《Lord of Glory》 Chapter 1: A Fateful Night

Chapter 1: A Fateful Night

There was a very prominent story recorded in Oloson''s Cassily Bible. A powerful alchemist who specialized in the power of day and night finally seeded to set foot in God''s realm. The devil tempted and corrupted him in order to cause him to fall from the side of the light. Even though he was immortal, watching his lover die was heartbreaking. Thus, he used God''s power to save his lover, ignoring God''s warning. The two of them lived happily ever after... The Great God, on the other hand, was enraged. Resurrecting the dead was a vition of God''s ironw. As a result, God punished him by murdering his beloved, who could no longer be resurrected.he alchemist was ovee with grief, but the demon on whom he had been relying on was nowhere to be found. So, he---a mortal fueled by hatred---decided to fight God. In the end, he died because of God''s divine punishment. Nevertheless, his method of entering God''s realm was recorded in his scroll. As it flowed down the long river of history, it had been peered at by countless people who had vainly attempted to resist God.... That scroll originated from the hands of an alchemist. So, since the descendants didn''t know the name of the scroll, they took the alchemist''s surname and named it the Ripley Scroll. £­£­£­£­£­£­£­£­£­£­£­£­£­£­£­£­£­£­£­£­£­£­£­£­£­£­£­£­ "Onix, you answer. How do you stabilize a boiling sulfur solution with white copper(cupronickel)?" In the middle of a lecture hall with towering white stone pirs, marble-covered walls and floors, and mysterious ancient murals carved onto the ceilings, a beautiful woman with red hair in a white robe was frowning. She tapped the alchemy tform in front of her, looking angry at a white-robed student about ten meters away from her. The student who had just awoken from his slumber appeared befuddled. The student, whose name was Onix, got called out and it made his face flushed immediately. The students around him lowered their heads and softly snickered. No one dared to secretly tell him the answer. "Um... This...." Onix''s voice became increasingly smaller. He had an argument with his ssmates yesterday. That''s why he dozed off in the morning ss,pletely forgetting it was Feng Li Er''s, an alchemy tutor who must never be offended in ss. At the same time, a man with messy ck hair stood beside a half-opened wooden door next to the lecture hall. He was dressed in shabby and coarse ck clothes, holding a wiper and a broom in his hand. The 20-year-old man with a handsome but dirty face was observing this scene carefully. He unconsciously showed a contemptuous smile. His name was Pdin, which meant holy and pious. Such a name was immensely unsuitable for this ce. Pdin was acutely aware of his predicament. His biological parents, who made no attempt to hide their faces, left their newborn son in front of the college''s gate without saying goodbye. Not even a single letter or message was left. They only left a tattered bamboo basket and a cross ne worn by the newborn. Paradoxically, not only did his parents not want their son, but they also outed themselves as members of the continent''s most powerful organization, the Holy See---which was wanted and hunted down---in front of a branch of the Freemasons'' Association. That''s right. On the Oloson Continent, the Freemasons'' Association was both a dangerous and harmless organization. As an organization filled with mysterious alchemists, they didn''t care much about things outside, didn''t have much attack power, and didn''t have many members. They did, however, threateningly preach that Enos, the true god of the Holy See, was a heretic. They advocated for the equality of all things in the world. They believed that the world wasn''t created by God, but by the invisiblews of the universe. This clearly posed a significant threat to the Holy See''s prestige and rule. Both sidesunched a thousand-year-long pursuit and hunt. Pdin didn''t care about these things. What he cared about was that his parents forced him to wear the symbol of the Holy See, the mortal enemy of the Freemasons'' Association, on his body and then abandoned him in their hands. Surprisingly, the members of the association didn''t get angry. Hypothetically, he thought it was some kind of insult. Thus, he chose not tomit suicide. He grew up as a ve who cleaned and did chores. He was given the sacred name Pdin, which was ironic. Pdin was rendered speechless by such mockery. Pdin chuckled softly as he leaned on the wall in front of the door, watching Onix squeak and struggle to speak. "Idiot, use clover to reorganize the magic circle and assist it using the four sequence forms." Of course, Pdin wasn''t stupid enough to let these people, who looked down on him hear. He also didn''t want these people to know that his knowledge of alchemy was alreadyparable to their teachers''. The only reason he didn''t dare was because he wanted to live longer. Teacher Feng Li Er abruptly stopped frowning without waiting for Onix''s response. She sighed deeply and waved her hand. The murder weapon on her chest shook violently. With an expression full of disappointment, she said, "Okay, okay. Let''s call it a day." As soon as she said that, all of the students in the ssroom immediately picked up their textbooks. The sound of them sliding tables and chairs and then rushing towards the door could be heard. Seeing this scene, Pdin was startled. His disdainful expression quickly changed to one that appeared dull and silly. He picked up the broom and pretended to sweep the floor. Crash! Arge group of students, both male and female, all handsome and beautiful, poured out from the doorway while talking andughing. When they saw Pdin, one of them burst outughing and stepped forward to yfully touch his head. With a smile, the student then said, "Fool, do a good job." "Hahaha, my leather shoes are dirty, please lick them for me," someone else joked. Pdin wore a timid and fearful expression as he tried to avoid those who teased and insulted him. Pdin''s pitiful and terrified expression was noticed by a student who was holding a beautiful female student in his arms. He suddenly became interested and teased, "Fool, you''re so old. You can''t possibly have touched a single woman yet." After speaking, he suddenly pushed the woman in his arms towards Pdin. "Hey! This is for you!" The woman screamed as she was thrown towards Pdin. This caused Pdin to continuously back away in fright. However, he couldn''t help but touch the woman''s soft waist and smell her fragrance. His face quickly turned bright red. "Hahahaha! Look at this, the fool is blushing!" said Onix, the male student who had previously fallen asleep in ss. When he saw Pdin''s appearance, he became overjoyed and couldn''t help butugh. What was even more insulting was that the female student who was thrown into Pdin''s arms suddenly stared at Pdin with disgust and hatred, as if he were something dirty. She quickly pped Pdin''s hand on her waist, hurriedly walked away, and returned to Onix while muttering angrily, "Honey, stop ying with this kind of thing! The thought of this thing touching me makes me sick!" When Pdin heard this, he cowered and squatted on the ground, his head buried in his arms. Onix, who saw this, immediately burst outughing. He was having a st. "Don''t be angry! I''ll go back to the dormitoryter andfort you well!" After saying this, he wrapped his arm around the woman''s waist and swaggeringly left together with a group of smiling and happy ssmates. Other students who were leaving the ss turned a blind eye to this situation. Pdin''s existence was shunned by the entire branch of the Freemasons'' Association. Rumors circted that he was a moron who could only do menial tasks and mundane daily chores. Coupled with the ironic name, some people dismissed the idea of being caring to him. Even if Pdin wasn''t pleased with the branch''s leader, there was no reason to jeopardize his future. He still needed the woman''s benevolence for a little longer. Therefore, Pdin had no one to talk to within this whole branch of the Freemasons'' Association. Around this time, the students who were in their twenties were nowhere to be seen. The mural-covered corridor was devoid of people. The silence was so deafening that the sound of leaves being blown by the wind could be clearly heard outside. Slowly, Pdin stood up. The hand that was trembling with fear disyed iparable calmness. His face was obscured by the shadow of his jet-ck hair, but there was no sign of dullness, timidity, loneliness, nor fear this time. If people from this branch saw him right now, they would definitely be blown away. The famed fool, the idiot, and the timid coward waspletely gone with no trace of the past. Instead, he had a ferocious and vicious expression! His eyes were wide open while his pupils constricted. The corners of his mouth were distorted by hatred and a desire for destruction, exuding a chilling and terrifying aura that made people shudder! Rather than calling him a fool, it was better to call him a demon in human skin! The corner of the evil and gloomy mouth moved slightly. A hoarse voice with a vengeful aura could faintly be heard. "A bunch of rubbish, trash! I, Pdin, won''t stop here! One day, you''ll have to pay a heavy and irreversible price one by one!" After that, Pdin, whose face turned dull again, picked up the broom and bucket. He slowly walked to another path. In a dark and small attic, Pdin slowly pushed open the dpidated wooden door. He skillfully lit a match by the door. The damp and smelly room was immediately illuminated by a dim oilmp. It was a small room, less than forty square meters in size. The room was filled with all kinds of cleaning utensils. But strangely, there were piles of books lined up neatly on the ground. Needless to say, there was an ocean of books. Among the book piles was a dpidated alchemy tform with a hole caused by an explosion after some alchemical failure. Apart from a few test tubes containing unknown drugs, there were also several worn-out parchments on the tform, which were filled with beautiful runes and alchemy tutorials. Obviously, Pdin was not the fool that others thought he was. On the contrary, he had been studying alchemy day and night. His knowledge and expertise in this area were enough to make any mentor feel ashamed. Pdin, who had just set down the tools in his hand and was about to rx, was suddenly taken aback. He was surprised to discover that the cleaning brush he had brought with him had been left in the lecture hall! "Hey, I''ve got to go there again." Pdin sighed in frustration. He extinguished the oilmp, carefully shut the door, and walked towards the ssroom. From the tower''s windows, an endless forest and mountains could be seen looming from the outside, shrouded by the chilling night. It gave the once vibrant corridor a strange and eerie aura. There was something unusual about this night. The enveloping night was just like the gods'' veil concealing true terrors within! Even the bright moon in the sky seemed strange right now. Pdin had no idea that his life would change dramatically on this mysterious and distant night.... Chapter 2: The Ripley Scroll

Chapter 2: The Ripley Scroll

CW : Sexual Acts
Pdin returned to the ssroom, walking with his tired feet.? He took back the brush from the window and let out a relieved sigh. He was about to turn his head and walk away when a long-suppressed moan stopped his footsteps. "Ah... Um... Professor, don''t thrust so hard...." Pdin''s eyes instantly narrowed. Anyone who wasn''t a moron could figure out what this meant. Pdin, however, was uninterested in sex. It wasn''t that he didn''t care, but from his point of view, he didn''t have enough food and clothing and couldn''t even maintain his dignity. So, he didn''t have the mental capacity to think about these things at all. Nevertheless, this was a good opportunity! A wicked smile appeared on Pdin''s face. He slowed his pace and gently pushed open the lecture hall''s door, revealing a small gap. Pdin was well aware that no students would enter the ssroom because it was already dark. Those wastes of space must have been frolicking with women and chasing pleasure right now. That was why he dared to be so bold, trying to get a glimpse of what was going on. "Teacher Feng Li Er, Professor Francis!" Pdin''s squinted eyes widened instantly. He saw Francis, the most respected old professor in the branch, standing in front of the alchemy table. His fat belly jiggled as he pressed his wrinkled body against Feng Li Er''s plump (in a good way) body. The most popr and attractive female tutor could only writhe incessantly! Pdin suddenly felt a sense of danger. This kind of secret was too big and would only do him harm. Turning his head, walking away, andpletely forgetting what he saw was the wise thing to do! Keeping this in mind, Pdin swallowed deeply. As he was about to turn away, the old professor smirked,ughed, and said, "I have good news for you, my baby. The scroll is indeed in the branch''s possession. I already know where it is. Our beautiful days areing soon!" Pdin came to a halt as soon as Francis said this. Intuition told him that more important information would be revealed. Sure enough, the look on Feng Li Er''s charming eyes suddenly changed. She eximed in surprise as she enthusiastically looked at the old professor, "Really? You found the Ripley Scroll! Where is it? Hurry, tell me!" "What....!!" Pdin, who was hiding behind the door, let out a low cry of surprise. He immediately covered his mouth suppressing the shock and disbelief that surged through his mind! He rxed after confirming that Francis and Feng Li Er had not heard his voice. But when he heard what was said next, he fell into an even greater shock! "The Ripley scroll! The god-defying mythical item owned by the person who set foot in God''s domain and resisted God''s attack! Does... it really exist?" Pdin, who had secretly studied various ancient and modern cultures, alchemy, history, and so on, understood exactly what they were talking about. This Ripley scroll, which was only a small part of the myth, can be said to be a very popr one. Because, among the great myths, only the Ripley Scroll myth told the story of a man attempting to resist God. Unlike other clich¨¦s in which heroes defeat demons and gods save the world, this one was tantly about fighting God! Pdin remembered the myth but was very disapproving of it. Let''s not talk about whether there was a God or not. Even if there were a God, who could resist the power that surpasses the world? But just now, the professor actually said that the scroll existed and the location was already known! Didn''t this imply that there was indeed a God and the ability to resist God? Could one truly enter God''s domain? For Pdin, who had been oppressed and bullied since he was a child, all of this was genuinely too exciting. He had to keep a low profile all the time! At the same time, Professor Francis, who had heard Feng Li Er''s urging, pulled out all of a sudden. He took his robe and put it on. Then he smiled and stated, "Well, I''m going to tell you today. I don''t know how many years I would have spent looking for it if it hadn''t been for your alchemy and rtionship with the dean." Feng Li Er abruptly stood up, regarded him suspiciously, and inquired, "Right now? I''ve been looking for it for so many years, there''s no need to rush." "No way, it has to be today! The ce where the scroll is stored is very unusual. It''s a stable dimensional space. The entrance is in the academy''s basement, but its seal is unbreakable. Even if a dragon appeared, the seal wouldn''t be broken. When there is a sr or lunar eclipse, however, there will be a small gap in the seal. You can enter and exit in just one hour! Obviously, this one hour is insufficient!" "It happened to be today! So, without further ado, gather the necessary tools." Feng Li Er''s expression was serious. When she saw Francis nod, she immediately put on her robe and said quietly, "Let''s go. For five years of investigation and infiltration, we had been waiting for this day. I believe the next chance to enter will be hundreds of yearster." When the excited Francis led the way, Pdin immediately moved away to hide behind the ssroom''s door. He peered out from behind the door, with eyes full of greed and madness. He couldn''t stop himself from muttering, "The power of God.... The power of God! If I get it.... No, there''s no ''if''! I have to get it! For sure!" Pdin held a de that was typically used to repair windows in his hand. He then trailed behind them. His ego, ambition, and greed were ring. The further they walked, the more frightened Pdin became. The two of them walked through the sports room, the cafeteria, and even the dormitory. They went straight to the huge library located in the centre of the branch''s castle. Just when he was thinking about how the two could fool the librarian while hiding in the back of a door, he saw Francis wordlessly took out his short wand. A blue light shed in an instant. The librarian, who had no idea what had happened, immediately got frozen into ice. He crashed to the ground and then shattered to pieces! "Let''s go, it''s in this library. Of course, we can''t let the librarian stay alive," Francis said. Feng Li nodded in understanding at this. After stepping over the corpse, the two went straight into the depths of the basement. "Is... he dead?" Pdin emerged from behind the door, his face filled with horror. An inexplicable excitement and joy coursed through his body as he gazed at the shattered corpse of the librarian who had always looked down on him. It was the thrill of pursuing power and the joy of vengeance! Swallowing deeply, Pdin walked around the frozen corpse and cautiously followed them inside. "This is it.... You wait." Francis and Feng Li Er came to a halt in front of a floor. The stone floor had a mural carved into it. The mural was nearly impossible to find unless they looked carefully. Moonlight cascaded down from the window next to them. Then, it was reflected by the engraved seal on the ground. At this point in time, Pdin hid behind a bookshelf in the distance to monitor their every move. However, they suddenly fall silent, remaining motionless in their positions as if waiting for something to happen. The moonlight suddenly dimmed, just as Pdin became suspicious. Francis, who was looking up, had an excited expression on his face. He couldn''t help but exim, "Here wee!" Pdin turned around to look. Something was consuming the bright moon that was hanging high in the sky. Its shape was changing from round to crescent. And it kept going until all that remained of the moon was a single bright circle of light! Boom! At that moment, circles with mysterious and widespread runes immediately appeared around the engraved seal on the floor while emitting dazzling bright light! Chapter 3: The Strongest Seals Loophole

