the group walked into the entrance of the mine.


    It quickly became dark around them. As dwarves, Bruto and Barrend naturally possessed dark vision, allowing them to see objects even inplete darkness as though there were faint light sources around, although this ability only provided monochromatic vision with grey-scale differences.


    Klin pulled out a potion and gulped it down.


    "Dark Vision Potion,sts for 8 hours," Klin exined. "Prepared in advance, so there''s no need to waste a Second Circle spell. How about you, Lancelot? Want a dose?"


    Lancelot shook his head. The blessings of the Elves had already granted him dark vision not inferior to that of dwarves, and with a bit of True Qi concentrated in his eyes, he could see everything around him clearly, much like in a brightly lit environment.


    Klin asked no further and silently put away the potion. It was not hard for him to see the many extraordinary traits of Lancelot, and night vision was not that special a feature.


    Inside the mine, the environment was not entirely dark. Luminescent fungi scattered on the ground and stones emitting a ghostly glow on the walls of the tunnels now and then were lighting instations deliberately left by the miners.


    After walking roughly three hundred feet forward, they entered a spacious hall.


    The high dome above was lit by a bright magical light source, the strong light discouraging those subterranean creatures that hated brightness from lingering; along the stone walls, there were several tunnels leading downward, and on the floory heaps of ore, which the miners would gather here before transporting them all at once.


    "Ah, this is it, the hall known as the Demons'' Stomach." Barrend stepped forward and examined the ores on the ground. "These have been freshly mined, they must be the fruits of our Gray Dwarf friends''bor."


    "Did you say there was a miners'' rest room, right here?" Klin asked curiously.


    "Yes, it should be here." Barrend started pacing around, knocking here, touching there, trying to find the mechanism that would open the secret chamber, but to no avail.


    "I happen to have a suitable spell," Klin offered, seeing that Barrend wasn''t getting any results. "Let me give it a try."


    Barrend looked at him skeptically but nodded nheless. Dwarves could find anything hidden in stone and earth, but that required enough time.


    Klin pulled out a scroll and unfurled it. He cast his eyes quickly over the scroll and then uttered a string of mysterious spells.


    Lancelot may not have understood the content of the scroll, but he could feel a force being channeled into the scroll. It flowed through the text and patterns on the scroll, taking on a special form, then converged in Klin''s eyes.


    The process reminded him of ''Gathering Qi sh'' and other Spiritual Cultivation Techniques. These techniques caused True Qi to circte through specific pathways within the body, eventually transforming pure energy into various miraculous effects.


    Klin''s eyes shone with a bright magical light, and his vision suddenly gained a powerful prating ability, allowing him to see through rock and earth. After getting used to this peculiar vision, he quickly spotted an unusual patch of ground.


    "There, there''s a room underground." Klin continued to examine the area and finally found further clues, "Under that pile of ore, there''s a handle, that must be the mechanism."


    Bruto, too impatient to wait, rushed over and started shoveling away the loose ore, and indeed found a handle.


    He pulled the handle up and suddenly a low rumbling sound was heard, and the ground beside them slowly parted, revealing steps leading down to a small room.


    "Ha, so it was underground." Barrend scratched his head, "I had been focusing on the surrounding walls just now, no wonder I couldn''t find it."


    "Empiricism can be deadly." Bruto teased as he entered the basement room with the others.


    The room had clearly been designed with only Dwarves or Gnomes in mind, the ceiling not exceeding seven feet. Lancelot had to lean slightly, or his great sword would get stuck.


    Inside the room, there were dozens of bedrolls, boxes and barrels for storing goods, as well as spare shovels and cross pickaxes.


    Barrend was not pleased with the condition of the tools, but it was well-known that years of envement had robbed the Gray Dwarves of any passion for their work.


    His gaze shifted from the shabby tools and he walked to the end of the room, where there was a small table.


    On the table hung a giant mining map with markings of new tunnels added by miners from different eras, or spots where copses had urred.


    Looking at the map, the group realized that the nickname ''Demon''s Intestines'' was quite apt. The directions of the tunnels were so chaotic that if demons had intestines, they probably looked like this.


    Barrend, however, was engrossed in reading a journal. The journal was written in Dwarven, the lingua franca of the mining world. It recorded information about each team that went down into the mine, their purpose, and what they harvested.


    The most recent entry was from a week ago, written in simple terms:


    "Twelve Gray Dwarf Miners, team leader Dunif. n to head to workings fourteen, fifteen, and sixteen."


    The harvest column was left nk, it seems they had not made it back here.

 Chapter 41 Digging Worm

    After setting down the heavy equipment and supplies from their backpacks, Barrend and Lancelot''s group set out once again, this time traveling light, each carrying supplies for two days.


    They unanimously agreed to first search for the whereabouts of their Gray Dwarf colleagues. This mission itself was considered a ck Iron Level task, and they had firsthand data on the resource distribution of the ancient mine.


    Searching for a mining team in thisbyrinth-like mine was like looking for a needle in a haystack. Fortunately, Barrend and Bruto had a set of skills for underground orientation. Dwarves had undergone special training that enabled them to sense the maic fields in the rocks.


    Walking at the front of the group was Lancelot. As the strongest Warrior in the team, he yed the role of the vanguard, the first target of the enemy''s attacks.


    Following in second was Barrend. The old Dwarf''s prospecting experience was no less than his craftsmanship. As a top cksmith, he often had to search for the best raw materials himself. Now, following behind Lancelot, he was directing the vanguard.


    Behind them came Klin. As the most vulnerable member of the team, he was both nervous and excited. Researchers who studied the Abyss rarely entered it personally (more precisely, few coulde back alive to tell of their experiences), and his curiosity for knowledge now suppressed his fear of death.


    Even at this moment, he was continuously scanning the surroundings with the night vision enabled by his potion, and taking notes in a small notebook.


    Assigned the task of rear guard was Bruto. The young Dwarf had officially be an Adventurer just over a week ago, but had already shown reliable strength. Bruto was also very familiar with burrowing about in the mines, as his dad had taken him underground before his beard had even started to grow.


    They walked through the winding tunnels, where Barrend only needed to nce at the entire structural map and he memorized it in his mind. Under his guidance, the team progressed swiftly.


    Suddenly, Lancelot raised a hand, signaling for everyone to stop.


    "What''s wrong?" Barrend asked, puzzled.


    "I sense danger," Lancelot said, frowning. His Spiritual Sense had just shed a warning, and this mysterious sixth sense had be increasingly urate since he became a Spiritual Cultivator, but theplex underground environment made it difficult for him to determine the exact location of the enemy, only that it was somewhere ahead.


    "But I don''t see anything," Barrend said softly, frowning. He wasn''t questioning Lancelot; the Knight had already proven his keen Perception Ability back at the entrance of the mine.


    "It feels like a big one," Lancelot said, still not reassured about proceeding further. He sensed the threat''s distance once more and sat down cross-legged. "Give me a moment."


    The other three looked on in surprise as Lancelot entered a state of meditation, leaving them no choice but to pick up their weapons and stand guard beside him.


    Lancelot quickly entered that state with the strange perspective, which ording to the bamboo slip in his mind, was a Divine Skill of the High Rank in the Qi Cultivation Stage, called Divine Sense Projection, which for now he could only enter during Cultivation.


    Using this ability, he finally discovered the source of the unease. About eighty feet ahead underground, a huge creature was lurking.


    The creature looked like a mantis, except itsrge pincers grew on its lower jaw, and its size was magnified to over ten feet tall, with a carapace covering its entire body, including the belly.


    He exited the meditation state and slowly opened his eyes.


    "How is it?" Bruto asked anxiously.


    Lancelot described the appearance of the enemy, and as soon as Barrend heard the word "mantis," his face showed a look of recognition.


    "Do you know what this is?"


    "Hmm, it should be a burrowing worm," the old Dwarf nodded, "These creatures use that terrifying mouth to dig tunnels and extend their antennae above the ground to sense movement around them. Once someone passes directly above, it will leap from the ground and seize the prey, eagerly spraying a potent Acid Digestive Juice while using its terrifying jaws to tear the victim into pieces."


    "That does sound quite troublesome. How do we deal with this creature?"


    "Their most damaging attack is their ambush; few creatures can survive such an assault. Their Acid as well, it can spray up to thirty feet, which will be hard to deal with in these tunnels," Barrend said seriously. "But it also has clear weaknesses.


    These creatures have almost no intelligence, and all their threatse from that mouth, so as long as you can attack from the side or behind, they''re not as ferocious as they seem. Another is their legs. Breaking just three legs on one side will make them fall, and in that state, they''re basically at our mercy."


    "Understood. Klin, I remember you mentioned a spell..."


    Gazing at the fairly spacious tunnel, a n began to take shape in Lancelot''s mind.n/?/vel/b//jn dot c//om


    ...


    After discussing their tactics, the four of them carefully approached to about thirty feet from where the burrowing wormy in ambush.


    Thanks to Lancelot''s reminder, they had already spotted the neglected feelers of the burrowing worm on the ground, and upon closer observation, it wasn''t difficult to notice the slight bulge on the surface.


    "Are you ready?" Lancelot turned back to look at the spellcaster in the team.


    Klin nodded, a small scroll already clenched in his hand.


    Lancelot suddenly charged forward withrge strides. The moment the sound of his footsteps rang out, he distinctly felt an excited tremor from the monster beneath the ground.


    True Qi was already surging through his meridians, and when he was ten feet away from the underground maw that resembled a pair of pincers, Lancelot suddenly leapt up, his body nearly skimming the top of the tunnel as he flew forward.


    However, the sound of footsteps did not cease, for Klin had also activated the ''Lesser Illusion'' magic from his scroll at the same time.


    This spell could create an image of an object or a sound the caster wanted, like the roar of a lion, human conversation, and of course, footsteps. It was merely a 0-level trick that could easily be seen through by any creature with a bit of intelligence.


    However, the burrowing worm was probably only a little smarter than a rock and relied solely on its feelers to sense vibrations on the ground.


    As the sound of footsteps passed over the burrowing worm''s hiding spot, the ground suddenly burst open, a pair of three-foot-long fangs snapped shut like a pincer, an attack no flesh and blood could withstand.


    But what awaited it on the ground was not flesh and blood. Lancelot, who had jumped into the air, dangled his great sword below him, and the burrowing worm emerging from the ground bit down right on it.


    The chitinous jaw naturally couldn''t contend with a weapon made of steel, and with a snap, a fist-sized gap appeared on the worm''s pincers, while Lancelot''s weapon remained unscathed.


    Afternding, Lancelot immediately turned back and charged at the burrowing worm. He had to restrain the enemy to allow hispanions toplete a pincer attack from behind.


    This burrowing worm was clearly influenced by the Abyss, its body covered with demonic-like spikes, and its two front limbs were like two longswords, characteristics not seen in a normal burrowing worm.


    His great sword executed a flurry of airtight thrusts, enveloping the burrowing worm''s mouthparts and keeping it too busy to spray acid.


    Bruto finally reached the enemy''s rear. He jumped high, letting out a roar as his warhammer smashed down fiercely on the bending part of the burrowing worm''s hind leg.


    "Knees! My favorite!"


    Lancelot couldn''t help but wonder if Bruto had some kind of special fetish for knees.


    The burrowing worm let out a pained and angry shriek from its mouth. It twisted its head sharply, nning to deal with the foe at its rear with a spurt of acid, while relying on the thick carapace on its back to fend off the sword de in front.


    The Schr, standing at the very back, was fully focused on watching the battle unfold, while Baron stood in front of him with a shield raised.


    In the instant it turned its head, Klin made his move as well. He raised his arm, and on the ring finger of his right hand, a spell was already poised to release.

 Chapter 42 Clues

    Klin''s right hand emitted a strong glow, the very sh Ring he had used against the Abyssal Hounds before.


    He stood at the rear of the group, with all but Lancelot facing away from him, and with the giant body of the worm creature shielding Lancelot, the bright light didn''t affect any of his teammates.


    The worm creature''s four ck eyes granted it excellent dark vision, but as a consequence, it was extremely sensitive to intense light. Instinctively, it turned its head away, spraying the acid that was in its mouth onto the walls. Immediately, a hissing sound came from the tunnel''s rocky walls as the soil softened like heated chocte, slowly flowing to the ground.


    Some residual acid still flew toward Klin''s direction, but Baron, ever vignt, blocked it all with his shield.


    Lancelot naturally wouldn''t just stand by and watch. In the moment the enemy turned its head, he seized the opportunity at the vulnerable spot between the thick back armor and the jaw of the worm creature, stabbing the tip of his Great Sword in and effortlessly out the other side.


    "Beautiful!" Bruto shouted loudly,mencing his attack on the second knee.


    Under the stimulus of pain, the worm creature iled wildly at Lancelot with its forelimbs, which resembled two Longswords, while desperately twisting its body in an attempt to turn its head around and spew acid at the Human Knight.


    But Lancelot tightly gripped the sword''s hilt, unmoving, and his 7-foot Great Sword kept the worm creature from reaching him no matter how it tried.


    However, such an injury was not enough to kill the worm creature immediately. For this type of creature, each nerve node in the limbs could function like a brain, and the one in its head was just a more versatile one. If destroyed, it could simply grow a new one.


    "Bruto!" called Lancelot, now a bit embarrassed as the enemy wouldn''t die anytime soon and he couldn''t draw his weapon out, nor could he push it further in; he could only call for the Dwarf''s help.


    "I''m a bit busy here!" Bruto''s warhammer swung wildly, and soon enough, the worm creature''s thickest middle leg also copsed.


    "Never mind those legs for now!" Lancelot shouted. "Hammer my Sword de!"


    The Dwarf quickly grasped Lancelot''s intent; he leaped up from where he was and, with all his might, smashed his Warhammer onto the exposed sword edge on his side.


    The Great Sword propelled forward with the impact, the Sword de slicing through all the flesh and Carapace blocking its path, leaving the body of the worm creature from a position roughly corresponding to its lower jaw.


    A horrific wound appeared at its jaw, with copious amounts of Acid mixed with blood flowing out. The giant insect''s body convulsed, and its two front limbs futilely attempted to cover the wound, but the outpouring Acid corroded them together.


    Lancelot and Bruto had already retreated to a safe distance, and after a while, the terrifying insect finally stopped struggling and diedpletely.


    "I''ve never heard of a worm creature this huge," Klin said in awe as he looked at the massive insect corpse, feeling extremely ufortable despite the fact that it was already dead, its body full of Carapace and limbs intimidating.


    "It''s a mutation, probably ate something it shouldn''t have in the Abyss," Barrendmented while rubbing his shield on the ground. The Acid''s corrosive effect on steel wasn''t that strong, after wiping off the Acid on the ground, several dulled areas appeared on the otherwise shiny Shield surface, but it didn''t affect the Shield''s performance.


    "I should get the credit for this kill," Bruto said, puffing out his chest proudly, "Hmm, at least the fatal blow was mine."


    "Indeed, we owe it to that hit of yours," Lancelot smiled and nodded, then raised his own sword. The edge at the end of the Sword de was clearly no longer sharp, a favor from the Dwarf''s hammer. "So, uh, could you hammer my sword a few more times? This time aim for the de itself."


    "Piece of cake," Bruto took Lancelot''s Great Sword, found a rtively t rock, and under Barrend''s supervision, he began the repair work with a ng.


    After the repairs werepleted, the group swiftly continued on their way.


    The winding tunnels seemed to have no end, and they encountered several burrower worms again, but with the experience from the first time, everyone dealt with them quite adeptly. asionally, they also came across wandering Coward Devils, but in most cases, their first reaction was to flee, causing no trouble for Lancelot and hispanions.


    About two hours after leaving the miner''s rest area, the group finally arrived at their first target, the fourteenth mining workface.


    A workface refers to the ce where minerals or gemstones are mined, and it moves with the progress of mining. When miners find a vein, they don''t rush to mine it because only a few people at the very front of the tunnel can work, which is too inefficient. They first dig a passageway along the edge of the vein, and then attack the vein on one side of the passage. The dug-out wall is the workface.


    As the mining progresses, the workface extends continuously, gradually forming arger space, which entirely depends on the shape and direction of the vein. A vein is not necessarily continuous; sometimes, when you think you have finished mining, but after digging through a foot of soil, you could find a brand-new vein.


    Dwarves believe that the ces where veins form are more closely connected to the elemental nes of earth, so for mining crewscking a target, continuing to dig from an existing workface is a good choice.


    The fourteenth workface was such a ce. It was about three thousand feet beneath the surface, which wasn''t considered too deep for these professional Dwarf miners, but it had probably been hundreds of years since it was first mined. Years of repeated exploitation had turned this ce into an open space like a square, akin to an organ connected to intestines.


    The group quickly discovered the target of their journey, two Gray Dwarves, but unfortunately, they were already dead.


    Lancelot had seen these branch of Dwarves in the cksmith district before, with their beards gray-white and their heads seemingly naturally bald, but the two corpses in front of them were so shattered that it was almost impossible to recognize their racial characteristics.


    Barrend crouched down and examined the bodies of his kin carefully, his face looking very grim.n/o/vel/b//in dot c//om


    "Was it the burrower worms?" Lancelot noticed a huge hole in the ground nearby that looked quite simr to the state after a burrower worm emerged from underground.


    "Doesn''t look like it; burrower worms wouldn''t leave a body behind," Barrend shook his head, pointing to a basin-sized hole in the chest of one of the bodies. "They couldn''t make wounds of this severity."


    "The bodies also show no signs of acid corrosion," Klin stared solemnly at the hole in the ground, "and this hole is a bit toorge for a burrower worm; it''s big enough to fit three of them. The culprit must have a very thick waist."


    "There''s also a pool of blood over here," Lancelot found another clue, "Someone was lying here, barely alive. How much blood do your people have to lose before dying?"


    "They would have been dead long before bleeding this much out," Bruto said with a frown, "but where did the body go?"


    No one responded to him; everyone had the same exnation in mind.


    "So here''s the question," Lancelot gestured towards the other two bodies, "Why are these two corpses here? Judging from the monster''s girth that Klin deduced, one Dwarf wouldn''t be enough to fill its stomach."


    "Uh," Bruto tried to exin, "Maybe it ate the first one and realized it didn''t quite suit its taste?"


    "These creatures that tunnel through the ground aren''t picky eaters," Barrend said gloomily, recalling some not-so-pleasant memories from his long mining career.


    "No, Bruto is right," Klin suddenly spoke up, his voice trembling slightly.


    "What did you think of?" Barrend looked at the Human with surprise, unable to believe that the robed figure could guess the true identity of the culprit before him.


    "Huge size, terrifying puncture wounds, not fond of eating Dwarves," Klin spoke softly, as if afraid of awakening some dreadful existence. "In our world, there''s also a kind of food these monsters do not like, Elves."


    The look of fear on Barrend''s face showed he hade to the answer. The old Dwarf''s lips quivered softly as he uttered a name.


    "Shark Lizard Beast."

 Chapter 43 Mud Monster

    "What are you talking about? What is a shark-crocodile beast?" Lancelot''s ignorance only confirmed one thing again, his world must be tucked away in some extremely remote corner of the Multiverse. Although Barrend and Klin hailed from different worlds, they seemed to both be familiar with this terrifying monster.


    "It is a cmitous creature, over 10 feet in length," Barrend said, his face disying fear. "It is the absolute ruler wherever it roams, with all creatures above ground as its fodder."


    "That powerful, huh? What does it look like?"


    "It resembles a reptilian, with a thick, shark-like carapace on its back. Its lower half is like that of a crocodile, with ws capable of cleaving a multitude. Its head is the most terrifying part, resembling an oversized snapping turtle''s head, except the end is pointed like a spike, allowing it to break through the soil and burrow wherever it wishes," Barrend said, his face turning pale.


    "Luckily, it makes a lot of noise as it tunnels underground, and its high-and-mighty self won''t ambush prey like a burrower. This at least allows us to know when it''sing."n/?/vel/b//in dot c//om


    "People have always been unclear about the origins of the shark-crocodile beast. Some schrs think it might be the result of a mad spell, like the Demon Prince Dimogorgen creating the Chimera," Klin added. "No one has ever found where shark-crocodile beasts breed. Several times throughout history they have been thought extinct, only to reappear decadester.


    A reasonable guess is that their homnd is in some corner of the lower nes, and asionally for unknown reasons they are sent to the Prime Material ne to wreak havoc."


    "That sounds terrible," Lancelot frowned. "Klin, I remember you said you prepared a magic called ''Erge Spell''. Tell me more about the effects of this spell."


    "It''s a second-level spell, it can double the recipient''s height and increase their weight eightfold. Your strength will grow with the Erge Spell, but your agility will decrease due to the change in size. Your equipment will erge under the spell''s influence, but will revert to its original size as soon as it leaves your grasp."


    "How long can this spellst?" Lancelot pursued the important details.


    "With my current strength, around 8 minutes," Klin hesitated. "Are you sure you can deal with the shark-crocodile beast just with this?"


    "At least it can buy some time for you all to escape," Lancelot said seriously to everyone. "From now on, keep the Erge Spell scroll where you can reach it at any moment. As soon as I hold it off, you need to quickly distance yourselves, and if you see something''s wrong, run. Save as many as you can."


    "Dwarves will never abandon arade!" Bruto roared angrily.


    "But that''s the most rational choice," Lancelot tried to convince Bruto. "If we all die here, who will avenge meter?"


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    "If you dare to die, I will never avenge you!" Bruto grew even angrier. "Listen, human, I know you mean well, but such a request is an absolute insult to dwarves, so please stop saying it!"


    Lancelot turned to Barrend for help, but the elder dwarf only gave Bruto aplex look, filled with worry, yet tinged with more pride.


    "He''s right," Barrend said to Lancelot. "In the years of our envement, we lost our most precious honor. I promise you, we will not let that happen again, even death won''t make us back down."


    Lancelot finally realized how infamously stubborn the dwarves were, and he had no choice but to turn to hisst team member. Klin just shrugged at him, saying simply, "Spellcasters usually stand far back. No need to rush when the fight starts."


    "Alright," the Human Knight conceded. "If that beast darese at us, we''ll take it down together."


    "That''s more like it," Bruto nodded with satisfaction.


    Lancelot could only shrug helplessly. They stopped their argument and continued to search the ground, hoping to find more clues.


    "Look here," he soon made a discovery, "there are some footprints that were likely left by survivors."


    After confirming there were no more clues, the group began to follow the tracks.


    They quickly found themselves back in the main tunnel, where the footprints continued intermittently deeper inside. Barrend guessed that the group of Gray Dwarves had probably split into two teams, and the survivors they were tracking were likely trying to meet up with the other team.


    Just when the footprints were about to be indiscernible, they came across new leads.


    The first to notice the faint sound of a Cross Pickaxe striking rock were two Dwarves, and with their prompt, Lancelot also heard the sound.


    "Could this be some kind of trap?" Lancelot asked cautiously.


    "We can''t rule that out. Many creatures have tricks for luring victims with sounds," Klin chimed in, "but those are usually enchanting songs or beguiling whispers, I''ve never heard of one using the sound of a Cross Pickaxe to attract prey."


    "Better to be cautious, nheless."


    No one objected to this, and they proceeded with caution, following the sound. Barrend noticed they were heading towards Worksite Sixteen.


    But as they neared Worksite Sixteen, the sound became muffled. Baffled by this, they decided to go there directly to uncover the mystery.


    Their question was quickly answered. The tunnel leading to Worksite Sixteen was blocked by some sort of nearly transparent gel-like substance. If it weren''t for the skeleton of a dposing Gray Dwarf floating in midair, they might have walked straight into it.


    Lancelot looked with astonishment at this strange urrence, finding these bizarre beings even more iprehensible than Demons. In front of this mass of gel-like substance, the sound of the Cross Pickaxe striking stone was incredibly muffled, but it was clear enough to understand that the sound wasing from behind it.


    "Is this... a mud monster?" Though his martial techniques surpassed everyone present, his knowledge of various monsters was truly limited.


    "This is one of the stronger kinds of mud monsters, a Gtinous Cube," Barrend said, frowning at the obstacle in their path. "If those Gray Dwarves hadn''t brought severalrge buckets of strong lye, this creature would be enough to block their escape route. I guess the ones inside are desperately trying to dig another way out, and even if we leave them alone, they''re about to seed."

 Chapter 44 Stuffed into the Belly

    "But they are thirsty and hungry; they might not be able to make it back to Twin Bridges Town." Barrend had no good impressions of these Gray Dwarves, but Lancelot knew the old Dwarf would not really ignore his kin who still harbored hatred towards him. "Besides alkali, is there any other method to deal with it?"


    "You won''t think of a way to deal with it; you''ll only think of how to go around it," Klin exined, "The Mud Monster''s bodily fluids are highly corrosive. The fluid that sprays out from a wound will harm the attacker, and the weapon used to attack will quickly corrode into a pile of scrap metal."


    "These creatures have almost no intelligence. Generally speaking, if left alone, they will move away after a while. I have never seen any Mud Monster so persistently block an entrance, and it seems this has been going on for several days."


    "Regardless, it is blocking our path," Lancelot dered, "Schr, do we have enough alkali to deal with this creature?"


    "I''m afraid not," Klin shook his head. "The alkali will react with the strong acid in its bodily fluid, releasing a lot of heat, but on one hand, the concentration of acid on its surface is not high, and on the other hand, such surface damage is unlikely to be fatal."


    "What if we pour a bottle of alkali directly into its body?" Lancelot stroked his chin, looking at the corpse hanging in midair. Baldness was a prominent feature of the Gray Dwarves, and even though the flesh had been corroded away, the skull of the corpse still shone faintly in the weak light.


    "Theoretically, this would cause it immense damage," Klin looked at him strangely, "but Mud Monsters do not have mouths, and you can''t pour alkali into its stomach."


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    "We could stuff it in," Lancelot turned and looked at Barrend, "I''ve heard that the skulls of Dwarves are very hard. Is that so?"


    "Few Dwarves die in battle from their skulls being shattered," Barrend replied, his toneced with pride.


    "Why ask this?" Bruto subconsciously covered his head while turning to check the position of his father.


    "What are you thinking? I''m not interested in your head," Lancelot said, amused, looking at Bruto, "but I do n to smash a Dwarf''s skull. Klin, do you still have ammunition for practicing your sling?"n/o/vel/b//in dot c//om


    Klin took out a small pouch filled with stones the size of pigeon eggs.


    Lancelot grabbed one from inside, tossed it in his hand, and then hurled it with all his might at the Mud Monster.


    The throw was powerful; the stone even whistled through the air. However, when it hit the Monster''s gtinous body, it suddenly decelerated as if thrown into water, and after a stubborn advance of about three feet, it stoppedpletely.


    "If you n to throw a bottle of alkali like that, I''m afraid the bottle would remain intact, and you''d have to wait at least three days for the Mud Monster to corrode the stopper," Klinmented.


    Lancelot was not discouraged by Klin''s words. He reached into the Schr''s ammo bag and took out another stone.


    "Watch closely!"


    This time he invoked the mental method of the ''Gathering Qi sh''. The stone even drew a trail of me-like light as it flew, prating nearly six feet into the Mud Monster, very close to the corpse of the Gray Dwarf inside. However, due to the refraction of light, it ultimately stopped about a foot above the body.


    The Mud Monster''s body shook as if it felt pain. But since Lancelot and his party kept their distance, they were not attacked.


    Lancelot turned to grab another stone, only to find his partners looking at him with incredulous eyes.


    Although they had seen it from afar before, this was the first time the three had observed Lancelot demonstrate this astonishing technique up close.


    "Uh," Lancelot scratched his head, "I have something special in my mind, it has given me special abilities."


    "Magician bloodline," Klin nodded in understanding, Lancelot was d someone was willing to help him exin.


    "Are you talking about those people who have ancestors like Dragons or Angels and one morning they wake up to find the powers in their bloodline have awakened?"


    "Exactly," Bruto affirmed, "Lancelot must be one of those cases. Just now the trajectory of the stone was ame, I guess one of his ancestors most likely had Red Dragon blood."


    "You silly boy, what do you know! All Dragons can breathe fire, that power felt very familiar to me, I guarantee it''s definitely the mes from the Abyss. Maybe Sir Lancelot''s ancestor was a Demon who had escaped from its brutal nature and went into hiding in the Mortal Realm," one of the Dwarfs retorted.


    "Impossible! Descendants of Demons aren''t that rare, and the traits are quite obvious, Sir Lancelot apart from being rather tall doesn''t exhibit any other characteristics," Klin disagreed with the two Dwarfs'' opinions, "Do you still remember how he described the process of going through the Portal?


    A normal portal just requires stepping through to reach the other side, definitely not that long passageway. I think he was likely exposed to the native magic power of the Multiverse during that process..."


    Lancelot coughed loudly to interrupt their debate over the source of his abilities, feeling somewhat guilty for having to hide his true situation, but he believed that now was definitely not the right time to reveal the secrets of Spiritual Cultivation.


    "Stop arguing, I''m pretty sure I''m human."


    "You will awaken more such powers from your bloodline in the future, don''t worry," Klin said with conviction, and Barrend and Bruto both nodded in agreement.


    Lancelot shook his head, deciding to let the topic drop for now. He threw another stone, this time aiming slightly lower, and the stone ultimately grazed past the skull of the Gray Dwarf corpse.


    The mud monster shook again violently, seemingly confused but still refusing to move.


    Lancelot didn''t hesitate any longer and took out the alkali bottle he had gotten from Klin earlier. This time, he used the power of his Innate True Qi to throw the alkali bottle.


    Unlike the previous two times, this alkali bottle didn''t show a splendid me tail in the air and made hardly any noise during flight, but it was as fast as Lightning, speeding unslowed into the gtinous body of the mud monster.


    The other three were wide-eyed; they could all see the power of the strike, but what was truly terrifying was that the attack appeared very ordinary on the surface, which could catch an opponent off guard inbat and result in them making a costly mistake.


    The alkali bottle struck the Gray Dwarf''s head precisely, and the small bottle shattered on impact. The Dwarf''s skull was indeed exceptionally hard, just as Barrend had imed.


    The mud monster''s body began to tremble as the alkali reacted violently with the acids in its body fluids, releasing a lot of heat. Its transparent gtinous body started to be murky, and before it becamepletely opaque, Lancelot threw another alkali bottle.


    Just like adding fuel to the fire, the mud monster turned pitch-ck, and its surface began to bubble incessantly like boiling water. This processsted for about five minutes until therge mass of gtinous substance finally softened down, much like a snowman under the zing sun.


    As the mud monster died, many items fell to the ground. These were the remnants of its victims over the years. Aside from the most dreadful kind, most mud monsters only consume flesh and leave behind bones, Metal, and magically rich items inside their bodies.


    It was no doubt that the victims mostly devoured by the mud monsters were various miners, so there were several fine gemstones that fell onto the ground, which the sharp-eyed Bruto quickly picked up.


    Lancelot''s Spiritual Sense alerted him to an inconspicuous small bag. He picked it up and immediately noticed something unusual about the bag.


    Although the Storage Bag appeared somewhat different from the description in the bamboo scrolls of cultivation anecdotes, Lancelot knew for certain that this was a Storage Bag.

 Chapter 45 Gray Dwarves

    "Klin." He raised his voice to catch the Schr''s attention, "Come take a look at this!"