Chapter 3: The Strongest Seal''s Loophole

Pdin, who was hiding in the distance, was dumbfounded. The dense alchemy runes that emerged around him were not only extremely esoteric and difficult to decipher, but also had never been seen before! These were the lost alchemy! While Pdin was still stunned, blue light suddenly burst from the engraved seal surrounded by countless runes. With a "krrr" sound, the seal split in half. An underground passagerge enough for an adult to enter gradually revealed itself. "Hahaha! Here Ie, Ripley Scroll!" Francis jumped up and down in delight. Feng Li Er had been rendered speechless by her own excitement. She then immediately lit up a magicmp and walked in without hesitation. Pdin slowly gulped. He closed the door and trailed behind them as carefully as he could after carefully checking his surroundings and confirming that no one else was rmed by the sudden burst of light. The passage was pitch-ck. Through the faint light produced by Francis from afar, Pdin could vaguely see the dpidated and withered stone walls around him. Pdin then held his breath and softened his steps. He was afraid of being noticed by the two people in front of him. Francis and Feng Li Er were obviously in a hurry. Their anxious steps echoed throughout the passage. An hour was indeed insufficient. "Is it right here? Francis... Oh, it''s amazing!" Not long after, the two of them walked into a dead-end. Pdin hid in a corner as he watched them nervously. A massive stone b stood in front of the two. The stone that was supposed to be broken now emitted an incredible amount of power! The stone''s surface was densely packed with mysterious runes, while its periphery was full of colourful runes cruising leisurely like fish in a pond. Feng Li Er''s eyes instantly widened in surprise and disbelief at such a miraculous sight. Francis, who stood next to her, enthusiastically took out a b engraved with an ancient seal from his sleeve. Pdin could tell it was simr to the stone on the library floor with just a nce. Both had an ancient seal engraved on them. "Hehehe, this is great! Ten thousand years ago, 325 top alchemists, led by the association''s president¡ªall powerful and knowledgeable alchemists in the entire Olosen Continent¡ªwere mobilised to incorporate Ai Menglik''s great sealing technique. The entire technique contains 40,000 rune sequences. It¡¯s regarded as the almost impossible-to-solve seal of God! The greatest spectacle in alchemy! A masterpiece!" Francis was so excited that his eyes got teary. With trembling hands, he continued to mutter to himself. The mystery of the myth would soon bepletely unravelled. . Feng Li Er, who was initially perplexed, regained herposure. But then, she went silent for a while as suspicions arose in her mind. She asked, "Is it really just the Ripley Scroll in here, Professor? If it''s just a scroll, why did so many powerful alchemists band together to seal the entrance that year? Isn''t it enough just to destroy the scroll?" Upon hearing this, Francis reigned in his excitement, turned around, and sneered. "What do you think we¡¯re up to right now? Feng Li Er! We''re alchemists. And at this moment, we''re pursuing the legendary alchemist''s pinnacle achievement! The key to enter God''s domain! Ten thousand years ago, the president and those alchemists were just like us, freemasons who were pursuing the truth! Who would be willing to destroy this kind of art, no, a priceless treasure!? But still, we can''t let the public know of it..." "That''s why they chose to seal it, right?" Feng Li Er nodded understandingly. She didn¡¯t look offended in the slightest by the rude way Francis spoke. Francis chuckled. He stroked the engraved seal in his hand and stared madly at the tiny gap in the middle of the huge floating magic circle ¡°You are really understanding. Back off, there might be arcane waves triggered by the chain reaction, don''t get caught in it..." he said while lowering his voice. Feng Li Er nodded slightly and took a step back. Seeing this, Pdin immediately squatted down and looked around for something to grab on the ground. His experience in alchemy might not be as high as Francis'', but he was familiar with arcane waves. In alchemy, arcane waves were defined as a chaotic riot of pure magic elements produced when the runes'' order of sequence was destroyed, moved, and or increased. It spread out like ocean waves. Although its destructive power was not particrly strong, if one was not cautious, violent magical elements could prate their entire body. Consequently, all of the nerves and soft tissues in their body could get damaged. Hence, it couldn''t be handled carelessly. At this moment, Francis'' originally wretched face suddenly became serious. Slowly lifting the engraved seal, he pointed it at the small gap and shouted, "Ali in fifty degrees! In the name of the lunar eclipse, open your arms, Ai Menglik!" The engraved seal in Francis'' hand immediately exuded an extremely dazzling light as soon as he chanted the spell. Pdin, who was lying on the ground, was horrified when he saw the light blue smoke wisps that flowed from the stone¡¯s gap came flocking to Francis, who stood in front of the seal. It looked like a swarm of hundred birds returning to their nests! Meanwhile, at this point in time, on the topmost floor of the entire Freemasons'' Association castle tower, a white-bearded old man dressed in a white robe was sitting on the bed. He abruptly opened his eyes and jumped out of the bed. The golden band around his arm indicated that he was the school dean of this association branch, Capps Ryan! Ryan had a terrified expression on his face. He ran to the window and looked up. His eyes, which had been calm before, became panicked in an instant! "How could this be¡­." Ryan muttered. The previously dimly lit night sky had now turned pitch ck. The bright moon, which had hung high in the sky, also lost itsst remnants of light. The entire world was enveloped inplete darkness. The most evil creatures that hadin dormant in the darkness were beginning to emerge.... The power of destruction and transcendence! Ryan gulped. Something crossed his mind. Like a drowning man grasping at straws to survive, Ryan immediately ran to the bookshelf and carefully took out a box made of pure gold from the darkpartment. After opening it carefully, he discovered a piece of sheepskin parchment that had to be extremely old inside. When examined closely, it had to be a product of an unrecorded era in history. Definitely something with great research value. However, Ryan didn''t have time to care about that right now. He hurriedly took out the parchment and unfolded it. As he read the simple words written on the parchment, his face became very desperate. It was as though he had fallen into the abyss. Tap! Ryan''s hand trembled. The parchment fell to the ground as his grip on it loosened. He copsed like a ragdoll, looking as if he had lost his soul. His eyes were filled with pain as well as panic. "Why¡­. Why!? Why is it me? Why does it have to be on my turn?!" Chapter 4: The Sleeping Land

Chapter 4: The Sleeping Land

Right now, only a loud bang could be heard inside the secret underground passage. The engraved seal in Francis'' hand instantly transformed into a dazzling ball of light and smashed into the gap that had just opened with a whoosh. The dense sequences of runes that were floating around the stone''s periphery suddenly stopped moving. Francis took a small crystal ball from his sleeve and held it tightly in his palm. Seeing that, Pdin''s pupils shrank. Despite the distance between them, he could feel powerful energy swinging back and forth between the runes. It was as if sharp knives lightly grazed his cheeks! "It¡¯s an Arcane Wave!" Francis yelled. Before he finished yelling, a puff of blue smoke overflowed from the middle of the runes that had previously stopped moving. It rapidly began to merge, formingrge waves. It rushed like a tsunami towards Francis and Feng Li Er, who were just standing there nervously Pdin tightly clenched his fists. Thin sweat began to form on his forehead. Although he knew the destructive power of arcane waves shouldn¡¯t be that powerful, this sealing formation wasid by hundreds of the continent¡¯s top alchemists. The seal had a total of 40,000 sequences of runes! Even for a great formation, having twenty sequences of runes was already remarkable. Then, what about the arcane waves released by a formation with 40,000 sequence runes? Pdin doubted it would be harmless. When that wave-like smoke was about to pounce on Francis, the crystal ball in his hand suddenly emitted white light, forming a shield that covered his whole body. The waves rushed to him without any dy¡­. There was no sound of something crashing nor tearing! It was silent, very silent. Pdin only saw a sh of light and the next thing he knew, the smoke waves had already vanished. Just when Pdin pondered if his knowledge about arcane waves was wrong, the sound of something crashing could be heard from two different sources located in front of him. Following that, arge amount of stone that had been crushed into powder fell, immediately covering the ground with gray powder. Feng Li Er, who was taken aback by this spectacle, stood up while shaking all over. At this moment, her normally sweet voice trembled a little. "Professor¡­ Professor! Francis!" Feng Li Er felt a little bit scared when she saw Francis remained motionless. Although she was also an alchemy instructor, she was far behind Francis in terms of special research on alchemy and experience in studying the Ripley Scroll. Once Francis was dead, let alone facing the problems that were bound to arise after entering the seal, it¡¯d be difficult for her to sessfully enter the seal. Right at that moment, Francis suddenly moved. "Ahhh¡­. I¡¯m dying of pain¡­." Francis turned his body with difficulty. Droplets of blood could be seen seeping from the skin of his arm. The crystal ball in his palm had lost its dazzling radiance and had turned into powder that was scattered on the ground. "My great Enos! Professor, you scared me to death!" Feng Li Er noticed that despite the fact that Francis was bleeding, it was nothing but mere cuts. The smile of a winner bloomed on his face. Feng Li Er couldn''t help but sigh with relief, pat her plump chest, and smile coquettishly. Unexpectedly, Francis turned and reprimanded her angrily, "Feng Li Er, pay attention to your words and actions! We are alchemists, freemasons who pursue the truth. How can we use the name of the God of Light, Enos¡­. Tsk tsk tsk, this really hurts. The Guardian of Bamir¡¯s crystal ball is destroyed, what a waste.¡± Francis'' reprimand was automatically ignored by Feng Li Er. She looked at the remnants of the crystal ball that had turned into powder on the ground in surprise. She then covered her mouth and eximed, "The Guardian of Bamir¡¯s crystal ball? Professor, where did you get such a high-quality magical item?" ¡°Don¡¯t worry about that! Come on, the seal ispletely fine now... We don''t have much time left, so let''s go.¡± Francis obviously didn''t want to tell her where he got the magical item. So, without hesitation, he pulled Feng Li Er towards the gap in the stone. Pdin, who was still hiding in the distance, had just finished confirming that he was unharmed. When he went back to observe them, Francis and Feng Li Er became one with the seal and disappeared. Pdin licked his lips. He decided not to follow them right away. He was going to wait for a moment. Francis and Feng Li Er''s rtionship, in Pdin''s opinion, was not as good as it appeared to be. For him, his greed for the power that could enter God¡¯s domain was indescribably strong. If he were either one of those two, he¡¯d definitely find an opportunity to get rid of the other party. After all, the temptation was too great! Everyone would naturally lose the constraints and norms formed by morality in the face of power that could rival God''s. Think about it! Once such power was obtained, the moral values that kept oneself in check would be nothing more than a ridiculous toy! After all, gods were above morality! "It''s time!" Pdin had been staring at the seal for a whole ten minutes. Waiting for ten minutes was such a waste of time when time was so precious, just like the situation right now. Pdin stood up and charged forward without hesitation. He ran into the seal with a confident expression on his face. His entire body began to blend with the seal. "Ugh..." Pdin fell from a very high altitude. His entire body suffered from the intense sensation of weightlessness. When Pdin¡¯s feet touched the ground, Pdin¡ªwho was at his limit¡ªimmediately fell to his knees and vomited, which was embarrassing. As soon as he came to his senses though, Pdin was taken aback by the spectacle in front of him. The cave was so huge that the end could hardly be seen. Massive mushrooms covered the ground and walls. Strangely enough, these mushrooms emitted a soft blue glow. As a result, this massive, previously dark cave was lit up by a stunning coral blue light. Astonished, Pdin slowly stood up. He noticed many blue particles floating near the mushroom head when he looked at the huge mushroom that was a head taller than himself. These countless particles emitted blue rays of light. Pdin dazedly looked up. The 100-meter-high stone ceiling above his head was covered with these strange mushrooms. The bursts of blue light made this cave look so beautiful and mysterious. As he was silently admiring the beautiful scenery, the sound of arrogantughter immediately brought him back to reality. "Francis, I bet you weren¡¯t expecting this at all. I avoided therge corrosion scroll you spent a lot of money on, and instead, it fell on yourself! Hahahaha! Old pervert, how does it feel to be struck by your own spell?" Pdin, who was caught off guard, immediately lowered his body. He moved quickly and quietly towards the sound. Hiding behind a clump of mushrooms, he saw Feng Li Er, with a bleeding wound on her shoulder, standing proudly in front of Francis, who was lying on the ground. Francis¡¯ entire body was green, his flesh was festering, and his face was filled with pain! Pdin unconsciously sneered, but his attention was immediately drawn towards the things behind them. A small altar stood nearby, as did four human-shaped stone statues that knelt on the ground and hands raised above their heads. The statues seemed to be devout servants of God. In the hand of one of those stone statues, there was an old and ragged scroll ced inside a simple iron box. That should be the Ripley Scroll! The look in Pdin¡¯s eyes instantly changed to ecstatic and greedy. He stared at the scroll in the iron box, wishing he could fly and snatch it away. Even so, he knew now wasn¡¯t the right timing, so he had to be patient. Neither Francis nor Feng Li Er were people he could confront head-on. He had to be like a poisonous snake waiting for an opportunity to deliver a fatal blow. A merciless fatal blow! "Ripley Scroll, just wait a minute. You¡¯ll be in my hands in a few minutes!" Pdin muttered frantically. He tightened his grip on the knife in his hand and lowered his body even more. Chapter 5: Conscience and Desire

Chapter 5: Conscience and Desire

CW: Graphic Depictions of Violence, Mentions of Suicide ¡ª---------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------- Feng Li Er was fullycent. She looked at Francis, who was lying on the ground, while wielding a dagger in her hand. His body began to disintegrate into a shapeless mass. She then smiled and said, "The victory has been decided, Francis. The scroll is now mine!" Pdin, who was hiding behind a clump of mushrooms, was shocked when the rotting Francis managed to speak in a low voice. His remaining eye that was filled with hatred glowered at Feng Li Er. "Feng Li Er! Do you think you¡¯ve killed me? Is the scroll yours now? Do you think the organization will stand by and watch you steal the scroll?!" "The organization..." Feng Li Er''s eyes shed with fear for a split second. But then, it changed into waves of passion. "The organization treats the two of us as outcasts. Despite spending years searching for the scroll, the organization was unable to find any trace of it. What a waste! The organization has painstakingly nted spies in the Freemasons¡¯ Association over the years, but so far, none have made it to the top!" ¡°Although the two of us are professors and mentors in this branch, there are still people like the dean who suppress us. A stubborn old man who refuses any benefits! We are being treated as outcasts and discarded in this branch like garbage! Do you not understand, Francis?!" Francis'' rotting body trembled. Unconsciously, he averted his remaining eye. He agreed with her inwardly. ¡®That''s right, what Feng Li Er said is right. The organization has abandoned us. For the past three years, there has been no regr contact. We''ve clearly been abandoned. Those hateful illuminati, the God-Defying Alliance of God-Defying Gods!¡¯ Feng Li Er swung the dagger in her hand as she noticed Francis had fallen silent. With a self-deprecating smile, she said, "It''s all over, Francis. For the sake of the good years, I¡¯ll give you a happy ending. It¡¯s ugly to die by rotting, right?¡± After that, Feng Li Er walked towards Francis while raising the dagger in her hand. "Bitch! Don''t even dare to think about it if I can''t get it! You''re going to die here with me!" Francis suddenly yelled, filled with hatred. His hand, which was on the verge of rotting, suddenly lifted and pointed at Feng Li Er. Feng Li Er''s body, however, unexpectedly tried to jump to the left. Boom! The explosion ripped arge hole in the ground where Feng Li Er was standing. Feng Li Er''s body flew into the air as she shrieked and screamed miserably. With a bang, she crashed into several mushrooms and fell helplessly to the ground. Pdin jolted in surprise. He noticed that Feng Li Er''s legs had been severed at the root. She was screaming incessantly while lying on top of a mushroom. "AHHHHHH!" Feng Lier clutched her missing legs with a painful expression on her face. She could feel the strength in her body rapidly draining away. Feng Li Er, who was extremely unwilling to die, roared bitterly, "Francis! How dare you¡­. How dare you!" With difficulty, she returned her gaze to Francis'' motionless body on the ground. His eyes had lost their luster. Perhaps that spell just now had exhausted the few breaths he had left. "Cut it out, old ghost. Why won''t you let me go when you¡¯ve already died¡­." Feng Li Er''s eyes were filled with despair. Now that her legs had been blown off, even if she got the scroll, she was sure she wouldn''t be able to get out. When the time was up, the seal would be reset. Bleeding to death in this ghostly ce was her only option! Tap, tap, tap! Just as Feng Li Er was about tomit suicide, the sound of footstepsing from behind undoubtedly lit a newfound hope in her heart. ¡®But, why is someone here?!¡¯ Feng Li Er pondered. She looked back with difficulty and immediately saw a greedy-faced young man with shabby clothes and messy hair walking towards the stone statue containing the scroll. Seeing this, Feng Li Er''s pupils shrank. She couldn''t help but say, "Pdin, the ve? How did you get here¡­.? Contrary to her expectations, Pdin paid no attention to Feng Li Er. His attention waspletely focused on the statue where the Ripley Scroll was located. He simply regarded Feng Li Er as nothing more than air. Feng Li Er got goosebumps when she saw Pdin¡¯s eyes. This ordinary-looking, lowly ve with no rights or freedom, had raging mes burning inside his eyes! It was a raging inferno of chaos, longing, destruction, and greed! Feng Li Er was terrified and fell silent. She could only stay there and watch Pdin walk towards the Ripley Scroll. "Ah... is this... a power equal to a God¡¯s?" Pdin walked to the stone statue and picked up the scroll inside the iron box with trembling hands. He carefully spread it open. Against his expectations, except for the three ancient characters at the bottom, there was only a very strange and weird pattern drawn on the scroll. The pattern consisted of naked humanoid creatures, male and female, kneeling on the ground in agony while forming a perfect circle. In the middle of the circle, aplex magic circle with four patterns engraved on it was drawn. Pdin, who had studied alchemy pretty thoroughly, could tell right away that this was the base of magic and alchemy, the theory of the four elements! This represented the tetrahedron of fire, the icosahedron of water, the cube of earth, and the octahedron of wind. This was what all things were made of, the four base elements! In the middle, it depicted a huge and faceless human figure with clouds above its head and the ground under its feet. No breasts, no genitalia, and therefore, no gender. This symbol was the symbol of the god! On its chest, there was a carefully drawn heart that exuded a radiant light. exactly in the center of the circle. The ancient text was written with the most ancient characters ever. Although there weren¡¯t many demonnguages that have been deciphered so far, Pdin was self-taught himself. Plus, he also specialized in deciphering thenguage of demons somehow. The writing could be interpreted as ¡°The Philosopher''s Stone! The great alchemy medicine in the legend of the heretic, the fifth element, the panacea!" Pdin''s face was full of shock. Cold sweat began to form all over his body. In fact, the fabled Ripley Scroll wasn''t difficult to understand, but also surprisingly simple. Pdin, who had seen many codes and riddles in the manuscripts of many alchemists, could understand how The Philosopher''s Stone was made and what its function was with just a nce. As a result, he was shocked even more! "How is this possible¡­. The Philosopher''s Stone has the ability to disintegrate and reintegrate matter at will, regardless of the size of its mass?! This... is truly the power from God¡¯s domain! But, I need to use the lives of countless living people to create it¡­. Refining countless living people as materials..." At this time, Pdin''s morality and conscience awakened and began to attack his voice of reason. Pdin couldn''t help but take a few steps back, unknowingly releasing the scroll from his hand. Waves of monstrous thoughts raced through his mind. "Man, the lives of countless people! Do I have to sacrifice the lives of others in order to gain power? Do I have the right to take away the lives of others? Is it wrong for me to do so? But this power was extremely tempting... No! I am a human, a living human being! What''s the difference between me and a beast if I do those things?" Ps: Don''t be fooled by the end of this chapter. Chapter 6: The Scroll and The Inverted Tree