    "Is this¡­ a Dimensional Bag?" As a Schr seasoned in a variety of rare artifacts, Klin quickly recognized the item in Lancelot''s hand, "Just a moment."


    The Schr took out a scroll and unfurled it.


    It was a scroll for a 1st-level Magic Identification Spell, allowing Spellcasters to learn various information about an item they touched.


    Lancelot nced at the scroll''s content. Despite not recognizing a single Arcane Symbol on it, he vaguely understood the magic power those symbols represented.


    The text soon vanished, and aplex surge of Magic Power flowed into Klin''s brain. The Schr''s hand clutched the bag tightly, yet his eyes lost focus as if reading some text that didn''t exist in the real world.


    About a minuteter, he finally came out of the trance. It was a rtively simple spell, but even for a Schr, casting it was no easy task. Noticing the three pairs of curious eyes fixed on him, Klin knew everyone was awaiting his verdict.n/?/vel/b//in dot c//om


    "This is indeed a Dimensional Bag, though its effect is weaker. It can store about 25 cubic feet, carrying no more than 150 pounds, which is roughly a third of a normal Dimensional Bag''s capacity."


    "Not that impressive," grumbled Bruto, arms crossed. "The head prospecting leader of Rivet Fort has a bag that can hold two thousand pounds. Now, that''s a real treasure."


    "This is more than enough for our use," Lancelot was quite satisfied with the bag''s performance, "Just think about how much supplies we can carry in here, it''ll save us a lot of effort."


    "By the way, whatever was originally in here has now been reduced to nothing but the Acid of mud creatures. I suggest you refrain from putting your hand or any items into it," Klin added, "Turning the bag inside out will not cause the contents to fall out, as the bag actually holds an independent, extradimensional space unaffected by the gravity of our world.


    There are two ways to retrieve items: one is to reach in, and the other is to turn the bag inside out, which will cause everything inside the bag to fall out at once."


    "We don''t currently have anything to put in, and the Acid inside might prove unexpectedly useful," Lancelot handed the bag to Bruto, "Take care of it, Dwarf. Just don''t mix it up with your gemstone bag."


    "Stone above, that will never happen," Bruto muttered as he hung the bag at his waist, and Lancelot noticed that he tied the bag''s opening tightly with a string. That way, even if he made a mistake, he wouldn''t be able to put anything in it.


    "Now let''s go meet those unfortunate colleagues of ours," Barrend gestured for the group to move forward, the sound of the Cross Pickaxe became clearer after the mud creatures were exterminated, "I hope they''ll show us at least a bit of gratitude."


    The structure of the sixteenth workface resembled a belt carelessly thrown on the ground. The party followed the sounds through the low corridors for about a quarter of an hour until they finally saw who they were looking for¡ªnine dispirited Gray Dwarf Miners with low morale.


    As Lancelot and his group appeared before them, these rtives of the mountain Dwarves immediately grabbed their Cross Pickaxes and jumped up, loudly cursing at Bruto and Barrend.


    "The chief craftsman sent us to rescue you, he should really hear your enthusiastic words of gratitude!" Barrend scoffed with crossed arms, while Bruto held his hammer tightly, and Lancelot sensed that he was on the verge of losing control over his rage.


    "Gentlemen," the Human Knight attempted to ease the tension as he took out the Emblem of Twin Bridges Town, "we mean no harm. The mud creature that was blocking the entrance has been dealt with; you are free to leave now."


    "Who knows if that mud creature wasn''t sent by you lot!"


    "That must be the case! Deceitful fellows, trapped us here and now feigning rescue so you can take credit with Lady Tijana!"


    "You surface scum, you and me, let''s have a proper showdown!"


    Lancelot shook his head¡ªthe Gray Dwarves were typical malignant beings, unable to understand any act of kindness and firm in their belief that every action has an evil motive behind it, because that''s how they operated.


    "Let''s move on," he patted his two Dwarfpanions, "We''ve found the men the chief craftsman was looking for; now it''s time to search for what we are after."


    Bruto spat vehemently on the ground, the first to turn and walk away, visibly upset.


    Klin and Barrend also walked out, with Lancelot stayingst to guard against any irrational actions by the Gray Dwarves.


    "Hold on!" Just as Bruto and hispanions were about to leave the Gray Dwarves'' line of sight, a miner called out to them.


    "Huh? Decided to pick a fight after all?" Bruto twisted his thick, short neck, producing a series of crisp cracking sounds.


    "Perhaps we really did misunderstand," the Gray Dwarf said with a less aggressive tone. "Did you trulye to rescue us?"


    "Go back to Twin Bridges Town and ask around the Craftsmen Committee yourself!" Bruto said irritably. "We only set out this morning; no good deed goes unpunished!"


    "We will ask," the Gray Dwarf promised. "We''re heading out now, too, so don''t think about setting up any traps ahead of us!"


    "As if you guys are worth the traps," Bruto dismissed him and, shouldering his hammer, strode out.


    The Gray Dwarves didn''t say anything more and silently followed. When they finally reached the main shaft, the group of Gray Dwarves had to admit a fact; they were indeed saved.


    "Alright, maybe it wasn''t your doing this time."


    "Don''t mention it," Bruto replied sarcastically.


    "We''ve left some supplies in the rest area; you can get some rest there before heading back to Twin Bridges Town," Barrend offered in a gentle tone, fully aware of the deep hostility between the Gray Dwarves and their near-surface dwelling cousins.


    "Damn it, what are you ying at now?"


    "Just giving a little help to our kin in distress," Barrend spread his hands.


    The Gray Dwarves fell silent, torn between their longstanding hostility and the Dwarves'' innate sense of honor.


    Finally, a few nearly inaudible words of thanks were heard, though they were addressed to Lancelot. Perhaps for the Gray Dwarves, thanking a human was somewhat less difficult.


    "No need to thank me," Lancelot nodded. "We haven''t found what we''re looking for. We''ll part ways here."


    "May I have your name, sir Knight?" asked the Gray Dwarf who had stopped them earlier, seeming to be the least hostile toward his cousins and likely the leader of the group of miners, as Lancelot felt his strength was significantly above hispanions.


    "My name is Lancelot."


    "I am Dunif, captain of this mining team," the Gray Dwarf introduced himself awkwardly. "I think we owe you thanks. What are you looking for? Do you need any, well, help?"


    Lancelot stared at Dunif for a moment and finally said:


    "No, thank you. I think we can manage on our own."


    "Are you sure? I know this mine very well," the Gray Dwarf captain persisted. "There are still many dangerous creatures deeper in, and we were recently attacked by a terrifying monster."


    "I''m sure we''ll be fine, goodbye," Lancelot declined again, then turned and left decisively.


    As he turned, he did not miss the sh of disappointment that crossed Dunif''s gaze.

 Chapter 46 Aberrant Demon

    "These clueless bastards!"


    Ten minutes had psed since the separation from the Gray Dwarves, and Bruto was still seething about the recent events.


    Lancelot carefully scouted ahead for danger. He felt slightly uneasy, always sensing that he might have overlooked some detail, and Dunif''s parting nce must have held a particr reason.


    Under the subconscious operation of the Ice Heart Spell''s mental method, he found himself calming down and began to meticulously recall the entire recent process.


    "How many people did the Craftsmen Committee say were in that Gray Dwarf mining team?" he suddenly turned back and asked Barrend.


    "Twelve, why?"


    "The group of Gray Dwarves we just saw was nine, right?"


    "Correct." The old Dwarf nodded, "There was a Gray Dwarf''s corpse inside that mud creature, and the flesh hadn''t even dposed properly, clearly it had been devoured recently. Plus, the two bodies we found earlier at the fourteenth worksite, the numbers exactly match up."


    Lancelot nodded; he figured out where the unease stemmed from.


    "From now on, maintain the highest alert for any Gray Dwarves we encounter in our sight," Lancelot dered.


    "What are you talking about?" Barrend looked at him confused, "Didn''t we just count? Three bodies, nine survivors, the numbers match up."


    "Especially those survivors," Lancelot answered without turning back.


    Everyone shrugged their shoulders and discontinued the topic. They continued downwards for another half hour, stopping as they encountered waves of pitiful wailing.


    "I might know what creature made that sound," Klin whispered, "Move lightly, let''s get closer and see."


    The group stealthily made their way forward and, around a corner, they saw five Demons emitting continuous wails.


    A mere nce was enough to understand why these Demons were wailing. Merely looking at them was painful; their bodies were covered with sores and abscesses, with some areas devoid of skin, muscles exposed to the air. Yet, upon closer observation, they could vaguely make out the limbs and torsos typical of humanoid beings.


    They looked as though a giant hand had kneaded them into a ball before unfolding them again. Their legs were bent sideways instead of forward, their backs hunched like boiled shrimps, all facial features present but randomly arranged, such as eyes located in the mouth and one ear on the head while another on the chin.


    The arms were the only part that seemed somewhat normal, which implied they still possessed normal fighting capabilities. Most of these twisted Demons held a type of long-handled weapon simr to a Trident, although severely rusted.


    Klin gestured, and the group carefully retreated.


    "Moradin above, what on earth was that?" Bruto was the first to speak. He had seen many Demons before, terrifying, ugly, and even handsome and beautiful ones, but it was his first time seeing such pitiful Demons.


    "Those were Aberrant Demons." Klin exined with a grim face, "The Abyss itself does not give birth to such demons; they are all creations of somewhat high-ranking Demons."


    "But they look like¡­" Bruto tried to find the right adjective, "not very suitable forbat?" Explore stories on empire


    "One exnation is that the Demon Lord who created them wasn''t that powerful.


    Creating stronger demons might consume too much, or might be hard to control," Klin recalled from the knowledge he had seen before, "It''s said that they are twisted directly from the lowest-level Prime Demon or Coward Devils, ascending only consumes a little of the Demon Lord''s magic power, ensuring that the subject doesn''t die in this extremely painful process.


    asionally, higher-ranking Demons are made to take this form, mostly as some kind of punishment."


    "Their torment ends here," Lancelot said resolutely. "Is there anything we need to be cautious of?"


    "We don''t know much about the Aberrant Demons, but for evil creatures, pain is also a source of power," Klin reminded. "They might possess some technique-like abilities, and most demons can summon their kind, which could be more dangerous than the demons themselves."


    "Understood," Lancelot nodded. After a moment of thought, he began to arrange the tactics: "I''ll charge at the front; Bruto, watch my back and any additional summoned enemies. Klin, you stay in the rear; Barrend is responsible for any that slip through. Any problems with that?"


    "Let''s just get started," Bruto suppressed his anger. "From the moment I saw them, the only thought in my mind was to smash these disgusting creatures into pulp."N?v(el)B\\jnn


    "Ipletely agree with you there," Lancelot said, drawing his longsword Frostsh.


    They snuck back to the spot from where they had stealthily observed the enemy earlier. The terrain there was narrow and easier to defend than to attack, perfectly suited for Klin and Barrend to stay put.


    Lancelot took out a sharply-edged silver coin, specially modified by Bruto for him. He took a deep breath and aimed the coin at the farthest enemy, throwing it.


    A silver streak shed across the sky, and the struck Aberrant Demon fell with arge chunk of its skull sheared off, but it seemed not yet dead, struggling to stand.


    The rest of the Aberrant Demons instinctively looked towards their attacked kin; just then, Lancelot and Bruto charged out.


    Lancelot employed a footwork technique he had learned from ancient bamboo slips. ording to the revered Han Tianzun, it was a favorite move of his youth that had saved his name multiple times in critical moments, but Lancelot found it extremely useful forunching surprise attacks on enemies.


    The effect was striking. Although dwarves were naturally a bit slower than humans, when Lancelot reached the first enemy, Bruto had only covered half the distance.


    As he charged, Lancelot held his longsword aloft on his shoulder, grasping the handle with both hands. The Aberrant Demon finally noticed the iing enemy, but as it turned its head, the great sword''s de filled its entire field of vision.


    "Damn! Leave some for me!"


    Bruto witnessed Lancelot''s astonishing over-the-shoulder charge and sh, and the unguarded enemy was cleaved in two by the strike. He couldn''t help but shout anxiously.


    Lancelot had no time to chat; following the downward sh was a horizontal sh, parrying an iing trident from another Aberrant Demon. Taking advantage of the enemy''s exposed defense, he turned his sword back for a thrusting stab, ending the twisted demon''s agony.


    This was his mostmonly used attackbination, executed countless times on the battlefield, polished to perfection.


    But only when facing the enemy again did Lancelot truly appreciate how much spiritual cultivation had enhanced him.


    True Qi naturally circted within him, making the longsword feel as light to wield as a broomstick. His speed had increased by at least a third, and his final thrust even left him with time to aim for the heart.


    Moreover, the cold iron construction of the weapon inflicted significant additional damage to the demons. Demons naturally possessed extremely tough bodies, their muscture acting like armor, but Frostsh could easily breach this defense, frosting the impacted area and suppressing the demons'' powerful regenerative abilities.


    Two more Aberrant Demons came at him; Lancelot calmly parried all their attacks, never falling into disadvantage despite being outnumbered.


    Then Bruto joined the fray, mming his shield hard into an Aberrant Demon that tried to join the assault on Lancelot and then habitually swinging his hammer at where the knee should be.


    He missed; there was nothing where the knee was supposed to be.

 Chapter 47 Battle in the Dark

    The Aberrant Demon''s thigh nted to the right, his shin to the left, with the knee just beside Bruto''s left hand¡ªhis swingpletely missed the target.


    Naturally, the enemy wouldn''t let this opportunity slip by. With a swift hack of its long-handled pincers, Bruto could only barely deflect the attack with his shield, but it still left a huge gash on his thigh.


    "Damn mongrel!"


    Blood filled the dwarf''s eyes as Bruto let out a furious roar. He charged again, his leg wound unnoticeable thanks to a sudden surge of adrenaline.


    With a fierce lift of his shield-bearing left hand, the top edge of the shield met the enemy''s chin with what could only be described as enthusiasm. This maneuver, purely instinctual for a dwarf, was so powerful that the Aberrant Demon''s twisted fangs pierced through its own tongue, emerging from under the chin.


    The unnatural strike momentarily stunned the Aberrant Demon, but the demon''s constitution allowed it to recover quickly.


    But the dwarf wasn''t about to wait for that.


    Bruto''s body rotated clockwise, unleashing the most fearsome and infamousbat technique of his stout race: the Low sh.


    The Warhammer, inscribed with Mithril Runes, traced a circr path and struck the Aberrant Demon''s twisted knee as desired, and Bruto finally heard the sound of the pate shattering that he had been waiting for.


    "That''s more like it!"


    The Dwarf roared and leaped onto the grounded Aberrant Demon.


    Elsewhere, Lancelot was dominating this two-against-one battle. His speed and strengthpletely overwhelmed the enemies, and after a series of Horizontal shes, he suddenly changed tack¡ªa heavy blow sent one enemy reeling backwards, and then his Longsword blocked the trident of the other enemy.


    The enemy tried to withdraw his weapon to defend against his next attack, but Lancelot wouldn''t miss this brief opportunity for a one-on-one. His weapon didn''t rebound naturally from the collision but instead he gently guided it, while stepping forward in coordination with his Footwork Technique to quickly sidestep to his adversary''s side, with the trident''s point facing the opposite direction.


    The Sword de, like a supple snake, slid up the trident''s shaft, severing the enemy''s wrist just above the grip. The frenzied adversary opened his mouth to bite at the Human Knight, but Lancelot had already released one hand from his sword and used his steel-d elbow to knock the enemy to the ground.


    As Bruto was smashing his hammer into his opponent''s skull, he caught sight of Lancelot standing over an Aberrant Demon, decapitating his enemy with a swing of his sword.


    In less than a minute, they had dealt with three enemies; however, a burst of light shed, and the two surviving enemies sessfully summoned more demons. Suddenly, there was one more Aberrant Demon and four Coward Devils on the field¡ªalong with the existing two, they now faced seven enemies in total.


    "Damn it!" Klin couldn''t help but curse. The demons'' ability to summon others of their kind wasn''t usually highly sessful, but both these enemies had lucked out.


    After the initial assault, their enemies had actually increased in number, forcing Lancelot and Bruto to adopt a defensive stance, cautious of being overwhelmed by the sheer numbers.


    Just then, an Aberrant Demon suddenly raised its hand, and a sphere of darkness that no light could prate appeared, engulfing a twenty-foot radius around Lancelot and Bruto.


    This was a sphere of magical darkness, within which no light could propagate, not even the True Qi Lancelot gathered in his eyes could help him see anything around.


    In the darkness, a w swung towards Lancelot, but he timely caught the sound of the arm moving through the air.


    Lancelot instinctively dodged the w, then lunged towards the direction of the attack, unleashing a Horizontal sh. He felt his sword strike the body of a Coward Devil, and a scream echoed from ahead. Find more to read at empire


    Realizing that sound was his only cue in the darkness, Lancelot immediately gathered his True Qi at his ears, enhancing the acuity of his hearing.


    In this pitch-ck environment, the sounds created an entirely different image in his brain.


    Each creature''s breathing and heartbeat revealed their positions and distances, and as long as they swung their arms or moved their bodies, Lancelot could discern their movements from the sound of the wind.


    However, Bruto didn''t have this skill; Lancelot''s ears told him that the dwarf was wildly swinging his hammer and shield, trying through these actions to prevent enemies from getting too close in the darkness.


    "Klin!" Bruto shouted desperately, "Do something!"


    Klin was also scratching his head. He was familiar with this technique; it was Dark Arts, but dispelling Dark Arts required a light source created by magic of the third circle or higher, which was beyond his casting abilities.


    "Don''t panic, Bruto! There are no enemies around you for now!" Lancelot thrust his longsword into the heart of a Coward Devil that had sneaked up silently, the organ making a deafening sound. "Calm down, carefully listen to their sounds!"


    Lancelot''s words weren''t much help to Bruto, but they inspired Klin. The schr rummaged through his pouch where he kept his scrolls and finally pulled out a rather ordinary-looking scroll.


    He took a deep breath, and with a peculiar expression, he unrolled the scroll.n/?/vel/b//in dot c//om


    A strange wind blew past, and Lancelot suddenly felt utterly delighted, making himugh lightly.


    He wasn''t the only oneughing. A ridiculous, idioticughter emerged from the darkness, reminiscent of a group of drooling imbeciles trying to light ants with a magnifying ss.


    Another type ofughter was much more unpleasant, as if a prisoner tied to a chair was undergoing the torture of having their feet tickled with a feather, allowing one to clearly sense the pain involved.


    These were theughters of the Coward Devil and Aberrant Demon, respectively; these sounds didn''t cause any harm nor did they affect their actions, but they were enough for the dwarf in the darkness to pinpoint the enemies'' locations.


    Bruto, fueled by rage from being blinded, finally found an outlet for his anger. He charged toward the nearest source of the sillyughter with his shield raised in front, ready to block any possible attacks.


    The demons'' vision was unaffected. The Coward Devil instinctively tried to avoid the massive iron ball charging toward it, but the continuous stupidughter gave away its position.


    Bruto''s shield struck the side of the Coward Devil, making it lose its bnce, but then the dwarf''s hammer made bnce irrelevant for it ever again.


    A lower body sh was just a standard horizontal sh, only that when performed by a dwarf, it was perfectly at the height of a typical humanoid creature''s knees. The move was so simple that dwarves could execute it even with their eyes closed.


    The Coward Devil was flipped onto the ground, stillughing foolishly.


    So the furious dwarf smashed his shield onto that mouth, again and again. The steel shield wasrge enough to cover the entire head of the Coward Devil, and by the sixth hit, Bruto felt like he had smashed a watermelon.


    The dwarf finally snapped out of his frenzied state, realizing that his enemy waspletely unable to fight back. Bruto scrambled up from the ground, raising his ears to search for the next target.


    But he had spent too much time on that Coward Devil, and there were no more targets left.


    With the death of thest Aberrant Demon, the effects of the Dark Arts also dissipated.


    Bruto looked around; the bodies of demonsy scattered everywhere. Most had been run through with a sword, and the human knight stood in a dashing pose, flicking the blood off his sword de.


    "I''ve found that ears are better at finding demons'' weaknesses than eyes," Lancelot smiled as he noticed everyone looking at him. "After all, their hearts keep thumping loudly."

 Chapter 48 Original Magic

    "Lancelot, considering the sword my old man made for you, couldn''t you have left me with more?" Brutoined loudly, perhaps his desire for battle was unfulfilled, or maybe he was annoyed that his body got sttered with quite a bit of Coward Devil brain matter.


    "You only asked to keep two of them," Lancelot spread his hands and then turned to Klin, "The effect of that magic just now was really good, howe you never mentioned it before?"


    "Uh, this magic is called ''Breeze of Smiles'', it''s something I created bybining Wind Creation Spell and Mad Laughter Spell," Klin scratched his head, "To ensure that the spell''s Circle Rank does not exceed the second circle, which is my highest casting capability, the wind was weakened to a gentle breeze, and the madughter was turned into a smile.


    The purpose of creating this spell was very simple, merely to break the awkward silence that often urs during schrs'' gatherings. I made this scroll for practice, but because I felt it didn''t quite fit the adventurous atmosphere, I did not bring it up."


    "Well, the situation just now proved that this magic is definitely more useful than you thought,"mented Lancelot.


    "You say you can create new magic?" Baron Barrend asked with a face full of surprise. Dwarves have mixed feelings about magic, consisting of fear and distrust, even though they understand how to imbue equipment with magical power better than any other race.


    "Well, not really," Klin exined, "Only those who can directly manipte the Magic Net might be able to create apletely new spell. Schrs, in order to grasp the ability to cast, understand an existing spell very thoroughly, and on that basis, they can make certain modifications, such as increasing or decreasing its power, orbining several spells together.


    Such modifications usually lead to a disproportionate change in the difficulty of casting or the power of the spell, a widely circted spell is generally the best version after repeated trials."


    "It seems like that''s not absolute," Lancelot said with a smile, "Weakened spells may have entirely new uses, as we just witnessed."


    "Yes, yes, this is indeed a very useful idea," Klin''s eyes shone brightly. The recent experience had opened up a whole new door for him, and he was eager to experiment with various new ideas.


    "The creator of a spell gets to name it, right?" Bruto said with a mischievous grin, "That spell''s full name should be ''Klin''s Breeze of Smiles''."


    "Agreed."


    "Agreed."


    "Then it''s settled, hahaha¡­."


    There was nothing valuable on the bodies of these Demons, and the group continued on their way.


    Barrend would asionally knock off a piece of Iron Ore from the sides of the tunnel, inspect it carefully in his hand, or enter a working face for an exploration, but after an hour had passed, they still hadn''t found anything.


    It had been six hours since they had left Twin Bridges Town, and the group found a rtively t area to start eating their dry rations.


    "We''ll search for another three hours, and if we still haven''t found anything, we must head back," Lancelot said, "Spending the night in this mine is probably not a good idea."


    "I feel we are very close," Barrend frowned, "These Iron Ore tells me that there must be a huge Cold Iron Vein nearby, I''m sure I can find it!"


    "Alright, but make it fast," Lancelot looked around uneasily. During the battle with the Aberrant Demon, his sight was temporarily stripped away by the Dark Arts, forcing him to focus his attention on his other senses; at that time, he felt as though he was being watched by a pair of eyes filled with longing.


    No, definitely not by someone who likes to wear revealing leather and has a bombshell figure.


    After a brief rest, the group set off again towards the depths of the mine. The number of monsters on the way thinned, and Lancelot uneasily thought back to the huge pit and the two shattered bodies of the Gray Dwarves at the fourteenth working face.


    Another hour had passed, and they had reached a depth of seven thousand feet underground. Only Dwarves, who shared a special connection with the rock, had the ability to excavate at this depth, carving out enormous caverns beneath the earth''s surface.


    In a work area akin to a castle hall, the party finally found the goal of their expedition.


    As soon as he stepped into this work area, Lancelot felt hopeful because he sensed a special kind of coldness, an all-too-familiar feeling¡ªhe had a weapon on his back that gave him the same sensation.n/o/vel/b//in dot c//om


    Barrend quickly dug up the ore they had been diligently searching for in a corner. Unlike themon reddish-brown iron ore, the Cold Iron Ore throughout was deep ck, with asional blue crystals interspersed, signifying the natural cold magic within.


    "You little rascal,e over and get to work!" Barrend called out to his son.


    Two Dwarves swung their Cross Pickaxes, immersed in the joy of mining. For the Dwarves, this was one of their favorite tasks, a blessing bestowed upon them by the god Moradin, and crafting the ore into exquisite items was their way of paying tribute to him.


    However, as stone chips flew, a thin fog began to rise around them, causing unease.


    "Err, Barrend, what''s with this fog?" Klin walked over and tapped the Dwarf engrossed in his work, "Is this specific to the coldness from the Cold Iron Ore?"


    Only then did Barrend notice the abnormal situation behind him. He shook his head and said,


    "That shouldn''t be, I''ve never encountered something like this before."


    Lancelot''s spirit tensed up; his Spiritual Sense was already sending him a warning as if some threat had reached a level that could not be ignored.


    Suddenly, a terrifying monster appeared before his eyes. The creature, thirty feet tall, resembled a winged toad. Its entire chest, from under its chin down to its legs, waspletely split open, lined with countless sharp, bone-like teeth, like a gaping maw ready to devour all in its path, and it lunged towards him with its teeth bared and ws outstretched.


    Lancelot''s heart was struck by lightning, the horrific sight delivering a strong shock that inevitably threw him into a state of panic.


    He fell to the ground, his heart convulsively twitching uncontrobly as his body ached as if it had truly been attacked. True Qi swiftly surged from his Dantian, and the recitations of the Ice Heart Spell naturally resonated within him, allowing Lancelot to regain hisposure.


    He quickly realized that the monster before him was nothing but an illusion; its appearance had too many inconsistencies, and other than its terrifying stance, it hadn''t actually charged at him to cause any harm.


    While he was scrutinizing the details of the monster''s form, a figure rapidly approached him.


    "Sir Lancelot! What''s wrong with you?" The neer was Dunif, the captain of the Gray Dwarf mining team. "I was worried something might happen to you down here, so after I settled my team, I came looking for you..."


    He ran up to Lancelot and reached out to help the fallen Knight.


    Lancelot abruptly looked up, and Dunif internally cursed, knowing it was toote.


    What greeted him was a sh of a chilling de.

 Chapter 49 Evil Spirit Demon

    Lancelot''s sword was swift and fierce, and Dunif was cleaved into two before he could even react.


    The noise of his sudden fall had already caught everyone''s attention, now they were all stunned by Lancelot''s abrupt assault.


    But a more horrifying scene unfolded, the body of the Gray Dwarf bubbled as if boiling, emitting white smoke continuously, which gathered above into a vague, jellyfish-like form. The mist in the air had dissipated, reced by a sickly sweet, rotten scent.


    Klin''s pupils constricted violently, recognizing what it was.


    "Evil spirit demon!" His quivering voice exposed his fear, sending a shiver through everyone''s heart.


    But Lancelot didn''t care about that; he fearlessly raised his weapon again and struck at the gaseous jellyfish form in the air.


    The chill-emitting Frostsh passed through the location of the evil spirit demon without any hindrance, failing to cause any damage.


    "Only magic can harm it!" Klin shouted while unrolling a scroll, "Beware its touch!"


    The Schr had already channeled magic power into the scroll, and the spell was about to bepleted, but the evil spirit demon raised a gaseous tentacle and pointed it at him.


    Klin emitted a terrified scream and turned to run away from the evil spirit demon, dropping the scroll on the ground.


    The evil spirit demon, recognizing the robed figure as the only spellcaster among the group, used a Fear Spell to drive him away, leaving the three remaining people incapable of inflicting any harm upon it.


    The Human Knight named Lancelot continued vainly attacking the air with his sword, yet he was the target of the evil spirit demon this time.


    Evil spirit demons are a peculiar type of demon; they are not generated by mortal souls but can possess a corpse that is not severely damaged. Afterward, they will continue to y the role of the original owner of the body or adopt a new identity, blending into the social fabric of the deceased''smunity.


    They naturally prefer individuals of higher social status, with charming appearances, as this facilitates their spreading of evil and corruption. They certainly do not wait for their targets to die naturally; in fact, they are incredibly adept at seizing a mortal''s life.


    Typically, they would summon a weakening mist to diminish the target''s willpower and then create the most horrific illusion imaginable to cause psychic damage. Once the target''s life force is severely depleted, it would approach and use its most lethal technique: Touch of Death.


    Dunif, the leader of the Gray Dwarf mining team, had been the evil spirit demon''sst victim, a very suitable host for possession. However, the arrival of Lancelot gave it a new idea. This Human was the leader of an adventuring team, tall and strong, brimming with masculine charm, and an irresistible temptation for it.


    It extended a gaseous tentacle to Lancelot, preparing to use Touch of Death to snatch away the Human''s life and take over his body before eliminating all eyewitnesses at the scene.


    Controlling such a perfect physique shouldn''t be too difficult.


    Lancelot realized that ordinary physical attacks were useless against this phantom-like demon, and the tentacle reaching towards him ignited a strong sense of crisis within him.


    No longer holding back in the face of death, Lancelot released the most pure Innate True Qi from his Dantian and swung his sword at that tendril.


    The strike seemed unremarkable, and the demon spirit took it as thest struggle of its prey. However, a sharp pain caused the incorporeal demon to screech. They witnessed its invisible tendril cut off by Lancelot''s sword, harmlessly floating in the air before gradually dissipating.


    Seeing his attack was effective, Lancelot was momentarily stunned, then greatly encouraged. An enemy immune to his attack was invincible, but now the situation had changed.


    The demon spirit''s reaction was unexpectedly violent. Taking advantage of Lancelot''s briefpse in concentration, it quickly retreated, and a portal appeared behind it. The jellyfish-like demon backed through the portal and disappeared.


    The non-corporeal demon didn''t utter a word the entire time, but everyone present heard its painful cry in their minds when its tendril was cut, along with a string of venomous curses before it vanished.


    With the demon''s disappearance, Klin finally broke free from the state of panic. He clutched his chest, gasping for breath, having possibly run faster than he ever had under the influence of fear.


    Bruto and Barrend were a bit too far away to be of any help earlier, and now they quickly came over to support the physically exhausted schr.


    "Are you alright?" Bruto asked with concern; he now had many questions that needed Klin''s answers. "What was that thing just now?"


    "That type of demon is a new species; their existence was first confirmed less than a thousand years ago," Klin managed to catch his breath and began to share what he knew about the demon spirit.


    "...In summary, this is a kind of demon that is not yet fully understood. It''s known that they can upy a corpse that has not been beheaded or severely damaged, and can repair all the damage the body had suffered the instant they possess it.


    Moreover, there''s always been spection within the Dark Cult that they possess a terrifying supernatural ability: they can kill a living being immediately with just a touch, though the specific conditions for this to take effect still require further investigation."


    "My initial attacks seemed ineffective against it," Lancelot expressed his confusion. "How is such a demon normally dealt with?"n/o/vel/b//in dot c//om


    "They are like spectral beings, immune to all non-magical damage. Clerics, Holy Warriors, and the like are specialists in dealing with them, or a proper Mage would do," Klin said awkwardly scratching his head.


    "My second circle ''Magic Weapon'' spell can grant your swords and hammers a magic attack effect, which under normal circumstances is the only effective method we have because even if I use all my spell slots to cast offensive magic, it wouldn''t be enough to kill it. But it seems I was hit by its Fear Spell and was of no help. It looks like that n won''t work either."


    "That''s terrifying," Bruto said, ncing around fearfully, a bit concerned the incorporeal demon hadn''t gone far. Dwarves abhor any foe that can''t be killed with a hammer or axe.


    "Such demons can indeed be devastating ifcking the means to counter them," Klin said, as though recalling something, then turned to Lancelot. "You used the same power you had against the mud creature before, didn''t you? The effect seems quite good; otherwise, we would have been in real danger today."


    Lancelot nodded. In a moment of desperation, he had used up nearly a third of his Innate True Qi, which pained him. Innate True Qi could not be replenished and could only be slowly recovered by one''s own body. He reminded himself inwardly not to lose his cool again until life and death were truly at stake.


    "It''s good we have you," Klin seemed to breathe a sigh of relief. "A disembodied demon spirit is actually very fragile. It used a teleportation spell to escape just now and probably wouldn''t dare to trouble us again."


    As if in response to his words, the expressions of Barrend and Bruto suddenly changed, followed by Lancelot feeling a rumbling beneath his feet, as if some huge creature was rapidly approaching from underground.


    The pale faces of the dwarves signaled the identity of the iing attacker. Lancelot shouted at Klin:


    "Erge spell! Now!"

 Chapter 50 Shark Lizard Beast

    Klin relied entirely on her subconscious reaction toplete the casting of the Erge Spell.


    The power of magic surged into Lancelot''s body, and he felt not that he was growingrger, but that the world around him was shrinking.


    However, to Bruto and the others, Lancelot did indeed growrger. His figure soared upwards, but it stopped at around ten feet and did not reach twice his original height.


    "Klin! What kind of Erge Spell is this? What happened to twice the height, eight times the weight?" Bruto, leaning against one of Lancelot''s erged thighs, shouted anxiously.


    "Impossible! I have not tampered with this spell at all! And even a true Mage couldn''t have done it better than me!" Klin, unconvinced, retorted with her neck outstretched.


    "It must be my problem," Lancelot spoke, his voice like the muffled thunder of a summer day. He could feel the force surging into his body was extremely powerful, but the flesh and blood strengthened by nature''s spiritual energy were not so easily duplicated.


    Everyone clung tightly to Lancelot, as scattering at this time would be akin to giving the enemy the opportunity to defeat them individually. With therge figure of Lancelot present, at least the shark-lizard beast would not be able to swallow them all in one bite.


    The vibrations from the ground grew stronger and stronger, making everyone''s hearts rise to their throats.


    "Lower your center of gravity, brace for impact!" Lancelot called out a reminder, and everyone did as told immediately.


    Then, Lancelot suddenly leaped into the air.


    "What the hell..." Bruto was baffled by his movement and blurted out without thinking.


    Of course, Lancelot had no time to respond. He jumped nearly ten feet high, and at the apex of his leap, he drew his erged Great Sword, pointing it downward, and let gravity pull him back to the ground.


    As though it were a pre-arranged signal, the moment the tip of the sword pierced the ground, the earth burst apart simultaneously.


    A terrifying figure sprang from below; it was going to send all creatures on the surface flying and swallow the one in the middle in a single gulp.


    That is, if there wasn''t a sword de lodged in its mouth.


    Lancelot''s sword tip pierced through the lower jaw of the shark-lizard beast, his feet nted on either side of its gaping maw, like a spread pair of tongs, preventing the monster from closing its devastatinglyrge mouth.


    Bruto and the others were flung aside as the shark-lizard beast burrowed out from below, but fortunately, Lancelot''s strike from above halted the creature, and they had been ready for the impact, so they almost immediately scrambled to their feet, unharmed.


    No creature likes the feeling of having their jaw pierced by a sharp weapon while their mouth is open, and the shark-lizard beast was no exception. Driven mad by pain and rage, the beast violently thrashed its head, forcing Lancelot to jump aside, of course not before he yanked the hilt hard, erging the wound on the beast''s lower jaw a bit more.


    The shark-lizard beast finally crawled out from the ground; it was nearly twenty feet in length, about twice the size of its kin that had previously appeared in the Prime Material ne.


    Its back was covered with smooth yet sturdy carapace, with sharp protrusions resembling shark fins on top; the upper half of its head was also a single piece of carapace, with only a small pair of pits near the nose, where vertical-pupiled eyes that were emitting an abnormal white light resided.


    Its gaping maw was now like a leaky water bag, fresh blood constantly gushing out from below. Such a wound wasn''t fatal for it, but it was sufficient to drive it mad.


    But Lancelot was even madder. The giant-like knight brandished his exaggerated Great Sword, shing fiercely at the shark-lizard beast. Lancelot was shocked to find that his full-strength strike powered by True Qi was not strikingly effective, barely cracking the beast''s skull.


    However, he did not ease the pressure on his enemy. His Great Sword, like a pile driver, fell again and again upon the shark-lizard beast.


    As a warrior seasoned in countless battles, Lancelot was not short on experience in dealing with wild beasts. You can rely on bait, traps, and ambushes to kill them without showing yourself, but when you must face them head-on, you must not show even a hint of cowardice, or you''ll surely be the one to die.


    This shark-lizard beast had never faced such a formidable opponent before. Lancelot''s relentless Great Sword strikes stunned it, but some primal beastliness from the Abyss awoke within it.


    It suddenly lifted its head and, at the cost of nearly having its mouth full of sharp teeth shattered, bit onto the annoying Great Sword, then, with a fierce snap of itsrge jaws like a tiger''s vice, Lancelot was left holding only the hilt.


    The shattered sword de quickly shrank and scattered between the teeth of the shark-lizard beast, creating even more small wounds.


    "Fuck your grandfather!" Lancelot cursed furiously. Although the Great Sword had nothing special about it, it had apanied him through many battles, and he had formed a deep connection with it.


    He drew Frostsh, his face contorted into a smile that was more angry than amused.


    "Bet you didn''t see thising, I''ve still got another one!"


    The monster roared in anger and swiped at Lancelot with its ws, who met the attack head-on without fear.


    Cold iron shed with sharp ws, emitting a series of loud noises. Barrend and Klin watched the terrifying confrontation between the giant creatures, dumbfounded; they feltpletely useless, as even a slight touch of the aftershocks would be enough to seriously injure them.


    But one Dwarf thought differently.


    Bruto had already made his way to the rear of the shark-lizard beast, holding up his Shield to block the flying mud and stones, cautiously trying to approach the enemy''s hind legs, all the while wary of the shark-lizard beast''s tail, which was like an iron rod.


    Lancelot naturally didn''t overlook the Dwarf''s movements; he executed a set of shy sword Techniques, firmly capturing the enemy''s attention.


    Bruto finally reached the enemy''s feet. The shark-lizard beast''s hind legs were as thick as pirs, filled with explosive power, but the Dwarf still found his favorite target, the protrusion where the monster''s thigh met its calf.


    Bruto threw away the Shield, grabbed the hammer with both hands, and swung it high over his head, striking down hard on that protrusion.


    The beast, engaged inbat with Lancelot, let out an earth-shattering cry of pain, its body losing bnce and toppling to one side, nearly crushing the Dwarf who was trying to deliver another hammer blow.


    The shark-lizard beast turned its head around; it would rather use its already partially shattered Helmet to block another of Lancelot''s strikes than to tear apart that detestable little Dwarf.


    It hated Dwarves; the taste of Dwarves was difficult to stomach, like chewing on stones. It also detested Elves, for their flesh was scant and had a wooden stench to it.


    But the Knight''s sword did not chop down as it had anticipated. Lancelot suddenly changed his move, unleashing an Upper sh he hadn''t used before in the fight.


    It was his trump card, which had helped him defeat countless enemies. Aside from being well-practiced, there was nothing special about the move itself, but Lancelot would initiate with a series of downward and Horizontal shes to create a defensive pattern in the enemy''s mind, then he would suddenly perform an Upper sh, often achieving a decisive effect.N?v(el)B\\jnn


    This time was no exception; the sword struck fiercely against the shark-lizard beast''s unguarded, scar-riddled jaw. The force of this sword was so tremendous that it sent the upper body of the shark-lizard beast soaring upwards.


    Lancelot''s Longsword did not hesitate; he had already considered three follow-up moves before his strike. The Longsword turned and stabbed, its de piercing through the shark-lizard beast''s lower jaw, through its mouth, and lodged against the part of the skull likely near its nose.


    The Knight roared, his body''s True Qi circting at full strength, and his giant-like physique burst forth with terrifying power, impaling the shark-lizard beast off the ground.


    The shark-lizard beast''s mouth was forcefully pried open, its limbs iling wildly, like a hooked carp. Although Lancelot''s sword had controlled it, it failed to strike its brain and was not lethal.


    Looking at the shark-lizard beast''s gaping mouth, Lancelot had a sh of inspiration and shouted:


    "Bruto! Climb onto my shoulders, quick!"

 Chapter 51 Pouring into the Belly

    "Bruto! Climb onto my shoulder!"


    The young Dwarf was seizing this rare opportunity, attacking the supports behind the Shark Lizard Beast''s hind legs with ferocity when he heard the call. Startled, he hesitated for a moment, but his unquestioning trust in Lancelot kicked in immediately. He dashed over, dropped his hammer, and mbered onto Lancelot''s ten-foot-tall frame using his hands and feet.


    Lancelot''s body felt to him like freshly forged steel, hot and hard.


    It must be the effect of the Erge Spell, the Dwarf muttered to himself.


    As he climbed, Lancelot''s arms continued to lift; his lips were tightly shut, and the muscles in his arms and shoulders bulged, indicating he was exerting all his strength.


    The Knight''s current posture resembled that of a farmer wrestling a chayote, except his prey was twice his size.


    "Dimensional Bag!" Lancelot managed to utter between grunts, "Acid!"


    Bruto hesitated for a moment, then his face lit up with surprise.


    He absolutely loved Lancelot''s idea.


    The Dwarf stepped onto the erged Frostsh and moved in front of the Shark Lizard Beast''s gaping maw. He nced down and nearly vomited. Starting from the throat, the beast''s maw was filled with teeth¡ªits blood-red, razor-sharp teeth evoked images of the meat grinders Dwarves use to make sausages.


    Taking a deep breath, he took off the Dimensional Belt he had previously looted from the Mud Monster''s body. With a flick of his wrist, he untied the rope around the bag''s opening and upended it into the Shark Lizard Beast''s mouth.


    A full 150 gallons of acid poured from the extradimensional space down the creature''s gullet, which was thicker than Bruto''s waist, straight into its belly.


    "How''s the taste?"


    A triumphant smile spread across the Dwarf''s face as the hissing sound of strong acid corroding flesh rose, and a potent, pungent odor filled the air.


    The Shark Lizard Beast''s limbs twitched at a frequency only a dying animal could achieve, its movements so violent that even Lancelot, exerting himself to the maximum, could not hold onto his sword tightly.


    Bruto began to sway, on the verge of falling off the Sword de. But before he dropped, he took out two small bottles from his pocket and threw them into the Shark Lizard Beast''s mouth.


    "Like that? Want me to season it more for you?"


    The Giant creature''s violent struggles made the wound on its chin grow, and suddenly, Lancelot''s sword sliced out from beneath the Shark Lizard Beast''s jaw, splitting the beast''s lower jaw into two halves right down the middle.


    But this freed the Shark Lizard Beast from its binds; the massive jaw that Lancelot had almost cracked finally closed.


    Then it crushed the strong alkali bottles Bruto had thrown in.


    A violent reaction erupted inside the Shark Lizard Beast''s mouth, the horrific heat melding the flesh and blood together. It could no longer open its formidable maw that had chewed through metal and stone; this mine was itsir, and it was the King here, not yet willing to give up, determined to rip its enemy to shreds.


    The Shark Lizard Beast tried to unleash its fierce pounce, a move that had helped it defeat countless enemies before.


    But its knees had been shattered by the Dwarf earlier, and the pounce became a ludicrously feeble lurch, turning its massive body sideways as the parts of its brain responsible for bnce had been melted away.


    In its dying moments, it caught a final glimpse of the enemy that had killed it¡ªthe strange sight of the iron Giant gradually shrinking.


    What''s happening? Why did Ie here? I wasn''t even hungry.


    Then the Shark Lizard Beast died.


    "Huff."


    Bruto copsed to the ground, sitting on his behind. The battle had skirted the edge of death throughout, and now he felt as if his body had suddenly been emptied, goingpletely limp.


    Everyone looked as if they had just survived a great cmity, except for one person.


    Lancelot''s Spiritual Sense told him the danger was far from over and was rapidly approaching, but he couldn''t pinpoint the source of the threat. He pulled out a mountain crystal equivalent to a Middle Grade Spirit Stone, urgently replenishing the True Qi that had been greatly depleted just moments before.


    Just then, a fierce grey light burst from the eyes of the corpse on the ground.


    "Malevolent spirit demon!" Klin was the first to react, crying out in rm.


    A sh of light passed, and the carcass of the shark lizard beast stood up once again, all its wounds gone without a trace.


    The Malevolent Spirit Demon possessed an ability unknown to many: it could bestow a ''gift'' upon an ordinary creature through touch, enhancing the creature''s attacks. However, the Malevolent Spirit Demon could also see and hear everything around the recipient through their eyes and ears, and whisper into the recipient''s mind, making them believe these were their own thoughts.


    Resisting the Malevolent Spirit Demon''s gift required a strong willpower, something utterly impossible for a beast like the shark lizard, whose brain was filled with muscle.


    It had been used by the Malevolent Spirit Demon for hundreds of years, providing it with countless fresh corpses without raising any suspicion, after all, this was the Abyss¡ªwhere it would be strange if a mining pit never had any miner deaths.n/?/vel/b//jn dot c//om


    But the gift had another effect: once the recipient died, as long as the Malevolent Spirit Demon was on the same ne of existence, it could immediately upy their corpse, regardless of the distance between them.


    "You damned fiend, will this never end!"


    Bruto, who had just been sitting deted on the ground like a punctured ball, suddenly sprang up, running towards his hammer and shield that he had tossed aside earlier.


    Lancelot didn''t understand how the Malevolent Spirit Demon managed all this, but he was very clear about the situation at hand.


    He was not unprepared, either. During the battle with the shark lizard, he had never used his most powerful move¡ªInnate True Qi¡ªintending to save it for this threat that had previously slipped away from him.


    The original n of the Malevolent Spirit Demon was tomand the shark lizard to kill these people, but the Human Knight had proven to be exceptionally strong under the effect of the Erge Spell, further fueling its desire for that body. In thest view of the shark lizard, it saw the effects of the Erge Spell dissipate, deciding it was time to take matters into its own hands.


    In fact, Klin had already used up all of his second-ring Spell slots, the only thing he could do now was to make sure he didn''t be a burden to Lancelot.


    However, the Malevolent Spirit Demon had no ns to let him go. The shark lizard nced at Klin, and the poor Schr once again fled uncontrobly.


    Lancelot charged forward proactively. Given the size difference, once the shark lizard started its charge, nothing could stop it aside from the solid rock walls here.


    The Malevolent Spirit Demon-controlled shark lizard looked disdainfully at the human. He had indeed demonstrated great courage and skill in the recent fight, but what could courage and skill amount to in the face of absolute power?


    The shark lizard opened its massive mouth, revealing a full set of neatly arranged sharp teeth.


    Just as it was about to bite down on the human, who clearly overestimated his abilities, the target vanished from its sight.


    Lancelot once more used the Footwork Technique he had learned from the bamboo slips. Seizing the moment the shark lizard''s eyes narrowed as it opened its mouth, he leaped mightily into the air.


    In this jump, he applied the mental method of Gathering Qi sh, concentrating True Qi into his feet. To the onlookers, Lancelot''s leap was so swift that he looked just like a tree frog.


    Given its body structure, it was difficult for the shark lizard to raise its head and observe above itself, but its upper body was covered with a thick Carapace, typically disregarding any threats from above. The Demon upying the shark lizard''s body was well aware of this, though it had yet to realize the disappeared Human Knight had now positioned himself on its head.


    In mid-air, Lancelot tapped into the very essence of the power within his Dantian Qi Sea.

 Chapter 52 Decapitation

    An invisible Sword Aura extended from the de made of Cold Iron Ore, and if one observed closely enough, they could see a slight refraction of light in the air.


    To Bruto and Barrend, the sword Lancelot shed in the air felt light and airy, as if a snowke was gently falling from the sky and daintilynding on the shark lizard beast''s smooth Back Armor.


    Then it continued forward without hindrance.


    The demonic spirit found itself suddenly unable to control the shark lizard beast''s body, while the ground rapidly approached him.


    Lancelot was like an old farmer selling winter melons at the market, cleanly and neatly chopping off the shark lizard beast''s turtle-like head in one stroke¡ªso smooth andplete that it was even pleasing to the eye.


    The monster had already died just moments before; it was the power of the Demons that sustained its life. Thus, from the wound, only a small amount of fresh blood surged out, with more of it being a kind of hazy smoke, quickly reforming into the shape of a jellyfish in the air.


    Lancelot knew that the enemy would immediately try to use the same portal Technique to escape, and he could no longer tolerate letting this Demon slip away from his grasp again.


    Many years of warrior training had equipped him with a skill akin to a Barbarians'' rage, only it was more proactive and controble, and now was the time to use it.


    His adrenaline surged wildly, and strength flowed out from within his body like the tide, making everything around him seem to slow down.


    Innate True Qi gathered again on his sword, and in the blink of an eye, Lancelot swung three consecutive times, slicing at the head of that jellyfish-shaped demonic spirit in the air.N?v(el)B\\jnn


    The Sword de, imbued with Innate Power, carved the body of the demonic spirit into several pieces. The Demon had not even had the time to scream telepathically with its Sensory Ability before being killed by Lancelot, dissipating into the air.


    As Lancelot killed the demonic spirit, he vaguely sensed a weak force, simr to nature''s spiritual energy, being absorbed by him.


    He immediately thought of the cruel survival games between Demons but upon slight introspection, he found that apart from a strong scent of the Abyss, the force would soon be integrated by his Cauldron Immortal Technique and was nothing inappropriate.


    As the demonic spirit was in by him, the surroundings becamepletely silent.


    From the moment the shark lizard beast was resurrected to Lancelot''s amazing strike that decapitated it, to the three strikes that shredded the demonic spirit, the entire sequence took less than twenty seconds.


    Everyone was stunned by Lancelot''s astonishing performance, and the scene fell silent for a moment.


    "Ahem... well, this time it should really be dead," Lancelot couldn''t help but break the silence.


    "Big bro, when we were dealing with that big beast..." Bruto was the first to recover from his shock, finding the scene before him very familiar.


    "Correct, it''s that move," Lancelot said with a smile and nodded.


    "Stones above, your Magician bloodline is a bit exaggerated, isn''t it?" Bruto looked in awe at the cleanly polished cut on the body of the shark lizard beast, "When do you n to make a move on Tijana, big bro?"


    Lancelot burst into an intense coughing fit, and everyone burst into loudughter.


    "Speaking of which, this might be the most intact shark lizard beast corpse in history." Klin walked around the massive body on the ground; the demonic spirit''s power had restored the body of the shark lizard beast to its prime condition before Lancelot chopped it off in one stroke.


    Barrend also approached, pulling out a very tiny little hammer and tapping and feeling here and there on the body of the shark lizard beast, finally announcing:


    "The hardness of the Carapace that looks like a shark fin on its back is outstanding, and it contains some Magical Power; it can be used to make a Shield. The skin on the buttocks and hind legs is also very good. The other parts are average in value. Maybe someone would like to eat its meat, but I think that person isn''t here today."


    "What are we waiting for?" Bruto came over with a hammer and saw, ready to do something rough to the beautiful corpse.


    "I''d better do it," Lancelot sighed. He still had a bit of Innate Power, and for precision cutting tasks like these, likely no one else present could surpass him.


    So, under Klin''s direction, he then spent the remaining time disassembling every muscle and bone of the shark lizard beast bit by bit. The Schr, with a face full of frenzy, recorded all the details on the side and announced that a big academic award this year was undoubtedly his.


    If only he could find a way to send the paper back to the Prime Material ne.


    Atst, the contents of the Storage Bag, aside from theplete Back Armor with the shark fin, included the head of the shark lizard beast, which everyone agreed would make a suitable souvenir, especially the neat rows of sharp teeth that indeed possessed a certain ornamental appeal.


    Besides, Lancelot also saved about ten pounds of the finest tenderloin from the beast''s lower back. The meat from that area looked smooth and tender, its evenly distributed fat resembling ayer of white frost. In his not-so-aging noble gaze, Barrend''s opinion probably didn''t apply to this part of the shark lizard beast.


    Preservation was a big issue, but when he saw the ore emitting cold air the Dwarves had dug up, the solution to his problem came naturally.


    After dealing with the shark lizard beast, Lancelot also picked up a Cross Pickaxe, ready to join the Dwarves in packing the rest of the Dimensional Bag to the brim with Cold Iron Ore.


    But as he was about to walk around therge pit created by the shark lizard beast, his Spiritual Sense alerted him to something important down below.


    "Hey Barrend!" Lancelot called out loudly, "Come take a look at this!"


    The old Dwarf put down his work and ran over. When he stood at the edge of the mine pit, Lancelot was sure his heart skipped a beat.


    Inside the tunnel bored by the shark lizard beast, the faint blue spots twinkled like the pre-dawn night sky, and the chilly air flowed out like the fresh breeze that greets you when you open your door after the first snowfall.


    This was a truly gigantic vein, bigger than any the old Dwarf had ever seen, and the Cold Iron Ore that sparkled with starlight was of a Top Grade seldom seen.


    Lancelot sensed around for any danger and, confirming there was none, was the first to jump down.


    There was something even more valuable inside calling to him.


    The shark lizard beast too seemed to fancy the coolness the Cold Iron Ore brought; perhaps the Cold Iron Vein was muchrger than they had imagined¡ªthe entire tunnel waspletely within the Cold Iron Vein.


    At a certain turn, Lancelot stopped and began swinging the Cross Pickaxe in a specific direction.


    Barrend and Bruto came to help him. The Dwarves also sensed something vaguely but they were not as certain as Lancelot.


    Finally, they uncovered a patch of blue crystals associated with the Cold Iron Ore. These crystals exposed to the air emitted a mist like cold smoke, and when Lancelot ced his hand on them, he unsurprisingly felt a significant amount of Spiritual Energy, like that of a mountain crystalizing.


    "Coldwater Crystals, treasuresparable to mountain crystals," Bruto nced at Lancelot, "Boss, your treasure-finding ability, how should I describe it?"


    "Cut the chatter," Lancelot scowled at him, "This is all ours, get moving. Afterwards this ce will be handed over to the mining team from Twin Bridges Town, you wouldn''t want to let..."


    He didn''t finish his sentence, because the two Dwarves had already speedily begun swinging their Cross Pickaxes, their eyes so fervent they seemed capable of melting the Coldwater Crystals.


    When ites to a love for gemstones, perhaps only Dragons could be mentioned in the same breath as Dwarves.

 Chapter 53 Harvest

    After collecting these blue crystals, the Dwarves immediately began mining Cold Iron Ore. They worked with incredible efficiency, and due to their innate talent, their Cross Pickaxes always hit the weakest spots in the rockyers, never showing signs of fatigue, growing more spirited the harder they worked.


    Klin cast a 0th-level Light Spell to brightly illuminate the surroundings, then studied the corpse of the shark-lizard beast until she could no longer stay awake and fell asleep in a corner, wrapped in her cloak, unaffected by the intermittent tapping of the Dwarves'' mining.


    Lancelot, meanwhile, sat cross-legged, meditating, cultivating, and expanding his Divine Sense, to stay alert to any threats that might approach.


    He was pleasantly surprised to discover a noticeable increase in his True Qi, small though it was, it was much faster than his usual rate of progress. He conjectured that it was likely rted to the fierce battle that day, simr to how intense physical exercise can enhance the body''s strength.


    Bruto and Barrend attacked the ore vein with their Cross Pickaxes throughout the night. The high-quality Cold Iron Ore stimted their enthusiasm for work like a stimnt, and in one night, they excavated nearly a ton of ore, filling up all the space in the Dimensional Bag, enough for Barrend to forge dozens of weapons of various styles.


    In addition, they found over thirty pieces of Cold Water Crystals of various sizes, six of which met the Upper Grade Spirit Stone standard. Therger Cold Water Crystals that contained more Spiritual Energy tended to be big and had various inclusions, not really meeting the criteria for ornamental gemstones.


    Since most of the battle was Lancelot''s effort, after he expressed how these stones could help improve his strength, everyone agreed to let him pick therger ones first.


    They set out early the next morning, taking nearly four hours to climb from seven thousand feet underground back to the surface. They retrieved their tools from the rest area (the supplies had beenpletely scavenged by the Gray Dwarves), then summoned the Nightmare Chariot and smoothly returned to Twin Bridges Town by midday.


    It must be said, without that Dimensional Bag, the journey would definitely not have been so easy.


    Upon entering the town, their first stop was to report the results of their exploration to the Craftsmen Committee. Five white-bearded elderly Dwarves were thrilled by the news of the discovery of the massive Cold Iron Vein, and the ton of high-grade ore in the Dimensional Bag made everything more attractive.


    They also expressed gratitude for Lancelot and his group''s efforts to rescue the Gray Dwarf mining team¡ªhaving returned to Twin Bridges Town the day before. But upon hearing Lancelot''s ount of the shark-lizard beast and the Spirit Demons, themittee members all wore looks of relief.


    Lancelot also described the superior performance of Cold Iron Weapons in battle against Demons, which was another topic of great interest to the Committee. As the production supervisor of the Tigana Abyss armament business, these weapons held broad market prospects.


    If you consider which race has killed the most Demons in the entire Multiverse, Demons could only be ranked second, with Demons themselves at the top.


    As for the celestial beings, they learned a simple lesson after the great war with Demons tens of thousands of years ago¡ªas long as the Bottomless Abyss exists, killing any number of Demons is pointless. Rather than holding the naive idea of exterminating Demons to purify the Abyss, it''s better to let these lower ne Fiends ughter each other.


    They only intervene when Demons spread chaos to the Prime Material ne, but they also secretly deploy Spies and undercover agents, closely monitoring the shifts in power within the Abyss, vignt against the emergence of a Demon Lord capable of uniting all Demons.


    The Dwarven Artisans unanimously agreed that Barrend should focus on mass production of the first batch of prototypes to assess the "new product''s" profits and market prospects. Lancelot, along with Bruto and Klin, went to the Mercenary Hall to turn in their quest.


    Entering the Mercenary Hall once again, what caught their eye first was the terrifying sight of the six-armed Serpent Demon.


    "You''re back again," Sonam said with interest as she watched Lancelot and hispanions walk in. "Finally mustered the courage to take on your first mission? I''ve alreadye up with several ways you might die."


    "Haha! Disappointing you! We''ve alreadypleted our first mission!" Bruto shouted boisterously.


    Sonam scrutinized him with suspicion, her eyes narrowing into a dangerous slit, and Lancelot hurriedly produced the document the Craftsmen Committee had given them.


    He really felt like knocking some sense into this nutcase''s head the way Barrend did. Most Demons'' characters can be simply summarized as psychopaths with serious violent tendencies, and the one before him was even capable of ripping apart a shark-lizard beast, skewering, and roasting it for a meal.


    Lancelot was certain that Bruto''s unrestrained big mouth would sooner orter bring serious trouble to everyone.


    The six-armed Serpent Demon verified the authenticity of the document and nonchntly took a small pouch from the box behind her and tossed it to Lancelot, containing 500 Gold Coins, which was their reward forpleting this ck iron mission.


    Clearly, the actual difficulty of a mission often did not match its appearance, but whether to ept it was up to the mercenaries themselves. Moreover, unless it was a designated mission item, all the spoils of war belonged to the mercenaries.


    This time, they had obtained a Dimensional Bag, cold crystals, the carapace and leather of the shark-lizard beast (as well as its backstrap meat, which Lancelot was very curious about), and enough ore to offset Barrend''s work for a month.


    Apart from nearly losing their lives, the return could be said to be extremely generous, and no wonder so many desperadoes dared to venture into the Abyss to be mercenaries.


    "Not bad, not bad, you''ve already ousted more than one-third of the mercenaries by returning alive," Sonam hissed with a sinisterugh, her gaze falling on Lancelot''s shoulder, "It seems you''ve exchanged for a rather fine weapon."N?v(el)B\\jnn


    "Ha! Remember what I told youst time? This is the craftsmanship of our Frostforge n!" Seeing Sonam interested in his old man''s work, Bruto couldn''t suppress his excitement, "Lancelot, take it down and let her have a good look! We just got our hands on some raw materials, are you interested in bing our first client?"


    Sonam''s human pupils slowly condensed into a vertical slit, giving Lancelot a tingling sensation on his scalp, as if being watched by a giant python. He helplessly drew out Frostsh and handed it over to the six-armed Serpent Demon.


    Sonam took the sword with her lowermost right hand and examined it closely. As a skilled swordsman herself, she could easily discern the weapon''s fine quality, and its slightly longer size than a regr longsword suited her well. She flicked the sword de lightly with her finger, then reached out to touch the de to test its sharpness.


    "This is a masterwork from my old man; he''s the best cksmith in Rivet Fort," Bruto boasted, "It''s a weapon made from cold iron..."


    The six-armed Serpent Demon cut off one of her fingers.


    "... very effective against Demons and Devils..."


    Bruto''s voice gradually trailed off.

 Chapter 54 The First Order

    Sonam''s expression was a bit awkward as she stared at her wound, which was covered with a thinyer of frost that inhibited the Demons'' inherent self-healing ability.


    A gleam shed in her eyes, and some kind of energy within her body focused on the wound. The flesh squirmed slowly and took about thirty seconds to finally restore her severed finger to its original state.


    "A treasured sword like this only costs 3,000 Gold Coins," Bruto regained his ability to speak.


    Sonam threw Frostsh back to Lancelot and turned to stare at the Dwarf.


    "Uh, if you really want it..." Cold sweat streamed down the Dwarf''s forehead, "Order six at a time, and you can get one free with five purchased."


    "Sure, I''ll take six of these," the six-armed Serpent Demon suddenlyughed, showing off her sharp, venomous fangs, "but I don''t have any gold to pay you. How about we offset it with your monthly Head Tax?"


    "Alright, consider it an installment n," Bruto said happily, "before it is delivered to you, it will first be shown to Tijana as a sample, about a month from now."


    "Deal."


    Klin and Lancelot watched dumbfounded as Brutopleted the first order.


    It wasn''t until they reached the service area that Lancelot patted the Dwarf on the shoulder and joked:


    "You really have a knack for this, selling things to demons must be quite rare, right?"


    "If you have something Demons are interested in, they usually juste to steal it directly, and casually kill you in the process," Klin said with interest, "Twin Bridges Town really is a magical ce, all thanks to the great Lady Tijana."


    "What can I do, 3,000 is already the cost price," Bruto was a bit gloomy, "and she kept staring at me, I just couldn''t help but give her a discount."


    "I felt like I was about to suffocate, and you, who were directly stared at, only gave an eighty percent discount, truly a typical Dwarf," Klin joked too, "but from Sonam''s perspective, she made a big profit from this deal."