Chapter 6: The Scroll and The Inverted Tree

CW: Graphic Depictions of Violence, Gore ¡ª---------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------- At present, just before Pdin''s conscience was about to overpower his desire, something suddenly grabbed his leg. Startled, Pdin looked down and saw Feng Li Er hugging his leg with one hand. Meanwhile, her other hand grabbed the scroll that fell on the ground and was about to turn and crawl away! Right at this moment, Pdin''s conscience, which had just gained the upper hand, was instantly defeated by his inted desire. He charged forward with bloodshot eyes, pressed Feng Li Er under him, and viciously said, "Give it back to me! Give me the scroll!" Feng Li Er ignored Pdin''s rage. She instead clenched her teeth and tried to crawl towards the sealed gate in the distance with determined eyes. However, how could Pdin allow her to do so? As the saying goes, evil sprouts from within. When confronted with temptation, most people simply sumb to darkness. "Let go, let it go! I''m telling you to let go of the scroll!" Pdin said, as he tightly gripped Feng Li Er''s slender and tender neck. "Oh, cough, cough!" Breathing was extremely difficult for Feng Li Er, who had been grabbed by the throat. Her face began to turn purplish not long after. Reacting purely out of survival instinct, she opened her mouth wide and stuck out her tongue. She immediately let go of the scroll and grabbed Pdin''s arm with both of her hands. Her grip was so tight that blood began to trickle down his arm. The sight of bloodpletely wiped out Pdin''sst semnce of reason, reducing him to madness. "Die, die, die! DIE FOR ME!" With bloodshot eyes, he pressed down harder, putting all of his weight onto his arms. Feng Li Er''s legs had previously been severed. Obviously, she¡¯d lost a lot of blood. This was her final andst fight. The pressure from Pdin¡¯s attack caused her eyes to almost pop out of their sockets and her tongue to loll out of her small mouth. The hands that had sped his arms before began to il erratically. Shortly after, Feng Li Er died as thest dregs of her energy were depleted. Her once-beautiful face had turned hideous, and her skin had turned ckish purple. Pdin, who had descended into madness, had no intention of letting go. His hands were still clutching the broken neck. "AHH!" Pdin let out an inhuman roar. He drew a dagger from his cuff and stabbed Feng Li Er''s dead body with all his might over and over and over again! He was no longer attacking to kill the enemy, but rather to express his deep-seated fear and resentment in his heart. Even he wasn''t sure whether he had stabbed her dozens of times or hundreds of times. When his arms started to be sore, his sanity finally returned. The next thing he noticed was that Feng Li Er, who was underneath him, had died a long time ago. Her once-pretty face and well-proportioned figure had been riddled with so many stabs that all that remained was a disgusting chunk of rotten meat. Pdin tossed the dagger away at once. The frantic and distorted expression on his face was reced with fear. "AHHHH!" Pdin let out a terrified cry and copsed to the ground like a frightened rabbit. He stepped back vigorously, trying to get as far away from the corpse as possible. The corpse¡­. He killed her with his own hands! "I killed her¡­. I killed her!" Pdin murmured. His expression abruptly changed. A wave of nausea washed over him, causing his stomach to convulse. He then lowered his head in order to vomit. "Cough, cough, cough... Cough, cough, cough... Hahahahaha!" Pdin turned to face Feng Li Er''s corpse, which was lying nearby, after the nausea subsided. His expression changed to one of morbid delight. He couldn''t help butugh out loud. That was right, he was a ve. Someone who was looked down upon and bullied by others. He actually killed that very beautiful and powerful mentor, Feng Li Er! He killed her, murdered her so cruelly that her corpse was so unsightly! "Yes, it''s unsightly. Very unsightly!" Pdin abruptly stood up, strode over to the corpse, and snatched the Ripley Scroll from its grasp. He then carefully tucked it away in his clothes. Seeing that time was running out, just when Pdin was about to turn his feet to leave, there was a sudden rumbling sound from the four stone statues that had originally housed the Ripley Scroll! Pdin sharply turned his head and vigntly observed the slightly trembling stone statue. When he found nothing amiss, he turned to leave. But then, something strange happened. The stone statues that were kneeling on the ground moved towards the surroundings as if there were pulleys beneath their feet. With the rumble, the ground began to move and split into several massive openings. Next, a massive rectangr thing slowly rose. Pdin blinked, his mouth agape. Naturally, he took a step forward. The rumbling ceased, and a huge rectangr stone tablet was disyed in the ce where the Ripley Scroll used to be. It was fifty meters in both length and width! "Huh? What''s this?" Pdin narrowed his eyes and approached it with caution. There was an inverted tree engraved on the huge stone tablet. The roots of the strange inverted tree were on top, while the canopy was on the bottom! Strangely, the leaves took the shape of des. Ten circles encircled the entire nt, from the leaves to the roots. There were notes written in one of the oldest humannguages in each circle. Near the roots, there was something written that could be read as ¡®The Road of the Fire Sword.¡¯ Pdin stepped forward, stroking the rough tablet that had gone through many years. The words ''Material and Kingdom'' were written in the circle closest to the leaves. Pdin, who was familiar with alchemy, could quickly understand that what was written was about the current world, the material world that can be seen and touched. Pdin couldn''t help but frown when he subconsciously looked up. ''Gluttony, Sex, Laziness, Envy, Pride, Anger, Greed'' was written above the seventh circle. That was right, these were the seven deadly sins human beings hadmitted since the birth of the Holy See''s Cassily Bible! Pdin was filled with apprehension. Why was something from the Holy See stored in the ce where an alchemy scroll was sealed by the alchemists themselves? He began to feel a little regretful; he should¡¯ve read the Cassily Bible to expand his knowledge. But, how could there be a bible in this Freemasons'' Association, which was hunted down by the Holy See? That wasn¡¯t a problem Pdin bothered to care about before. Pdin continued to look up until he saw the ninth circle. Pure Reason'' was written in the circle closest to the roots. And the word ''God'' was written in thest root, which depicted the sun. Tap! "This¡­. God?! Could this stone b be a guide on how to be a god? Such a sphemous thing...How could it possibly belong to the Holy See?!" Pdin visibly turned pale with fright in an instant. He took another step back. But, before he could figure it out, countless runes on the cave''s floor suddenly lit up. The runes started floating and moving! "No, the time¡¯s almost up!" Without hesitation, Pdin turned and ran. He dashed to the sealed door, yet still couldn¡¯t resist the urge to look back at the massive stone b in the center. "What¡¯s going on with that stone tablet? What is the Ripley Scroll''s connection to the tablet?" Chapter 7: The Philosophers Stone

Chapter 7: The Philosopher''s Stone

**CW: Graphic Depictions of Violence, Gore ¡ª---------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------- ** Pdin copsed in the library after crawling out of the tunnel in panic. As soon as he stood up, runes appeared at the entrance to the passageway, restoring it to normal t ground. The only proof that everything was not a dream was the engraved seal that remained. Pdin grabbed the scroll in his arms and heaved a sigh of relief after confirming it was still there. He was about to leave when he suddenly heard the sound of hurried footsteps from outside the door. Pdin paused and was about to hide, but it was toote. An armored guard, fully equipped with a spear and a chain-sickle, spotted Pdin. He immediately pointed the tip of the chain-sickle at Pdin and shouted, "Who are you?! The dean ordered that all students have to be at the dormitory. What are you doing here?!" Pdin subconsciously took a step back while racking his brain for a solution. Inwardly, he felt a little horrified. ¡®The dean gave an order like that? Could it be because of the Ripley Scroll? Does he know something? Not good!¡¯ The guard, who remained vignt, suddenly noticed the ice chunks that had already melted halfway scattered all over the ground near the door. Inside the chunks of ice, there were pieces of meat and blood. He also saw a pair of eyeballs and a ball of hair. His eyes widened in surprise. The light in Pdin''s eyes burned ferociously as he sensed an opening. Pdin approached the table, picked up a porcin bottle, blocked the guard''s escape route, and hurled the bottle at the guard''s head. Bang! The guard fell unconscious on the ground without having the chance to let out a single sound. Without hesitation, Pdin took off the guard''s armor and clothes and put them on. Confirming that there was nobody else in the passageway, Pdin stuffed the guard¡¯s body into arge sack used to store books under the table. He then dashed to his room, the small attic, while carrying the sack. "Take a look around! If you see a student or tutor going outside, they should be executed right away! This is the order of the dean!" Pdin, who was running as fast as he could in the corridor, saw tens or even hundreds of guards gathered at the bottom of the castle, listening to their leader''smand. The guards immediately heeded themand and started to search around while holding a big sword and a chain-sickle. "I have to hurry up. I can''t stay here any longer. I have to get away from this ce." Pdin, still d in full armor, made up his mind. He then moved his feet to run towards the tower. With a bang, the dpidated door was mmed shut. Pdin casually dropped the sack filled with the guard''s body on the ground. Without saying a single word, he began to take off his armor. "Haa, haa, hahhh¡­." Pdin was wearing full armor that weighed about twenty pounds and ran quite far while carrying a man on his shoulder. Heid down on the ground, still in his sweat-soaked clothes. He was panting for air and feeling exhausted. But, there was no time to rest right now. The Ripley Scroll was taken out by the Pdin, who determinedly spread it open. Without dy, he picked up a carving knife and decided to carve the circle drawn on the scroll onto the ground. Using his self-taught technique for many years, carving a mere magic circle was a piece of cake. Pdin opened the carving knife as he took note of the parts where the four elements were situated in the magic circle. He then took a bottle of water from the table and poured a little water onto the engraved icosahedron. In a typical tetrahedron, a wooden stick was ignited and ced within. The soil he got from the flower pot was sprinkled inside the cube. With gritted teeth, Pdin proceeded to drag the fainted guard to the center of the magic circle and immediately jumped away. His actions caused a light breeze to blow at thest octahedron.... There was silence¡­. And more silence followed. Nothing had happened so far. A panicked expression began to manifest on Pdin''s face. He hurriedly examined the scroll while murmuring, "Why¡­. Why didn''t the magic circle work? Why didn''t it activate?" As he examined every inch of the Ripley Scroll, Pdin''s pupils contracted when he saw the figure of a human heart in the center of the magical circle, which symbolized God, the one who would control the spell. "Yes, the heart! How can the heart beat if there is no blood? It requires my blood because I am its owner! A key drawn with my blood!" When he murmured this to himself, Pdin suddenly remembered an instructor''s words he had eavesdropped on during a lecture. ''To activate the magic circle, you need to design a key to unlock and operate the magic circle. Choose wisely. What kind of key do you have in mind?'' Pdin became enlightened. He immediately picked up the carving knife from the ground. He promptly cut his finger and tapped it on the guard''s chest. But then, he hesitated. "The key¡­. What kind of key.... Ah! What if it has something to do with God? One that conveys the message of ''The Philosopher''s Stone versus God¡­. Hahaha!" Pdin''s expression became vicious. Without further ado, he drew an inverted cross using blood on the guard''s chest. Bzztt bzzzt! The magic circle engraved on the floor shed red and roared so loudly that it made his ears ring. Pdin jumped away quickly, watching everything unfold in a frenzied state. The sound of the magic circle jolted the sleeping guard awake. The guard, who was suffering from a splitting headache, reluctantly opened his eyes. In the nick of time, he managed to catch a glimpse of Pdin, who was standing in front of him with eyes full of madness and desire and a happy smile. It soon became the veryst thing he saw. "Ugh!" The guard felt like he was being bitten by countless bugs. The pain even pierced through his bones. He couldn''t stop himself from screaming. Pdin took in the sight of the guard''s body and blood melting rapidly, turning him into a skeleton in no time. The flesh and blood that had turned into smoke gathered in one ce. It condensed into a small, almost invisible, reddish stone that fell to the floor with a crisp thud. Pdin took a step forward and immediately picked up the stone. The shrill of restless souls could be heard distantly from the Philosopher''s Stone. The ecstatic Pdin suddenly calmed down as a new question popped into his mind. ''The Philosopher''s Stone was sessfully refined, but I didn''t gain much power from it. At best, it gave me the ability to freely disintegrate something. It appears to be a reintegration tool¡­. Wait! Fusion! Disintegration and reintegration¡­. Isn¡¯t fusion the answer?!¡± Pdin''s eyes lit up. It would be fantastic if the Philosopher''s Stone could be fused regardless of material, even with magical elements. "Hahahaha! The idea of fusing it with magical elements is quite daring! This is simply the power of the gods! The power of the gods!" Pdin had a crazy expression on his face. It was obvious that he didn''t have the slightest qualms about attempting his bold idea. Pdin, on the other hand, was a little embarrassed. He was impoverished. He''d never seen a magic scroll, let alone a magic core that could store magical energy. Where would he find any magic elements to fuse? Time had flown by. Pdin was so preupied with his anxiety that he didn''t realize it was already morning. The first rays of sunlight pierced through thick clouds, entering Pdin''s room through the window and shining directly on his table. "Huh?" Pdin suddenly smelled a faint burning smell. He was startled to see the magnifying ss on the table when he turned around. The magnifying ss concentrated the sunlight into a single point, making it far more powerful than before. The concentrated light burned a small hole in a white piece of paper. That burning smell definitely came from there. "This..." The corners of Pdin''s mouth gradually lowered as he focused his full attention on his hypothesis. He didn''t possess any magic elements, but perhaps, sunlight could work? After all, the essence of the Holy See''s holy magic was, to put it bluntly, simr to sunlight. Chapter 8: The Elements of Magic, Light