    "How so?"


    "The Head Tax for us three a month amounts to only 900 Gold Coins, it would take more than a year to offset it all. If something happens to us during that period, there would be no one left to im the money," Klin exined with a shrug, "and ording to her, one-third of the mercenaries who go on missions don''t return. She probably didn''t expect us tost that long."


    "Ha! Then she''s in for a disappointment!" Bruto pped the hammer on his waist, "I''m not going to provoke an enemy this hammer can''t kill!"


    "No one has ever said anything wiser to me," Klin agreed and nodded, "but what if the enemy that this hammer can''t handlees to bother you?"


    "Isn''t there still Lancelot?" the Dwarf said confidently.


    Laughter erupted among the three friends. The Abyss was indeed a terrifying ce, but with thepanionship of friends, everything didn''t seem so bad.


    The group once again approached Devilspawn Catez''s stall. Lancelot tried to persuade Klin to sell his portion of the coldwater crystal to him at a price estimated by Bruto. Klin agreed without hesitation; it was of no use to him, and he had to spend a lot of gold, especially in this highly intionary ce, on buying spells, books, and scroll materials.


    After deducting the Head Tax that Bruto and Lancelot had previously paid for him, Lancelot now owed Klin 1,200 Gold Coins, so he nned to sell some more gemstones to the Devilspawn jeweler.


    Catez looked at Lancelot, appearing again before him with surprise. Today, the Red Dragon, Krivtar, was indeed absent, but he was surprised that this group had harvested so quickly again.n/o/vel/b//in dot c//om


    "3,500 Gold Coins," he said, assessing the value quickly as Lancelot ced a colorful gemstone on the table. "Where on earth do you get all these good items from? I wouldn''t want these gemstones to cause any trouble."


    "A mud creature," Bruto replied sinctly.


    "You seem to be particrly lucky," Catez eyed the Dwarf with suspicion, but wisely did not further challenge the truth of his words, "I really wish I coulde across such a mud creature myself."


    "Er, could you give me an appraisal of this gemstone?" Suddenly, Bruto took out a ruby from his chest, the one he had picked from the loot after they killed the sandworm lord.


    "This is..."


    Catez, looking at the fist-sized, deep red yet very translucent gemstone, was too shocked to speak.


    Lancelot was speechless at Bruto''s casual act, noticing several pairs of eyes turned towards them as soon as Bruto took out the gemstone. His instincts told him that Bruto had already gotten into big trouble.


    Catez quickly recovered, his wings suddenly unfolded forward, blocking the view from all around.


    "What are you doing?" Bruto quickly stuffed the gemstone back into his chest, "I just asked you for an appraisal, don''t overthink it."


    "You give it to me, I don''t want it," Catez replied with a coldugh, sitting back down, "My advice is, the next time the Red Dragones around, give this gemstone to it and ept the lizard''s first offer. Before that, make sure nobody takes this gemstone from your corpse."


    "Don''t worry about it!" Realizing his own reckless actions, Bruto nced around and said loudly, "My elder brother is Lord Tijana''s paramour, I''d like to see who dares..."


    With a loud bang, Lancelot punched the Dwarf on the forehead with True Qi.


    "Ouch, that hurts..." Bruto, with a look of aggrievement on his face, was pulled away by Klin.


    ...


    The trio then passed through the door on the right-hand side of the Six-Armed Serpent Demon''s front desk and entered the mission area to see what kinds ofmon ck Iron missions were avable.


    Inside, there were four halls, each bearing emblems made of ck Iron, Bronze, Silver, and Gold. They took out their ck Iron rings proving their identities and were allowed into one of the halls.


    At the front of the hall was arge board covered in Bounty Orders, arranged ording to reward. Most ck Iron level tasks offered rewards under 1,000 Gold Coins, some even offering magic items as payment.


    They briefly reviewed the tasks, most of which involved clearing monsters from a mine, escorting trade caravans to nearby Neutral Towns, or gathering somewhat rare magical materials. If one ignored the characteristic that the locations were in the Abyss, it wasn''t much different from a typical Mercenary Guild.


    Lancelot pondered that those mine-clearing missions might be quite suitable for them as they already had experience delving deep into mines, and it would also be an opportunity to gather some mountain crystals or cold water crystals as substitutes for Upper Grade Spirit Stones to prepare for their Foundation Establishment.


    However, they didn''t need to take on any mission for the moment as they weren''t under any immediate pressure to pay the Head Tax (if they could produce six Longswords that satisfied Sonam within a month), but they did need to quickly convert their recent adventuring resources and experience into enhanced strength.


    Moreover, there was a piece of tender and juicy shark lizard loin in the Dimensional Bag, and it would spoil if not eaten soon.

 Chapter 55 Unexpected Visitor

    After leaving the Mercenary Hall, the group first went to the market, where they purchased some ingredients and red wine, and they also picked up the "Turn Wine into Blood" Spell Scroll that Klin had ordered previously for the little vampire maid.


    They returned to Hagrid Manor in the evening. Isabe was still asleep, but she had done her duty and tidied up the room very cleanly.


    As soon as Bruto entered, he threw himself onto the sofa in the living room and soon after, snores could be heard.


    Klin headed straight to his room to examine the newly acquired scroll. Based on his estimation, little Isabe would soon experience withdrawal symptoms if she continued without fresh blood.


    Lancelot took out a tenderloin of shark lizard meat from the Dimensional Bag. After an exciting and fruitful battle, it was time to reward the team members with a delicious meal.


    He was not skilled in cooking, but his years of fieldbat had provided him with a wealth of experience in handling various kinds of meat.


    The shark lizard tenderloin was quietly lying on top of the Cold Iron Ore. The feel of that part during the dissection had convinced Lancelot that it would definitely taste good. The tenderloin was firm and resilient, with a marbling of fat resembling snowkes between the dense muscle fibers, emitting a faint scent of meat¡ªit would be surprising if it weren''t tasty.


    Lancelot decided to go with pan-frying, as almost no kind of meat would turn out bad with that method.


    He took off his sword belt, shed his armor, and put on an apron that Isabe usually wore when working, which he took from the kitchen wall. He cut about five pounds from the meat, enough for eight ordinary humans to eat, but Barrend would be joining them soon, so Lancelot decided to make a rather aggressive estimate of the dwarf''s appetite.


    The remaining meat and the Cold Iron Ore were put away in arge cupboard in the kitchen. He also threw in a couple of frost crystals, which could turn water into ice in low temperatures. The cold would slow down the spoge of food, a very practical knowledge that the Elves had taught the Rebel Army.


    He first washed off the ore dust on the meat with clean water, and then ced the meat on a chopping board lined with absorbent parchment. Before slicing the meat, he used the back of his knife to tenderize the muscle fibers, ensuring a tender texture once the steak was cooked.


    With a little use of True Qi, the originally stiff meat soon became as soft as a girl''s waist. He then rubbed ayer of salt and ck pepper onto the surface, along with some other spices highly rmended by Klin, and set the meat aside to marinate.


    This small amount of powder had cost him ten Gold Coins at the market district, which Lancelot found rather painful. Considering their situation where they could die at any moment, he thought it best not to regard money too heavily whenever there was a chance to enjoy oneself.


    After the preparations were done, Lancelot started to prepare the sauce to pour over the meat. He opened a bottle of red wine and took a small taste, very satisfied with the smooth pte of the wine that had cost them thirty Gold Coins. He then poured all the red wine into the pot and lit the stove, waiting patiently for the wine to boil.


    5 minutester, the dark red liquid began to bubble, and Lancelot added a handful of sugar cubes he had prepared earlier. The ratio of red wine to sugar was about two to one, the golden ratio for barbeque sauce.


    Right then, there was a knock at the door; Barrend had arrived. Lancelot turned down the heat and ran to let the old dwarf in.


    "Good evening, Sir Lancelot." Barrend nced at Bruto, who was sound asleep on the sofa, and didn''t bother to wake him. The performance of Bruto in this adventure had far exceeded his expectations, making him realize that he had been too harsh on him in the past. Bruto was a real warrior, and his future was not by the anvil, at least not until his thirst for adventure was quenched.


    "How''s the cksmith shop?" Lancelot invited Barrend to sit down on the chair next to the sofa and then returned to the stove in the kitchen.


    "The ores are already in the forge; melting Cold Iron requires a bit of patience. Adrick and Adbeke brothers are keeping an eye on it. The first batch of material won''t be ready until this time tomorrow. After that, it''s going to be really busy."


    "Haha, can I reserve a Great Sword? You saw what happened to thest one; it got crushed by that monster in one bite." Lancelot checked that the sugar waspletely dissolved, turned off the heat, and poured the prepared sauce into arge bowl. "Thinking about it makes me mad. I''ll have to eat moreter to relieve my anger."


    "Heh, no problem at all! Any special requests?"


    "Just make it the same size as my old one," said Lancelot as he put arge lump of butter into the pot, watching it slowly melt in the high temperature, "and if possible, make it a bit heavier."


    "Are you sure?" Barrend sized up the decorations in the living room. "Most great swords are designed to be as light as possible, aren''t they?"


    "Well, you know about my bloodline power," Lancelot said, gradually cranking up the heat to make the oil in the pot get hotter. "This weapon will be used specifically against enormous enemies, so I need enough destructive power."


    "Understood, leave it to me."


    A deep red gemstone flew into Barrend''s hands.


    "A ruby!" the old dwarf eximed. "It''s so big!"


    "Please don''t refuse, we''ve already discussed this topicst time."


    Barrend struggled to take his eyes off the gemstone, opened his mouth, and finally just said,N?v(el)B\\jnn


    "I''ll bring my highest level of craftsmanship to it."


    "I''m very much looking forward to it."


    With the oil now at the right temperature, Lancelotid the steak in the pot, and with a sizzle, the aroma of meat immediately filled the whole room, causing Bruto on the couch to sit up with a start.


    "Wow! What smells so good! Oh, old man, you''re already here." The young dwarf dashed over to Lancelot, eyes fixed on the steak in the pot. "I didn''t see iting. When will you show Tijana how to do this?"


    No sooner had he spoken than he noticed Lancelot''s expression suddenly stiffen.


    Then a familiar voice sounded from behind the dwarf.


    "What is it you want to show me?"


    Lancelot had just sensed an anomaly in the space, and Tijana appeared in the living room. As the mistress of Twin Bridges Town, she could use portals to appear anywhere in town at will.


    Her wings were not visible behind her, probably under the effects of some kind of transformation magic. For now, she looked like an ordinary human female.


    No, she didn''t look ordinary at all. Lancelot had to admit in his heart that mortals couldn''t possess such lethal beauty, and he almost let a piece of steak burn.


    "Good evening, mydy," Lancelot said, spreading his hands, one with a kitchen knife and the other with a spat, and nodded to Tijana. "What brings you here?"


    "What are you doing?" Tigana asked, staring wide-eyed at Lancelot in his pink apron, blurting out before adding, "I came looking for Barrend."


    "He''s right behind you, I''m making dinner for everyone," Lancelot said, pointing at Barrend, then skewered a shark lizard steak as a gesture, "Um, would you like to join us?"


    "It smells delicious," a gentle female voice piped up. The vampire maid crawled out of the basement. "Ah! We have guests! I-I-I, I''ll go make some tea!"


    "What''s all this?" Tigana burst out, "Where did you pick up another girl to bring home?"

 Chapter 56 Dinner

    "It wasn''t found; it came with the house," Lancelot said, feeling a headacheing on, "She was murdered by the previous owner of the manor and enved by her killer even after her death. We only discovered her after we moved in. Poor child, you should be able to view people''s memories, right? See for yourself."


    Tijana stared at little Esha, her eyes emitting a mysterious allure. Esha, not knowing what to do, stood there looking into Tijana''s beautiful eyes, her focus gradually fading.


    Many images quickly shed through Tijana''s eyes, and a look of disgust appeared on her face, but she soon regained herposure.


    "I understand, but the Head Tax still needs to be paid, be diligent about it next month."


    "Uh, okay." Lancelot checked the meat patties while introducing the somewhat puzzled Esha, "This is Miss Tijana, Lord of Twin Bridges Town, and that Dwarf uncle is Barrend, Bruto''s father."


    "Ah! My apologies, esteemeddy! Good evening!" Esha''s right foot slid back to the left behind her left foot as she curtsied to Tijana. Being from a courtdy''s background, she naturally understood what the title of Lord of Twin Bridges Town meant. She did not neglect the Dwarf uncle and greeted him politely.


    Tijana simply nodded without speaking. She turned to Barrend, "The Craftsmen Committee just reported to me the results of this expedition. You''ve discovered a new major vein in that ancient mine? What''s the situation like? Roughly how much are the reserves?"


    "Yes, yes." Facing his literal demon boss, Barrend was still a bit nervous. "At a depth of about seven thousand feet underground, we were lucky to find this vein in a tunnel dug out by a shaleback beast. The exact reserves still need to be thoroughly surveyed, but I believe it will not be less than a hundred thousand tons."


    "Very good." Hearing the numbers, Tijana showed satisfaction. "I''ve also heard that you''ve made a Cold Iron Weapon, and the chief craftsman spoke very highly of it. Where is the sword?"


    "It was made for Sir Lancelot, and it performed very well in this operation."N?v(el)B\\jnn


    "It''s right there on the shelf to your right." Lancelot volunteered, lifting his spat and pointing to his weapon.


    Tijana took Frostsh out upon hearing this and examined it closely.


    "Uh, it''s extremely sharp, please be careful." Bruto looked anxious as he watched the Subus, "In fact, just two hours ago, it cut off a finger from a six-armed Serpent Demon at the Mercenary Hall."


    "Sonam told me about it," Tijana answered absently. She didn''t need to harm herself to see the special nature of this weapon; this Metal indeed had a restraining effect on demons'' innate Protection abilities. "If you have enough materials, how many such weapons can you produce every week?"


    "For weapons of this quality, I can make about three a week," beads of sweat formed on the bottom of Barrend''s forehead. "If it''s ordinary Cold Iron Weapons, my kin and I can produce fifty a week."


    "From now on, I promote you to Grandmaster Craftsman. You can apply to the Craftsmen Committee forbor, forges, materials, and anything else you need.


    You have the right to decide the pay for your subordinates, and for each finished piece, Twin Bridges Town will pay you fifty Gold Coins," Tijana leaned close to Barrend, "However, in a month, I want you to deliver five hundred Cold Iron Weapons, and then a thousand each month after that."


    "But, but¡­" Barrend stammered, trying to object.


    "In a month, Twin Bridges Town''s clients wille to my castle to vie for the smithy district''s output for the next quarter. At that time, you will demonstrate the effectiveness of these weapons to my guests and have enough samples ready for them to all get a taste," Tijana continued.


    "But that''s too much." Barrend protested despondently, "I can''t guarantee the quality of the weapons."


    "I said, you can apply to the Craftsmen Committee for any resources you need. If there''s anything they can''t handle, you cane to me directly," Tijana''s tone was very firm, "Let go of your Dwarven strictness towards your work. These weapons are not destined to be linked with any great adventures. They will appear on bloody battlefields and be discarded after their first use.


    And I didn''t say they all have to be swords; Nail-headed Hammers, Long Spears, simpler ones like these are fine."


    Cornered, Barrend knew he had no choice but to nod in agreement.


    Bruto''s face was filled with a bitter expression at the side. It seemed like his old man was going to be busy and probably wouldn''t have time to manage the big job he had taken on.


    "Dinner is ready!" Lancelot''s words broke the tense atmosphere in the room, as he and little Isha brought dish after dish of sulent shark lizard meat to the long table in the dining room, "Mydy, you are our most honored guest, please sit at the head of the table."


    "When did I say I wanted to have dinner with you?" Tijana retorted with a coldugh, turning just in time to see Lancelot''s appearance in a pink kitchen apron, which immediately made her face fall.


    "This is truly a rare ingredient,ing from the finest part of a very healthy shark lizard, and I have carefully turned it into this scrumptious dish before you," Lancelot enthusiastically exined, pulling out a chair for Tijana. "Please have a seat. Little Isha, go call Klin down."


    Tijana reluctantly took a seat, watching Lancelot courteously pour the beautiful sauce over the meat, her smile tinged with sarcasm.


    "Who would have guessed you also have this side of you."


    "Everyone has a side they keep hidden, only willing to show it to certain people," Lancelot said courteously after serving Tijana, then he went to pour sauce over everyone''s tes and fill their sses with wine, finally returning to his own seat.


    Tijana watched his actions with interest.


    "Why do you do this? Can''t they pour for themselves?"


    "I poured for you, too."


    "You serve me because you want to win my favor," Tijana sneered, "But what about serving them?"


    Tijana''s question forced Lancelot to think about the reasons behind his actions, which he hadn''t consciously considered, and he concluded:


    "Because they are my friends, and this is a way for us to convey our care for each other."


    "Meaningless behavior among altruists," Tijanamented coldly.


    "Perhaps it is indeed meaningless," Lancelot evidently wasn''t foolish enough to argue with the lord, "but many mortals really do feel fulfilled by helping others."


    By then, everyone had arrived, and Klin brought a bottle of a special "wine" for little Isha, pouring her a ss of the bright red beverage.


    "Everyone," Lancelot stood up with his ss raised, "A toast to our lord, the ruler of Twin Bridges Town, the beautiful and noble Lady Tijana. She may be a demon, but she has sheltered countless mortals who have strayed into this world and, more importantly, allowed them to live with dignity using their own skills. Mydy, my highest respect."


    Everyone raised their sses to Tijana, including Barrend, who had just been thoroughly exploited by her. This took the subus by surprise and caught her off guard.


    "Please sit," Tijana finally responded simply.


    "How does it feel?" Lancelot winked at her.


    Tijana cut off a small piece of meat and put it in her mouth. With a light bite, rich, sulent juices and melting fat flowed out of the tender meat, mixed with a slightly charred vor.


    "It feels quite nice," she said, raising her ss and taking a sip, then showing Lancelot a smile.

 Chapter 57 Their Own Intentions

    Tijana had quickly left, giving Lancelot a meaningful look before she departed, to which Lancelot responded with a serene smile.


    Everyone enjoyed the meal immensely, all agreeing it was the best dinner since they had arrived in the Abyss. Klin''s magic wasn''t perfect, as he hadn''t managed topletely transform all the alcohol, resulting in young Esha, who had just gotten up, ending up drunk, much to the shame of the undead.


    Klin found the process of carrying Esha''s breathless body to the tomb and then cing it into the wooden coffin eerily reminiscent of a certain Evil God''s sacrificial ritual.


    Lancelot stood on the patio outside the dining room, ss of red wine in hand, looking over the brightly lit main area of Twin Bridges Town.


    The air contained a kind of invisible magic that suppressed the propagation of sound, making the surroundings quite silent, allowing him to clearly hear his own inner voice.


    What was Tijana doing at this moment? Would those words about friendship and respect linger in her heart?


    He had some guesses about Tijana, but was not yet certain. Was her attitude toward the vast mortal races of Twin Bridges Town purely driven by maximizing benefits, or was there another reason?


    Out of his sight, Tijana sat atop the spire of her massive castle. She had transformed back into her Subus form, herrge wings rxed and spread behind her, bathing in the glow of the Abyss''s red moon, creating a beautiful and harmonious scene.


    In the deepest dreams of some fortunate ones in the Multiverse, they could vaguely see this beautiful shadow, and then it was etched into their minds forever, leaving them in a daze for months to years.


    But if someone could get a little closer, they would notice the Subus''s eyes aimlessly staring into the void.


    "Mother, I wish you were here¡­"


    Bruto walked up to Lancelot, looked up at him for a while, and seeing no response, he gently coughed.


    His cough caught Lancelot''s attention, and then he spoke, "I saw how she smiled at you tonight, I think you have a chance."


    "What are you talking about?" Lancelotughed awkwardly and quickly changed the subject, "Did you need something from me?"


    "It''s like this¡­" Bruto spoke hesitantly, "you''ve also heard, my old man probably doesn''t have time to help us with that Sonam deal anymore, it looks like we have to do it ourselves."


    "We?" Lancelot quickly caught the key word.


    "I definitely can''t handle it myself." Barrend had already gone back, and Bruto candidly admitted, "But together, maybe we have a chance."


    "What help can I offer?" Lancelot asked curiously.


    "My craftsmanship indeed still needs a lot of ¡­ um, learning," Bruto said, showing a slightly embarrassed smile, "but there''s one part in the forging process that, well, can work miracles with the right effort."


    "Forging?" Klin hade over by then.


    "Exactly, looks like you know a bit too," Bruto spread his hands to hispanions, "My skills in other steps aren''t proficient, resulting in me having to forge repeatedly to ensure quality."


    "So with Lancelot''s extraordinary strength, you could produce weapons of normal quality?"


    "It might even be better than normal." The Dwarf rubbed his hands excitedly. "Lancelot, when you first fought the shark-lizard creature and smashed its helmet, how long can you swing the hammer with that same force?"


    "That level..." Lancelot raised an eyebrow, "depends on how much water I had to drink at the time, and my dder''s tolerance, I guess."


    Bruto pped his hands, "Done!"n/?/vel/b//in dot c//om


    "I can help too." Klin suggested, "I happen to know a simple Enchantment that''s perfect for clients like Sonam."


    "You know Enchantment?" Bruto looked at him skeptically, "I haven''t even mastered that Technique yet."


    "It''s different, the Enchantment power during forging is much stronger, and the effects are different too." Klin exined, "The Enchantment I know is called ''Patriot.'' It allows the weapon to exert extra power when defending a designated area, weakens the bearer''s power if it falls into an enemy''s hands within that zone, and is useless elsewhere."


    "That''s really suitable." Lancelot nodded, "I believe Sonam would also like it."


    "Great, such effects are enough topensate for other ws." Bruto finally revealed a relieved smile as he headed to his room, "Get some rest everyone, we need to pour our strength into it tomorrow."


    Lancelot and Klin exchanged smiles and returned to their own rooms.


    He took a deep breath and sat down cross-legged. The night was still young, and his cultivation had just begun.


    Little Isabe woke up in thete night, but she was noticeably better than before. Blood had temporarily appeased the curse she bore; she even had breakfast with everyone in the morning and then rested in the crypt.


    After breakfast, Lancelot and Bruto headed to the Craftsmen''s District, while Klin stayed home studying Magic and scrolls. The Enchantment would have to wait until after the crafting wasplete, so he had nothing to do for now.


    It was easy to find Barrend in the Craftsmen''s District. The newly promoted master craftsman was assigning tasks to a bunch of Dwarfs, as Tijana''s production quotas allowed no room for negotiation.


    Bruto took a moment to briefly exin their situation to Barrend. Taken aback, Barrend led them to a small workshop.


    "This isn''t suitable for mass production, but it''s free right now." The old Dwarf checked the forge and bellows to ensure everything was working, then helped light the fire. "You should have enough materials, get anything else you need from Uncle Darak. Let me emphasize once again, temperature, temperature, temperature! Don''t take your eyes off the furnace, focus!"


    "Got it, old man." Bruto answered, feeling a bit guilty and unable to look Barrend in the eyes.


    "If you have any problems, don''t hesitate to ask me!" Barrend advised again, then nodded to Lancelot and went back to his tasks. Time was bing ever more precious for him; oncerge-scale production began, it might be a long while before Bruto could see his old man again.


    "Let''s get started." Bruto pped his hands and pointed to the bellows near the forge, "You sit there first..."


    Lancelot resignedly acknowledged one fact, he was indeed Bruto''s human power source. He mechanically operated the bellows, moving his hands as fast as possible to make the mes in the furnace burn fiercer.


    He quietly channeled a thread of True Qi into it, satisfied as he felt the temperature inside the furnace rise even faster.


    "The efficiency is just different with a big guy doing this." Bruto, unsuspecting, excitedly watched the color of the mes, "Put some muscle into it, we might even start working before everyone else, haha!"

 Chapter 58 Thousand Hammerings

    Bruto''s expectations were dashed; the temperature in the forge sky-rocketed, and not even the innate chill of the cold iron could suppress the heat. In the end, the molten iron poured into the mold had lost all the unique qualities of cold iron and was indistinguishable from ordinary iron.


    Lancelot wondered if it was the True Qi he had secretly mixed in that had caused the anomaly, but even when he stoked the bellows in the normal way the next day, the result was the same. Then the third day, the fourth day...


    Luckily, their furnace was small, and these trials hardly wasted any materials; otherwise, Barrend might have been tempted to beat his son to death. The entire cksmithing district resembled an ant nest doused with boiling water, with dwarves scurrying about and steam rising from every corner.


    The forging process of cold iron released a vast amount of chill, which only the Dwarves of the Frostforge n and the strongest cksmiths could endure. Such Dwarven artisans were mostly highly skilled and incredibly proud, with bad tempers, and hardly any were willing to take orders from Barrend.


    The old Dwarf had no choice but to station the few members of the Frostforge n at the iron anvil, while he himself acted like a supervisor, directing the hands sent by the Craftsmen Committee in other tasks.


    Unsurprisingly, every time he strolled into Bruto and Lancelot''s small workshop, he would point out at least three things Bruto was doing wrong before berating him severely.


    Perhaps Bruto was inherently allergic to smithing knowledge, because as time went on, Lancelot remembered the mistakes, but Bruto kept repeating them.


    By the tenth day, they finally seeded. Seeing the iron flow into the mold a bright blue-white instead of the usual red hue of iron, Bruto excitedly embraced Lancelot,ughing loudly.


    It was finally time for Lancelot to truly shine. Bruto, with tongs in one hand holding the sword nk and a small hammer in the other, indicated where to strike for Lancelot; while Lancelot was responsible for swinging the great hammer, ensuring each blownded exactly where Bruto required.


    Bruto tapped the middle of the sword nk lightly twice with the small hammer, signaling Lancelot to begin.


    Taking a deep breath, Lancelot estimated and exerted about fifty percent of his strength for the first blow.


    A ''ng'' echoed, and a burst of chill emerged from the hammered spot, slightly reducing the stifling heat in the workshop.


    But Bruto was not satisfied. He tapped the same spot twice more and bellowed,


    "Human, what are you doing? Haven''t you eaten?"


    Lancelot added another twenty percent to his strength and delivered another hammer blow, this time unleashing more chill, but still not satisfying Bruto.


    "Is that all you''ve got? Should I have little Isha share her breakfast with you?"


    Lancelot was at a loss for words over Bruto''s habit of using such unnecessary provocations to spur him on. Wasn''t he afraid of smashing this hard-won semi-finished product with too much force?


    However, it seemed his concern was unnecessary. Metals with high malleability under high temperatures allowed cksmiths to shape the billets into the proper form.


    Bruto''s small hammer pointed out the target once again, and this time Lancelot summoned all the physical strength he could muster, mming down the hammer heavily. A thunderous boom echoed as the targeted part ttened significantly, and a stronger gust of chill burst forth, reducing the room''s temperature to normal levels.


    "That''s more like it, but it''s still not enough!" Bruto moved the sword nk slightly and swung the small hammer again, ringing out two dings, "Imagine this is a detestable tentacle monster that has wrapped around the beautiful Tijana from behind, and with its long, drooling tongue, it''s trying to lick her lovely sharp horns! Come on! Do something!"


    Raging True Qi, like a levee-broken flood, surged out of Lancelot''s Qi Sea, roaring through each of his meridians. His muscles bulged as if he were an irate pufferfish, and an intimidating aura emerged around him.


    He struck with his true full strength, wielding the massive hammer.


    Despite the sword nk being the target of the hammer''s fall, Bruto couldn''t suppress a feeling of terror. Had he not been sure that Lancelot wouldn''t go mad from those few words, he would have already thrown down his tongs and fled.


    The hammer struck its target with a resounding boom that echoed throughout the entire cksmith district. The impacted area was almost ttened into a pancake, followed by an intense st of cold air, chilling like the breath of a White Dragon, instantly turning the beads of sweat on Bruto''s eyebrows and beard into snowkes.


    The entire cksmith district seemed to be interrupted by this explosion-like noise; everyone stopped their work, looking around bewildered.


    "What happened?"


    "Did something explode?"


    "I didn''t see any fire?"


    "What''s with this cold st? Is wintering?"n/o/vel/b//in dot c//om


    "Shut up, you fool fresh off the boat, there are no seasons in the Abyss!"


    Barrend was the first to rush in and found that Bruto and Lancelot were both fine, just staring at each other with wide and small eyes.


    "What are you two up to?"


    More dwarves gathered around, and some noticed the huge dent in the Sword nk; they were all savvy folks, and a murmur rippled through the crowd.


    "Uh, nothing, Lancelot just now¡ªI don''t know what he was thinking¡ªput too much strength into it." Bruto cast a guilty nce at Lancelot and again tapped the Sword nk a couple of times with a smaller hammer, "Let''s just, uh, continue."


    Lancelot, too, wasn''t sure why he had gotten so carried away, but fortunately, the chilling air that hit him helped him regain hisposure. He lifted the hammer once more, pushing most of the True Qi back into his Dantian, and then swung the hammer again.


    The head of the hammer viciously struck the Sword nk, and a visible ring of cold air burst out from the Sword nk, spreading all around.


    "Oh!!"


    Amazement echoed around them. Lancelot and Bruto didn''t stop; therge and small hammers fell like a waterwheel, one after another, relentlessly.


    "My god, what kind of strength is this!"


    "Such precise movement! Such perfect muscles! I could stand here all day just to watch him swing that hammer!"


    "Incredible, how does this human have such fine craftsmanship?"


    "What nonsense are you talking about, he''s just swinging arge hammer. The real determinant of the work''s quality is that dwarf with the tongs!"


    "That guy''s beard is still red; I bet he''s not even a hundred years old! I''m really curious about what kind of work they''ll produce!"


    The continuously spilling cold made people unconsciously draw closer together, while Lancelot''s immense strength turned the cast nk into a long strip of ttened metal,pletely unrecognizable as a Sword nk. Bruto put it back into the furnace to reheat and directed Lancelot to work the bellows.


    Baron Barrend finally came to his senses and began loudly shooing people away:


    "What''s so interesting to look at here! It''s nothing but my newlye-of-age son doing some Apprentice work! Get back to your own stations, don''t you have your own jobs to do?"

 Chapter 59 Hundred Refinements

    Barrend himself didn''t leave. He watched the roaring mes in the furnace and suddenly said,


    "Youd, nning to use the method of thousandyer forging?"


    Bruto revealed an ambitious smile.


    "With Lance''s strength here, it would be a waste not to!"


    Barrend gave his son a meaningful look and smiled. He patted Bruto''s shoulder, turned around, and walked out, his words of caution floating back from his retreating figure:


    "Remember to scrape it clean every time you fold it, I''lle over when it''s time to quench."


    Lancelot, curious, watched the conversation between the two Dwarves and asked,


    "What is thousandyer forging?"


    "Thousandyer forging is ttening the metal, then folding it, ttening it again, and continuously repeating the process."


    Bruto controlled the heat to concentrate on a small segment in the middle of the sword nk, quickly heating that part to the required temperature. After mping it out, he merely tapped it a few times with a small hammer and bent it over. He stuffed the folded sword nk back into the furnace and continued,


    "One fold is twoyers, two folds are fouryers, three folds are eightyers. Once you fold it ten times, you''ve created over a thousandyers, which is why this method is called thousandyer forging. If you feel like it, you can keep folding indefinitely, but beyond a certain number of times, it''s not very meaningful."