Chapter 8: The Elements of Magic, Light

**CW: Graphic Depictions of Violence ¡ª---------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------- ** There was no time to hesitate. Using the blood from his right palm, Pdin drew disintegration and reintegration magic circles that ovepped with each other. Next, he positioned the magnifying ss directly in front of the open window.Sunlight gathered and fell on the table, producing a strong burnt odor and wisps of smoke that rose slowly. Pdin gulped. Forcibly suppressing the fear in his heart, he ced the Philosopher''s Stone on top of his right palm and stretched it towards the dazzling beam of light! "AAAAHHHHHH!" When the gathered light struck the Philosopher''s Stone, the magic circles instantly lit up. Something miraculous happened. The extremely bright sunlight passed through the Philosopher''s Stone and went under his skin! At that moment, Pdin felt as if all of the pain in his entire lifetime had condensed into one and coursed through his body. The scorching sunlight felt like countless bugs biting through his skin and moving back and forth between his muscles, blood vessels, and bones. The burning sensation that permeated his bone marrow nearly caused him to lose his mind. His instinct was constantly screaming at him to withdraw his hand. "NO!" Eyes bloodshot and body drenched by sweat, Pdin was determined. He knew for sure this method could work and indeed, it could be fused. How could he simply withdraw his arm and waste all of his previous efforts? "No¡­. I desire power. I want to acquire what Ick. That which I yearn for! How can this insignificant pain demotivate me?! How can I fall to my knees and beg for mercy?!" Pdin gritted his teeth. Pdin''s bloodshot eyes were now actually shedding blood. As he was tempted to withdraw his right hand, his left hand firmly gripped it in ce. For the first time, his body was at odds with his heart. "Hehehe¡­. HEHEHAHAHA! Come on! I, Pdin, won''t ever give up! Power. I''ll get the power!" Pdin became feral. A crazed smile bloomed on his lips while blood and tears streamed down his face. He roared at the Philosopher''s Stone which was gradually shrinking. Rather than saying he was venting his pain, it would be more urate to say he was venting his pent-up resentment and desire that had umted over the previous twenty years and more. Just when Pdin''s legs were beginning to weaken and his consciousness began to fade, the Philosopher''s Stone in his palm finally cracked and integrated into his arm. When Pdin noticed this, he immediately withdrew his arm. Unfortunately, as he copsed to the ground like a corpse, his left hand identally knocked over the magnifying ss. His eyelids felt as heavy as a mountain and teary as a river. Waves of drowsiness came rushing in. "No¡­. I can''t sleep right now. Absolutely can''t sleep¡­." Pdin was well aware that, should he fall asleep, the guards who were on duty would witness all this. He''d be so dead if that were the case. Pdin, the orphan, forcibly suppressed his drowsiness and sat up weakly. He reflexively checked the condition of his heart that had undergone fusion. It didn''t matter whether he checked or not, the sight that caught his eyes shooed his drowsiness away. At present, the blood vessels connecting his right wrist to his heart had glowed a bright golden color, as if golden crystals were embedded in his flesh. "Is this¡­. The light element?" Pdin examined his hand, his eyes were filled with uncertainty and anticipation. His expression changed out of nowhere. He then stood up quickly and looked around in surprise. With the expression of someone who just witnessed something unbelievable, he eximed, "What are these...!" Right now, Pdin could see more than 50 golden orbs floating around him. Meanwhile, when a certain distance was crossed, the earthy yellow, red, and/or white orbs in the distance were pushed away by the golden orbs'' violent attack. Afterwards, the orbs proceeded to float around him again. Pdin began to understand a little more after seeing this. These orbs were the elements of magic. Natural magic elements that floated in the air! These were the most basic magic elements that all things were made out of. If the earthy yellow orbs represent the element of earth, red represent the element of fire, blue represent the element of water, and white represent the element of wind, what about the golden element that floated around him? "Sunlight! The sunlight! That''s right, I used sunlight, so these must be the element of light, the purest element!" Pdin''s heart was overjoyed. However, there was one fact about these golden bubbles that he couldn''t ignore. That was the light element''s extremely strong aggressiveness and instability. It had nothing inmon with the Holy See''s gentle holy magic. Simply put, Pdin got a magic element that no one had previously owned nor mastered. One of the purest, yet extremely aggressive elements! "Wait... I can see magic elements, I can actually see magic elements!" When Pdin finally calmed down, this fact shocked him. ording tomon knowledge, the elements of magic were found everywhere. Magicians were all sentient beings, but none were said to be able to see magic elements. His ability to see the elements implied that he himself had also be an element of magic! "I... fused with light magic element... Perhaps, I became a magic element as well? Am I still a human? Or, a monster?" Pdin felt conflicted. He didn''t know whether this was a good or a bad thing. Would there be any repercussions in the future? What was certain was that he had gained power. The very power he dreamed of. The dpidated door was suddenly kicked open. Two fully-armored guards pointed the chain-sickle to Pdin. One then cursed at Pdin and yelled, not even bothered to spare a little nce at ¡®them¡¯ behind him. "Pdin! You despicable ve! Report to the dean! Call all personnel to gather here! Can¡¯t you hear me?! Hurry up!!" The taller guard shouted. However, before the taller guard finished speaking, he was mistakenly stabbed by the guard behind him. The guard was too shocked when he saw the gloomy room, the skeleton, and the magic circle engraved on the floor. "Oh¡­. My Enos¡­." The taller guard could only gasp before falling down. Pdin''s eyes narrowed as he exuded great murderous intent and madness. He then proceeded to run, quickly approaching the stabbed guard. Pdin, who was running right now, could clearly feel the golden light element surrounding his body vibrating frantically with extreme excitement! Pdin chanted something in his heart. When he opened his right hand, the golden elements immediately flocked to his palm. A miracle urred. The fingers of Pdin''s right hand transformed into five golden thunderbolt-like light des! A slight crackling sound could also be heard. With an ecstatic smile stered on his face, he stabbed the foolish unconscious guard in the chest with his right hand. The guard¡¯s thick armor felt as brittle as paper to Pdin. One more stab was enough to pierce through the guard''s armor, skin,rge intestine, and tailbone. The stab resulted in a hole that passed through the guard¡¯s body. "Enos, bless us!" After the initial shock of the terrifying scene in front of him, the guard who stood behind the stabbed guard regained his senses. In terror, he raised his chain-sickle and attempted to stab Pdin. "HAHAHA!" Pdin let out an uncontrobleughter, his face vicious. The right hand that had passed through the guard''s stomach was drawn out to catch the chain-sickle¡¯s sharp de. The sharp de made of steel was cracked deeply in five different ces solely because of the strength of Pdin¡¯s bare hand. It was already toote for the guard when Pdin seeded to grab the de of his chain-sickle and proceeded to pull it hard. The guard lost control of his weapon and was pulled right into Pdin''s attack range. "DIE!" Pdin grinned and shed the guard¡¯s head with his right hand after letting go of the chain-sickle. The guard''s head, together with the iron helmet he wore, was severed violently from his body. The corpse fell to its knees. It couldn¡¯t be more dead than this. "That''s right, that''s right! This is the taste of power! This is the real Pdin!" Pdin, who wasughing hysterically while looking at his right hand, didn''t realize that his expression no longer showed half of the hesitation and pity it had before. Instead, there was an insatiable desire to grow stronger. Was he still Pdin? Yes, Actually, this was the true Pdin. Chapter 9: Escape

Chapter 9: Escape

CW: Graphic Depictions of Violence, Gore ¡ª---------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------- Pdin dashed to his room and began packing his belongings. He decisively took a glove from the cab and wore it on his right hand to hide the dim golden light emitted by his hand. After packing some dry food, he packed the short knife. His footsteps came to a halt just when he was about to open the door. A small silver-ted cross ne that was casually ced on the table caught his attention. This cross was Pdin''s most valuable possession. The only thing that had apanied him since he was abandoned at the door of the Freemasons¡¯ Association. It was also the reason why the most humiliating name was bestowed upon him by the organization. It was more fitting to say that it was the only token from his parents, who never bothered to hide their faces. Pdin expressionlessly picked up the cross and put it in his bag. He opened the Ripley Scroll. He was resolved to perfectly memorize the magic circle. After memorizing it, a fire was lit and the scroll was burned. If an alchemist saw this scene, they would definitely bite off the Pdin''s flesh. After all, the Ripley Scroll was the highest masterpiece of alchemy, a legendary and fantastic scroll. Even if it was no longer needed, no one would have the heart to set it on fire. However, Pdin only nced silently at its ashes before turning around and leaving. In his opinion, the role of this legendary scroll was to bestow great power onto people. As for Pdin, he naturally didn''t want the scroll to get snatched someday in the future. Other people shoulde out and snatch the Philosopher''s Stone directly from him in order to gain its power. "Power, It¡¯s enough for me alone to have it¡­." Pdin muttered. He quietly left afterpletely destroying the magic circle he had previously carved on the ground beyond recognition. On the way, Pdin deftly avoided the guards who were patrolling back and forth. When he passed the dormitory area and reached the side gate, two figures emerged from the dormitory area while clinging to each other. "Onix~ Where did everyone go? Why is there no one?" When Pdin heard her voice, an evil smile bloomed on his face. He quickly hid behind the wall and removed the glove. His fingers became five thunderbolt-like light des once again. The two were sticking close to each other, with disheveled clothes that were the same as yesterday afternoon. The identity of the two were Onix, the student who teased Pdin, and his charming lover! The smile on Pdin''s face widened. He was worried about how he could escape now that the castle was full of guards. Just in time, these two idiots fell right into hisp. It was much easier to trick the guards into opening the side gate if he put on a student uniform. At this moment, Onix and his girlfriend had already exited the corridor. Onix was about to say something to her when he noticed Pdin, the pitiful ve, squatting in the corner. Heughed sarcastically. "You idiot, here¨C" Before he could finish his words, Pdin gave a sinister smile and ran towards him. His right hand, which had transformed into des of light, stabbed the woman in front of Onix, who was about to sneer. There was a loud bang¡ªpossibly because the attack was fueled by Pdin¡¯s hatred¡ªand there was a gaping hole in the woman¡¯s entire left chest. Blood and internal organs immediately sttered all over the floor. "Eh..." Onix saw this and was stunned for a while before he showed some reaction. But, how could Pdin wait for him to regain his senses? Pdin turned to face him, leapt forward, and tackled Onix in one swift motion. The light des in his hand dissipated to cover Onix¡¯s mouth and nose. His other hand grabbed Onix''s throat tightly. "Wwmmghh!" Onix let out a series of terrified whimpers, iling his hands weakly and frantically. Since he didn''t have any fighting experience, his movements were predictable and too weak. Pdin sat on top of Onix''s body, happy and refreshed after rubbing his victory on Onix¡¯s face. Pdin gradually increased the strength of his grip. Looking at Onix''s terrified bloodshot eyes that flicked from side to side, Pdin''s eerie smile gradually faded as heughed out loud. "You¡¯re lucky to die this way. Don''t dirty my clothes. Hahahaha!" Crunch. Pdin strengthened his grip more, directly crushing Onix¡¯s throat. Then he stripped the corpse of its clothes and wore the student uniform. He looked like a regr student after changing his clothes. Pdin picked up his bag. Not far away, four or five guards stood guard at the side gate. He then moved his feet quickly out of the corridor, leaving the two corpses there. Lying on the ground miserably as their bodies gradually went ice cold¡­. "Which department do you belong to? Don¡¯t you know that the dean had just ordered all of the students to gather in the hall?" said one of the five guards guarding the side gate when he saw Pdin walking silently towards them with his head down. Although they couldn¡¯t see his face, the student uniform still made the guards more or less rx their vignce. After asking politely, the guard stood up and waved his chain-sickle. "Ah¡­. Is this the side gate? Oh, yeah¡­. I went to the wrong location." Pdin said with trepidation. While slowly advancing towards the guards, he secretly stretched his right hand behind his back, ready to take off the glove. Pdin, who still hung his head low, showed a nervous look on his face as if this was his first time being lost. At that moment, a voice suddenly came from behind Pdin. "A student? Why is a student still loitering here?! Didn''t I order all of you to gather in the hall?!" Pdin''s eyes instantly widened and his body trembled uncontrobly. He then lifted his head. With a silly smile stered on his face, he turned to look at the person behind him. A frail young man. This was the man¡¯s first impression in Pdin''s eyes. But then, Pdin suddenly realized that, despite his skinny stature, the man''s firm eyes made Pdin afraid to look at him directly. The long coral-blue hair hanging over his shoulders and his silver-white pupils cemented the fact that Pdin had never seen this person before in the more than 20 years he had worked here. Although Pdin''s status was humble, he had taken care of the entire castle¡¯s inhabitants¡¯ sundries. That was why he had even met the dean, Ryan, several times before. This man¡¯s appearance was so distinct that it was impossible not to leave the slightest impression! Furthermore, he hadn''t heard of a new mentoring to the branch, so the identity of this person was worth pondering over. Moreover, what made Pdin raise his guard the most was the presence of 1,200 blue orbs¡ªwhich were water magic elements¡ªjumping up and down jubntly around this tutor! Pdin had obviously never seen an alchemist with such powerful magical power, as the magic elements surrounding the man floated around like a stream of water. The man with magical power formed by two thousand magic elements had to be a famous alchemist. Considering that Pdin himself had only the power of fifty magic elements, and was already easily overpowering ordinary people. This only made Pdin be more alert. Keeping that in mind, Pdin pretended to be stupid, and dazedly inquired, "Excuse me, teacher, why haven''t I ever seen you in the school?" Even though it was subtle, Pdin noticed a slight agitation in the eyes of the frail tutor in front of him. ¡®This person is really not a tutor here! He is an outsider who has snuck in!¡¯ The skinny man frowned, pinched Pdin''s ear as if they were close, and reprimanded him angrily, ¡°Kid, I''m a botanical tutor! I asked you because your back is familiar to me. Why are you running around by yourself again?! Come back with me! The dean is already very angry!" Pdin was taken aback. He couldn''t help butugh inwardly when he saw the guard''s puzzled expression. ¡®You brought this to yourself, outsider. Don''t me me.¡¯ So, Pdin innocently tilted his head and sucked his thumb. He then asked, "Who are you? I don''t know you." As soon as he said that, the guards noticed that something was wrong. They¡¯d never seen this mentor before! Coupled with the student''s questions, their vignce had been increased to the extreme! The leading guard pressed forward, waving his chain-sickle. He scowled and yelled, "Please, Sir, do not move. Show us your armband and ID. Otherwise...." The man who called himself Nasura shook his head helplessly. He took out his identification and armband from his bag. Nonchntly, he said, "Why are you guards so nervous? I¡¯m a newly transferred tutor from the headquarters. Take a look at this if you don''t believe me." The guard hadn''t noticed the contradiction in the man''s words in that short frame of time. If he was a newly transferred tutor, how could he recognize a student from here? The guard subconsciously walked forward and gradually lowered his chain-sickle. Chapter 10: Intervention By All Parties

Chapter 10: Intervention By All Parties

CW: Suicide ¡ª---------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------- Pdin, who was pretending to be stupid, narrowed his eyes. Nasura, who had a helpless expression at first, changed it to one of seriousness. His eyes were filled with burning killing intent. Pdin watched Nasura''s feet move away from Pdin as he took out a small magic wand from his sleeve. He held it firmly in his hand. If you looked carefully, you¡¯d find that the surface of the dark wand was engraved with dense runes. That should be an advanced magic wand, as it had twenty sequences of runes etched on it. "The Hands of Winter," Nasura whispered softly. A surge of cold air appeared on the edge of the wand. The breeze swept quickly towards the five guards, causing their expressions to change abruptly. Spectating all this, a thickyer of sweat formed on Pdin''s forehead. He saw the guards, who were about to shout for help, be instantly encased in ice. He could only see the gleaming reflections of the frost. The corpses looked as if they were frozen in time. This meant that they were frozen to death in an instant. "Tch... It''s a shame that I have to use magic to kill a few people who have no idea what magic is." Nasura put away his wand with disgust and turned to look at Pdin with his cold eyes. Inside, Pdin¡¯s mind was in disarray. Pdin, who had only recently gained power, was far from being an opponent to Nasura. To survive today, he could only pretend and prove himself to be harmless. Therefore, at this time, Pdin maintained his dumbfounded expression. He squatted down and looked at the guards, who had been frozen into ice sculptures, with apprehension on his face. "What¡­ What happened to them?" Although Pdin said these words, beads of sweat trickled down his body. Nasura would¡¯ve noticed something was wrong if it hadn''t been for his long ck hair covering his face. Nasura looked at the foolish man in front of him and shook the hand that was holding the wand. The murderous intent in his eyes grew stronger. Just when Pdin was about to get attacked by magic from behind, he hastily turned and ran away as if his life depended on it. Nasura lowered his hand and murmured helplessly, "I am a noble magician, how did I fall to the point where I torture and kill ordinary people¡­. You are lucky, idiot." Nasura put away his wand, looked at the towering castle above his head, and ran upwards. "Phew¡­." Pdin breathed a sigh of relief after confirming the terrifying magician had gone away. He knelt powerlessly on the ground and kept wiping away the sweat that was about to fall. "I''m so tired... I really want to sleep." Pdin was very exhausted. Although he had been working all year round, what he had experienced fromst night to this morning had rendered his body and spirit incapable of bearing the burden. He needed to sleep to recharge his batteries. He needed sleep to refresh his body. However, he knew this wasn¡¯t the right time to sleep. Escaping from here was the topmost priority. To keep himself awake, he pinched his thigh quite hard. After recovering from the severe pain, he carefully opened the side door and walked away. Because of the dean''s order, all of the students and tutors were gathered in the hall right now. They all had solemn and puzzled expressions on their faces. Originally, if the dean issued such an order, it should¡¯ve been because of something important. Even all of the guards in this branch were dispatched. However, despite the long wait, the dean still didn''t show up. Everyone became increasingly impatient. The hushed voices of discussion could gradually be heard in the initially quiet hall. The teachers were also being indifferent to this. All of them frowned and looked preupied with their own thoughts. Among thisrge group of tutors, a dull person was sitting in the corner. They were so inconspicuous that they literally merged with the shadow in the corner. The person was an ordinary-looking young woman. Those who saw her would only think the golden hair didn¡¯t suit her. Adele was her name. She was an ordinary tutor who taught the basics of forming formations. She was unremarkable in appearance and extremely introverted. As a result, not many people were willing to get along with her. This such ordinary and introverted tutor was squatting in a dark corner, ying with a carving knife with a magic circle engraved on it. The sharp carving knife twirled flexibly on her slender fingertips as if it was made to be in her hand. Her ordinary face revealed a level of excitement no one had ever seen in her before. As if some thought abruptly popped into her mind, Adele''s excited expression vanished in an instant. She then turned with a worried face and timidly spoke to the frowning instructors beside her, "I think¡­. let''s go up and see the dean¡­. Maybe he fell asleep?" Several tutors around her exchanged smiles and made eye contact. Unexpectedly, this introverted Adele was so cute and she deeply respected the dean. When they gave it some thought, Adele¡¯s suggestion was right. Sitting still was not an option. A male tutor who was next to her nodded with a smile and said, "Okay, let''s go and see what the dean is doing. Adele, let''s go together." "Well..." . So, under the lead of several tutors, Adele justifiably left the hall and walked towards the tower on top of the castle. When her face was obscured by shadows, more crazed and excited expressions emerged. "It''s over¡­. It''s over¡­. Everything¡¯s over¡­." said the dean, who hadn¡¯t shown up at the hall for a long time. He was still cooped up in his attic. Slumped on the chair, looking at the antique scrap of paper made of leather with an unresponsive and decadent look. He kept muttering to himself incessantly. A bronze mirror ced on the table behind him suddenly shed golden. The smooth mirror surface began to deform. A human face pressed against the smooth copper mirror''s surface, as if trying to get out of the mirror. The face slowly turned and spoke, "Ryan, have you found it?" Thud! The decadent dean, Ryan, who was slumped on a chair, came to life in an instant. He jumped off the chair and fell to the ground in fright. There was no trace of surprise on his face regarding the voice that could be heard from behind. Still, he crawled over in a desperate manner. Looking up and pleading at the face inside the mirror. With tears and snot flowing freely down his face, Ryan said, "Not yet¡­. No." "Ah, that''s it. I already searched that ce¡¯s inside and outside hundreds of times and still couldn''t find it. The scroll that was already determined not to be here, unexpectedly appeared right here¡­." "My lord, I¡­." The face in the mirror looked down at the person in front of him. Ryan was still begging desperately. He nodded slowly and said, "Don''t worry, as a mason, you are excellent. I will notify the Ministry of Security. We will take care of your wife and children, as well as your illegitimate child who is studying in the Duchy of Kasmi." As soon as he said this, Ryan¡¯s lifeless and distressed eyes instantly lit up. The old dean bowed again and again. "Thank you¡­. Thank you very much, sir. Thank you." The face in the mirror silently nodded. Next, a golden light shed and the bronze mirror returned to its original state. Apparently, the so-called elder had left. Ryan stood up slowly. A rxed smile appeared on his face. It was a relief. Ryan took out a rope from the cab and hung it on the beam of the room. He then made a circle with the rope by tying a knot. The rope was slowly wrapped around his neck and tightened. The smile on his face grew brighter and brighter. He stared at his feet and kicked the chair under him. His entire body was shaking. There was a guttural cracking sounding from his throat. After a while, there was only silence¡­. Chapter 11: A Black And White Dream

Chapter 11: A ck And White Dream

With a snap of a finger, the door to the dean''s bedroom was covered with a thickyer of ice. The door was kicked hard until it broke and scattered all over the floor. Without hesitation, Nasura stepped over the scattered ice on the ground and walked in with a stern expression and his long blue hair flowing behind him like water. "Uh¡­ I''m toote. You''re so cunning, Ryan." When Nasura entered the room, the first thing he saw was Ryan, the dean, hanging from the beam. He said it like a nagging mother who was a little upset. It was barely visible, but a guard''s frozen corpsey on the floor behind Nasura, outside the broken door. Nasura seemed to have killed everyone he encountered on his way up. "Who are you...? Don''t move! What is your purpose in pretending to be a tutor and killing the dean?!" Right at that moment, Adele and the group of tutors arrived on the top floor. They saw some guards frozen into ice on the way here. So, they took some precautions. One of them had gone down to inform the guards stationed below. Adele and the other three tutors approached the door together with extreme caution.. Then, Adele happened to see Nasura, who was standing still inside the room. Nasura turned his head slightly and saw three men and a woman dressed in teacher''s robes standing behind him. He immediately put on an innocent face and said, "Calm down! When I arrived, the dean had already hanged himself. I am innocent!" "Turn around!" The male tutor who led the group was being extra cautious. While speaking, he pulled out a small crossbow from his sleeve. The floating runes around it proved that the weapon was a magic item. "Don''t me me for shooting if you asked for death!" he continued. Nasura''s eyes hardened in an instant. He abruptly turned around and waved his hands at the male mentor. Cold air immediately rushed towards Adele and the others. Adele''s terrified expression abruptly changed 180 degrees. She excitedly brandished two knives. Her eyes were gleaming with bloodlust. This branch''s situation was messy and there was a big turmoil brewing.Pdin continued to flee into the dense woods. He discovered a clean bear cave without piles of waste, but full of healthy green grasses. He decided to pick this cave as a ce to take a rest. Pdin, who was now lying down in the cave, was secretly d that he was a ve who was looked down upon. They let him do all the dirty work. The chefs in the branch were usually the ones responsible for traveling dozens of miles to purchase ingredients. This purchase could earn them more profits as oil and water were two of the most expensivemodities in that era. As a result, it was considered to be the better dirty work. But, no one wanted to run back and forth for tens of miles on the road. Naturally, this menial work fell to the humble and uncaring ve, Pdin. Thanks to this, Pdin was familiar with the route and able to escape safely. More or less, he knew that there was a branch of the Freemasons'' Association located at the border of the Duchy of Kasmi, the Kingdom of Aixinzhe, and the Kingdom of Nubia. Logically speaking, there should''ve been numerous disputes that could¡¯ve led to war at the border shared by those three countries. But, the branch was located in a remote ce. A thousand-year-old forest,plex hills, and broken barriers surrounded it. That, plus the monsters lurking in the woods. Marching and fighting? Even wanting to pass through the forest safely was out of reach for ordinary people. Pdin smiled as he patted the muddy soil around his body. He''d made up his mind. He''d go to the Duchy of Kasmi once there was no danger anymore. The Duchy of Kasmi was different from a kingdom. It had no king, only a grand duke who bestowed the title of duke upon someone in each region of the country to govern territories that had been divided by the grand duke. Each duke ruled and owned thend that had been passed down through their bloodline. Their ancestors had actually cooperated before the country''snd was divided and distributed to each of them. The cooperation and the division ofnd were contradictory. As a result, thew was riddled with ws. Furthermore, there were no such idiots who cared to fix those wedws. The Duchy of Kasmi was a small country with a poption of less than five million people. As far as Pdin knew, although the Principality of Kasmi had now enforcement, their army was notoriously tough and heroic. Pdin still remembered the tall mercenary he was introduced to, the one who admired the army of the Duchy of Kasmi. If only the Duchy of Kasmi had enough gold coins to arm and pay the army, Aixinzhe and Nubia, Kasmi''s neighboring kingdoms, couldn''t be considered as Kasmi''s opponents! One could only imagine how powerful this duchy was. Pdin, who had a lot of thoughts racing through his mind, felt exhaustion wash over him. Today, he had stayed up all night, had killed for the first time, had suffered from fusing with the Philosopher''s Stone, and had fled for a long time. Now, it was already past his limit. He was still plotting how to make money in the duchy and live a happy life. However, before he knew it, his eyes had closed and his mind had fallen into a deep sleep. He had no idea how long he had slept. He felt as if his entire body was stuffed into an hourss that was still functioning. Pdin slowly opened his eyes. A nk white space. Pdin couldn''t see anything with his eyes because nothing existed. There was nothing left in this world. Surprisingly, Pdin didn''t seem to be shocked in the slightest. Confused, he sat up and touched the invisible ground, which was also white. The confusion in his eyes became more and more intense. "Who am I?" At this moment, Pdin was as clueless as a newborn baby. He was looking at his naked body without any surprise or shame. "Wahh, wah¡­ uwaah, wah, wah.." . The sound of a baby crying could be heard continuously in this quiet and frightening nk space. The voice came from behind Pdin. Perplexed, he turned around. The next thing he saw was apletely pitch-ck baby lying on the ground. The baby''s delicate hands and feet iled as the irritating crying sound came from its mouth. The baby lookedpletely out of ce in this nk space. Right now, Pdin didn''t feel afraid at all. No, it would be more urate to say that he had no idea what it meant to be afraid. He proceeded to look at his hands and feet in confusion. And then, he slowly crawled towards the crying baby. Looking at the baby, who had no other color except pitch-ck, Pdin slowly said with a neutral tone, "What¡­ are you?" The baby refused tomunicate with Pdin. It continued to cry very loudly. Pdin couldn''t help but ask again, "What are you?" There was still no response. This nk space was starting to get annoying to him. The same could be said for the sound of the baby crying. Pdin gradually raised his hand. The baby''s crying abruptly stopped as he was about to touch the baby''s ck skin. There was nothing but silence. The silence was devoid of any indication of life. The space seemed even more lifeless now that the baby''s crying had stopped. Pdin suddenly missed the noisy sound of the baby crying. He didn''t want to bother the child any longer and hoped the child would continue to cry. The baby, who had stopped crying, sat up and opened its eyes, revealing the same ck eyeballs and pupils beneath. Something strange happened. The little guy, who was less than three inches away from Pdin, suddenly opened its mouth. With a rough adult voice, a mixture of a male and a female''s voice that was definitely not a child''s voice, he uttered, "I''m hungry! Feed me!" Whoosh! Pdin abruptly opened his eyes and jumped up. But, he hit the stone ceiling of the cave above his head. "Haah, hahh, haa..." Fear. Pdin felt unprecedented fear all over his body. Not because there was something he was afraid of, but because of the embodiment of fear itself. Pdin''s eyes were wide open. The smell of earth and grass tickled the tip of his nose. It felt nostalgic, as if he hadn¡¯t been able to experience these for a thousand years. His hands touched the soil and stones on the ground. After confirming that he was no longer in the nk space, he breathed a sigh of relief, patted his head, and muttered to himself, "So it was merely a dream..." Chapter 12: Conversation

Chapter 12: Conversation

On the topmost floor of a tower in the branch, Nasura held his magic wand in hand as he carefully and solemnly observed Adele, the grinning tutor who was standing in front of the corpse. Looking at it now, the tutors who hade together with her all dropped dead in a pool of blood. On the back of their heads, there were simr-sized cut marks. All of this was done by Adele, who was standing in the center of the room. She was holding two knives with an off-putting smile on her face. "Who... are you?" Nasura could feel a sense of dangering from this woman. The feeling he felt only when he was attacked by the ck Murloc King in Maras Swamp. However, this sense of danger came from a woman who looked weak, a woman whose height was a head shorter than his. Nasura saw Adele leisurely moved her arms and put the carving knife on her waist. She simply ignored the magic wand pointed at her forehead in Nasura''s hand. She then used her fingers tob her messy hair. "Answer me!" At first, Nasura only raised his eyebrows. But when he noticed Adele treating him like air, he yelled angrily. However, a weird smile bloomed on Adele¡¯s lips. She put down the hand that wasbing her hair, touched her nose with a strange expression, and said, "Well, it must be you who I felt in the hall. An aura as cold as an ice serpent. Am I right, Hellitt? Or should I say, Nasura, the Great Ice Mage of the Tower Forest Mage Association?" Hellitt of the Forest of Towers. That was one of the top three mage associations on the entire continent of Olosen, surpassing hundreds of others. It was both mysterious and powerful. So powerful it could even destroy kingdoms! Nasura, the mage, turned out to be a great mage from Hellitt! At this moment, Nasura''s eyes widened. He took a few steps back. In a sudden burst of alertness, he muttered, "Her breathing technique¡­. She turns out to be a hound of the Assassin Alliance." Assassin Alliance, an organization of assassins who lurked in the dark. Its members were very widely distributed. Not even they themselves know how many members were there. Each one was a highly trained assassin. It was a veritable bloody and greedy organization. As long as someone paid them, they would use all of their strength to eliminate the targeted party. The outstanding ones in the organization were taught a special method, which was the detection breathing method. It was said to be able to expand the spiritual senses, feel the magic of nearby creatures, and visualize them. The outstanding assassins, who were lucky enough to obtain this method, were awarded the title of ''dark pathfinder dog'' in the Assassin Alliance. These powerful assassins were nicknamed ''The Hound'' by outsiders. Right now, Nasura felt a little nervous. There was no doubt that a hound of the Assassin Alliance was lurking here to spy on the legendary treasure. And judging by the appearance of her familiarity with other tutors, she seemed to have been lurking for a long time. Unlike himself, who had just received the temporary order, who immediately rode a stag and rushed here with all his might. It was hard to determine whether this assassin had some advantageous and valuable informations he didn¡¯t know about. Adele, who was standing on the opposite side, might''ve seen through Nasura''s thoughts. Seeing the subtle change in his expression, she immediately said with a smile, "Yes, I am a hound. But it is all in the past. Now I''m just a stray dog that escaped from its owner''s house." Nasura was startled. This woman imed to have defected from the Assassin Alliance? It would make her a target for an assassin of the same caliber! Was this woman telling the truth? Adele''s unremarkable face showed a strange coquettishness. She covered her smile and said, "Why? Don''t believe it? I am the one who decapitated thirteen of mypatriots and colleagues¡­. I see that Your Excellency got an order and came here in a hurry. In other words, that scroll is really here!" The excited Adele suddenly noticed the puzzled expression on Nasura''s face. Seeing that, she became confused. Then, she heard Nasura ask, "Scroll? What scroll? I didn''t receive any orders about any scroll!" "Hmph! Come on, Your Excellency the Great Mage. This isted and barren branch can make the Tower Forest do almost anything for this single scroll. I believe it won''t be long before all of the world''s major organizations arrive here one by one. At that time, you''ll be insignificant. Do you still want to continue lying?" Nasura suspected something was really wrong, seeing that Adele didn''t appear to be lying. The urgently delivered magic letter was not as simple as it appeared on the surface. Nasura lowered his guarded wand, took a step forward, and stated frankly, "I was just passing by, but I received an urgent order to investigate potential treasures and clues. It doesn''t tell me what it was at all." As soon as he said this, even Adele was a little surprised. But, she recovered in an instant. With fear imbued in her ridicule, she said, "Respected great magician, Your Excellency Nasura, it seems that you are not very favored by the mages. I haven''t said this to anyone at all¡­ but it seems you guys from the Tower Forest are so rich and powerful that even a great magician is merely a pawn..." "Hmph, stop talking nonsense! If this really is a big secret, how do you know about it?" Nasura immediately asked the crucial point that was on his mind. Unexpectedly, Adele dismissed it without even thinking about it, "Why do you think I escaped from the organization? Fortunately, those bastards in the Assassin Association didn''t know that I''d learned the secret. Otherwise, they wouldn''t have sent only thirteen outstanding assassins. If they knew, they would have hunted me down with fifty senior assassins who''d ughter every town I passed by!" Nasura didn''t care whether Adele was alive or dead. Right now, he thirsted for information. He was curious and was eager to know what could make the Tower Forest, one of the three top organizations in the Olosen Continent, feel anxious. It should be a secret, but apparently, Adele had ns to tell him. As soon as she finished speaking, sheughed a little awkwardly and said in a soft voice, "To show my sincerity, I will tell you. There''s a shocking secret hidden deep in this ordinary branch of the Freemasons'' Association. A nearly forgotten and disbelieved secret that''s been known by the major organizations." "Tell me! What is it?!" Nasura was a little impatient. But then, he heard the most shocking words in his life. "It''s the Ripley Scroll... Hehe, judging by your expression, it appears that you are also aware of the scroll mentioned in the myth that the entire continent knows of, but believes it does not exist." ¡°The scroll of the one who betrayed God!?¡± Nasura''s eyes widened. Although he expected that there would be some kind of artifact or holy object here, he never expected that it would be the scroll of the one who rebelled, which was recorded in the Cassily Bible he read as a child! "That... is the greatest disrespect to the god of light, Enos, or even the god of darkness, Bir, and the god of nature, Jacono! This is tant sphemy! The Holy See will definitely intervene, those religious lunatics are bound toe. This is not a safe ce to stay for long!" Nasura, who was covered in cold sweat, muttered to himself. He suddenly looked up and saw Adele, who was seriously excited. Thetter nodded back at him with folded arms. "Now you know how dangerous this ce is and how little time we have, Your Excellency the Great Mage." Chapter 13: Encounter