    "What''s the benefit of doing this?" Lancelot carefully pulled the bellows, trying not to let the furnace temperature rise too high like thest few times.


    "It greatly improves the performance of the weapon and creates beautiful patterns," shrugged Bruto. "Some seasoned cksmiths can even form specific Arcane Runes in the pattern, bestowing powerful magic power on the weapon, but of course, I''m not at that level."


    "If this method is so good, why doesn''t everyone use this technique?"


    "Because it''s troublesome, and not everyone has the freakish strength you do," Bruto shrugged. "It would take at least a week for my old man to fold it ten times."


    "We''ve already been working for ten days," Lancelot pointed out a harsh reality.


    "That''s because Cold Iron Ore is such a pain! A bit too hot, and it turns into ordinary iron!" Bruto replied irritably. "If you don''t chase after repeated usability, you can pour the molten iron into a mold, fold it once or twice and start sharpening. I guess that''s what they do everywhere else.


    After all, they''re for those cannon-fodder Demons, these will be the best weapons they''ve ever seen, but they''re no match for a real treasured sword!"


    "So, Tijana is pretty reasonable then," Lancelot said with a smile. "She''s very clear about what these weapons are for."


    "But it''s still too hard for a Dwarf to give up the quality of his work and instead chase after quantity." Bruto ced the now white-hot sword nk onto the iron anvil and tapped it lightly twice with a small hammer. "You''re not a Dwarf, you wouldn''t understand."


    Lancelot shook his head and swung his giant hammer down.


    His strength made the mostborious part of the thousandyer forging seem rather easy. Before Bruto finally decided to stop folding and use his small hammer to shape the sword nk, they had already folded it over twenty times.


    As the process progressed, Bruto spent more and more time removing impurities from the surface, and Lancelot found himself with less to do. He watched the dwarf work attentively. Bruto''s passion for forging was not less than that of an average Dwarf; it was his overly critical father that made him want to escape the workshop.


    With each hammer strike, the sword de took its final form. Bruto walked over to the grinding wheel to start working on the sword edge.


    "Is that how a sword is made?" Lancelot watched curiously as sparks shot out from in front of the rapidly spinning grinding wheel. "It doesn''t seem too troublesome."


    "Yes, if I were an Orc cksmith," Bruto gave him an exasperated nce. "Next, we need to do the heat treatment. If the hammering just now decided half of the weapon''s performance, then heat treatment will decide the other half. Only the most experienced Dwarf cksmiths can get the temperature and timing right for each step, like my old man for instance."


    While they were talking, Bruto had finished with the edge, and he put it back into the melting furnace. Lancelot moved toward the bellows, but Bruto stopped him.


    "No need, the sword nk is alreadyplete, and it doesn''t require too high a temperature. I''ll rest here tonight, you go back first, and have my old mane tomorrow morning to help us with the quenching."


    "Alright, see you tomorrow morning then."


    Having returned to Hagrid Manor, Lancelot indulged in a luxurious hot bath with the help of little Isabe, washing away the umted dust from the past days, then he returned to his room, sat down with legs crossed, and began his daily cultivation.


    The True Qi in his body had been greatly depleted over the course of the day, so Lancelot activated the Cauldron Immortal Technique, opening countless invisible pores on his body, absorbing the Spiritual Energy of heaven and earth.


    Early the next day, Lancelot returned to the small workshop in the cksmith area; Bruto was sound asleep on a corner bench, yet the fire in the furnace was burning vigorously, looking as if it had been recently refueled.


    Lancelot quietly sat aside and waited, not rushing to wake hispanion.


    After a while, Bruto yawned awake. First, he checked the furnace, then he realized Lancelot had arrived.


    "Yo, good morning, how was your restst night? Did a subus slip into your dreams?"


    "I''m feeling very energetic right now."


    "That''s good, we''re starting our second forging today, but first, we have to finish thest step of our first creation." Bruto stretched and walked out, "I''m going to get my old man toe over."


    Barrend quickly strode in, full of energy. The old dwarf had shifted his perspective on his task, treating it as a grand project with the aim of ensuring production while improving quality as much as possible, which invigorated him all over again.


    First, he checked the quenching trough next to the iron anvil¡ªthe bottom was filled with iron ore to keep it cool, and the keen-eyed Lancelot even spotted a few small pieces of cold crystals. Then he inspected the tempering furnace next to it, and he was satisfied with its condition too.


    Afterpleting these checks, Barrend praised Bruto for his preparation, then picked up the tongs and extracted the glowing white-hot sword nk from the furnace.


    After overnight heating, the sword nk was incandescent, a wave of heat hitting Lancelot, making him wonder if another sword had been ruined by overtraining.


    However, Barrend seemed very pleased with the condition of the sword nk, and without any hesitation, he immediately plunged the searing sword nk into the water trough set aside for quenching.


    A puff of white smoke rose, but less than Lancelot had expected; it was then he realized that the liquid in the trough was not water, but oil.n/?/vel/b//in dot c//om


    In less than 5 seconds, Barrend removed the sword nk and ced it directly into the tempering furnace.


    "I have a feeling this will be a good sword," the old dwarf patted Bruto''s shoulder. "The tempering temperature for cold iron weapons should be a bit lower than that for ordinary iron¡ªabout thirty percent hotter than boiling water. Just be careful."


    "Don''t worry, dad." Bruto rubbed his hands excitedly, "Temper for an hour and a half, cool for half an hour, repeat three times, right? See, I''ve got it all memorized."


    Barrend looked at Bruto, fell silent for a moment, and suddenly pulled his son into an embrace.


    "I think I''ve been too harsh on you in the past." He ruffled Bruto''s disheveled hair. "You''re doing much better than many of your peers."


    With that, he turned and walked out, leaving Bruto standing there, stunned.


    "You alright?" Lancelot asked.


    "Of course, I''m fine." Bruto turned around, and Lancelot noticed his eyes were red.


    He walked over to one side, shoveled up a batch of Cold Iron Ore, and added it to the furnace.


    "Let''s continue, we still have five more swords waiting for us to finish."

 Chapter 60 The Son and His Father

    Over the next five days, theypleted the remaining swords.n/?/vel/b//in dot c//om


    Lancelot''s work was now done. Polishing, sharpening, and wrapping the hilt could be done by Bruto, and Lancelot wasn''t able to assist with those tasks.


    However, new work quickly came knocking at their door. This time, Barrend had invited Lancelot to assist him, which left Lancelot puzzled. The old Dwarf soon answered his question.


    "Don''t think that I''ll be satisfied with making these disposable pieces of junk," Barrend openly expressed his disdain for the products made under his supervision. "I want to create a genuine masterpiece to prove my skills!"


    "But what can I possibly help with?" Lancelot asked, puzzled, "Is it because of my strength?"


    "Exactly!" Barrend nodded in confirmation. "I n to make a whip suitable for a Subus. The braid will be made from the finest Cold Iron Fment. Producing metal fment is a very time-consuming and strenuous process, and braiding them is even more so, hence I need to draw on your strength."


    Lancelot thought for a moment and agreed. He had originally nned to take advantage of the days Bruto was upied to go find trouble with the sand worms in the Shattered Mountain Range, but his cultivation had seen impressive progress over these days, clearly rting to his True Qi being depleted from forging during the day.


    He was still a distance away from theter stage Great Perfection of the Qi Refinement Realm, so it was more important to focus on improving his cultivation level first, and there was no urgency to gather materials for Foundation Establishment.


    Moreover, since it was a gift for Tijana, he was naturally willing to be involved.


    Lancelot once again swung his hammer, and as he repeatedly struck the Cold Iron raw material, impurities were continuously expelled. But Barrend was not so easily satisfied; he repeatedly carried out the process of heating, hammering, and folding until the third day when he finally allowed Lancelot to stop.


    The humans'' next task was to push a stone mill-like disc, stretching the white-hot Cold Iron raw material into fments as fine as hairs.


    Every time he pulled out a length of nine feet, the disc would automatically cut the thread, and Barrend woulde over to collect the Cold Iron Fments. The old Dwarf wore thick gloves, but his arm was still identally cut open by the fment. The skin of a Dwarf is as tough as callus, highlighting the sharpness of these metal strands.


    Each metal fment was specially heat-treated; after quenching, they were tempered at rtively high temperatures. This process made them less hard than swords, but significantly increased their flexibility, which is the characteristic needed for making a whip.


    After that, Barrend used a device simr to a loom to wrap seven Cold Iron Fments into a single metal thread, then wrapped seven such threads into a slightly thicker metal rope.


    Finally, he twisted seven such metal ropes into a whip cord, one in the middle with the rest wrapped around it. Toplete this final step, Lancelot used all his True Qi to tightly twist the seven thin cords into one, which, unless closely inspected, did not show that it was actually made of countless finer strands.


    The final product was about eight feet long, the whip cord was only slightly stiffer than an ordinary leather rope, the end was tied with a de made of Cold Iron; the handle was wrapped with a strip of leather cut from the backside of a shark-lizard beast, providing a grip that was bothfortable and slip-resistant; at the top of the handle was set a beautiful mountain crystal, serving as a counterweight and decoration.


    "It''s truly beautiful," Lancelot remarked, unable to help but admire the item he had helped create. The entire whip seemed to glow, but that was actually the reflection of the more than three hundred Cold Iron Fments that made up the whip cord.


    Although he had never been trained to use a whip, he was certain that with this whip in hand, he could make half the Demons in the city cry for their mothers and fathers.


    "This is definitely the highlight of my career," Barrend proudly looked at the whip, "There''s just one more step to finish."


    "What''s missing?" Lancelot asked, puzzled, as surely the Dwarf couldn''t engrave Enchantment Runes on the soft whip cord, and by now this weapon should be beyond further work.


    "To the Father God, ancestor of dwarven craftsmanship, soul forger Muradin, I present this item," Barrend said solemnly, "Every meticulously crafted piece is a tribute to the Father of Dwarves, proof that we have followed His teachings. Sometimes the Father God even bestows blessings if the work is exquisite enough."


    "But..." Lancelot couldn''t help but notice the irony, "have you thought of a prayer? ''Oh great Father God, look upon this whip made for a Subus! Are you sure the God of Dwarves will bless this weapon instead of bing so angry that He physically descends upon us?''"


    Barrend obviously hadn''t considered this. His face slowly turned red and finally, he could only say with difficulty, "She''s been rather good to the dwarves, maybe the Father of Dwarves would like to hear that."


    Lancelot shrugged. He did not worship any deities; in his world, gods were ethereal beings, never revealing themselves.


    But things were different here. He hadn''t even heard of most of the gods in this ce, except for Sulun, the Goddess of the Moon, whom the elves of his world worshipped.


    Each god had their own domain to rule over, clear likes and dislikes, and they would bestow rewards or punishments on their followers, fighting against each other and even walking the earth in person.


    The power of the gods derived from their mastery over rules, which is the divine office they held. As the races, behaviors, ideologies, or any other aspects associated with their divine office became more prevalent in the world, their divine power would grow.


    That''s why the God of Justice couldn''t tolerate any evil or injustice, why the God of War fervently promoted warfare, and why the Goddess of Love would smile upon all loving couples.


    The power of Spiritual Cultivators, however, operated on an entirely different system. In the early stages, Spiritual Cultivators turned themselves into vessels, amassing the power of heaven and earth to enhance their strength; in the middle stage, they would expand their own universe, gaining power as this universe expanded.


    When a Spiritual Cultivator''s universe reached a certain extent, they would be rejected by the universe they were in and undergo the so-called ''Ascension'' to leave this universe.


    Han Tianzun had only existed for a very short time before being rejected and leaving this universe, and having his legacy was an extreme stroke of luck.


    Over here, Barrend was ready to pray to the Dwarven God, Moradin. The ritual was very simple; he just had to ce the offering on an iron anvil next to a lit forge.


    Kneeling on one knee, Barrend chanted:


    "Great Father of Dwarves, protector of kindness and order, guardian of the hills and treasure hoards, patron of craftsmen, soul forger Moradin, your child, Barrend of the Frostforge n, son of ''Dragon yer'' Bruno, I present to you my work, a whip. It isposed of three hundred and forty-three strands of Cold Iron Fment,pleted with the help of a human endowed with Divine Power.


    It will be given to Tijana, the lord of Twin Bridges Town, uh, a demon who has sheltered many dwarves, saving us from a fate of envement."


    The old dwarf''s voice grew quieter, clearly burdened by his own guilt.


    When he finished chanting and nothing happened, he sighed, unsure whether it was regret or relief he felt.


    "Well, at least we are still alive and well," Lancelot sighed in relief and helped Barrend to his feet.


    Just then, Lancelot''s Spirit Perception rmingly signaled an extremely powerful, utterly terrifying, andpletely immeasurable force rushing towards him.


    In that instant, he understood this was what people meant by Divine Power. Barrend truly was the son of his father, a sess in courting death.


    "We''re done for."


    That was the only thought on his mind at the moment.

 Chapter 61 The Shrine

    ```


    Fortunately, that power had note to destroy him.


    The range of the divine power burst was very small, confined to an area of less than nine feet centered on Barrend.


    Barrend''s eyes bulged as he realized that the Father God had just responded to his prayers. The holy light was slowly infusing into the cold iron-made whip, and the iron anvil serving as the base was imbued with a very sacred aura, one that he was very familiar with¡ªit was the presence found only within Moradin''s shrine.


    ording to dwarven standards, with a burning furnace and an iron anvil, this ce had be an unmistakable Dwarf Temple, blessed by Moradin himself.


    At that moment, a sh of white light passed, and the Lord of Twin Bridges Town appeared on the scene through teleportation.


    Tigana was in full battle gear, wearing a set of mithril full body armor that snugly fit her curvaceous figure; her right hand held a longsword, her left a light shield, and attached to her belt were a whip, throwing knives, handcuffs, and several vials of potions.


    She had obviously felt the surge of divine power within her domain and rushed over at the first instance, her eyes scanning for enemies, ready to confront whichever celestial being had dared to trespass.


    "Ah..." Lancelot called out to her, "Tijana, calm down for a second, I can exin..."


    "How are you here?"


    ¡­n/?/vel/b//in dot c//om


    A momentter.


    "So you''re telling me, you used cold iron to make a whip for me, and after it waspleted, this old dwarven man thought the product was so exceptional that he prayed to the great divine power of order and goodness, the Soul Forger Moradin, hoping he would bless this gift intended for demons?"


    Lancelot felt Tijana''s description was a bit too dramatic, but on second thought, there didn''t seem to be anything wrong with it.


    "Ah..." Barrend said awkwardly, "more or less... I hadn''t expected the Father God to answer..."


    "Congrattions, you seeded!" Tijana said with an ironic smile, "It seems the Soul Forger himself holds quite the opinion of me, turning itpletely into a Holy Weapon to prevent me from using it. If I were to grasp it directly, it might be no different than holding a branding iron, I suppose."


    "No, it''s impossible, if the great Father God had not approved, he would have directly destroyed this weapon!" Barrend quickly objected, then his eyes lit up, "Right! I previously obtained a design for gauntlets that came from a famous Subus Pdin. With those gloves, you could use this weapon normally. Give me five days, no, three days! I can make it in three days!"


    "I''ve heard of that guy, and I know what you''re thinking, Barrend," Tijana said coolly, "I''ve never doubted your skill, or that of any dwarven artisan. You don''t need to prove anything to me."


    "So what about this whip?" Barrend looked eagerly at Tijana, his face filled with unwillingness.


    "Just make those gauntlets as soon as possible," Tijana suddenly smiled, grabbing the whip, her face instantly twisted in pain, the hand holding the whip beginning to emit wisps of smoke. "A Holy Weapon, why not? Even if I were to ce it in my vault, it would be a perfect collectible."


    She endured the pain and ced the whip inside a Storage Bag, both Lancelot and Barrend noticed that her hand had be bloody and mangled, but it was healing rapidly.


    ```


    "Make that gauntlet as soon as possible, I can''t wait to try it," Tijana said, bringing a smile back to the old Dwarf''s face, "ording to Dwarven tradition, you have the right to name your creation, and I respect that tradition. Have you thought of a name yet?"


    "This is a whip made of cold iron, capable of dealing extra damage to most Abyssal creatures," Barrend said respectfully, "I n to call it ''Abyssal Scourge''."


    "As you wish," Tijana nodded, "Since I have respected your tradition, you must now respect mine. If I''m not mistaken, this iron anvil has turned this ce into a sanctuary of Moradin, and you know my attitude towards these self-proimed deities, right?"


    The old Dwarf''s eyes showed deep fear as he eximed:


    "No! Absolutely not! You cannot destroy it!"


    "Do I need to remind you who is the master here?" Tijana''s tone showed she was suppressing anger as she spoke in a low voice, "There are no temples in Twin Bridges Town, not one! Either you do it yourself, or I''ll kill you first and then do it myself, stepping over your corpse!"


    "Let''s all calm down." Seeing that the situation was getting more and more heated, Lancelot quickly intervened to defuse the tension, "Mydy, could you tell me the reason for your actions? Such behavior is bound to irritate those high and mighty deities, but it seems to have no benefit for you."


    "Do you know what you''re saying, human?" Tijana red at Lancelot, "Look around you, this is the Abyss, have you considered the consequences?"


    "From my point of view, having one more temple like this won''t make your enemies hate you more, since they already have ten thousand reasons to despise you," Lancelot analyzed patiently, "And about your allies, sorry, does Twin Bridges Town truly have any? My friend Klin has told me about this city''s grand history.


    During the most dangerous times for Twin Bridges Town, it seems no power has ever reached out to help you except for the city''s own citizens, those Dwarves who were the first to serve under you."


    "So what?" Tijana was still quite irritated, but seemed willing to let Lancelot continue.


    "It means that from the outside, whether or not you destroy this Dwarven temple makes no difference to you," Lancelot found his mind racing, "And internally, the benefits of keeping this temple are obvious. The vast number of Dwarves in Twin Bridges Town would have a much more positive opinion of you.


    They would respect and even revere you, which would make them much less resistant when you make various demands."


    "I don''t need their reverence! What I want is their obedience and submission!" Tijana said impatiently, "I can get all of that through fear alone!"


    "What you want is not merely obedience and submission, you want their skills, their products, and even their military strength if necessary," Lancelot was not daunted by Tijana''s impatience, "Respect and reverence can provide you with these too, and possibly even more. A craftsman who lives in fear will not put his whole heart into his work; he is just trying to save his own life."


    "But this is still too dangerous, it might even attract the attention of the Abyssal Lords, and you know nothing about their power. Here in the Abyss, even the incarnations of deities are mostly no match for the Abyssal Lords." Though Tijana seemed somewhat swayed by his words, she was still not convinced.


    "We could adopt apromise," Lancelot continued persuasively, "Not far from here, the Shattered Mountain Range has countless caves suitable for hiding. You could have the Dwarves move this iron anvil there, and proim to be unaware of the matter, while Barrend will ensure that the Dwarves'' gratitude towards you is not diminished."


    "All Dwarves would be grateful to you, I assure you," Barrend quickly joined in, "Perhaps except for those gray-skinned bald ones."


    Tijana silently looked at them, saying nothing, and Barrend had no choice but to summon his resolve and throw out hisst bargaining chip.


    "With the rallying power of Father God''s miracle, I''m certain that the production of cold iron weapons can be increased to fifteen hundred¡­ no, at least two thousand pieces a month!"


    Finally, a smile appeared on the Subus''s face.


    "You have half a day to make this iron anvil disappear from Twin Bridges Town."

 Chapter 62 The Inspiration of Miracles

    The impact of this iron anvil on the dwarvenmunity of Twin Bridges Town greatly exceeded the expectations of Lancelot and Tijana. After Barrend and the Craftsmen Committee made the announcement, the entire cksmith district was in an uproar.


    The dwarves on duty did not leave their posts, for taking one''s work seriously is one of Moradin''s most important teachings. Though they had tears in their eyes as they swung their hammers.


    On this day, Moradin''s name was praised countless times, and Tijana''s name came closely second. Some fervent dwarves had already regarded Twin Bridges Town as a final opportunity bestowed by the deities, and the appearance of this anvil further convinced them that Tijana was the one chosen by Moradin to save them.


    Seven of the strongest dwarf warriors proudly stepped forward, taking on the responsibility of guarding this holy relic, just like the seven tinum guards of legend under Moradin''smand. They would venture to the Shattered Mountain Range in search of a ce neither too close nor too far to establish a temple for Moradin.


    Although dwarves can be stubborn, they are not inflexible. They fully understood and were grateful for the subus lord''s decision. If possible, they would express their respect to the Father of Dwarves with the most magnificent architecture, but they also knew it was essential to keep a low profile to avoid attracting unnecessary enemies to the temple and Twin Bridges Town.


    On the surface, the disruption this event caused quickly settled down. The demon residents and Blood War mercenaries of Twin Bridges Town merely heard that the god of the dwarves had performed a miracle in the Craftsmen''s District, and they were indifferent. This is the Abyss¡ª even if the deity themselves descended in person, they would be overwhelmed by the countless demons.


    However, the Craftsmen''s District was far from as calm as it appeared. The dwarves felt the gaze of the creator upon them once more, and now they worked with fervor, just as Moradin had taught them. Production in the Craftsmen''s District had seen a significant increase in those days, with more and more cksmiths joining the ranks to manufacture cold iron weapons.


    Lancelot and Barrend secretly breathed a sigh of relief, believing that these positive signs would please Tijana. Barrend quickly finished the gauntlet, which was made of mithril and very light, able to prevent damage to the bearer from the holy weapon. ording to his observation when he delivered it, Tijana''s mood seemed to be very goodtely.


    Another item delivered along with it was a leather cover, which, when put on the Abyssal Lash, made the weapon look like an ordinary heavy whip. This meant that they could catch the enemy by surprise at a critical moment in battle. Needless to say, Tijana was very fond of this design.


    In the following days, Barrendpleted the great sword that Lancelot had requested, with Lancelot himself also contributing.


    At Lancelot''s direct request, the great sword was over seven feet long, with the grip itself exceeding two feet. The de was single-edged on one side, with only the tip of the other side sharpened, making it more like a massive longsword.


    The de was half a foot wide at its broadest point, and one inch at its thickest. At a staggering weight of 50 pounds, an ordinary warrior would struggle even to swing it, let alone fight with it.


    But Lancelot was quite satisfied with it¡ªthe weapon''s design and power matched the dream of the little knight inside his heart. The little knight had been badly beaten by the little cultivator recently, and Lancelot decided to soothe his little knight with such a great sword.


    The great sword always emanated the characteristic chill of cold iron, and Barrend gave it a very fitting name: ''cier''.


    Due to cier''s exaggerated size, carrying it on his back would be extremely inconvenient, so Lancelot had to store it in his Dimensional Bag. However, the next time he encountered a beast with a sizable form like the shark lizard, Lancelot looked forward to putting his new toy to use.


    The final days of the month passed unremarkably. Lancelot focused on his cultivation, tirelessly working to improve his own prowess while diligently practicing several techniques said to be very practical for the Qi Refinement Realm detailed in the small bamboo slip¡ªQi Concealing Technique, Turtle Breathing Technique, and Shadowless Step.


    Lancelot guessed that the world of Spiritual Cultivation was no safer than the Abyss, and the primary task for cultivators in the Qi Refinement Realm was to survive.n/o/vel/b//in dot c//om


    Klin locked himself in his room, engrossed in academic research. His recent adventuring experiences had significantly improved his spellcasting abilities, and he could now barely cast a third-circle spell.


    In the Schr''s own words, this meant that he would no longer simply be a spectator in battles. He could cast powerful offensive magic such as the Fireball Technique, or very useful support spells like Haste Spell and Flight Spell.


    Bruto spent most of his time helping his father, asionally asking for Lancelot''s "guidance." Lancelot had to admit that Bruto was the fastest learner he had seen, although the Dwarf Warrior fought more like a Barbarian than a warrior.


    Instead of forcefully changing this tendency, Lancelot patiently served as Bruto''s sparring partner, helping him learn to make better use of his instincts and rage inbat.


    Their coborative work, six Cold Iron Longswords, were now stuck in the bare garden of Hagrid Manor, surrounded by the Enchantment Array set up by Klin. The "Patriot" Enchantment waspleted through ritual magic, which was rtively easy.


    The final step of the ritual was to stick the weapons to be enchanted into the ground. Seven dayster, the enchantment would beplete, and within a hundred miles radius from the insertion point as the center, the enchantment would take effect. In this area, the weapons would possess magical power, bing sharper and more precise.


    Under the inspiration of Moradin''s divine acts, the craftsmen under Barrend easily met the production targets set by Tijana. The old Dwarf naturally remembered the promise he had made to the Subus Lord, so he did not rx at all and immediately began the next batch of production without stopping.


    As the day drew closer for the clients of Twin Bridges Town to arrive, the Low Rank Demons of the town grew restless. Lancelot learned from Dingke that whenever these representatives from different forces congregated, Twin Bridges Town would hold a grand diatorial event, featuring participants such as Prime Demons, Coward Devils, and Quasimodo Demons.


    The rules were simple. These Low Rank Demons would engage in a battle royale in the arena, with thest one standing being the sole victor.


    For the Demons gathered here topete for the craftspeople''s output for the next three months, this was an insanely entertaining event. They would capture arge number of Low Rank Demons on their way here and ce heavy bets on their ves.


    But not all participants were forced. There were always some mad souls who believed they could rise to great heights and shed their weak bodies in one fell swoop.


    This notion was not unfounded. Those souls who were most evil and cunning in life, upon arriving in the Abyss and bing Low Rank Demons, still retained fragments of their mortal memories. After figuring out the game''s rules in the Abyss, they would do whatever it took to ascend to higher-ranked Demons, usually by scheming and betraying, to ughter their kind en masse.


    However, the ascension process for Demons was so excruciating that it could cause a soul topletely forget everything about itself, which was uneptable for those Demons that still held on to memories of their former lives.


    This is why some Demons volunteered to participate in these grand battles¡ªit''s a precious opportunity to bypass several ranks and directly promote to mid-level Demon status.


    Lancelot even specifically asked Dingke if he was interested in participating, but the Quasimodo Demon expressed great reluctance, stating that if the master insisted, it wasn''t impossible, but he felt he could serve his master better as is. Thus, Lancelot did not persist.


    Finally, the day arrived for the clients of Twin Bridges Town to visit. Except for young Isabe who could only stay at home and sleep in annoyance, everyone else got up early to go out and join the spectacle.

 Chapter 63 Peripheral Powers

    ```


    Under the effect of magic, the small square with the statue of Tijana expanded more than a hundred times in size, while the ground sank down step by step, forming an arena-like structure.


    Many demons had already arrived early, seizing the innermost and frontmost positions, ready to thoroughly enjoy the spectacle of ughter.n/o/vel/b//in dot c//om


    Lancelot and hispanions had no intention to squeeze into such inner spots. They sat down on the edge of the depression, near a group of Dwarven Artisans, observing the audience that had already gathered.


    The mostmon sight was the Berserk Demon, a human-shaped toad known for its simple mind and rare loyalty to its superiors among demons. If the cannon fodder is not counted, they were the mostmon in the armies of the Demon Lords,


    Next were a type of lean demons with the heads of goats and the tails of long snakes protruding from their behinds. Lancelot often saw these demons, formally known as Brezu Demons, but Bruto preferred to call them Goat-Headed Demons. These demons, wielding huge tridents, were skilled martial artists. However, they were mostly solitary creatures unless they were on a mission.


    Then there were the muscr human-shaped demons with two pairs of arms¡ªknown to Lancelot as Arrow Demons, they made up the archers of the demon armies. This rare type of demon understood teamwork, making them incredibly dangerous on the battlefield of The Abyss. Besides those sitting in the stands, the high points of the venue were also filled with these demons.


    The above three types constituted the main forces of Tigana''s army. To Lancelot''s regret, there was no cavalry. This might be rted to the traditional defensive stance of the Twin Bridges Town''s army.


    The rest of the audience consisted of civilians from Twin Bridges Town, most numerous being the Devilspawn and their descendants. They worked in the town''s shops, bars, and inns, striving to survive in this society that did not ostracize them.


    There was also a considerable number of Subi mingling in the crowd, flirting with all sorts of strangely shaped creatures. Although they were the product of mortal desires, their definition of male charm did not adhere to mortal aesthetics.


    Additionally, there were many Blood War Mercenaries like Lancelot. This crazy group of adventurers feared neither heaven nor earth, and for wealth and treasure, they actively (mostly of their own ord) came to The Abyss, ready to face any challenge, for the right price.


    The rest of the demons were mostly unnameable by Lancelot due to their bizarre appearances. However, their appearances did show some humanoid traits. ording to Klin, these were all members of the Tanali Demon Race, created from the souls of fallen mortals in The Abyss.


    In the wilderness, Lancelot had encountered some highly deformed native demons of The Abyss; some resembled giant mouths with seven or eight legs, others were fleshy orbs covered in mouths and eyes, and still others were immense heads floating just above the ground, a mere nce of which made Lancelot feel his sanity was being tainted.


    Fortunately, these demons didn''t get along with the Tanali, leaving no trace of their kind in Twin Bridges Town.


    To some extent, the creatures reflect the state of their creator. If the Abyss''s will proimed by the ck Cult truly existed, then Its madness and chaos might taint even the deities, perhaps exining why the True Gods almost never showed themselves in The Abyss.


    On one side of therge pit, near the castle, there was a dais like a VIP section, where Tijana sat restlessly, surrounded by her personal guard: four six-armed Serpent Demons and twelve Subus Maids. Lancelot recognized Sonam, the receptionist from the Mercenary Hall, among them.


    Tijana also spotted Lancelot and instructed something to one of the Subus Maids beside her, who then flew toward Lancelot and herpanions.


    "Good morning, Sir Lancelot," said Letisha, the Subus who usually handled transactions in the Mercenary Service Area. Lancelot asionally visited there and had interacted with her a few times.


    "Good morning, Miss Letisha," greeted Lancelot politely, "Does Madam Tigana have any instructions for us?"


    "She came to ask whether the weapons you were preparing for Sonam are ready," replied Letisha.


    ```


    "Everything is right here," Lancelot patted the storage bag at his waist, "Does she need it now?"


    "No need for now, but may I have a look first?"


    "Of course." Lancelot untied the opening of the storage bag and took out six swords one after another.


    Letisha, who had worked for many years in the mercenary service area, had a discerning eye. She instantly recognized the superior quality of these weapons. After a brief inspection, she handed the weapons back to Lancelot, then turned her head and nodded towards Tijana.


    "These are excellent works." The subus smiled at Lancelot, "Later, you might need to showcase the cold iron weapons to those demons, no problem, right?"


    "Uh, why me?" Lancelot asked in surprise, "The dwarven artisans who actually made them would obviously be more appropriate."


    "Lady Tijana does not want those who made them to be exposed to those fellows," Letisha exined, "But I guess the real reason is that she wants you to be seen, to keep a certain annoying suitor from bothering her."


    "Wow." Klin and Bruto eximed in unison, each cing a hand on Lancelot''s shoulder and giving it a shake.


    "I see." Lancelot felt his face grow warm, "I am honored."