Chapter 13: Encounter

His mind and heart were contradicting each other. However, Pdin decided that he had had enough sleep and crawled out of the bear cave. He immediately felt refreshed. As for the emergence of various forces throughout the entire Olosen continent, it wasn''t something Pdin could pay attention to right now. What he wanted most now was a good meal, a mansion, a few beautiful and attractive concubines, and a luxurious life that everyone envied. This was what Pdin considered to be the loftiest ideal. As for why he needed to obtain strong power to get these measly things, Pdin still couldn''t understand. After all, such avish lifestyle existed only in dreand to him. For now, he had toe back to reality. Pdin clutched his messy ck hair in distress, feeling a little worried. ''I escaped from the branch. I believe people won''t find out soon. Nobody will pay attention to a lowly ve. Furthermore, given the situation of the branch, there must have been quite amotion. They won''t notice my disappearance if no one mentioned it. Still, I can''t use this name anymore.'' Pdin thought helplessly. In fact, he quite liked the name Pdin. Although the people in the branch used the name as a means to humiliate and ridicule him, when that point was ignored, the name¡¯s meaning was very sacred. Compared to other ves, it could be considered a blessing among the disastrous names he could''ve gotten instead. "Hey! You¡­. The man in front! Oh, Great and Mighty Enos! You must be the messenger sent by Him to rescue His humble servant!" At that moment, a shout came from outside the forest. Pdin turned around to face the source of the sound. There stood a priest dressed in a ck robe. The priest was staggering over with his exhausted body, carrying a small bag. Pdin took a step back and raised his guard. Behind his back, he removed the glove from his right hand. If the opponent made any unruly attempts, he would immediately go for the kill. Unexpectedly, when the priest arrived near Pdin, he slumped down on the dirty and muddy ground, and sped his hands together. "It must be Thee, the Great and All-Knowing God, who protects your servant in the dark. Thou sent a guide when I got lost!" the priest said, full of devotion and gratefulness. "You are..." Pdin continued to step back. He was so alert that he didn''t dare to rx in the slightest. Apparently, the priest noticed Pdin''s vignce and knew that the other party had misunderstood him. So, heughed and said, "Hello, honorable sir. I am a priest from Lore Province in the Duchy of Kasmi. The Supreme God summoned me. I am specifically traveling to Nurba to serve Him as the local church''s priest. Sir, may I inquire how to get to Nurba?" Nurba. Pdin knew that ce. It was a town quite far away from here. It would take half a month to get there by carriage. The way there spanned across half of the Duchy of Kasmi. If it weren''t for the fact that the town was rich in iron ore and the Duchy of Kasmi paid special attention to it, Pdin really wouldn''t have known of it. Pdin deliberated for a moment. Let alone thinking about whether the road was safe or not, he didn''t know his destination yet. If so, it was better to follow this priest first. This could also serve as a disguise to deceive others. In addition, he could also make some extra money. As soon as he thought about these, Pdin gave a friendly smile and said, "I am a servant of God who wants to serve the great Enos. I alsoe from a very devout congregation. Naturally, I can apany you to Nurba so you can arrive at the location you''re assigned at." . "Ah! That''s really great!" This priest obviously lived a pampered life. If the dirt on his face were wiped off, the white and tender skin underneath would be revealed. Before the priest could finish saying his thanks, Pdin cut him off, "Since we¡¯re serving the great Enos, we won¡¯t die without salvation. But you see, I am so poor and destitute. I don¡¯t think I¡¯ll be able to travel long distances." The priest was taken aback for a moment before nodding and pulling a small bag of gold coins from his backpack. He took out five gold coins while still smiling and handed them to Pdin. "I will thank you through these, sir. Please take me to Nurba." Pdin epted the gold coins with sparkling eyes. His eyes wandered for a bit to the small bag in the priest''s hand. It was brimming with gold coins! Don''tugh at him, though. He had only seen gold coins his entire life, never touched them even once. Now that he had five gold coins, he felt very ecstatic. Still, he couldn¡¯t help but secretly think, ¡®A whole bag full of gold coins! There must be at least forty coins inside¡­. No, it should be fifty coins! My God, if I ever get that much money¡­.¡¯ Pdin himself hadn''t noticed because he was too preupied with his blooming excitement, but his chest was swelling with happiness that there was no room for anything else. Keeping that in mind, Pdin took the priest''s bag and skillfully carried it behind his back. He then said, tteringly, "Father, please go first. This journey is not short." The priest immediately put away his gold coins. He felt good after being charitable to someone. Little did he know that he had done one of the most stupid things he could possibly do. "Based on your clothing, you seem to be a student or a trainee. What do you study? History? Art?" the priest asked casually. He was feeling happy because his shoulders were freed. Pdin narrowed his eyes and replied with a smile, "My uniform does look good, but I''m actually just a craftsman. I only learned how to do some stone carvings." "Oh, so you''re a stonemason." The priest nodded in disappointment. Masons, in his aristocratic opinion, were simply civilians who were being ruled. He assumed Pdin was a noble who was studying to be a priest, so he was a little disappointed. How could the thought that an alchemist called himself a stonemason ever cross his mind? In this ancient time, books and knowledge were rare. The masons who built houses were considered the most learned and profound. It was the first upation that was exposed to mathematics, statistics, drawing, and writing. That was why the alchemists were proud to call themselves freemasons. It was alluding to the fact that alchemists were the first to connect and investigate the truth. "Father, be careful. Slow down." In the blink of an eye, an hour had passed. In the meantime, Pdin humbly led the priest across mountain ridges, demonstrating his experience as a ve. The priestughed at Pdin¡¯s bootlicking gesture. Seeing that the time was ripe, Pdin began probing the priest''s background. "Dear priest, Nurba is your destination. Even if you make it through this vast forest, you still won¡¯t arrive at Nurba," Pdin cautiously stated. Hearing Pdin¡¯s question, the priest answered without thinking, "Don''t call me a priest. I am not one yet. Hey, my father is a low-ranking nobleman who runs some business to support the family. As the second son, I am not eligible to inherit my father''s businesses. Because my father had spent so much money managing it, he simply told me to go to church and be a priest." The priest then continued, "But I had bad luck hiring those scumbag mercenaries. I told them to protect me on the journey. Who knew they¡®d rob me as soon as we left the city! Fortunately, I didn''t let them take my money and ran into the forest. Sure enough, those treacherous scumbags dared not chase after me! Hahaha! God will curse them! " Pdin looked at the angry priest and nonchntly said, "Father, you are extremely fortunate. You know, if your direction is even a little bit off, you could end up in the depths of the forest, where man-eating monsters lurk, where ordinary mercenaries would never dare to enter." "Ah! That''s it! Sure enough, Enos blesses me all the time!" Pdin¡¯s qualms gradually dissipated as he witnessed the idiot priest¡¯s stupidity. His mind was busy fantasizing about him snatching the priest¡¯s gold coins and happily went on his way. Who would¡¯ve guessed that the priest''s next sentence wouldpletely perplex Pdin. Chapter 14: Destiny is smiling at me

Chapter 14: Destiny is smiling at me

"By the way, a long time has passed but I never introduced myself. My name is Pdin mel. What''s your name?" Thump! Pdin came to aplete halt. He turned his head to look at the idiotic priest, his face filled with disbelief. He couldn¡¯t help but ask, "Father, can you repeat your name?" "Pdin mel." The moment the priest uttered these words, Pdin crumbled as if he had been hit on the head with a hammer. ¡®So there is such a coincidence in the world?! Doesn''t that mean¡­. I can be Pdin mel?!¡¯ "What''s wrong? Why did you fall silent?" The priest, whose name was also Pdin, looked at Pdin with suspicion. Thetter quietly put down the bag. He lowered his head and said, "Father, who is that person behind you?" The priest immediately turned his head to see who was behind him, but all he saw were grass and bushes that blocked the sunlight. "There¡¯s no one..." Just as the priest turned his head back, he caught a glimpse of the ferocious and ecstatic Pdin pouncing on him. Pdin grabbed the priest''s chin with one hand and the priest''s forehead with the other. He quickly turned the priest around and stuck to his back with his strong and skilled hands! "You... What are you doing?! Let go or I''ll be very angry!" The captured priest was enraged and terrified. He had no idea what the man, whom he had known for only an hour, was up to. But then, Pdin told him exactly what he was trying to do. With his evilly curled lips, Pdin lowered his head slightly and whispered to his ear, "Pdin mel, don''t you want to know my name? Let me tell you. My name is Pdin too." The priest''s pupils shrank as soon as he said that. Even the stupidest person would feel they are in danger right now. Pdin, of course, wouldn¡¯t pass up this opportunity. He suddenly raised his head, looked at the gaps in the leaves where the sunlight passed through, and murmured happily, "Fate is smiling at me!" The hand holding the priest''s chin twisted decisively to the side before he finished speaking. A crisp crunch was heard. As soon as Pdin let go, the priest¡¯s body fell to the ground, his neck crooked. There was still a mixed expression of doubt and fear etched on the priest¡¯s face. Until the end of his life, he still couldn''t figure out what benefit Pdin would gain from killing him. Pdin breathed a sigh of relief. He stripped and changed into the clothes of the priest with the same name as him. Pdin, who was currently dressed in a ck priest''s robe with a hemp rope tied around his waist, nodded in satisfaction. He then squatted and started collecting the priest''s belongings. After putting the small bag filled with fifty three gold coins into his arms with a smile on his face, Pdin spotted a letter lying inside the big bag alongside two intersecting keys and a strange crown in the middle. Pdin, who took it out immediately, saw that the paint had been peeled off in some areas. . The letter appeared to be addressed to the priest. In order to live as this priest for a long time in the future, Pdin must know as much as possible about this person''s life. He needed to do this so that he didn''t identally reveal that he wasn''t the real Pdin mel. It was tragic. Pdin carefully took out the letter. The faint smell of books wafting from it made Pdin happy. He took it out of the envelope and meticulously read it. The content was as follows: mel, the pious and kind priest, During his three years of study in the monastery, he not only won the title of priest, but also the respect and love of others. Through the rmendation of his godfather, Priest Fr. Sicilian, Vicar of Fenrir, the priest Pdin mel is officially assigned to serve as the rector of the town of Nurba. To educate the congregation and focus on The Almighty and Great Enos. In the name of the Father, the Son, and the Holy Spirit. Amen. The Duchy of Kasmi¡¾The Hierarchical Priests of the Archdiocese of Kasmi¡¿ July 2, 7266 AD Pdin''s hands trembled with excitement. This letter turned out to be that stupid priest¡¯s appointment letter! This was a very important proof. If Pdin wanted to use the priest¡¯s identity, this letter was the best cover! After excitedly tucking the letter away, Pdin began to dig for two hours. Then, he buried the priest''s body in the ground. After carefully covering it up to ensure it couldn¡¯t be noticed, Pdin didn''t even think about resting. He instantly let go of his past identity and left the forest. Right at this moment, the uneasy feeling that had apanied him gradually subsided. Because, the one who left the forest was Pdin mel. An insignificant noble who became a priest. The foolish Pdin, who was looked down upon in one of the branches of the Freemasons¡¯ Association, had died when he obtained the Ripley Scroll. At the same time when Pdin was apuding himself because he had acquired a new identity, Nasura, the great magician who recently learned that the Ripley Scroll was stored here¡ªat one of the branches of the Freemasons¡¯ Association¡ªwas shocked for a while. He then strode past Adele, who was still dazed, and went downstairs. "Hey! What are you doing?!" Nasura removed Adele''s hand with a flick of his hand. With a serious expression, he said, "Does it need to be said? The adjudicators wille soon. The Ripley Scroll has nothing to do with me! I just want to get out of this ghostly ce as soon as possible. Those lunatics don''t treat mages well!" Adele shook her hand helplessly and joked, "Poor Nasura. You¡¯ve been dazzled by the potential danger. It won''t be long before the members from other forces squeeze in. Will the Freemasons¡¯ Association remain silent? No. When they watch the lunatic adjudicatorse to kill, there will definitely be a lot of action! Isn¡¯t it too cowardly to run away now? And, while it''s unclear whether you¡¯ll be able to see the legendary scroll with your own eyes, as a mage, you really don¡¯t want to see what¡¯s written on it?¡± These words moved Nasura''s heart and caused him to question himself. Although the adjudicators despised mages, they were nothing to the sphemous Freemasons¡¯ Association. When there was a conflict between the Freemasons¡¯ Association and the adjudicators, there¡¯d be some chance to get some clues. As long as there was a glimmer of hope, he might be able to see that legendary scroll. With such thoughts in mind, Nasura''s frown gradually eased. He folded his arms and said domineeringly, "You are an assassin, so you should have some idea. Don''t be difficult; just say it." That was a sign of willingness to cooperate. Naturally, Adele would not break the mage''s pride. While covering her smile, she said, "Come with me. Change your clothes first. You¡¯re still too eye-catching in this mentor''s robe." After she finished speaking, she grabbed Nasura''s hand and ran downstairs. Although Nasura was taken aback at first, the greasy touch of her hand caused his heart, which had been silent all this time, to begin pounding wildly. However, he didn¡¯t say anything. He simply stared deeply at Adele in front of him, letting her hold his hand while running downstairs together. After a while, they disappeared from sight. Inside the empty room, the quaint piece of parchment that was taken from the goldenpartment fell to the floor. Suddenly, a green me was lit, consuming the parchment. It only took a moment to burn the parchment to ashes. As a result, the things written on that parchment would never be known. Chapter 15: The Mercenaries of The Frontier Town

Chapter 15: The Mercenaries of The Frontier Town

Pdin was in trouble. He had been walking for almost ten days. His supplies and food had run out. He eventually reached the edge of the endless forest and saw a bustling town not far away. Barely able to keep his tired eyelids open, Pdin listened to the faint noiseing from the town with a relieved smile on his face. He muttered, "Oh, Enos! I swear I''ll never go back into that forest. That''s not a ce ordinary people should go!" Pdin, who had no prior experience living in the forest, had endured a great deal during these few days. Because he was afraid of being discovered by others, he didn''t dare to light a fire. In the middle of the night, he ate the raw meat of the roe deer he hunted while enduring the stench. He dug up the wet soil and drank muddy water. In the middle of the night, he was almost bitten to death by fist-sized mosquitos! It was simply a nightmare! While smiling, Pdin''s previously exhausted body suddenly became fully energized. He let loose and ran to the town that looked like heaven in his eyes. He knew that with the gold coins the priest had, he could eat well, dress warmly, and sleep well here. The town was different from Pdin''s expectations. The street he was walking on was so crowded that everyone could barely see his priest''s robe. The pedestrians on the road ignored him with an expression Pdin was familiar with. Apparently, this pattern was verymon here. Observing the passers-by, Pdin noticed that, with the exception of a few shopkeepers and travelers, the town was mostly filled with warriors wearing various armor, long swords on their waists, and shields on their backs. The armor had a faint blood stain on it. That was what happened if it wasn''t cleaned after being stained with blood. In addition, Pdin also saw rangers d in leather armor, armed with crossbows and daggers. These people were either in small groups or alone. Some of them were also carrying the bodies of dead monsters that had one or two fangs and sharp ws. They went to and fro on the street. Pdin knew that these people were either mercenaries attracted by the forest''s battleship profits and state subsidies, wandering bards, or travelers. It was natural. After all, there were many ferocious and dangerous monsters lurking in the depths of the forest that bordered the Duchy of Kasmi, the Kingdom of Aixinzhe, and the Kingdom of Nubia. The monsters were not only powerful and fast, but some of them could also use magic! The magical beasts, in particr, were capable of forming magical crystals within their bodies. The magic crystals were crystals that were used by battleships to absorb and store magic elements. The more powerful the magic beast, the better the magic crystal it produced. The higher the quality, the higher the price on the market. ording to Pdin''s knowledge, a piece of fire element magic crystal produced by a fire-swallowing snake could be sold for five gold coins. Five gold coins were enough to feed and clothe a normal family for a year! It was easy to imagine how huge the profits were. The Duchy of Kasmi saw an opportunity to profit and built walls around the forest''s borders, stationed heavy guards inside a fewrge cities and dozens of towns, and allowed these mercenaries toe inside to sell their hunting spoils. The Duchy of Kasmi collected a hefty 60% tax on spoils and regr hunting license fees. As a result, many poachers crossed the city wall because of their unwillingness to pay taxes. However, aside from being hanged, Pdin had never heard of the poachers who could be rescued. When he was thinking about this, Pdin stopped walking. In front of him was a picture of a tavern with a sword stuck in a tree. "The Forest¡¯s Sword Tavern?" Pdin muttered to himself. Suddenly, he noticed that he needed to take a rest. He swallowed deeply and subconsciously touched the bulging gold coins in his pocket. Pdin finally pushed the jingling wooden door open with one hand and walked straight inside. "Hmm¡­." Pdin immediately covered his mouth and nose after entering the tavern due to the pungent smell of alcohol and some strange stench he smelled inside. He began to look at the people who were inside the tavern. Groups of bare-chested and/or fully armored mercenaries with pitiful-looking girls in their arms, busy squandering their rewards and drinking ale. There was a traveler who might¡¯ve arrived after a long journey. He had no intention of paying attention to other people. His attention waspletely focused on filling his stomach with the barbecue on the table. The knife and fork in his hand moved so quickly that they left afterimages. Two tall drunk men were fighting like there were no other people inside the tavern. A small group of soldiers wearing expensive armor were sitting on the side. They ignored the fighters and chatted with each other about women, money, and their lord. The tall and thin middle-aged man was humming nice but rude songs while ying the organ. Most likely, he was a bard. An elderly man with a bloated stomach sat at the counter, pouring rum while wallowing in boredom. He appeared to be the boss. To him, the cloudy rum in front of him was more interesting than these people. The tavern was filled with songs, shouts, fights, andughter. Nobody noticed or cared about the distraught young man at all. Pdin checked everyone out. When he was about to step forward, his eyes suddenly narrowed for a moment. All because of the man in a ck robe seated at the edge of the tavern. The thing that caught his attention wasn¡¯t the person, but the two hundred and sixty fiery red magic elements coiled around this person. It looked as evident as a torch in the night from Pdin''s point of view. That man was a magician. Furthermore, the fully-armored warrior sitting next to the magician also had more than 20 earthy yellow elements hovering around him. Before Pdin had the chance to analyze why the man who seemed to be a warrior could also use magic, the ck-robed man who had been motionless all this time suddenly raised his head which was covered with a ck hood. He might¡¯ve sensed Pdin''s gaze. A pair of profound and wise eyes locked on him right away. Pdin turned his head and walked straight to the counter, pretending to be in a hurry. The three others who were sitting in the same seat as the ck-robed magician followed his gaze and spotted Pdin. One of the women, who was wearing tight leather armor and armed with a bow and knife, immediately whispered, "O''Neil, what''s that man¡¯s deal?" Next to the woman who appeared to be a ranger, a drunken male soldier who was d in fine armor said with his tongue out, "Liriel, he¡¯s just one of the poor travelers who visit this tavern hundreds of times a day. Or should I say, ¡®Have you taken a fancy to this boy?¡¯¡± "Orkney! Watch your words! Her fianc¨¦ is still sitting here!" A handsome red-haired boy, who had two short knives hanging on his waist, heard what Orkney said. After teasing her, he quickly retorted and revealed himself to be Liriel''s fianc¨¦. At this time, the sorcerer O''Neil, who was covered in ck robes, kept his head down again. If it weren''t for the long ck hair that was exposed under the hood, his slightly hoarse voice would make people mistake him for an old man. He said, "That man was wearing the clothes of a priest. He should be a clergyman who is going to be a priest at the church. Just now, the moment he looked over, I felt that my connection with magic became a little loose¡­. It feels strange, I''ve never felt like this." Liriel, the ranger, lightly shook her wine ss when she heard this. While helplessly smiling, she said, "My respected Master O''Neil, although I don''t know magic, you are so careful and say things like this from time to time. I really can''t stand the personality of intelligent people." On the contrary, Orkney, the soldier¡ªwho was still smiling and slightly tipsy¡ªset his ss down. Suddenly, the signs of inebriation on his face vanished. He turned his head to look at Pdin with an extremely serious expression. Chapter 16: Mage ONeill