    "Don''t get ahead of yourself," Letisha said with a lightugh, covering her mouth, "Lady Tijana always finds a male creature for this job, don''t get the wrong idea."


    "Serving ady is an important part of the knightly spirit," Lancelot said earnestly, "This... suitor, what''s his deal?"


    "You really don''t know?" Letisha looked at him in surprise, "Are you familiar with the power dynamics around Twin Bridges Town?"


    "I know a bit." Klin raised his hand to answer, "To the south is the Shattered Mountain Range, which currently has no dominant power; to the west, there is a region belonging to the Barlow me Demon, who ims to be the ''Destruction me''; to the east was ''Punisher'' Wisk, a lord of the Serpent Demon.


    To the north, there''s another Neutral Town called ''Oasis Fort,'' with a leader known as ''Seducer'' Molo, a male subus... wait, could it be this Molo?"


    "Your information is out of date. Wisk was murdered by its pet and loverst month; its territory and forces have been split, and now there are two opposing forces to the east: ''Destruction Horn'' Goel, a Giant Bull Demon, and ''Spider Lady'' Ilmaris, an Arachne Elf," Letisha nced at Klin, "But you guessed right, it is that self-important, annoying worm Molo.


    If it wasn''t for the caravans that pass through that area to Twin Bridges Town, Oasis Fort would have no chance of thriving, and Molo would be nothing but a sad gigolo under Mekanshut."


    "The ''Seducer'' Molo is backed by the Queen of the Subus?" Klin''s face was filled with shock.


    "Who is Mekanshut?" Lancelot asked with surprise. He was not familiar with the name, but the title of Queen of the Subus was no trifling matter.


    "She''s one of the earliest born subi. After defeating all the original subi like her, she received the title of Queen of the Subus and currently rules the 570thyer of The Abyss, Shendiravir," Klin exined to Lancelot, "She''s also the current lover of the strongest devil, known as the ''Demon Prince'' Dimogorgen.


    And Dimogorgen''s former lover, also one of the original subi, Sami-Amor, fell out of favor due to Mekanshut''s instigation."


    "For some reason, Lady Tijana doesn''t get along with this self-proimed Queen of the Subus, but I''m not clear on the specifics either," Letisha shrugged, suddenly pointing, "Look over there, guests from Twin Bridges Town have arrived, I should get back. Goodbye, Sir."


    The subus shed a charming smile, pped her wings, and flew away.

 Chapter 69 64 Chapters of Demonic Figures

    Lancelot turned his head to look in the direction Letisha had pointed, his gaze not lingering on the subus''s retreating figure.


    The approaching line of demons gave him an unusual feeling, and Lancelot quickly realized the problem: the group was quite orderly, its members all silent and serious, reminding him of seasoned soldiers, amongst whom he once counted himself.


    The most eye-catching among the group were six demons enveloped in mes. Lancelot knew they were Fireburn Demons, creatures that had failed in their attempts to advance to the rank of me Demon. Their bodies were like emaciated humans, with ragged wings sprouting from their backs. Except for the parts near the spine, the wings were all bone.


    Without the power of magic, such wings would likely be incapable of flight.


    Following them were dozens of centaur-like demons, known as Iron Cavalry demons. These demons had a pair of huge, pointed horns on their heads and well-developed muscles. They wore aplex set of full-body heavy armor, covered with spikes suited for ramming, and they held aloftnces with gs bearing the emblem of a volcano.


    They were the cavalry troops among the demons, whose longbows and ils on their backs indicated they were versatile on the battlefield. However, Lancelot knew that theirnces posed the greatest threat. The collective charge of such demons would be one of the most destructive forces in the Abyss.


    Next was arge group of Prime Demons and Coward Devils, led by ropes and iron chains. These pitiful creatures were undoubtedly the ''diators'' about to enter the arena. They had clearly suffered considerable torment and abuse on their journey, and Lancelot wondered if they could survive the first round ofbat.


    But the leader at the forefront had an air that seemed out of ce with the rest of the troop. He appeared to be a human with dark skin and handsome features, though the small horns on his head and the goat-like hooves betrayed his demonic nature. He was dressed in somewhat ostentatious formal attire, with a noble''s rapier tied at his waist, and rode a majestic Nightmare steed with fiery hooves.


    However, his scanning eyes revealed his nervousness. Lancelot noticed that the hand he used to grasp the reins seemed to have six fingers.


    "Is that guy with the six fingers a male subus?" Lancelot asked Klin, his tone containing a rxedness he didn''t realize himself.


    "A male subus? Definitely not, it must be an emissary from ''Destruction me'' Visuvius, the Barlow me Demon particrly likes to send these failed me Demon wannabes," Klin replied subconsciously, then his expression changed suddenly. "What did you say, the guy walking up front has six fingers?"


    "Yes, what''s the issue?" Lancelot asked, puzzled. Considering the myriad appearances of demons, having an extra finger hardly counted as a noteworthy demonic trait.


    "You really should brush up on your knowledge of the Abyssal Lords to avoid inviting trouble you shouldn''t," Klin said with an expression of resignation. "The six fingers are a trait of ''Lord Wu''an'' Grazzt, and many of his offspring inherit this feature. Lord Wu''an is one of the three titanic demons, ruling over three contiguous nes of the Abyss."


    "The three titanic demons?" Lancelot found the title intriguing. "One of them is ''Demon Prince'' Dimogorgen, right? Who''s the other one?"


    "''The Undying Overlord'' Okus, a legendary demon who wed his way up from an Abyssal worm to his current position," Klin spoke these names in a whisper as if speaking them louder would invoke something unwanted.


    "There are many other Abyssal Lords not as well known, but their power isparable to the titanic three, akin to that of the gods, not to mention the home advantage they have in the Abyss. I''ll fill you in on the details when we have time. Our ck Cult specifically studies these topics."n/o/vel/b//in dot c//om


    At that moment, Tigana seemed to notice the peculiarity of the neers too. She pped her wings, soaring into the sky, and called out loudly:


    "Is the arrivant Prince Kailon?"


    "Your beauty is precisely as the rumors describe, esteemed ruler of Twin Bridges Town," the dark-skinned demon bowed in greeting to Tigana. "The frontlines are intense, and my father has sent me to oversee the battle at Volcano Fortress."


    "Wee to Twin Bridges Town. You are the first to arrive, pleasee this way," Tigana stated as she returned to her throne, and two Subus Maids came forward to lead the way for Kailon''s troop, though they seemed more interested in Kailon himself.


    "It seems the rumors are true, ''Destruction me'' Visuvius is indeed a Legion Commander under ''Lord Wu''an''," Klin took out his notebook again, scribbling down his observations. "It has always seemed uninterested in expanding its territories, focusing instead on the blood war with the demons. There has been much spection within the Cult about this abnormal behavior."


    "The battlefield of the blood war is so close to Twin Bridges Town?" Lancelot was somewhat surprised, "Listening to what Prince Kailon said, the situation at Volcano Fortress is tense. If they are defeated, what will be the fate of a neutral town like Twin Bridges Town?"


    "Whether Twin Bridges Town can maintain its neutral status depends on Tigana, if she can satisfy the big shots from the Demon side." Klin shrugged, "But most of us mortals probably won''t end up well, of which I''m quite certain.


    Fortunately, ''Destruction me'' is one of the most battle-hardened Generals on the Demon side, and with ''Lord Wu''an'' standing behind him, breaking through his defense lines won''t be so simple."


    "Tigana is in such a hurry to have dad and the others make cold iron weapons, mostly likely it''s to sell to ''Destruction me''," Bruto realized.


    Just then, two other groups of people came from two different directions.


    One group was primarilyposed of minotaurs, led by a bull Demon towering over 20 feet tall, resembling a small tower. Its skin was the dark brown of a water buffalo, and its massive horns bent forward from its head. It was d only in the remnants of what might once have been a cape around its waist.


    Following it were a group of minotaurs over 7 feet tall, carrying simple ils, their hooves deep red as if they had just traversed a swamp filled with fresh blood; hence, they were called Bloodhoof Demons.


    The other group was made up of various types of spiders, these creatures over ten feet in length invoked a visceral disgust in everyone, and their leader was particrly memorable. Her lower half was that of a spider with a massive abdomen and eight sharp legs, while her upper body was that of a beautiful woman with dark skin and white hair.


    Lancelot knew this creature was the notorious Arachne Elf, a creation of the fallen Dark Elf deity ''Spider Queen'' Rose, who transformed those Dark Elves that angered her in this manner, to showcase her Divine Power and warn against defying her will.


    On this asion, Tigana did not rise to greet them, instead, a six-armed Serpent Demon stepped forward and rebuked them:


    "Strangers, state your names!"


    "I am Kavn, representing ''Madam Web'' Ilmaris, and I extend greetings to Madam Tigana of Twin Bridges Town," the Arachne Elf spoke first, voice filled with grace and head bowed in a respectful gesture.


    "Pami represents ''Destruction Horn'' Goel!" the bull Demon shouted roughly, "Tigana! Don''t listen to the Spider''s lies! They''re worth nothing!"


    "You stupid bull, a fool whose head is full of rocks, what do you know of the value of gemstones!"


    "Ah! You dare call me stupid! I''ll kill you!"


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    The bull Demon Pami let out a roar of rage, charging headlong towards the Arachne Elf Kavn with lowered head. The opponent was just as unrestrained, drawing her Longsword in readiness for battle, and their followers also drew weapons, ready to dive into the fray.


    "Enough!"


    A furious shout came, and the six-armed Serpent Demon made her move. Three of her arms, each wielding a sword, pressed against the bull Demon''s horns and forehead, while the other three swords barred the Arachne Elf''s Longsword and throat.


    "See that big pit over there? If you want to fight, we provide the venue," she said.

 Chapter 65 The Original Protocol

    The Bull Demon and the Spider''s team ultimately did noty hands on each other. They led their captured Prime Demons and Coward Devils separately, upying a corner of the high tform and ring angrily at each other.


    Tigana did not stand up throughout, possibly due to her dissatisfaction with their impoliteness or her disdain for their masters.


    "Letisha mentioned that the Demon Lord named Wisk was killed by his pet and lover?" Lancelot asked Klin, "These two groups don''t look like representatives of pets or lovers, do they?"


    "Don''t try to guess the tastes of the Demons with a mortal''s thinking," Klin rolled her eyes. "The pet definitely refers to that Giant Bull Demon, also known as ''Destruction Horns.'' It''s a creature which can grow over 50 feet tall and is quite popr among the Demon Lords, appearing in sieges as catapults and battering rams."


    "Then the lover must be the ''Web Madam.''" Lancelot nodded, "That at least makes more sense, at least their upper half is still humanoid."


    "You''re still too narrow-minded," Klin shook her head. "Demons'' practices in that regard far exceed your imagination; that unfortunate Wisk might have loved her spider-like lower half."


    Lancelot and Bruto opened their mouths but eventually did not continue this distasteful topic.


    At that moment, a smug, nauseating voice was heard:


    "Oh my, it seems I''ve arrivedte, can''t help it, Twin Bridges Town is really hard to find."


    Lancelot looked in the direction of the voice and saw a bunch of Berserk Demons walking over haphazardly. These ugly toads were each dressed in silver chainmail and wielding golden weapons, a strong nouveau riche aura hitting everyone face-on.


    These Berserk Demons were carrying a luxurious soft bed with a nearly naked male Subus sitting on top, nked by two Subus Maids. The attire of this male Subus Lord was very strange, with only a few metal sequined leather belts wrapped around his body and a cor around his neck reminiscent of one used for fierce dogs, from which long spikes protruded.


    Lancelot couldn''t help but intently examine this individual who harbored inappropriate thoughts toward Tigana. As a male Subus, his physique was impable, and his extremely handsome face bore a wicked charm, making him nearly irresistible to mortal women.


    Of course, for Lancelot and Bruto, this face involuntarily conjured fantasies of what that self-satisfied smile would look like after a punch.


    "Lord of Oasis Fort, ''Great'' Molo has arrived!!" shouted a Berserk Demon, d in a silk robe, who was walking at the front, and he was met with a huge round of booing.


    "Isn''t he the Seducer? How can he still change his nickname?"


    "Hey Molo! When are you going to perform that forever memorable act of using your tail to pleasure yourself again?"


    "Your minions'' clothes are quite nice! Where should I cut to peel itpletely off your corpse?"


    "Molo, are you still offering a buy-one-get-one-free service? I still have your coupon here, your round buttocks are just irresistible, use it before it expires!"


    ...


    A fierce glint shed in the male Subus''s eyes as hepletely ignored these jeers and strode up to the high tform, making an exaggerated bow to Tigana as he spoke:


    "Oh, my goddess of love and beauty, your most enthusiastic, most sincere, and most humble suitor Molo hase to see you again. In the days I can''t see you, I fantasize every day about how wonderful it would be to spend a night with you; how much longer must you make me wait? My heart is withering away due to the prolonged wait!"


    "That was the worst love talk I''ve ever heard," Brutoined to Lancelot. "Even a stone would grow legs to flee far away after hearing it."


    "Considering his nickname as ''the Seducer,'' there must be quite a few who fall for his tricks," Lancelot shrugged. "Klin, do you know anything about this guy?"


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    "He has no small number of exploits, and his name is also known in the Prime Material ne," Klin said strangely. "However, his nickname is neither ''the Great'' nor ''the Seducer.''"


    "What is he famous for then?" Bruto asked curiously. "Could it be that all Subi actually prefer males?"


    "''Necrophiliac'' Molo," Klin spread her hands. "He specifically targets rich noble widows, appearing when they are on theirst breath, letting these olddies burn out theirst spark of life, and then taking their souls and wealth to the Abyss. No one knows how long he has been doing this, until the affairs of a family disputing the inheritance made the condition of the bodies leak out."


    "Sounds like some fantastic end-of-life care," Bruto raised his eyebrows, "if it didn''t cost a soul."


    "Why are the Fiends so obsessed with the souls of mortals?" Lancelot asked curiously, "Besides using them to create new cannon fodder, are there any other uses?"


    "Because the soul itself also possesses great power, the study of souls has be one of the biggest taboos in the Multiverse," Klin said with a serious face, "The Fiends from the lower nes have methods to extract energy directly from souls, and this process, as you can imagine, is filled with terrible torment.


    Demons rely entirely on the energy extracted from souls to sustain their existence, and they are happy to use this energy to create arge amount of cannon fodder or various powerful magical artifacts."


    "Then... where do those good souls go after they die?"


    "Naturally, to the realms of the Deities, who created mortals, but only their bodies; the souls, however, are born directly from the cosmos, just like the Deities themselves," Klin said, his volume almost a whisper, "After living lives that are either splendid or mundane, long or short, their souls, whether ordinary or strong, will go to the realm of the Deity they believe in, be a petitioner, and eventually merge with their deity, bing part of the Deity."


    "In that case, why do most Demons who go to the Mortal Realm love to wreak havoc? Why not focus on secretly fostering corruption like the Demons?"


    "On the surface, the faith copses more easily in areas destroyed by Demons. Once they reject the power of order, they easily embark on a chaotic and evil path; thus, their souls are destined for the Abyss after death. But do you remember what I previously said about the Will of the Abyss?"


    "I remember, you mentioned that the universe was originally pure chaos, and the Deities extracted good and beautiful things from this chaos, leaving what remained to form the Abyss."


    "Exactly, the Will of the Abyss seeks to return the universe to its original state," Klin spoke with extreme caution, as if a terrible mishap could silence him at any moment. "The power of Demonses from the Abyss, which itself is dedicated to destroying order.


    I personally favor the theory that this is also a way for the Abyss topete with the Deities for power, as both are amassing strength for the day they can ultimately annihte each other."


    "What is the Deities'' stance on this?"


    "The Abyss is an existence higher than the Deities, and there is not much the Deities can do about it. However, they establish churches in the Mortal Realm, vigorously spread faith, encourage acts of goodness, and try their best to thwart the conspiracies of Demons and Devils.


    Sometimes, they even descend themselves to intervene," Klin shrugged, "But if mortals truly choose the path of corruption and don''t repent and receive forgiveness from a deity before dying, then no one can save their soul. The Deities detest those mortals who embark on an evil path and are indifferent to the screams in Hell and the Abyss."


    "It''s hard to believe," Lancelot shook his head, "knowing that such a terrible punishment awaits after death, why do some still willingly take the path of corruption?"


    "The Deities are very curious about this too," Klin said with a sinister smile, "in fact, the Devils were originally Angels tasked with battling Demons. They became tainted from their constant battles with Demons, disliked by the Deities but still depended on to fight Demons.


    Thus, the Deities agreed to the proposal of Asmodeus, ruler of the Nine Hells, allowing them to punish the Fallen souls and derive power from it to maintain their own independent existence. This agreement is known as the Prime Covenant, which led those Angels who fought Demons to leave the realm of the Deities and eventually led to the creation of Barto Hell and the Devils."


    "My God," Bruto groaned, "what a terrible agreement."n/o/vel/b//in dot c//om


    "The Deities underestimated Asmodeus''s ambition, which led to the current situation."


    "I guess they also had no choice, since the soul possesses free will," Lancelot spoke up, "Under the premise of free will, one must rely on punishment and reward to establish order. Only under the premise of free will do nobility and virtue make sense."


    Lancelot''s words plunged Klin and Bruto into deep thought, and for a moment, there was silence among them.


    But on the high tform, the male Subus, Molo, was delivering his lofty speech.


    "Tijana, I really feel sorry for you! You have so many Dwarves, just put iron chains on them, and assign some Berserk Demons to whip them harshly when they ck off, and I guarantee your monthly output of that scrap metal will multiply!


    Come see my Oasis Fort to learn the proper way to treat these Dwarf ves!" the tempter boasted, leaning back on his soft bed, tilting his head to receive some kind of bright red snack handed over by a Subus Maid.


    "This is my town, I govern it however I like," Tijana said disdainfully, "As for what you do in your ve pen, I couldn''t care less, but since you think I only produce some scrap, you can leave right now. I believe Prince Kailon would be happy to take your share."


    "What Kailon? Why call him Prince?" Molo seemed puzzled.


    "My father assigned me tomand the Destruction me legion," the young man with six fingers spoke ndly.


    "What? You actually are... I mean, are you really a prince... from Lord Wu''an?" Molo eximed, his expression suddenly darkened, and he fell silent.


    Tijana nced at him, and seeing the annoying man finally shut up, she pped her hands.


    "Let''s start the diatorial match, the audience is getting impatient."

 Chapter 66 Chaos

    "Wait, we haven''t ced our bets yet," the annoying voice of the male Subus rang out again. "I even collected a special soul in advance for this."


    "The winner has the right to bid first, just like before, right?" asked the Arachne Elf named Kavn.


    "How boring that would be." Molo looked at the Arachne Elf askance. "Why don''t we make it interesting? The loser also gives up their corresponding share, how about that?"


    "Hmm, that''s a big gamble. I''m afraid someone can''t afford to y!" Kavn implied, ncing at the Minotaur on the other side.


    "Why is the spider looking at Pami? Does the spider think Pami can''t afford to y?" the Minotaur bellowed. "As long as you dare, Pami will keep youpany to the end!"


    "Then it''s settled." Molo turned to the dark-skinned offspring of Grazzt. "Great Prince Kailon, won''t you join us for some fun?"


    "Firstly, I''m just an unremarkable one among my father''s many offspring, lucky enough to be remembered by him, and don''t deserve to be called great," Kailon nced at the male Subus, then turned his head towards the Lord of Twin Bridges Town. "Lady Tigana, our past cooperation has been very smooth, and Ie with the same sincerity this time.


    You must also be aware of what it would mean for your Twin Bridges Town if the Volcano Fortress were to fall."


    "You will definitely be satisfied with today''s harvest." Tigana nodded, then raised her hands and pped them together.


    This was a prearranged signal. The Dwarven Artisans by Lancelot''s side began to pull out various weapons from their backpacks and threw them into the arena.


    A rain of metal gleaming with cold light descended, and the ground of the arena was instantly filled with a dense forest of weapons, as a chilling atmosphere immediately arose.


    The sharp-eyed Lancelot spotted the distinct cold reflection unique to Cold Iron Weapons.


    This was a tradition of the Twin Bridges Town diatorial tournament. The diators would use these weapons to kill each other, making the fighting more bloody and exciting, while it also served as a clever marketing ploy to help indecisive potential buyers make up their minds.


    "Roar! Tijana! Tijana! Tijana!"


    Urgent cheers erupted around the arena as the audience chanted the name of Tijana. For visitors unfamiliar with the situation, they would be shocked to discover that the soldiers and residents of Twin Bridges Town had an extraordinary fervor for their Lady.


    A flurry of intense Spiritual Light shed by, and Tigana activated arge-scale transportation using the Defensive Formation of Twin Bridges Town, suddenly causing the Prime Demons and Coward Devils captured by various factions to appear in the arena.


    Also, dozens of Low Rank Demons jumped in from the spectator stands, volunteer enthusiasts for this deadly game.


    Most contestants were at a loss due to the sudden change in the environment, and the thousands of mouths roaring at them left them standing frozen in ce.


    But a few quick-witted ones immediately sprang into action. The first to make a move was a Prime Demon, one of the lowest level of Demons, with a bloated and corrupted body only three feet tall but with sharp ws at the tips of its hands.


    It suddenly leaped onto the back of a Coward Devil, plunging its ws deeply into the back of the Devil''s head. The Coward Devil didn''t even have time to cry out before it copsed.


    Carnage ignited the entire arena in an instant, and the demons who had reacted to the chaos wed at one another, engaging in a vicious melee.


    It was aplete free-for-all, with the Prime Demons being souls that had recently descended into the Abyss, still retaining rtively clear memories from their mortal lives. Therefore, they fought with more resolve, decisiveness, and ferocity than the Coward Devils. However, the Coward Devils were physically stronger and had sharper teeth.


    Relying on their physical advantage, many of them gained the upper hand during the struggle.


    Initially, nobody thought to use weapons. They relied on their ws and teeth, fighting each other in a primeval and savage farce. Eventually, someone being choked and pinned down by a Coward Devil groped about and touched something hard, activating a fragment of their memory.


    The Prime Demon suddenly gripped the hilt of the dagger and plunged it into the throat of the Coward Devil pinning him down. With a twist of his wrist, he hooked out the Coward Devil''s windpipe, spraying blood all over his face.


    Along with the blood that sttered across his face came a strange energy. It was as if the Prime Demon had understood something, and he shoved the body off himself, brandishing his weapon towards the next enemy.


    More and more diators picked up the weapons scattered on the ground, be they Prime Demons or Coward Devils, most retained some human memories. In these life-or-death moments, memories of how to use various tools of murder awakened in these fallen souls.


    Weapons were far more efficient at inflicting damage than fangs and ws, turning the battle into an even bloodier spectacle. Limbs and blood asionally flew by, prompting screams from the audience.


    But Lancelot noticed that, seemingly subconsciously, not a single demon picked up a Cold Iron Weapon.


    The first Prime Demon to fight was now struggling with a hand axe, yet he disyed skilledbat tactics. As a Coward Devil armed with a longsword lunged at him, the Prime Demon awkwardly shifted his bulky body to dodge while slyly leaving a foot behind to trip the oing Coward Devil. He then pounced on the fallen foe, severing the Coward Devil''s head with his axe.n/o/vel/b//in dot c//om


    "Good!!"


    On the high tform, the male Subus Lord of Oasis Fort shouted his approval. The Prime Demon, emanating the Magic Aura of Oasis Fort, was one of Molo''s sent-out fighters.


    "This one, Litt, was a serial killer in his previous life. Look at his cunning tactics!" Molo announced proudly, like a rich second generation showing off a new toy. "Such a cruel fellow he was. Never left a single survivor during his robberies, not even the mute babies. I didn''t even have to guide him at all; I just lent him a bit of power!"


    Just then, the Prime Demon who had just performed the decapitation suddenly stood still as if paralyzed by something.


    Molo was initially taken aback, then his face lit up with joy,


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    "So soon?"


    Before their eyes, the Prime Demon''s body seemed to boil over as energy burst from somewhere within, tearing through flesh. Pain flickered in its eyes, and the next second, even its eyeballs burst.


    A bewildered Prime Demon attempted to take advantage of the chaos, but as soon as it got too close, its flesh appeared to dematerialize and was sucked towards that writhing mass of flesh, merging into one with it. This spectacle caused the other demons to keep their distance from the strange clump.


    For demons, there is no such thing as dying from a surge of power. This indicated that the Prime Demon had umted enough energy butcked the technique to suppress it, hence it evolved right there on the battlefield.

 Chapter 67 The Ripper

    The promotion process was quick,sting only about ten seconds before it ended. From that writhing mass of flesh, a Coward Devil was born, its eyes full of confusion, and the soul-twisting pain it had just endured caused it to forget some things.


    But its fighting instinct was still intact. Faced with an iing longsword, the newborn Coward Devil instinctively ducked down, grabbed the axe on the ground, and delivered an Upper sh, embedding the axe de urately into the throat of the attacker.


    "Hahaha! What a beautiful strike!" Moloughed proudly.


    The Arachne Elf and Minotaur at his side, however, turned an ashen hue, as if they had already resigned themselves to the likelihood of losing the bet. It seemed that the male Subus''s move had truly taken them by surprise.


    Witnessing the smug look on the male Subus high on the tform, Lancelot felt a surge of annoyance. Why would Tigana tolerate this annoying creature? Was there something in Twin Bridges Town that made her susceptible to others'' control? Or was it that Tigana was trying to avoid conflict with the Queen of the Subus?


    Meanwhile, the ughter in the arena had reached a fever pitch.


    In this free-for-all of Low Rank Demons, participants were dying continuously. The losers burst into stinking gases or turned into acidic clouds, but these were immediately dispersed by magically generated gusts of wind, allowing the audience to enjoy every angle of the bloody spectacle without dead angles.


    There were over a hundred Low Rank Demons thrown into the arena, including Prime Demons and Coward Devils, as well as a few Quasimodo Demons.


    These cunning creatures didn''t opt for a head-on sh but instead used their ability to turn invisible at the first opportunity, hiding away until the moment was right to leap out from invisibility and deliver a finishing blow to a gravely wounded enemy, reaping the benefits like a fisherman watching for his catch.


    Nevertheless, these crafty little demons were quickly eradicated. Quasimodo Demons had an extremely vulnerable constitution, and even the lowest level Prime Demons could easily tear these ashy-grey little creatures in half. Their patience wasn''t as good as they thought.


    Amidst the chaos, an invisible figure quietly slipped into the arena, unnoticed by all.


    As time passed, most of the Prime Demons had died, and a few particrly ferocious ones hadpleted their promotion. These Coward Devils, evolved from Prime Demons, were more proficient with weapons, and theirbat strength was clearly a whole order of magnitude higher than their brethren.


    More importantly, they possessed a higher evil talent. Not only did they exhibit various cunning moves inbat, but they also tacitly avoided each other, choosing instead to pick on weaker prey.


    The number of surviving demons in the arena sharply decreased, and before long, only about a dozen Coward Devils remained. At that moment, the flesh on the surface of one of the Coward Devils began to churn, signaling another instance of demonic promotion in the arena.


    "Hahahahaha! It''s my lovely killer again! I knew I was right about it!"


    Moloughed triumphantly, confident that he had this match in the bag.


    The brutality of the Coward Devil promotion was even more intense than that of the Prime Demon: the suddenly erging bones tore through the skin and muscle, flesh first melted, then wriggled and reassembled, the skull was cracked by swelling brain tissue only to heal swiftly and repeat the process...


    The Coward Devil let out a horrific scream, such a piercing sound that the mortals in the audience felt as if they were subjected to the same agony, while it drew heartyughter from the demons.


    This was the greatest characteristic of evil creatures: the pain of others brought them pleasure.


    The promotion finally ended. The newly evolved demon stood over six feet tall, slightly taller than an average human male, with an ugly face featuring a gaping mouth big enough to swallow a whole head, arms as thick as buckets, and a body of well-developed muscles like some human-shaped beast.n/o/vel/b//in dot c//om


    But what drew the most attention was its abdomen, where a smaller pair of arms, simr to those of a Coward Devil, protruded. Sharp bones extended directly from the tips of the hands, forming a pair of bone ws.


    It almost immediately demonstrated to the audience the use of its small arms located on its abdomen. A Coward Devil wielding a Warhammer thought it seemed not fully awake and smashed hard onto its back from behind.


    Luckily for the Coward Devil, it wasn''t tall enough, and the hammer missed the head, merely causing it to stagger a bit.


    Seeing the sneak attack didn''t result in a fatal blow, the Coward Devil panicked, dropped the hammer, and tried to turn and run.


    But the opponent recovered faster than it had anticipated. The newly promoted Demon raised its strong upper limbs and grabbed the fleeing Coward Devil, hoisting it into the air. Its abdominal arms stretched forward suddenly and directly plunged its ws into the prey''s belly, followed by a strangeugh, all four arms pulled apart to the sides.


    The pitiful Coward Devil was torn in half, with pus-filled, tumorous innards falling everywhere, and foul-smelling blood spraying like a fountain.


    As it had just demonstrated, this was the Abyss Ripper, vividly reflecting its favorite killing memories. They were like overlords among Low Rank Demons, rtively rare because they could quickly umte the energy needed to advance to a higher ss of demon.


    The Ripper held the broken body aloft and let out a wild roar, venting the pain that had utterly twisted its mind due to the upgrade process and the pleasure of having its killing desire satisfied.


    The response was the crazed cheering of the Demons in the spectator stands. This was what they wanted to see, each Demon with blood-red eyes as if they were on the field themselves, joyfully chopping off heads and tearing bodies apart.


    Bruto turned his head away, unable to stomach the bloody spectacle below, even though they were all despicable demons.


    Klin, too, was pale, but he did not avert his eyes and was briskly recording something in his notebook. As a Schr studying the Abyss, confronting these horrific scenes was his job.


    Lancelot watched the fighting Demons expressionlessly. The eviscerating scenes no longer aroused fear in him. Rebellion (or rather, insurrection) was never a dinner party, and the bloodiest sights in war were actually the battlefields right after the fight, which he had seen too many times.


    The remaining few Coward Devils temporarily stopped fighting and gathered at the other end of the Arena. They all had various degrees of injuries, but none of these survivors were simple foes; almost all had just advanced from Prime Demons.


    The few Coward Devils clumsilymunicated with each other in the Deep Language, word by word, and barely reached an agreement to deal with this four-armed fellow first.


    The Abyss Ripper was unfazed; it picked up several weapons of varying sizes from the ground around it, instantly turning into a makeshift six-armed Serpent Demon, looking quite impressive.


    "Hahaha! See? The oue is already clear," Moloy back on his soft bed, pulling the two Subus Maids into his arms. His hands began to roam like two snakes, while the two Subi obediently snuggled up to him.


    Tijana nced at Molo''s disgraceful behavior with a slight squint of her eyes, then turned her attention back to the situation in the arena.


    The Coward Devils might have reached an agreement to fight together, but they kept retreating in the face of the Ripper''s terrifying presence. Were it not for the Arena being tightly enclosed, they would have scattered and run away.


    Suddenly, one of the Coward Devils felt something underfoot, tripped, and fell to the ground. It quickly tried to get up, only to discover arge gash on its foot that was exceptionally painful.


    It looked closely at what tripped it and found it to be just an ordinary-looking shortsword, but it emitted a coldness that made it very ufortable.