Chapter 16: Mage O''Neill

Pdin, who had no idea he was being observed, took a deep breath. He was no longer the humble ve Pdin. He was a priest of noble birth, Pdin mel. Therefore, not only he must disy the piety of a priest, but also the elegance and calmness of a nobleman. However, Pdin had no idea how to behave as an aristocrat because he had never seen real aristocrats before. Fortunately, the professors in the Freemasons¡¯ Association were usually gentle, knowledgeable, generous, and decent. While picturing how the professors behaved, he attempted to imitate them. Pdin showed a gentle and modest smile. One of his hands lightly held and raised the cross given to him by his parents, which was hanging on his chest. He then spoke slowly to the old man at the counter in a fanatical, reverent tone, "Oh, the Great and the Almighty Enos! Venerable old man, I came to your inn guided by the light of God. All I want is hot water, bread, a knife, and some clothes¡­." Who could¡¯ve predicted that the old man would tap the table impatiently while frowning before Pdin finished speaking? He then spread his hands and rudely said to Pdin, "Money, young priest! Even if Enos himselfes to visit, you still have to pay money!¡± "Hahahahaha!" The entire tavern burst outughing as soon as the old man said that. The mercenary and sergeant both looked at the embarrassed Pdin andughed loudly. One of the tall mercenaries immediately let go of the girl in his arms. He then smiled and pointed at Pdin, mocking him. "Oh! Dear priest, even Enos has to pay! If there''s no money¡­." Before he finished speaking, all of the mercenaries in the hallughed and eximed in unison, "GET OUT!" Pdin was neither sad nor happy, but he showed a frustrated expression and pointed at the group of mercenaries. "How can you say that? Call Him the Great Enos! Don''t you have any faith? This is sphemy, a naked sphemy!" Pdin shouted. Theughter that had just stopped became even louder, provoked by what Pdin said. As a result, theughter became more intense. "Oh, what a pitiful priest. We¡¯re all mercenaries, a job that regrly deals with blood spilling on the knife''s edge. Enos, the God of Light, naturally has been blessing us. Otherwise, we wouldn''t have survived to this day!" One of the mercenariesughed, which made the others join in. Pdin, who disyed an upset expression, kept ncing at the mage. The people at the mage''s table were deafeningly quiet. They didn''t seem to want to join the mercenaries in making fun of him at all. Seeing that, Pdin was relieved. He let out a soft snort, tossed a gold coin, and jumped onto the counter. In a low voice, he made a firm statement. "Do you think this amount of money is enough to give a God''s servant a rest for his tired body, old man?" Wait, wait a minute! The noisy tavern quickly quieted down. Everyone¡ªincluding the mercenary, the girl, the bard, even the waiter, and the old man¡ªstared at the gold coin thrown on the table. A gold coin, yes, it was a gold coin! It wasn¡¯t that these mercenaries were so poor they haven''t seen gold coins. They''ve seen it. A lot. But, they had never seen anyone willingly spend more than ten silver coins in such a third-rate tavern! The priest actually did that and threw a gold coin! Didn''t this mean he¡¯s rich?! The old man was the first to react. Pdin watched him snatch the gold coins at a speed that even the top instructors from the Assassin Alliance couldn¡¯t match. After biting and rubbing it for a while, he nodded with a strange expression. "It''s real gold. Allow me to prepare the best room for you, Father." Boom! As soon as the old man said that, the originally quiet tavern was in an uproar! This miserable and poor-looking priest was very rich! The mercenaries, who came here to make money, all stared greedily at the scrawny Pdin. "Look at his form," the mage O''Neil, who had kept his head down the entire time, said hoarsely. The old man looked at Pdin in pity, as if it was over for Pdin. He slowly said, ¡°What is your name? Where are you from? The Grand Duke ordered that those who stay in the towns at the border are required to register." "Pdin mel." "Pdin... eh? Ah!" The old man nodded slightly when he wrote Pdin''s name on the paper. But then, he came to a halt. It was as if he recalled something about the surname. Throwing away the quill in fright, he looked at Pdin in surprise and asked cautiously, "My lord, what did you say your name is?" "It¡¯s Pdin mel." "My Enos! It''s the nobleman!" The old man jumped up in terror. The mercenaries also exchanged surprised nces. Pdin, on the other hand, calmly took out a badge from his cuff, which depicted a lion kneeling on top of straws. It turned out to be the emblem of the mel household! "Master, please, please!" The old man¡¯s attitude shifted, he began bootlicking. He was inviting Pdin to go upstairs, but Pdin abruptly came to a halt. He turned around to look at the mercenaries, who had regretful expressions on their faces, and said, "As you can see, I''m a priest on his way to the church. Nurba is my destination. Are there any brave warriors who are willing to escort this God¡¯s servant to Nurba? Of course, you''ll be financiallypensated." Pdin¡¯s attitude could be described as neither humble nor overbearing. He showed genuine elegance. No one in the room doubted his true identity. Hearing that, the mercenaries'' previously regretful eyes instantly lit up. This was a fantastic opportunity to be acquainted with a nobleman! Although information about them was scarcely leaked, it was widely known that anyone who murdered a noble would be hanged. Still, being able to curry favor with a nobleman was also a valuable invisible asset. Although it couldn''t be said, some benefits could be obtained from this. Just when therge group of mercenaries were about to make a move, the mage O''Neill, who was sitting in the corner, suddenly nodded. When Orkney saw this, he immediately stood up and eximed, "My lord, how can these trash who can''t even hold a dagger escort you? Allow us to protect you all the way there. The mercenaries who were present immediately red at them. However, they quickly dropped the idea of teaching those people a lesson after seeing the mage, O''Neill, slowly rose to his feet with sparks flickering on his fingertips. "Mage, that''s a mage! Don''t give up your life here just for the sake of a mere job!" Pdin narrowed his eyes imperceptibly when he saw the mercenaries surrounding him dared not speak out. He was hoping to hire some of thesemon mercenaries. They could be used as material to refine the Philosopher''s Stone on the journey. Given that the mage''s team had offered themselves and that the mage had more than 200 magic elements floating around him, it''d be extremely difficult for Pdin to deal with them on his own. If he didn''t agree to their offer right now, it''d seem very strange. It''d be suspicious if he turned down a powerful team in order to hire ordinary mercenaries to protect him, a noble. Even though he was essentially a curious person, he was aware that his false identity would be put at risk. In this brief moment, when Pdin was contemting countermeasures in his mind, a sense of crisis pierced his heart. It felt like ice had directly hit his face. Pdin''s expression instantly changed. When he turned his head to look, he noticed that the tavern''s windows were dazzlingly bright. It was as if hundreds of magicmps exploded at the same time. The strange thing was that none of the people present noticed anything unusual, the dazzling white light, for example. Only the mage, O''Neill, who was shrouded in a ck robe, raised his lowered head. He appeared to be a little tense,pletely the opposite of his previous silence and calmness! Chapter 17: The Executive Officer of the Inquisition

Chapter 17: The Executive Officer of the Inquisition

"What... what''s going on outside?" Pdin spoke up, slightly surprised. The old man turned his head to take a look. He then excitedly rubbed his hands, took a step forward, and smiled. "There''s another guest!" At this moment, Pdin''s pupils shrank rapidly. The dpidated wooden door swung open. Six people, dressed in white hoods and long white robes that swept the floor, walked inside. Their clothes were also adorned with delicate goldences. A drawing of a dead man hanged on a cross was printed in the middle of the robe. Pdin''s forehead began to sweat profusely as his hands, which were hidden in his sleeves, began to tremble slightly. He was no longer ignorant of the Holy See, as he had been ten days ago. The strange coat of arms drawn on the letter of rmendation from Nurba and on the foolish priest¡¯s Cassily Bible was actually the symbol of the Holy See. A crown was ced between two crossed keys. It symbolized the Keys of Heaven and the Papal Tiara worn by the Pope, which meant the supreme authority of theocracy. Furthermore, the symbol of a dead man hanged on the cross meant that they were obeying themand of God''s incarnation, just like Judas, the thirteenth apostle of God who betrayed Him! ording to the Cassily Bible''s Gospel of Judas, the traitor Judas obeyed God''smand to rebel and then hanged himself on the crooked neck tree. In the Holy See, he was seen as a martyr. Amidst the huge hierarchy and influence of the entire Holy See, this symbol terrified priests and monks. The Order of the Martyrs was at the beck and call of the Pope and the Thirteenth Cardinal. That was the official statement. Actually, the more urate and popr name for the group was Inquisition! They instilled fear in the hearts of all heretics and potential heretics with its existence. The group was a powerful military organization the Holy See used to capture and judge heretics. A lunatic and fanatical monster was said to be supporting them from the shadows! Pdin was too shocked to speak. The moment these priests, also known as adjudicators, walked in, a white light shone so brightly it almost blinded Pdin''s eyes. "Okay¡­." Pdin raised his hand subconsciously to block the white light. He was even more taken aback when he realized the dazzling white light wasing from the river-like light elements that were coiling around the six priests. Pdin checked with his vision, and discovered that each priest possessed at least 3,000 magic elements. The one with the most magic elements turned out to be the priest who was walking in front, with a terrifying number of 6,000 magic elements! Pdin immediately lowered his arm and cursed inwardly. He secretly cast a nce at O''Neill. At this point, thetter¡¯s image of a powerful mage had vanished without a trace. He was standing while holding the wand, looking extremely nervous. His body was hunched, ready to flee at any moment. Right now, the whole tavern was plunged into silence. The mercenaries, who had traveled all over the world, had heard about this coat of arms symbol to some extent. Everyone was like a frightened baby bird, not having an ounce of courage to look up. Pdin could even hear his own beating heart. He immediately lowered his head, attempting to alleviate the oppressive feeling brought by these people. ¡®What do I do?! I encountered people from the Inquisition! By the way, they must¡¯vee for the branch. Maybe they¡¯re going there for the Ripley Scroll?! The form of the Philosopher''s Stone cannot fall into the hands of the Holy See. These cretins will just destroy the treasure! I... what was I thinking? I am a nobleman now. A nobleman who is about to be a priest, Pdin mel! As long as I maintain this fa?ade, there¡¯s nothing to be afraid of!¡¯ Pdin, who barely suppressed his fear, raised his head slightly. He had adjusted his mindset and was now fully prepared to be Pdin mel. He could not show the slightest w. The leading priest of the Inquisition had entered the tavern with five people trailing behind. The priest then proceeded to look at the very nervous mage, O''Neill, who was in the corner. "O''Neill, what''s wrong with you?" O''Neill snorted, as if the brief eye contact just now didn''t cause him to slightly tremble. The fidgety Orkney and his fellow party members finally couldn''t bear it anymore. They drew out their swords to protect O''Neill from the side. They were keeping a close eye on the six silent priests. The leading priest pulled his white hood down. Without taking O¡¯Neill¡¯s attitude into heart, he said softly, "Mage, put down your wand. We don''t give a damn about you." Obviously, O''Neil wouldn¡¯t disarm himself simply because his mortal enemy said so. The hand holding the wand not only did not let go, but it also trembled slightly. The leading priest said nothing, but the five priests behind him all warned in unison, "Put down your magic wand, zers, unbelievers, and spellcasters! Otherwise, we, the six executive officers, will follow the rules of St. Magen. The contract statutes are here to deliver you into the arms of God!" When O''Neill heard this, he was caught off guard. He hesitantly set his wand down. The Treaty of St. Magen was a contract signed between Magen¡ªthe most powerful magister in ancient times¡ªand the Holy See, which was full of conflicts. The two parties agreed that as long as the mages did not vite relevantws or deliberately attack the Holy See¡¯s personnel, the Holy See also could notunch unreasonable attacks on the mages. Ever since, for thousands of years, these two forces that wanted to eat each other had coexisted peacefully. That was why O''Neill lowered his wand. Because of the existence of the contract, the clergy of the Holy See could not attack the mage without any reason, at least not in public. So, he nervously rxed his guarding stance. The priest, who was the executive officer, snorted slightly and disdainfully. Then, he went straight to the frightened old man next to Pdin. His snow-white boots stepped on the loose wooden floor, making it creak. Along the leading priest¡¯s path, all the mercenaries and travelers jumped away and stood aside as if avoiding a disaster. Pdin was afraid that if he stood next to this evil spirit and his crime was discovered, he would be punished. The leading priest ignored the insignificant people around him. Tossing a bag of gold coins over, he quietly said, "Prepare two bags of bread and six pots of clean water." "Uh, oh! Father, these¡­.. There are too many..." "It''s okay, go get it." The old man looked at the heavy gold coins in his hand. His previous fear was instantly ovee by the joy of receiving gold coins. He kept giggling and dashed to the kitchen, starting to pack up the bread and water he had prepared earlier. Pdin swallowed deeply. Although there were no signs of abnormality on his face, cold sweat broke out on his palms and forehead. ¡®What if, what if I get caught?! Will I be seized and tortured to death in court?¡¯ The more Pdin thought about it, the more frightened he became. Just when he looked at the leading priest, whose upper half of his face was covered by the shadow of the hood, the priest also turned his head. The two bright eyes that were obscured in the shadow were observing Pdin up and down. Pdin''s hair stood on end immediately. It felt as if he was surrounded by hundreds of man-eating monsters. However, Pdin quickly returned to his calm state. With gritted teeth, he crossed his hands and clenched his fists. Lowering his head, he said in a pious and worshiping way, "The Great and Almighty Enos! Thou are the All-knowing and Loving Lord, who sent thy punisher on earth before me, the humble Pdin mel!" When the priest in front of Pdin heard Pdin''s words, he let out a good-naturedugh. Pdin watched the priest calmly open his hood. A delicate and wless skin was revealed. Whenbined with the ear-length golden hair and light green eyes, it revealed a face that made people have an urge to worship. Even Pdin himself was horrified by the beauty of the Inquisition''s executive officer. Chapter 18: Glory