    Its little brain suddenly became curious about what it would feel like to plunge this coldness into an enemy''s body.

 Chapter 68 Demons Instinct

    But at this critical moment of life and death, this Coward Devil certainly wouldn''t ignore the weapon it felt was dangerous anymore. Other Coward Devils, too, either due to stumbling or being hit by flying objects they didn''t seeing, took notice of the previously ignored Cold Iron Weapons.


    To the Demons in the stands, these desperate fellows were just trying to grasp at straws. They were all too familiar with such reactions, but they knew them to be destined for futile struggles.


    Some Dwarven Artisans secretly clenched their fists. They didn''t understand why the diators on the field had initially avoided the cold iron crafts, nor why they suddenly came to their senses, but the enemies they faced were too strong. Whether the performance of the Cold Iron Weapons was enough topensate for the gap in strength, these Dwarven Artisans also had no confidence.


    "Ah, such a headache, what should I do with those junk items from Twin Bridges Town?" Molo''s annoying voice rang out again, "I''m afraid they can only be thrown into the furnace as scrap metal, to be turned into materials for the ves."


    Tijana didn''t have the time to pay attention to him. Due to past experiences, this clown''s only understanding of social interaction was humiliation. When the time was right, she would make this fool pay for all the offenses. She just hoped that when that day came, Molo wouldn''t have died for some other reason beforehand.


    The Subus Lord narrowed her eyes to slits, not wanting anyone to notice the magic glow flickering in them.


    Under True Sight, she saw a familiar figure sneaking around the arena with an axe, quietly cing it at the feet of thest Coward Devil that hadn''t gotten a Cold Iron Weapon yet.


    She turned to look at the stands, where a Human Knight had his eyes closed tightly, seemingly unable to bear to watch the bloody scene below.


    The Subus Lord revealed a sliver of a smile, then quickly ttened the corners of her mouth and looked back to the field. There, the Coward Devils were finally cornered by the Fillet Demons, with no way out.


    A slightly taller Coward Devil let out a roar with all its might, leading a few other Coward Devils into the fray.


    The Coward Devil holding a Nail-headed Hammer swung with all its might at the head of a Fillet Demon, only to hear a ''ng'' of metal striking metal, followed by a sharp pain in its stomach.


    The Fillet Demon effortlessly caught the Nail-headed Hammer with its strong upper limb, while the two arms on its stomach swiftly plunged the Dagger into the Coward Devil''s belly. The sharp de sketched left and right, spattering blood and pus all over the ground.


    The Fillet Demon casually threw the body of the Coward Devil to the ground, turning its head to seek the next target.


    That was its first mistake of the day.


    The dying Coward Devil unleashed the ferocity inherent in a Demon. It dragged its shattered body across the ground, struggling to lift the Nail-headed Hammer in its hand, gathering itsst bit of strength to viciously smash the Fillet Demon''s foot.


    All Demons possessed innate Protective Auras, much like armor to mortals. Under normal circumstances, this final blow of the Coward Devil wouldn''t have done much damage, but in front of the Nail-headed Hammer, the Fillet Demon''s Protective Aura was like butter facing a hot knife, offering no resistance whatsoever.


    The Fillet Demon let out a cry mixed with pain and surprise. It looked incredulously at its foot, finding it had been smashed into a bloody mess by that blow.


    What was more troublesome was feeling an ufortable chill prating its body, hindering the healing of the wound.


    Most of the audience hadn''t realized what anomaly had urred, thinking it was merely thest furious strike of a Coward Devil before death, nothing to fuss over. It was a group of Dwarves, however, who excitedly jumped up from their seats.


    The Abyssal Creature itself certainly noticed something was amiss, but there was no time left for it to ponder. Several more Coward Devils rushed to its side, swords, axes, and hammersing at it from all directions.


    With a leg injured, the Abyssal Creature found it difficult to move freely and had to face the attacks of these Coward Devils in ce.


    Fortunately, having be an Abyssal Creature, it possessed two immensely powerful upper limbs. Relying on sheer strength, it met the enemies'' des head-on. The battle axe first sent the weapons of attackers on both sides flying, then split their bearers in half.


    Its abdominal arms, each clutching a Dagger, were waiting for the enemy in the middle to strike, but the opponent didn''t move as it had anticipated. This sly Coward Devil slightly slowed down during the charge, letting itsrades on either side advance half a step ahead.


    The twopanions were instantly killed by the Abyssal Creature, but it seized the fleeting opportunity. With the Abyssal Creature''s battle axe stuck in a corpse, the Coward Devil took the chance before the enemy could retract its arm and swung its sword at the wrist that held the axe.n/?/vel/b//jn dot c//om


    In its mind, if it could just injure the opponent''s axe-wielding wrist, it would be a great sess.


    But the oue far exceeded its expectations. The icy Sword de, like a scythe through stalks of wheat, effortlessly chopped off the palm that held the battle axe at the wrist.


    A spurt of blood jetted from the bare end of the limb; it staggered back, staring incredulously at its own wound, emitting a pained and angry scream.


    The Coward Devil was also startled; it gazed dumbfounded at the weapon in its hand, as if trying hard toprehend what had just happened.


    The surrounding audience also noticed something was amiss, people began whispering to each other, discussing the scene that had just unfolded. The most dramatic reaction came from a certain arrogant Subus Lord named Molo, whose mouth hung wide open in surprise at seeing his highly-regarded Warrior easily grievously wounded.


    "Tijana! What kind of trickery is this!" the Subus Lord shouted angrily, "That sword is definitely not normal! You''ve mixed such a powerful weapon in, did you want to create this ident? This Coward Devil was arranged by you beforehand, wasn''t it!"


    "Calm down, Molo," Tijana''s voice was unfluctuating, but inside she couldn''t help secretly praising, well done. "It''s merely our new product, and there is more than one such weapon below. Anyone could have picked it up."


    Molo wanted to say more, but the gasps of surprise from the stands redirected his attention back to the arena.


    The remaining three Coward Devils started charging the Abyssal Creature from different directions. Its foot, injured by the previous blow, had never recovered enough to move freely and now, with one precious upper limb disabled, this beast, which had the upper hand just moments before, suddenly became dangerously vulnerable.


    Its one remaining fully intact upper arm wildly swung the battle axe, causing another Coward Devil to halt its attack out of fear. The Abyssal Creature seized the momentary fear of its enemy, turned sharply and cleaved another Coward Devil to pieces.


    It had no time to deal with yet another opponent, but its instincts told it that epting the attack of one Coward Devil in exchange for reducing the enemy''s number from three to two was the best decision under the circumstances.


    But it had forgotten something; its instincts had been wrong several times today.

 Chapter 70 Concealing Strength

    "This is indeed a rare sight," Tigana cocked her head in the direction of Lancelot, who shrugged at her. "In that case, I shall grant you some power."


    A red glow gathered in Tigana''s hands and then submerged into Dingke''s body.


    The Quasimodo Demon copsed to the ground with a scream of agony. Its muscles trembled violently as if they were cramping, but it did not experience the skin-tearing, bone-piercing pain it had when Lancelot had ''bestowed'' his ''gift''.


    Lancelot felt intense pain through the mental link, but it was within a tolerable range.


    After a few moments, Dingke stood up again. From a distance, it still looked like a Quasimodo Demon, but up close one could see it now stood over six feet tall, twice the height of a normal Quasimodo Demon. Its bulging muscles and the pair of majestic horns on its head set it apart as something extraordinary.


    It knelt respectfully before Tigana, demonstrating its subservience.


    "I bestow upon you the title of ''Warrior''," Tigana announced loudly, "Every resident of this town must show you respect."


    "Dingke! Dingke! Dingke!"


    The crowd cheered loudly, apuding the daring, greedy, and cunning Quasimodo Demon; of course, those traits were consideredmendable for Demons. Furthermore, the town''s Demons held feelings for their Lord that extended beyond fear; they were quite pleased to see the male Subus humiliated.


    "Alright,ds, you''ve had your fun, now scram," Tigana waved her hand, signaling the end of the contest.


    At this point, Tigana gestured directly at Lancelot, beckoning him with a clear implication toe to her.


    Lancelot stood up reluctantly and, after giving a few instructions to Bruto and Klin, made his way alone towards the high tform.


    Juggling swords before a group of High Rank Demons? He did not like this idea one bit. But Tigana was right; sending Barrend or any other Dwarven Artisan would be even less appropriate. And with her there, he shouldn''t encounter too much danger.


    The most crucial thing was that he found it incredibly difficult to say ''no'' to Tigana''s requests. The fact that he could restrain himself from actively courting her favor was already quite an aplishment.


    Stillcking in mental discipline, Lancelotmented internally. He had a feeling that sooner orter, he would fall into major trouble because of Tigana.


    There was a solution¡ªto leave Twin Bridges Town and never return¡ªbut he knew that was not feasible. It wasn''t a matter of surviving alone in the Abyss; as a cultivator at the Qi Cultivation Stage, he could fast for long periods, the Abyss could not kill him.


    But he needed hispanions to help him stay sane, otherwise, even if the Abyss didn''t im his life, it would slowly corrupt his spirit, driving him to madness.


    Had Tigana used Charm on him? No, she didn''t need to. Lancelot was well aware that the primal desire wing at him was what the Subi were born from. Just seeing Tigana''s figure, that desire wouldn''t stay put.


    Fortunately, he wasn''t short of experience in struggling with desire. When tired, one longs to rest; in the face of danger, one wishes to flee. It was natural to harbor any thoughts in front of a creature as tempting as Tigana. What he needed to do was to stay clear-headed and not let emotions cloud his judgment.


    With those thoughts, he silently began the Ice Heart Technique. The effect was immediate; his mind and body calmed at once, feeling as if a bucket of cold water had been poured over his head.


    Next, Lancelot simultaneously activated the Qi Concealing Technique, Turtle Breathing Technique, and Hidden Dragon Technique. He had one purpose: to conceal his true strength.


    Han Tianshen had discussed a question in his "Insights into Spiritual Cultivation": when facing an enemy stronger than yourself, how should you respond?n/o/vel/b//in dot c//om


    The answer was simple: do not provoke such enemies, or if possible, avoid them. One could cultivate anywhere, and there was no ground that couldn''t be reimed with a breakthrough¡ªif that''s not enough, then just break through again.


    But if it''s truly impossible to evade, making your enemies underestimate your strength is also a good strategy.


    His aura rapidly weakened, until he seemed no more noteworthy than a knight who had only seen battle once or twice.


    Dingke took advantage of the moment when everyone''s attention was diverted to use his ability to turn invisible again. He slipped to a corner no one noticed, transformed into a bat, and then flew high into the sky to circle and keep watch, observing the surroundings closely.


    The Quasimodo Demon knew that its master could share its vision through a mental link, and in this way, it showed Lancelot that it was still his humble servant.


    -------------------------------------------


    Atop the high tform.


    "So what kind of weapon is that, exactly?"


    As soon as Tijananded back on the ground, the impatient Arachne Elf Kavn closed in to ask.


    "It''s Cold Iron, a type of metal particrly effective against Elven kind," Kailon, who had been rather quiet before, answered for Tijana with great certainty. "Even the treasury of my father has weapons made from this metal. ''King of the Frost Giants,'' Kostcheqi''s famous warhammer, is also made of Cold Iron."


    "Hmph, even if that''s true, they are surely rare and exorbitantly priced," the Demonic male Molo said disdainfully. "I''ve heard about Wisk, how could he possibly die at the hands of that dumb ox and spider? The treasures from his vault must have gone into the pockets of those filthy assassins by now."


    "You?!" The spider shouted in anger, raising its sharp front ws threateningly, yet it dared not take any further action, while the Bull Demon Pami kept silent, pretending as if it didn''t exist.


    Tijana didn''t even nce at them. All Neutral Towns were hubs of information; if those two managed to remember the route this time, that was already an achievement. There would be plenty of opportunities for business in the future.


    "What do you mean ''you''! Don''t think I can''t see that you intended to deliberately lose to me," Molo sneered. "But Tijana, since these guys are broke anyway, why not give them all to me? I do know some real big shots, you know."


    "Twin Bridges Town can manufacture 300 such weapons every month," Tijana said nonchntly, showing Molo a mocking smile.


    Having recognized the immense power of Cold Iron Weapons, Tijana naturally prioritized rearming her own forces first. Subi aren''t like Dragons; they don''t enjoy sleeping on piles of gold. What they need is the power to achieve their goals, and wealth is just one of the means to garner that power.


    "This... this is impossible!" Molo went pale at the number, then as if something urred to him, he blurted out, "I get it, they must all be shoddily made imitations, you can''t fool me!"


    "They might probably look a bit shabbypared to your group of Gold Toad Fighters," Tijana scoffed. She saw that her Berserk Demons had gathered the weapons in the arena, piling them up together. With a wave of her hand, therge mass of metal was instantly teleported in front of everyone.


    "If you''re interested, have a look for yourself."

 Chapter 71 The Unscrupulous Middleman

    Before Tijana could finish, Molo was the first to dart forward, with the others soon crowding around the pile of weapons that had just been used.


    Kailon urately pulled a longsword made of cold iron from the heap of metal. He immediately noticed the poor craftsmanship of the sword, but that didn''t stop the weapon in his hand from giving him a sense of danger.


    He carefully drew the sword de across his own arm, easily leaving a trail of blood on his skin.


    On the other side, a male subus was rummaging through the pile with an ashen face. He had to admit one fact, Twin Bridges Town could indeed mass-produce cold iron weapons, but he still stubbornly said, "Hmph, just as I thought, a bunch of trash. You have the nerve to trade these disposable weapons?"


    "As long as someone is willing to pay the right price," Tijana said with a smile, "Isn''t that right, Prince Kailon?"


    "As long as the price is right, Volcano Fortress will take as many of these weapons as there are," Kailon nodded in agreement, "But what I''m curious about is, is this really the limit of that famous cksmith district in Twin Bridges Town?"


    "Oh no, of course not." Tijana cocked her head to one side, "Sonam, your order has arrived."


    Lancelot came over carrying six swords. You know the saying, don''t show off your wealth; he certainly didn''t want to be pulling things out of his Dimensional Bag one by one in front of a group of high-ranking demons.


    Tijana took an extra look at Lancelot, surprised; she noticed right away that something was off about the Human Knight. The feeling he gave her now was different, he had be very inconspicuous, others would probably ignore him involuntarily.


    What an interesting fellow.


    Six-armed Serpent Demon Sonam excitedly approached Lancelot. This was the first time Lancelot had seen how a serpent demon moved, the image of that massive snake body undting forward on the ground was enough to invoke humans'' most primal fear.


    Luckily, the serpent demon''s interest was in the weapons in his hands. Sonam reached out with all six arms simultaneously, Lancelot pretended to lower his head in fear, but quietly noted the subconscious movements of this top-tier demon.


    Sonam''s attention was solely on the six longswords she had just received. As an experienced swordsman, she could tell that although these longswords were a bit rough in detail, the quality and performance were outstanding. The distinctive sense of danger from cold iron weapons even thrilled her whole body.


    What was even better were the magical effects added to the swords; she was already fantasizing about wielding these weapons and ughtering her way across the walls of Twin Bridges Town.


    "Are you still satisfied?" Lancelot''s words pulled her out of her fervent illusion, the Six-armed Serpent Demon reflexively wanted to retort, but she had to admit that the weapons met, and even exceeded, her expectations.


    "It seems that the little Dwarf didn''t boast in vain." Sonam managed to reveal a terrible smile, "I wish you live long enough to collect this payment."


    "Who is this guy?" Molo''s annoyed voice came, "And what''s the deal with those swords?"


    "He''s my man," Tijana''snguid voice came through, "Sonam, don''t be stingy, show everyone your new toy. Some folks want to know what the weapon that will take their dog lives in the future looks like."


    Lancelot felt a surge of depression inside, he could naturally pick up on Tijana''s double entendre, but he couldn''t feel happy at all. Tijana was primarily using him to distract that annoying male subus, to stop him from buzzing around incessantly like a fly.


    Sonam did not dare to disobey Tijana''s order, but being proud as she was, naturally she did not want to personally deliver the weapon to those guys. She tossed the sword back into Lancelot''s arms, the implication clear, you go.


    Lancelot, feeling cornered, made his rounds distributing samples, fortunately, at this moment he really wasn''t very conspicuous¡ªall the attention was on the weapons he handed over, except for a certain male subus grinding his teeth in rage.


    Molo looked at Lancelot with ruthless eyes, pushing away the hilt of the sword that the human had handed over, making no effort to hide his hostility towards this man. The fact that Tijana ignored his masculine charm had already infuriated him, and the existence of this man was a direct mockery: Tijana was not uninterested in males, just not interested in him.


    The Minotaur, Arachne Elf, and six-fingered Prince now each held a longsword in their hands, and the demons immediately felt the danger that the metal cold iron brought to them. Everyone looked at the weapon in their hands withplex expressions, alling to the same conclusion¡ª their gold would be flowing into Tijana''s pockets at an even faster rate than before.


    For a long time, the rules of the game here had been established around Twin Bridges Town: nearby forces must continuously pay up to buy weapons from Twin Bridges Town, otherwise, they will be swallowed up by other forces with better equipment.


    In the end, it created a strange situation: if Twin Bridges Town did not exist, it seemed like the distribution of nearby forces would not change at all, the only difference being that they would no longer have to pay a hefty ''protection fee.''


    "The dwarf cksmiths of Twin Bridges Town truly live up to their reputation," Kailon was the first to speak, "What would be the price for purchasing a weapon of this quality?"


    "Ten thousand gold coins without enchants, or equivalent goods," Tijana shrugged, "I have no ns for mass production of this weapon; each piece has to be custom-made. Special requests can also be made, but of course, the price is additional."


    Lancelot heard the number Tijana quoted, he almost couldn''t keep a straight face. So expensive, outrageously expensive! He suddenly felt that the fifteen thousand gold coins he had just earned were quite pointless, not even paid upfront but deducted in installments. No wonder numerous dwarfs grind their teeth whenever they mention her; he now also felt a slight shift in his image of Tijana.


    The Subus Lord sneakily nced at the Human Knight, but quickly averted her gaze.n/o/vel/b//in dot c//om


    "I''ll ce an order for ten right now, just like this one," Kailon said as he handed over the longsword and a deep purple crystal to Lancelot, "This is the soul of a Fallen noble, it should suffice to cover the payment. There''s no need to be surprised by the evil power it contains; this fellow ate a boy''s heart every week to maintain his vigor in bed."


    Even without Kailon''s description, Lancelot could feel the intense difort the soul crystal in his hand brought him. He handed the soul crystal to Tijana, who merely nced at it before tossing it into a dimensional bag.


    "You cane to collect the goods in three months, but the value of this soul crystal is more than a hundred thousand gold coins," the Subus Lord was not nning to take this advantage, "For the excess, what would you like?"


    "Just consider it a personal gift from me to show my good will," Kailon shrugged nonchntly, "Now, let''s discuss something truly meaningful."


    He walked over to the pile of metal, urately pulling out longswords, nail-headed hammers, ils, spears, and battle axes made of cold iron.


    "Perhaps the Lord of Oasis Fort thinks these are all rubbish, but I''m not that foolish," he said with contempt as he nced at the male subus, "Please feel free to name your price."

 Chapter 72 Monkey See, Monkey Do

    "Each for a thousand Gold Coins," Tijana stated the price directly.


    "So expensive!" Kailon had yet to speak when Molo couldn''t help but exim from the side, "Those ordinary weapons used to only cost three hundred!"


    "You won''t find cold iron products anywhere else." Kalon pped his hands decisively, "How much stock do you have now? We''ll take it all."


    Standing to the side, Lancelot felt speechless inside. What is called a windfall, he truly experienced today. Those cold iron weapons of such quality could be produced two or three a day by that kid Bruto, and Tijana was asking for a thousand Gold Coins each, while the other party readily agreed.


    "Not much, just about two hundred pieces left, you can take them all if you want, same price," she responded.


    "Tijana!" Molo''s dissatisfied roar erupted, "The rule is that all surrounding forces get a share, do you want to defy the treaty recognized by the Wind Demon King?"


    "That foolish ceasefire agreement does say that, but what''s being divided is the output for theing three months, these are merely some trial production samples." Tijana leaned backfortably in her throne, calmly watching the male Subus, "If you''re willing to pay, naturally you''ll have your share."


    Lancelot keenly seized on the term ''ceasefire agreement'', it seemed that Twin Bridges Town was still under some constraints; of course, it could also be indirectly protected by that agreement.


    "As for you two," Tijana turned her head to look at the Giant Bull Demon and the Arachne Elf, "Have you seen enough? If so, then give them back to dear Sonam. You have the right to divide the one-third production originally belonging to Wisk evenly. I''ll give you three days to think it over.


    Come over with the money after three days, otherwise, your share for these three months will belong to Volcano Fortress."


    Without a word, Pami and Kavn handed the cold iron longsword they were holding to Lancelot, who then passed it to the increasingly anxious Sonam.


    "Think it over," Tijana said without another nce at the two who had been revealed as paupers, and with an impatient tone, she addressed Molo, "So what''s your decision? I assume you don''t have financial problems. Leave three hundred thousand Gold Coins, or you won''t get a share this time."


    "Don''t rush me, Tijana," Molo''s eyes narrowed, "You don''t think a few Coward Devils holding this thing and killing a Berserk Demon is enough, do you?"


    Here we go, Lancelot thought.


    "I believe Sonam would be quite happy to chop a few of your big toads for fun," Tijana''s voice turned cold, and Sonam also grinned, drawing his longsword.


    At those words, the group of Berserk Demons around Molo shrank back behind the male Subus in a flurry, each shaking so much in fear that they quivered incessantly.


    "A bunch of useless trash!" Molo cursed loudly. Pointing at Lancelot, he said, "If cold iron weapons are really worth that much gold, then at least they should be used to fight against enemies of the Berserk Demon''s caliber! Have this human mercenary fight a bout with my men holding it!"


    Lancelot didn''t flinch at the words, who do you think you are, why should I listen to you?


    "He''s my mercenary," said Tijana unmoved, "No one is holding a knife to your throat and forcing you to pay. If you don''t want it, I have another customer waiting here."


    "Mercenaries just want money, right? I''ve got plenty of it," Molo shouted angrily, "Human, what do you want? Say it!"


    "Enough!" Tijana shouted harshly, "Twin Bridges Town is not a ce for you to run wild!"


    Molopletely ignored her, as anger had clouded his mind, and everything today had deviated from his expectations.


    In his imagination, the despicable residents of Twin Bridges Town should have been worshipping him, Tijana should have been excitedly crossing her legs at the sight of him, his subordinates should have triumphed in thepetition, and representatives of the Giant Bull Demon and Arachne Elf should have fled in shame after being exposed by him, but look what had happened instead!


    Even a weak human mercenary dared to refuse him!


    Just then, Lancelot suddenly pulled out a mountain crystal from his bosom and said:


    "Do you have one of these gems called mountain crystals?"


    Molo was stunned for a moment, then took out a Dimensional Bag full of gems, rummaged through it, and eximed with great joy:


    "I do! Can''t hold back anymore, huh? Hahahahaha!"


    "I I I... I want one this big, make sure you look closely," Lancelot stuttered all of a sudden, shaking the mountain crystal, "A big gemstone for a big toad."


    "What are you up to?" Tijana''s voice rang directly in her head, a telepathic ability many middle-rank and above Demons possessed.


    "I''m just asking, didn''t think he''d actually have one," Lancelot didn''t have the ability to telepath, but he did know a small Dharma Method from the Spiritual Cultivators that allowed him to send his words directly into the target''s ears, unheard by others. "Don''t worry, I can still handle a Berserk Demon."


    "You, do you not have enough fun just remote controlling a Quasimodo Demon?" Tijana too was startled by his skill of speaking as if right next to her ear, but showed no sign of it, "No matter what strength you''re hiding, don''t even think about making a move on Molo. He''s not something you can handle, and I can''t let him die here; this fool is more useful alive than dead."


    "Okay," Lancelot replied, sinct and to the point.


    Molo quickly assigned a strong Berserk Demon toe forward, but Lancelot still stood in ce, not moving an inch.


    "What are you waiting for?!" Molo bellowed in rage, "Get up here and face your death!"


    "You haven''t paid yet," Lancelot rolled his eyes. He suddenly began to understand what Tijana meant; if he were the Lord of Twin Bridges Town, he too would hope the leaders of the surrounding forces were such fools.


    The male Subus furiously tossed a mountain crystal at him, which Lancelot caught and then exaggeratedly tumbled several times across the ground, as if the throw had been so powerful he couldn''t catch it properly.


    "Showy," Tijana''s voice echoed in his mind, "Anyone smarter than a rock could tell you''re ying him."


    "I''m just getting into character, heh heh," Lancelot dusted off his clothes and got up, bowing his head to check the mountain crystal in his hand.


    The quality of an Upper Grade Spirit Stone, filled with abundant Spiritual Energy, merely holding it caused a resonance with the Spiritual Energy inside him, as though with just a thought, the Spiritual Energy within would surge into his body.


    Although such gems were rather rare, their sole purpose in this universe was to be crushed into powder during the forging of weapons to provide energy for enchanting Runes, so they were not expensive. However, with this one included, Lancelot only had seventeen gemstones that could be considered Upper Grade Spirit Stones, still far from the one hundred he needed for his Foundation Establishment.


    "Strike now, tear him to pieces!" Molo''s roar erupted. Along with his roar, the Berserk Demon d in Golden Armor charged fiercely toward Lancelot.n/o/vel/b//in dot c//om

 Chapter 787 Not Ready Yet

    All the toxic snakes on Medusa''s scalp bit into that hand, injecting their venom into the tender flesh; yet, the pale hand remained unshaken, firmly covering the eyes of the snake-haired gorgon.


    Lancelot charged to Medusa''s front within the span of two heartbeats. When he stopped, his sword tip had already pierced her chest, followed by a horizontal sh thatpletely severed the gorgon''s spine. The snakes instantly lost their vitality, slipping off like dehydrated octopus tentacles and leaving several round bite marks on the arm belonging to the vampire.


    "Are you alright?" Lancelot kicked the headless corpse aside and steadied the young girl by her shoulders.


    "I''m sorry, I really need to rest now," little Isa weakly smiled at Lancelot, "I thought I was immune to the toxins¡­"


    "You did great just now," Lancelot said as he removed a dimensional bag from his belt, "Get a good sleep, and leave the rest to us."


    "Hmm¡­"


    The vampire girl turned into a wisp of smoke and then drifted into the human knight''s dimensional bag. This dimensional bag contained a small wooden box belonging to her. When she was killed by a vampire, her body was ced inside it, and it was in that wooden box she awakened as a vampire. Thus, the box was her coffin, and wherever it was, there was her grave.


    All vampires were bound to their grave soil; they had to return to their coffins, crypts, or graveyards daily to rest, or else they would quickly weaken, much like sleep-deprived mortals. However, at the same time, they could also restore their life and strength by resting in their ce of death.


    Isa, bitten by the toxic snakes in Medusa''s hair, could not be effectively healed by the elf priest''s divine arts, so she needed to heal her wounds this way.N?v(el)B\\jnn


    Unlike the damage caused by toxins, Medusa''s petrifying gaze was a form of spell-like ability that did not directly harm the life of the target. Isa had stopped the petrification from taking effect the moment she transformed into her gaseous form. Once she reformed in the box, she immediately realized this and informed Lancelot through a mental link, asking to join the fight again.


    However, the human knight asked her to wait a bit longer, as he had a better idea.


    The dark environment, the noisy shing of metal, and the presence of a powerful knight closing in¡ªall were in ce for the vampire wanderer tounch a perfect sneak attack, and Isa executed her part brilliantly.


    The death of Medusa sent the two petrified flesh golems into a frenzy. They swung their already destructive fists more wildly, recklessly trying to destroy any enemy in sight. The situations of the dwarf and the half-elf turned extremely dangerous, but they were not panicked at all¡ªtheir team''s strongest member, Lancelot, now had no rivals to restrain him.


    The human knight swiftly crossed the corridors of the dungeon. Despite wearing mithril te armor, he moved as quietly as a cat pouncing on a mouse. Considering the endurance of hispanions, his longsword first stabbed into the golem attacking the half-elf at the waist, and with a wide horizontal cut as he withdrew the de, he made a massive gash.


    Although the golems did not feel pain, their bodily structure was simr to that of ordinary humans, so such a severe injury to the waist substantially weakened their strength and agility. Afternding a sessful strike, Lancelot immediately turned to the other enemy and did the same before it could notice itspanion''s plight.


    The process of killing these golems was bloody and bizarre. Even after their limbs were all severed, leaving only half an arm and a head attached to the body, they continued to gnaw madly at the air around them, disying a life force even demons of the abyss did not possess.


    However, when every part of their bodies was dismantled, the energy that drove their movements finallypletely dissipated. The mostly petrified limbs scattered on the floor looked disgusting and eerily more terrifying than when they were still capable of movement.


    "You rascal..." Barrend''s voice sounded from behind Bruto, "How on earth did you guys get here?"


    Bruto turned around and hugged his father tightly. When Lancelot had first met Bruto, the young Dwarf was no stronger than his father, but now Bruto realized that his size had grown at least two sizes bigger than Barrend. It seemed that a dangerous and tense adventure life was more conducive to muscle growth than working beside the forge.


    "Dad, I''m not ready to lose you..." Bruto buried his face in his father''s thick beard, his voice trembling, "It''s not time yet."


    "Me neither." The old Dwarf patted Bruto''s back hard, "Thank you, my good boy."


    Companions cheered to celebrate, while Lancelot felt a tinge in his nose, he took a deep breath, turned his head to the side, and saw a group of people descending from the steps above. The one in the lead was the Elf wearing Chainmail who had been there before they entered the building, and Tiflin, who had had a healing potion from them, was also among them.


    Lancelot immediately ced his hand on the hilt of his Longsword and intentionally made the sword de rub against the floor¡ªa warning to the neers as well as a reminder to his mates. Hearing the sound, everyone quickly turned around, raised their weapons and Shields, and prepared for battle.


    Even Barrend picked up a broken golem''s leg from the ground¡ªDwarfs had no taboo, and the knee end proved a suitable Hardhead Hammer.


    "Did you kill the Madam?" The Elf peered at Lancelot, then at the headless female corpse on the ground, and her snake-haired, mop-like heady dozens of feet away, "Just you guys?"


    "What, you wanted to capture one alive?" Bruto replied mockingly, "You should know that''s impossible, right?"


    "No, just didn''t expect the famous Madam could be defeated by you all," the Elf shook his head solemnly, "How did you do it?"


    "That''s none of your business," Lancelot responded coldly, "Now, we want to leave. Are you nning to stop us?"


    "Of course not." The Elf stepped aside, pointing to Tiflin, "You saved Tory''s life and helped us take down the most dangerous enemy... Thank you very much."


    "She captured someone she shouldn''t have." Lancelot shrugged and walked towards the exit stairs, "When we came knocking, she shouldn''t have expected any less."


    "We all saw what happens as a result," the Elf nodded, but as Lancelot passed by, he suddenly spoke up, "Wait a minute."


    "What?"


    "I think this belongs to you." The Elf picked up a longbow next to the female corpse and handed it to Lancelot, "By the way, my name is Soveris Nightwind. It''s clear you all are outsiders. I suggest you leave this city immediately. If you need help, you can find me most nights, except nights like tonight, at the Wolfhead Tavern in Raventown to the east," he said.

 Chapter 73 Cold Iron Shows Its Power

    Lancelot seemed to react only at thest moment, suddenly jumping to the side and crashing into the pile of weapons. Instantly, all sorts of weapons nged and scattered across the ground.


    "You-you-don''te any closer! Weren''t you going to see the effect of the Cold Iron Weapon? I haven''t even picked up a weapon yet!" Lancelot shouted in a panicked tone, swiftly climbing to his feet with a very ordinary Cold Iron Longsword now in his hand.


    The Berserk Demon, having lunged at empty air, slowly came to his senses. This creature, d in Golden Chainmail and wielding a Golden Scepter, was as garish as a giant toad, almost as much as those bald Cultivators in their Monastery with their venerated icons.


    This Molo seems to be really wealthy, I''d better y out this act in full.


    Lancelot retreated step by step, seemingly terrified.


    The Berserk Demon, upon seeing this, revealed a sinister smile. All Demons were intimately familiar with fear, the very bridge that maintained the order of Demon society, something they endured every day and couldn''t wait to inflict on others.


    When your enemies are afraid, fearful, and faltering, no matter their original strength, killing them bes a simple task.


    "If you want to make it more convincing, you should have a faster heartbeat, constricted pupils, and secrete an unpleasant sweat," Tijana''s teasing voice echoed in Lancelot''s mind, "This trick might fool only a stupid fellow like the Berserk Demon."


    "I haven''t got that ability," Lancelot replied without a change in his voice, though the expression of fear on his face exaggerated a tad more. He continued to back away and then suddenly, as if tripped by the messy weapons on the ground, he appeared to fall backward.


    "Die!!!" The Berserk Demon roared angrily and lunged at Lancelot with increased speed.


    Lancelot''s rear endnded perfectly on the upturned butt of a spear, the point of which flicked upwards like a cobra, prating the wide-open mouth of the Berserk Demon and exiting through the back of its skull.


    It wasn''t even a Cold Iron Long Spear, but it was enough to kill the Berserk Demon before it couldprehend what had happened.


    "My God!" Only then did Lancelot move his firm rear end, stabbing the Longsword into the heart of the Berserk Demon. He pulled the sword out from the chest of the now lifeless toad-like creature, and with an utterly ecstatic expression, eximed, "Hahaha! The Goddess of Luck, Tamara, must have smiled at me just now; my luck is just too good!"


    "You scoundrel!" Molo, fuming, leapt off his soft bed and grabbed a Berserk Demon, "You go! Kill that man for me!"


    Lancelot dodged backward with even more agility than before, simultaneously saying:


    "No, no, no! We had a deal: onerge gemstone for each toad!"


    "Here!" The male Subus took another gemstone from his bag and threw it at Lancelot, who caught it deftly.


    "Be gentle, careful not to smash it!" Lancelot cried out. He nced at the gemstone in his hand and bellowed dissatisfiedly, "Not that kind, I''m asking for a mountain crystal!"


    Despite being d in full te Armor, his speed did not diminish in the slightest. The Berserk Demon adorned in Golden Armor panted as it chased him in circles,pletely unable to catch the nimble human.


    "I''ll give it to you! Stop running!"


    "First, call off your minions from chasing me!"n/?/vel/b//jn dot c//om


    "You stand still first!"


    "Just throw it! I can catch it!"


    Molo was about to go mad with irritation. With a flick of his hand, a huge mountain crystal flew toward Lancelot. It seemed certain to miss, but Lancelot''s figure eerily flickered, and the next moment, the mountain crystal was securely in his grasp.


    "That''s more like it!" His figure came to an abrupt halt, turning to face the Berserk Demon.


    The opponent didn''t slow its pace for a second, charging directly at Lancelot. It had forgotten it was carrying a weapon and, mouth wide open, attempted to bite Lancelot.


    Lancelot twirled around, narrowly dodging the assault with some difficulty, but as he turned, he hid the de behind him, slightly extending the tip as he misstepped, immediately severing the four toes on the Berserk Demon''s left foot, leaving only a bald footpad.


    In this strike, he had not used any True Qi nor had he exerted much physical strength; it was solely the restraining effect of cold iron on demons. This way, he could avoid revealing his own strength while also demonstrating the effectiveness of cold iron, killing two birds with one stone.


    The Berserk Demon howled in pain, but such an injury was far from fatal. The pain stimted its nerves, causing its eyes to slowly turn red as rationality was gradually overtaken by a berserk desire.


    It stamped its foot, shaking off the toes still attached to flesh and skin, then charged at Lancelot again.


    This time, Lancelot didn''t dodge, swinging his longsword to meet the Berserk Demon''s onught head-on.


    Although many believe that Berserk Demons are favored by High Rank Demons as a staple in the Demon Lords'' armies due to their simplicity and manipbility, there are many types of demons with low intelligence. Thebat prowess of Berserk Demons is certainly top-tier among Middle Rank Demons.


    Moreover, with their tremendous strength, it was challenging for Lancelot to contend with them while intentionally suppressing his own power.


    The longsword and scepter collided incessantly, with Lancelot''s weapon always knocked away upon contact, seeminglypletely overpowered. However, he skillfully avoided every attack and still found time to lightly sh the Berserk Demon''s arms and thighs.


    Under normal circumstances, such minor attacks wouldn''t harm the Berserk Demon at all, but the miraculous properties of the cold iron made the crudely made de edge as sharp as the finest razor, causing horrific wounds with a mere graze and the cold aura contained within also prevented the wounds from healing.


    Before long, the Berserk Demon was drenched in blood, despite the fact that these were only superficial wounds.


    Aside from Molo, the other demon representatives and their attendants began whispering among themselves. Lancelot had achieved his goal; he made it all seem like the merit of the cold iron weapon.


    The earlier diatorial match wasn''t clear enough, and thebatants were of too low a level. The battle at hand possessed better reference value because these rtively inferior cold iron weapons were designed for use against enemies at the Berserk Demon''s level of strength.


    Though none of the wounds on its body were fatal, their inability to heal caused the umted pain to eventually reach a threshold.


    Suddenly, the Berserk Demon roared in rage, casting aside its scepter and attacking Lancelot with its ws.

 Chapter 74 Rolled Blade

    The Berserk Demon that used its ws was much faster than when it wielded a weapon, and Lancelot was unable to dodge in time, only able to swing his sword toward the demon''s ws.


    At the moment of collision, Lancelot''s wrist twisted slightly, rotating the longsword in his hand half a turn, so that what met the toad-like ws was the sword de instead of the back.


    There was a squelch as all four fingers of the Berserk Demon''s right w were severed. But Lancelot didn''t pause, his longsword drawing a half-circle in the air, cleanly severing the wrist of the other w that the demon swung at him.


    However, the Berserk Demon had already entered a Berserk State; its limbs didn''t stop for a second despite the horrendous injury and struck Lancelot solidly, sending the Human Knight flying.


    Lancelot rolled to his feet from the ground. Although he looked quite disheveled, the w-less Berserk Demon was clearly more wounded than he was.


    "Tijana will need to expand her treasury," Kailon whispered to a Fireburn Demon beside him, whose eyes were fixed on the weapon in Lancelot''s hand and silently nodded in agreement.


    "Quick! Kill him for me!" Molo shouted from the side. Hatred and humiliation hadpletely taken over his reason, and although Lancelot had demonstrated the effectiveness of the Cold Iron Weapon in a very persuasive way, the male Subus now equated killing Lancelot with preserving his own dignity.


    Lancelot performed a flourish with his sword, regaining his stance. However, when the weapon cut through the air, the wind resistance made him sense something wrong. He looked down to see that his longsword had started to roll at the edge, which likely meant a reduced effectiveness.


    This quality is truly a shoddy product, Lancelot thought to himself. No wonder Barrend was so resistant to the idea of mass production. If he were in his ce, he certainly wouldn''t want anything to do with something that rolls its edge after two uses.


    The Berserk Demon''s eyes, once golden, were nowpletely overtaken by blood red. In its Berserk State, all it wanted was to rip its enemy to shreds. ws unusable? No problem, as long as it could grapple the guy, its mouth full of sharp teeth could bite off his head in one gulp!


    The giant toad leaped at Lancelot again, its wless arms wide open, set on enclosing Lancelot in a tight embrace.n/o/vel/b//in dot c//om


    Lancelot once again used a half-turn maneuver. However, without the threat of sharp ws, he started his moveter and got even closer to his enemy.


    The Berserk Demon''s bare wrists swung just above his head while Lancelot''s sword de solidly chopped into the demon''s thigh.


    With a dull thud, Lancelot''s sword became stuck in the Berserk Demon''s thigh bone. Because he had controlled his strength, the blow didn''t sever the strong leg of the demon.


    Lancelot immediately changed from slicing to shing, the de circling the leg bone of the Berserk Demon, severing the surrounding muscles.


    Hopping to the side of the Berserk Demon, he promptly raised his own leg and kicked hard into therge gash he had just made. With a crunch, the Berserk Demon fell, its left leging off like a wheel that hade loose from a wagon.


    The demon showed frightening Life Force, seemingly unfazed by the pain as it hit the ground and immediately started crawling towards Lancelot on its remaining limbs, mouth agape like a bloodthirsty piranha.


    Lancelot nimbly leaped up, executing a beautiful forward somersault in mid-air,nding behind the lunging Berserk Demon. The toad-like demon, with almost no neck, couldn''t look up and had to twist its body in an attempt to turn around as fast as it could.


    But Lancelot was faster. His longsword swung out, urately chopping into the other healthy thigh of the Berserk Demon. He also carefully used the other side of the de that he had used to chop the left leg before.


    The de wedged again into the thigh bone of the Berserk Demon, and the edge was severely bent. Lancelot directly chopped his foot down onto the curled de.


    With a crisp snap, the right leg of the Berserk Demon was severed cleanly at the root.


    The terrible pain finally reached an extent not even the frenzy of the Demons could suppress. The Berserk Demon opened its mouth wide and let out an earth-shaking scream.


    But Lancelot thrust his sword again, forcing the mouth that emitted the grating scream to shut firmly. The tip prated just above the nostrils of the Berserk Demon, through the mouth and tongue, and out the bottom of the jaw, pinning the mutted toad that had lost both legs and ws firmly to the ground.


    The Berserk Demon struggled violently, but that only made the wound growrger; without ws, its arms couldn''t grasp the de, iling in vain instead.


    Great amounts of blood and pus flowed across the ground, followed by a wave of intense stench. Lancelot stood to the side with his arms crossed, watching as the body that was once the Berserk Demon slowly ceased its thrashing, and the surroundings grew silent.


    "p, p, p, p."


    Timely apuse broke the silence in the air. The one pping was Kailon, the six-fingered prince. Raised in the famous Silver Pce of Zerata, he had witnessed all manner of battles and ughter, but the one he just saw could rank in the top ten for its splendidness.


    The skill disyed by this Human was unmatched in brilliance,cking only in strength, but no matter, the Demons had ways to grant mortals power.


    However, he nced at the beautiful figure on the throne, realizing the likelihood of taking this male under his wing was slim; after all, he didn''t have a face that turned all heads, or 36F pectoral muscles, nor would he likely strut about in a thong daily.


    "What a splendid battle. This Warrior, I wonder now..." Kailon still spoke up. Tijana had said this man was a mercenary, meaning that as long as the price was right, it wasn''t impossible to employ him.


    "Cough, cough!"


    Lancelot suddenly let out a violent cough, quickly covering his mouth with his hand. Under the astonished gazes of others, he slowly removed his hand, and everyone could see a deep red in his palm, as if he had suffered a severe internal injury.


    "Ahahaha!"


    Inappropriateughter echoed; Lancelot turned his head in dissatisfaction to look at Tijana¡ªwhat are you doing,ughing at this juncture!


    Tijana returned his gaze expressionlessly; theughter had arisen inside his own head.


    "I''m fine!" Lancelot quickly wiped his hand on the front of his breastte, leaving a conspicuous red stain. "I can still fight! Lord Molo, do you have any more mountain crystals?"


    "Yes! Loads of them!" Moloughed angrily, tossing out three Upper Grade Spirit Stones worth of mountain crystals while bellowing arrogantly, "How about bringing several at a time, would that work?"

 Chapter 75 Old Tricks Repeated

    "Only one at a time!" Lancelot pulled another Cold Iron Longsword from the pile of weapons on the ground and conveniently picked up a Shield, "Taking on two at once, the price doubles! You need to add anotherrge gemstone!"


    "Here you go!" Molo was already driven mad with rage, the Human Knight had just coughed up blood, and now with two attacking him together, they were determined to butcher this detestable fellow!


    "Thanks!" Lancelot stuck the sword into the ground and reached out to catch the fourth mountain crystal thrown his way.


    Two Berserk Demons were already charging at him, Lancelot holding the Shield, unwaveringly met them head-on.


    The three bodies, sprinting at high speed, were about to collide, the two Berserk Demons'' Scepters raised high above their heads, ready to smash down, but Lancelot suddenly came to a ghostly abrupt halt, catching the enemies off guard, their swings missing and striking the air.


    Everyone''s jaws dropped, Lancelot''s sudden halt was indeed impressive, but what was most crucial was the charge he had mounted was so overwhelmingly fierce, it deceived everyone.


    Lancelot still did not want to reveal his real strength, but since he had to fleece Molo, the fat sheep, today, he inevitably had to show some skills.


    He had set himself up to be a master swordsman with advanced techniques, fitting the profile of a self-important Blood War Mercenary who hade to the Abyss, while at the same time concealing the inconceivable power he possessed as a Spiritual Cultivator.


    A fa?ade embedded with truth, and behind that truthy another truth, Lancelot himself did not know if he could deceive everyone, but so long as he did not resort to using techniques like the Gathering Qi sh, no one else, including Tijana, could possibly guess his real situation.


    Besides, to deal with Berserk Demons, who possess sheer brute strength, relying on movement techniques and skills alone was enough.


    In the moment the Berserk Demons missed their strike, Lancelot, already tensed like a spring, charged out once again. The two Berserk Demons, who had no time to retract their weapons, were wide open, and the Human Knight thrust out a sword cleanly and urately into the gap of the armor over the right opponent''s chest, then with a twist of his wrist, he pulverized its heart.


    The heart is a Demon''s weakness. No matter how severe the wounds, a berserked Demon can continue fighting without feeling pain until it dies utterly, but if its heart is destroyed, the Demon will lose the ability to act instantly as if its soul had been extracted.


    The other Berserk Demon was terror-stricken, it hastily tried to pull back its weapon to defend, but Lancelot''s Shield swung out much more quickly. The Shield, like a metal fan, hit the big toad squarely in the face, sending it flying backward tond on its back on the ground.


    Lancelot turned around, stepped on the chest of the Berserk Demon he had just stabbed to death, and pulled out his Longsword. The already dead Demon slowly fell to the ground, its eyes still disbelievingly wide open.


    The other Berserk Demon also got up from the ground, and upon seeing the sorry state of itspanion, the fear in its heart temporarily overwhelmed its berserk urge. It did not rush to charge again but cautiously assumed a defensive stance on the spot, its small brain busily calcting its next move.


    At the same time, the flesh lumps on the shoulders and back of the Berserk Demon swelled from congestion, with some even bursting open, releasing a stream of foul puss that exuded a smell potent enough to poison a person.


    This stench was unbearable for mortals, and the Demons didn''t like it either. The Subuses gracefully covered their noses with their wings, and the attendants of other High Rank Demons also immediately used various methods, either fluttering their wings or summoning a breeze with magic, to disperse the stink that was drifting over.


    "Fools! Stop using those shameful tricks and just rush in to kill him!"


    Molo yelled angrily from the side. He firmly believed that the power of his Berserk Demons far surpassed that of the cunning human, and that a single sessful hit would be enough to end the fight immediately.


    Lancelot also quickly retreated, keeping his distance from the remaining enemy. He backed up to arge pile of weapons and nted his longsword and shield into the ground. From that metal heap, he pulled out axes, spears, short swords, hammers, and various other throwable weapons, hurling them all at the Berserk Demon.


    The prepared Berserk Demon swung its scepter, blocking most of the iing weaponry, but there were always one or two short swords or daggers that sneaked through, hiding in the shadow ofrger weapons and breaking through its defense.


    These slipped-through injuries were made of cold iron, specifically targeting its unprotected arms and groin area, creating wounds of varying depth. Normally, such minor injuries would heal significantly within a few breaths for a Berserk Demon, but wounds made by cold iron weapons were like a bonfire smothered by wet sand, stubbornly resisting re-ignition.


    "What are you waiting for! Charge now! If you don''t, I''ll send Dagarin next, and once we get back to Oasis Fort, I''ll y your hide and throw you into the snake pit to feed Bash! You know it has a taste for skinless Berserk Demons!"


    The umtion of pain from the wounds and the fear of Molo finally forced the Berserk Demon to take action. It knew it had no other choice and had to go all out.


    So, it let go of its mind, allowing the deep-seated, impatient desire to kill that was ingrained in its bones to take over control of its body.


    The Berserk Demon let out a thunderous roar as it swung its scepter at three times the speed from before, knocking away all iing weapons. Then, with its powerful hind legs kicking off the ground, it charged at Lancelot like a cannonball.


    However, all the High Rank Demons present foresaw the oue for this Berserk Demon, except for Molo, who was standing directly in front of Lancelot. The spectators clearly saw that while Lancelot had turned his back to gather the throwing weapons, he had casually hidden a long spear behind him.


    The butt of the long spear was firmly nted in the pile of weapons, with the cold iron spearhead almost touching the Human Knight''s back. Lancelot''s movement wasn''t concealed; anyone standing slightly to his side would easily notice this simple trap, but the enemy in front of him waspletely obscured by his figure.


    As expected, the bold and skilled Human Knight dodged to the side at thest moment with a ghostly movement technique, revealing the chilling gleam of the spearhead behind him. The charging Berserk Demon had no chance to react and ran straight into it.


    Under its own terrifying momentum, the gold armor provided almost no resistance to the spearhead. The long spear pierced straight through the body of the Berserk Demon, exiting its back, making it look like a frog skewered by a fishing harpoon.n/o/vel/b//in dot c//om


    Its roar turned into a wail, but was quickly silenced. Lancelot, holding his nose, pulled out the longsword that was nted in the ground and stabbed it through the heart of the Berserk Demon from behind.


    He shook the sword to dismiss the heavy stench in the air and shrugged his shoulders to the surrounding spectators.


    "The old tricks always work."

 Chapter 76 Big Business

    "Damn it!!!" Molo let out an angry roar, his figure shed, and he rushed towards Lancelot like lightning.


    "Enough!" Tijana intervened, her wings suddenly shooting up, her eyes emitting a strong magic light.


    She employed her ability to cast spells instantaneously, and arge, thick, and sticky white spider web appeared out of nowhere, into which the furiously charging male subus mmed head-first, bing entangled and unable to move.


    "Tijana! Let me go!" Molo yelled from within the web, "Are you nning toy a hand on me?"n/o/vel/b//in dot c//om


    "Perhaps, but not now. You''d better calm down and look at yourself," Tijana answered in a threatening tone, "Do I need to remind you whose territory this is? You are just a customer who wanted to see the performance of the weapons you intend to buy in actualbat, and I have obliged you. If you have anyints, it''s best not to vent your anger on my subordinates."


    "Hmph!" The male subus, reminded thus, realized his own impropriety. He looked around only to see the Minotaur, the Arachne Elf, and the six-fingered Prince all watching him with a particrly peculiar gaze.


    It was a gaze he was all too familiar with, one that contained mockery, contempt, and schadenfreude¡ªit was the same look he had faced almost incessantly when he was a low-rank lieutenant under the Queen of the Subus, Mekanshut.


    When he could no longer endure and killed a Zoel Elf who enjoyed tormenting him and was also a ything of the Queen of the Subus, nobody looked at him with that gaze anymore.


    His act of murder was witnessed by the Queen of the Subus herself; perhaps she construed it as a lover''s quarrel between two male pets, which exceedingly excited herscivious nature. As Molo plunged the dagger into the heart of that Zoel Elf, the Queen of the Subus appeared beside him, between her legs as wet as a beer barrel stabbed with a de.


    For the following three hours, he used all his craft, even burning away most of his Demon Essence, to sessfully sate the Queen of the Subus''s insatiable desire, if only slightly.


    Although Mekanshut quickly lost interest in him, Molo had seeded in earning the appreciation of the Queen of the Subus. He gained a low-level noble title, was appointed as an Official on Special Assignment to the ins of the Abyss, responsible for establishing an outpost, collecting gold, treasures, and any valuable information for the Queen of the Subus.


    Due to its proximity to Twin Bridges Town, this small outpost quickly flourished into a very wealthy town, and his status rose with its fortunes.


    He had nearly forgotten his humble origins and sordid past until he saw that gaze again¡ªafter all, it seemed to prate through his pathetic adornments, reminding him of exactly what kind of creature he was.


    "Put me down! I don''t want any of this junk!" the male subus snarled hatefully.


    "Very well." Tijana waved her hand, and the spider webs vanished into thin air, dropping Molo who was ensnared within to the ground.


    "How dare you be so disrespectful to me!" Molo red at Tijana, "From now on, not a single one of Twin Bridges Town''s trade caravans will be allowed to pass through Oasis Fort!"


    "You are more than wee to try," Tijana''s tone turned icy cold, "I have always found Oasis Fort to be something of an eyesore."


    "I will make sure the Queen hears of this!" Molo said venomously, ncing at Kailon, he sneered, "It seems Volcano Fortress will receive the lion''s share this time. To the Queen, it would appear as though you, General, have openly sided with Grazzt..."


    "All because of you. Now you can start thinking about how you''re going to exin this to her," Tijana waved her hand dismissively, "It looks like your business in Twin Bridges Town is done. Get out now."


    The male subus spat angrily on the ground and, with his followers, stormed out.


    "Sonam, you take some people and watch them leave," Tijana ordered the Serpent Demon beside her, who hissed subconsciously and set out to obey.


    "Lady Tijana, we shall take our leave as well. Once I return, I will report immediately to Madam Arachne," the Arachne Elf Kavn also spoke up at this time.


    "Mm, go ahead, I won''t see you out," Tijana waved her hand, "Remember what I said earlier, you have three days."


    "Hmph, Pami is leaving too!" the Bull Demon followed, not wanting to let his lord be thest to receive the report about Cold Iron Weapons.


    After Tijana dismissed two groups of people, only Kailon and his entourage remained. Lancelot then put all his effort into operating the Concealing Breath Technique, and although he stood to the side, his presence was as inconspicuous as a rock.


    "Thank you, Lady Tijana," Kailon, who had been silent for a while, spoke up again, "As you promised, the Volcano Fortress has received Twin Bridges Town''s production for the next three months, which will be of great help in our war against the Demons."


    "You don''t need to remind me of the significance of Volcano Fortress," Tijana waved her hand, "Besides, you have acquired only two-thirds. After learning of today''s events, the Bull Demon and the Spider will certainly gather enough gold one way or another."


    "That''s not a small amount either, and there are also ordinary iron weapons. What about their prices?"


    "As before, Twin Bridges Town''s production capacity is 3000 military melee weapons per month, uniformly priced at 300 Gold Coins each."


    "That means, I now owe you..." Kailon paused, wincing at the number he was about to reveal, "1.5 million Gold Coins."


    Tijana said nothing, just watching him with her bright, sparkling eyes. Lancelot silently cursed to himself on the side; it really was a huge business deal.


    "Can I get a discount?" the Prince with six fingers could not control the twitching of his facial muscles.


    Tijana answered him with silence.


    Kailon helplessly exchanged nces with his Fireburn Demon attendants, who gave him a slight nod.


    "So be it, then. As for the payment method..."


    "Same as before, grain or minerals are fine, and the exchange rate hasn''t changed; we''ll trade money for goods on the spot," Tijana sat up straight, "Let''s talk about something useful. How''s the front line looking?"


    "I am not the one suited to answer this question." Kailon turned his body to the side, pointing to a Fireburn Demon attendant, "Surely, you are already quite familiar with Felbank, Supreme Commander Visuvius''s chief of staff."


    "I''ve heard much about you," Tijana nodded her head, "It''s said that Destruction me trusts you greatly."


    "An honor to meet you, the Pearl of Twin Bridges Town," the Fireburn Demon''s mes seemed to burn even more vigorously in Tijana''s presence, "The situation is not optimistic. Ever since the Fallen Angel Zariel became the Demons'' Supreme Commander again, their tactics have be increasingly aggressive..."


    Felbank then spent fifteen minutes briefly exining the state of the battle. Lancelot, standing by, hardly understood anything and only vaguely grasped that the Demon army''s offensive was extremely fierce and, despite the great sacrifice by the Demons, they were still being driven back.

 Chapter 77 The Frontline Situation

    "I didn''t expect the situation to have gotten this bad," Tijana frowned after hearing the briefing from the Fireburn Demon''s strategist. "Why haven''t you sought assistance from Zerata? Lord Wu''an surely would not ignore the perilous situation at the front."


    Seeing Tijana''s expression, Lancelot felt an urge to rush out and annihte the demon army just to smooth the furrowed brows above her lovely eyes.


    Truly befitting of a subus¡ªthe mere furrowing of her brows was so tempting, Lancelot silently mused. Fortunately, these thoughts merely circted in his mind without causing even a flutter in his heartbeat.


    "Father certainly won''t tolerate the fall of Volcano Fortress, at least not before the defense lines of other Abyssal Lords," Kailon interjected. "But Lord Visuvius is equally reluctant to be the first among peers to ask for help. Many are eyeing his position as Legion Commander, not to mention those coveting Azgrth..."


    "Hmm-hmm," Felbank cleared his throat, interrupting Kailon''s speech.


    "Apologies, we have reached the purpose of our visit and shouldn''t waste your precious time with these tedious political topics," Kailon bowed, only then noticing Lancelot, who had been standing silently to the side. "Ah, I have yet to ask for the distinguished name of this courageous warrior¡ªyour performance in the recent battle was splendid."


    Lancelot did not hurry to answer, instead ncing at Tijana, who gestured indifferently to him.


    "My name is Lancelot, a knight."


    "Delighted to meet you, Sir Lancelot," said Kailon graciously. "Volcano Fortress has always had long-term mercenary contracts in Twin Bridges Town, and we are always generous to those who can offer help. The kind of gemstone you desire is also produced by the fortress, perhaps you should visit the Mercenary Hall when you have time."


    "Thank you, I''ll consider it if it is appropriate," Lancelot answered calmly, though inwardly he had alreadypletely rejected the offer. Rushing to the battlefield willingly? Do such people really exist?


    "He is still at the ck Iron Level, not yet qualified to take on your Silver-Level contracts," Tijana spoke up. "Andpared with the fatality rate, you dare im your reward is generous?"


    "We recruit Low Rank Demonmandants; under normal circumstances, there shouldn''t be a casualty rate as high as 50%," Kailon defended. "But most of the applicants are madmen thirstier for battle than demons, believing they can easily crush those low-level devils. I trust Sir Lancelot is not such a person."


    "If one is not mad, they would not ept your contracts," Tijana countered. "Even demons are few and far between who would willingly step onto the bloody battlefields, let alone mortals."


    "Indeed," Kailon nodded. "The ''Punisher'' Wisk just died like that. Although nobody liked the wolf-serpent demon, it''s undeniable that those zealous about recruiting soldiers for the bloodbath y a crucial role. Until a new wolf-serpent demon overseer takes charge of this area, all the demon legions will continue to face a shortage of troops."


    "Wisk has just perished, and you have already been dispatched to Volcano Fortress by Lord Wu''an¡ªit''s hard not to wonder."


    "My mission is to supervise the battle at the front and report the actual situation to Father, perhaps this way I can help Lord ''Destruction me'' avoid some embarrassment," Kailon answered calmly. "From what I''ve seen today, a big battle between Twin Bridges Town and Oasis Fort is inevitable. If you need any assistance, feel free to ask."


    "Has Lord Wu''an not recovered from the blow of being rejected by the Queen of the Subus?" Tijanaughed lightly. "If you ask me, there''s no need for Lord Grazzt to be angry about it. Just look at the countenance of Dimogorgen¡ªclearly it is Mekanshut who has the issue with aesthetic judgment."


    ```"As everyone knows, it was my father who rejected the Queen of the Subus, causing her pride to be hurt and subsequently, a series of destructive actions.


    The attack on Shendiravir by Azgrth was purely in retaliation for these acts of destruction," Kailon reiterated his party''s consistent stance, "Moreover, we have just received some intelligence about Oasis Fort that you would certainly be interested in knowing."


    "What intelligence, and you think I would certainly be interested?"


    "You must have heard of the famous club at Oasis Fort, the Subus Pce, haven''t you?"


    "That filthy location that imprisons arge number of mortal men, catering specifically to High Rank Subi for ''entertainment''?" Tijana disyed a look of disdain, "What secrets could such a foul ce hold that would interest me?"


    "Molo has a magical Cross Pickaxe that possesses the incredible effect of restoring one''s energy. For a long time, he kept this Cross Pickaxe in the treasury of the Subus Pce to ''revitalize'' a few especially ''favorable'' male entertainers."


    "Why are you telling me this? I have no use for that thing," Tijana replied coldly, and Lancelot silently agreed in his heart.


    "You misunderstand," Kailon hurriedly exined, "We have information suggesting that the Cross Pickaxe is likely a Divine Artifact that once belonged to Muradin, the tinum Guard of the Dwarven God who went missing in the Abyss a thousand years ago.n/?/vel/b//jn dot c//om


    This object is of no use to us, but for you, who have arge number of Dwarven Artisans under yourmand, retrieving this Dwarven Holy Relic would surely benefit your rule substantially."


    Tijana narrowed her eyes at him, not opening her mouth for a long time as Lancelot''s Divine Sense flickered, sensing that Tijana might have harbored an intent to kill Kailon in an instant.


    "Interesting," the Subus Lord finally spoke, "Let me guess, the team you''ve dispatched to attack the Subus Pce, is it already en route, and you n to shift the me to Twin Bridges Town afterwards, suggesting that only I would have a motive to steal that broken hoe?"


    "You really have a way with jokes, I assure you that informing you is entirely out of goodwill." Kailon denied vehemently, "In fact, given our rtionship with the Queen of the Subus, if you could set ame to the scene after your sess and make it look like the work of a Fireburn Demon, we would be more than happy toe forward and im responsibility."


    "I see," Tijana said, as if suddenly losing interest, and waved them off, "The deal is done, you can leave."


    "As you wish, mydy," Kailon said respectfully to Tijana, and also nodded to Lancelot, "I look forward to seeing you at Volcano Fortress, Sir Lancelot."


    As Kailon and his entourage receded into the distance, the imposing aura around Tijana gradually dissipated.


    "You all go back first," she instructed her Serpent Demon Guards and Subus Maids, then beckoned to Lancelot, "Join me for a walk, Sir Lancelot."


    Upon hearing this, Lancelot''s heart uncontrobly filled with joy, but he immediately realized that things were not that simple. So, he stepped forward, following the Subus Lord who had already turned to walk out, and answered:


    "At yourmand, mydy."```


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