Chapter 18: Glory

"I see, you are a cleric who will soon be a priest of the church. Furthermore, you are actually a nobleman! We, your brothers and sisters wee you, a servant of God. Wee to this big family." These words were delivered with the utmost elegance. Those who did not understand the situation would have thought that the priest who spoke was the real nobleman. Pdin was a bit stunned by how politely the rumored cruel and ruthless lesiastical murderer of the Holy See treated a lowly cleric. It far exceeded his expectations. He thought the man would also be disdainful, ignoring one of their own. That was undoubtedly the oue Pdin wanted to see most. The leading priest was so handsome that the surrounding mercenaries were dumbfounded. Those third-rate girls were also blushing, their hearts were pounding fast as they daydreamed of stepping forward to hug the priest and kiss him. Fortunately, all this was inside their heads. If they really did it, they would only be treated ruthlessly as the priests of the Holy See expressly stipted that they were not allowed to touch women. For a brief moment, the handsome priest was stunned. He shook his head helplessly and whispered sincerely, "I forgot to introduce myself. Morris is my name. I¡¯m the chief executive officer of the sixth court of the Holy See¡¯s Inquisition. Brothers and sisters, it''s an honor to meet you." "Uh, oh¡­." Pdin couldn''t get a grip on himself. In his opinion, this high-ranking priest, Morris, was kind of odd. Pdin wasn¡¯t able to figure out what the other party wanted to do. No one could follow his way of thinking. At the same time, Pdin secretly clicked his tongue. This Morris imed to be the chief executive officer of the Sixth Court of the Inquisition. ording to the manuscripts he got from the dead priest-to-be, the Inquisition was divided into two departments. One was called the Magistrate Hall while the other was called the Inquisition Hall. The former was in charge of arresting and killing heretics while thetter was responsible for affirming and recording the heretics. The court was split into thirteen court halls. In other words, there were only twelve others who were at the same level as Morris. One could imagine how great this person''s power and position were. Morris, who was still smiling, stared at the silver cross that was hung on Pdin¡¯s chest. The only thing that was given to him by his parents who hadn¡¯t bothered to hide their faces. Morris¡¯ smile widened. "Mister Pdin, the cross on your chest is one-of-a-kind. Can you please take it off and show it to me?" Feeling that something was wrong, Pdin had no choice. He took off the cross with a smile and handed it to Morris. "Hmm~ very interesting. Where did you get it?" Although Morris smiled brightly, Pdin only felt a piercing coldness coursing through his body. He subconsciously lowered and crossed his hands. His eyes avoided Morris''s eyes. Pdin pretended to be indifferent and said, "It''s nothing. I bought it from a wandering ascetic. If Lord Morris likes it, he can take it." "No, no, thank you, priest, for your kindness." Morrisughed and returned the cross to Pdin. Hearing this, Pdin was secretly relieved. After that, the ecstatic old man emerged from the back door, with two big bags of bread and six pots of water in his hands. When Morris saw that the dry food had arrived, he folded his hands piously and said, "See youter. May the Supreme God of Light always bless you." "Bless you too." Pdin hastily returned the salute. Morris, on the other hand, turned around. Along with the other five executive officers who were carrying the bread and water in one hand each, he opened the door and walked away. The possibility of being in danger had finally passed. Pdin only wanted to raise his hand to wipe the thin beads of sweat off his forehead. Morris, who was about to step out of the tavern, suddenly stopped. He turned around and suddenly shouted, "Pdin!" "Ah? Did Lord Morris call me? Is there anything else I need to do?" The sudden shout made Pdin shake. Fortunately, his real name was also Pdin. That was why he was able to respond and look at Morris without any hesitation. Morris observed Pdin''s reaction. Out of nowhere, heughed innocuously. He reached out, put on the hood that was on his back, and nonchntly said, "It''s nothing, I¡¯m just kidding." After that, he really left the tavern. He and his fivepanions rode the tall white horses. The six of them proceeded to gallop away, leaving a cloud of smoke on their trails. When it was confirmed that Morris and the others had left, Pdin''s expression darkened in an instant. If one looked closely, they could still see the previous nervousness on his face. The hands that were partially exposed outside the sleeve were trembling violently. ¡®Did Morris find out that I was a fake? He should¡¯ve noticed, but there¡¯s no definite evidence or motive. Even he himself doesn''t believe in his own guesses, which is why he left so easily. What''s more, there are branch matters waiting for them, so why waste time on an unknown priest?¡¯ Thinking so, Pdin noticed the old man approaching him with the intention of gaining his favor. Was it because he saw Pdin had quite a close rtionship with Morris, the chief executive officer, so he wanted to win him over? Suddenly, Pdin felt an indefinable fire zing within. At this point, the mask he had been wearing for a long time fell off. "Old thing! Take me to the room!" Pdin flicked his sleeve and went straight to the stairs. Although the old man was upset, he didn''t dare to speak out. Pdin smirked as he stomped his feet while following the old man. At this time, Morris and his party were galloping on horseback. Their destination was a branch of the Freemasons¡¯ Association from which Pdin had seeded to escape. A tall executive officer, who galloped beside Morris, noticed Morris¡¯ silence as he was thinking of something from under his hood. He couldn''t help but lean forward to Morris¡¯ side and softly ask, "Chief, what''s bothering you?" "That priest named Pdin is very suspicious..." Hearing this, the tall executive lowered his head and waited for an exnation, knowing Morris would exin everything in detail shortly. Morris'' deep voice made its way through the howling wind and reached the ears of the executive officer. "The test just now confirmed that his name is indeed Pdin. He doesn¡¯t seem to be a fake, but it feels strange. Yes. Why does a cleric on his way to bing a priest in the church have no idea about proper etiquette when meeting another priest?! It''s extremely strange." If Pdin heard what Morris just said, he''d copse to the ground in terror. However, the tall executive officer responded indifferently. "It''s nothing, my lord. You heard it too, he is a nobleman. Maybe he spent money to buy a position. He didn''t go to a monastery for systematic studies at all." Morris waved his hand and immediately said, "Let''s not talk about whether he bought a priesthood status or not. The cross on his chest is the same with the one worn by the executive officers of our Inquisition, which is blessed with holy purification. Can you buy it from anywhere?" Hearing this, the tall executive officer was a little stunned. Unexpectedly, Morris continued, "Besides, when I was talking to him, his forehead, palms, and back were sweating. When I asked him about the cross, he avoided my gaze and crossed his hands. A very obvious self-defense maneuver." "Then, what about it?" Hearing his subordinate''s question, Morris looked up at the white clouds covering the blue sky and murmured, "He''s too nervous¡­." Chapter 19: The first visit to Nurba

Chapter 19: The first visit to Nurba

"Father Pdin, we''ve arrived at Nurba," O''Neill said from outside the carriage. Pdin immediately put on a show and tried to get out of the carriage. With arms crossed, hands sped, he reverently said, "Thank you! Thank you very much for thy protection. Enos must''ve discreetly blessed and protected this faithful servant from above. That''s why no bandits were encountered." Liriel, the ranger, gave Pdin a sidelong nce when he stiffly got out of the carriage. She lowered her head and whispered to Orkney, who was standing beside her. "What, there aren''t any bandits encountered along the way? This damn priest would have been skinned a long time ago if the bandits hadn''t noticed there was a mage here! And now, he''s only thanking Enos." . "Shhh! Keep your voice down!" Orkney hurriedly covered her mouth, afraid that the priest would hear. He also carefully observed Pdin''s reaction, but there was no sign of anger. After all, in Orkney''s opinion, mercenaries like them, who always seek to earn some money even if it was the result of blood being spilled, were fortunate to be acquainted with and gain the friendship of a priest. Pdin inhaled deeply as he stood outside the carriage. There was a faint scent of earth in the air. Almost all of the fatigue from traveling vanished. He clearly heard Liriel''s words, but didn''t care. He was now disguised as Pdin mel. A zealous young master aspiring to be a dutiful priest for The Holy See. His dream was to be able to stand on his own two feet, marry a beautiful wife, and amass arge sum of money. Eat well and live a good and respectable life. However, it was hard to predict when he''d aplish all of them. With such a sweet daydream ying in his mind, Pdin took a step forward. The scenery before him left him a tad disappointed. Men and women dressed in various clothes were walking on the rtively wide stone road. asionally, there were one or two mercenaries carrying goods, sweeping past one red brick house after another. It was obvious that a cleric dressed in the priest''s ck robe was not umon in such a wealthy town. Passers-by simply nced at him and walked away indifferently. Ufortable, extremely ufortable. Pdin had the impression that he was being underestimated. Passers-by only gave him a few sidelong nces in response to his poised new persona. Within him, an unknown rage erupted. O''Neill, who was standing by the carriage''s side, noticed Pdin''s expression change. So, he politely extended his hand to point at the dpidated building in front of him and said, "Father Pdin, your church is here." "Oh! Thanking all of you for escorting me all the way here." Pdin insincerely took out three gold coins from his sleeve and handed them to O''Neill, who readily epted them. O''Neill frowned as he watched Pdin carry his luggage and walk towards the church. Pdin silently stood in front of therge dpidated wooden door. He swallowed, pushed the door open, and walked in after ensuring O''Neill and the others behind him had left. Creak, clink! The old door creaked and nked unpleasantly. A gentle and warm light streamed into the room through the massive ss window, which depicted a portrait of the Father, Son, and Holy Spirit. It added a touch of holiness to the otherwise gloomy church. Pdin lifted the cloth bag in his hand while observing the church¡¯s condition. He pondered about his future after being assigned to this church. He couldn''t help but start shouting, "Is there anyone here? Hello? I am a cleric from Fenrir. I came here on the rmendation of my godfather, Sicily. I am here to serve as a priest." Pdin didn''t expect a gust of cold wind toe from behind him as soon as he finished speaking. Fearful, he jumped away and turned to face the source of the wind. There stood an elderly man dressed in a ck robe. His hair was white and his eyes were gloomy. His gaze was locked on Pdin. The vignt Pdin also noticed the Holy See''s symbol embroidered on the robe, which was a coat of arms with two crossed keys and a triple crown in the center. This old man was a priest! The frightened Pdin calmed himself. The fact that the old man''s body was surrounded by dark magic elements nearly knocked him to the ground! Although the number was notrge¡ªjust over sixty¡ªit was not something a priest should have! "Kid, are you assigned to serve here?" The old man turned a blind eye to Pdin being shocked and wary as he held out his hand. At this moment, countless thoughts were racing through Pdin''s brain. ¡®Is this man a priest here? If not, then is he a ck sorcerer who is waiting for the newly appointed priest to hunt them down?¡¯ It''s worth noting that the man was surrounded by only about 60 dark elements, which should be enough to kill a real priest. ''Does that imply he is a fallen one? A priest who has faith in the fallen!'' Pdin thought. Pdin carefully took out the letter of rmendation from the bag and handed it to the old man. "This old gentleman, are you the priest stationed here?" Pdin inquired. The old man flipped the letter and nodded as if it was a matter of course. "Please call me Northam, do not call me a priest. I resigned from my position as a priest not long ago." "Oh? Resignation? Why?" Pdin blurted out, perplexed. It was amazing that someone didn''t want to be a priest, which was such a morous identity. Northam opened the envelope and nced at the contents of the letter. He then spoke slowly and methodically, "I resigned from the priesthood to pursue a life as a missionary. I shall travel the Olosen Continent and spreading the glory of God in every nook and cranny." Northam nodded perfunctorily and handed the letter back to Pdin. Then he took a stack of ck priest robes from a nearby row of seats, as well as the license for the local church and a priest''s scepter that was lying around. The old man handed them all to Pdin and said, "This is basically everything you should need. If you believe there is a manpower shortage, go to Hermes Abbey in the east of the city and speak with Phoebe." Northam suddenly sneered, but his smile somehow looked sad. "If you paid enough money, they would specially rush to choose and give you a bunch of beautiful virgin nuns." Pdin froze when he heard this. Having been initially wary of the other party''s dark element, he finally rxed a little. The Holy See didn¡¯t seem to be as sacred as it appeared on the surface. They were, after all, also human beings with various desires and needs. ¡®It''s fine. It¡¯ll be more convenient for me to do things this way.¡¯ Pdin thought while secretlyughing in his heart. Northam picked up the crutch beside him and nonchntly said, ¡°However, ording to the rmendation letter, you are a nobleman. Hey, maybe the nuns won''t be enough to satisfy you." Pdin found himself at a loss for words. He stood there silently watching the depraved priest stumble to the wooden door while clutching his crutch, leaving the church that had been his home for decades.Pdin''s eyes shed with a strange expression as he blurted out, "Northam, why did you abandon your faith in Enos? What benefits did Belial, the God of Darkness, bestow upon you?!" Bang! The wooden crutch was violently mmed on the te floor. Northam slowly turned around. His once gloomy eyes were now filled with murderous intent and shock. Without saying a word, Northam''s hand, which was hidden in his sleeve, moved quickly. A dark green magical bullet with the intent of taking life is heading straight for Pdin''s head! Pdin''s pupils shrank immediately. When he realized the ck magic bullet was about to pierce his skull, he quickly raised his right hand. His entire palm was covered in golden light magic elements. With it, he firmly caught the flying magic bullet. He caught it easily as if he was catching a leather ball! "What!" Northam was taken aback when he saw this young priest catch his magical bullet with his bare hands. Bare-handed! Rather than using a magical shield or dodging it, he catches it with his hand! Incredible! Northam was terrified. But, Pdin wouldn¡¯t give him a chance to stay dazed. Pdin could clearly feel the magic bullet being violently consumed by the dense golden elements coating his hand. Pdin shook his hand roughly without hesitation, causing a ripple to appear. The magic bullet was easily extinguished. It was toote for Northam to say anything. Pdin stepped hard on the ground, felt the force, and leaped towards Northam with a whoosh. Northam only saw something shing before Pdin appeared in front of him. Pdin grabbed the wooden staff with one hand, turned around, and hit Northam''s rough and wrinkled face with it. Thetter was only able to scream and spit blood from the corner of his mouth. He fell to the ground. Nheless, Pdin had no intention of stopping. Without a pause in his movements, his left hand threw away the wooden stick while his right hand pped Northam on the cheek. The golden magic elements around his hand and the momentum of his movement increased the power of his p. Northam flew into the air before being pressed onto the hard floor. Bang! The sound of something cracking came from the floor. Along with it, Pdin felt a liquid gradually wetting the palm of his hand. Only then did he remove his hand and move it to grab Northam''s neck. At this point, Northam''s face was covered with blood. Several of his teeth had fallen out. Northam could only let out a groan. "How about that, fallen one? Or should I refer to you as Northam the dark sorcerer?¡± Pdin stated smugly. Northam could barely open his eyes. He saw the young man looking down at him condescendingly. The young man''s brown eyes were slightly glowing golden in color. Coupled with the eerie smile he cracked right now, he looked like a god! Northam immediately returned to his senses. He then snidely remarked, "I do not know how you found out. What do you want to do to me? Send me to those Inquisition fanatics? Or do you want to put me to death right here? In the name of Enos?" Northam continued to speak with strong disappointment and anger in his eyes before Pdin could respond, "Go ahead! Kill me right here! I''ll die in the church where I stayed for decades! Anyway, the so-called Holy See has fallen and is no longer pure. The clerics have forgotten their baptismal vows, while the bishops have filled their heads with women and money! Can''t Enos see that the Holy See is corrupt?! He sees it, but ignores it! Is He truly the God we seek? He is just some bastard above the clouds who looks down and mocks us, little people!" "So, is that why you borrowed the power of the dark god, Belial?" Pdin''s smile faded gradually. A strange thought popped into his head and quickly took over his mind. Hearing Pdin''s words, Northam, who was losing control, yelled with red eyes, "No! All of the so-called gods are all bastards! Enos is a jerk and Belial is no different! But unlike Enos, who deceived me, Belial is more direct. He gives as much as He gets!" "Huh? So, what are you nning to do?" Pdin still looked at Northam from above. Thetter believed he had no chance of being spared. With red eyes and a hoarse voice, he yelled, "Destruction! I intend to use Belial¡¯s power to bring down the corrupt Holy See! I want this already clouded Holy See, the abscess nted in the center of Olosen, to bepletely erased from the world!" Pdin smiled slightly. This was one of the few fanatics whose faith had crumbled! What would happen to them next? Of course, they''d be risky and extreme. The ck sorcerer, on the other hand, could be useful to Pdin. ¡®Perhaps, the matter of collecting the raw materials for the Philosopher''s Stone can be handled by this shady Northam.¡¯ Pdin, who was thinking this, nodded slightly. He let go of Northam''s neck,pletely ignoring the odd look he was giving him. The golden magic elements coiling around his body surged wildly, transforming into a glove with dancing golden arcs attached to Pdin''s right hand. ¡°What is this?! Lost magic? No, no! It''s not magic if there are no spells or fluctuations in the four elements! Is it divine power? Impossible! No god would be so generous to give divine power without a chant! What kind of power is this?" Northam¡¯s whole body jumped as he muttered in disbelief when he saw the magic elements that kept changing shape and form on Pdin''s hand. He was very taken aback. Pdin proudly raised his hand and the miraculous magic elements that kept changing shapes on his hand vanished without a trace. Thrilled, Pdin said, ¡°This does not belong to any magical divine power. I call it power against the gods. Northam, are you interested?" Northam, who was still stunned, quickly calmed down. After seemingly realizing that he was not in danger, he asked quietly, "Kid, what on earth are you trying to do?!" "Me? It doesn¡¯t matter. You can make use of my strength while I make use of your identity. Also, please address me as Father Pdin!" Northam bowed his head and remained silent. He was obviously hesitating about something. Meanwhile, Pdin''s smiling eyes became colder and colder. If the old man still couldn¡¯t figure out how to behave, he did not mind killing a useful pawn. Finally, just when Pdin was about to lose his patience, Northam let out a deep sigh. His eyes brightened with excitement and anticipation. ¡®This kid''s power has never been seen before. So I can''t guarantee it will work. If I fully cooperate, there may be a glimmer of hope to eradicate the Holy See!¡¯ Keeping this in mind, Northam raised his head and eximed, "Father Pdin!" Pdin''s wide and oundish smile was the only response he received. Chapter 20: Dispute

Chapter 20: Dispute

The next day, Pdin was sitting inside the confessional as a newly assigned priest, listening to people recounting and confessing their sins from the neighboring booth. Pdin thought the concept was very new to him at first, but after hearing the confessions of seven people, he was thoroughly annoyed. The sins uttered by thesemoners were nothing more than trivial things like stealing the neighbor''s eggs the day before or looking and being envious at the beauty of a friend''s wife. When the eighth rancid-smelling peasant entered to confess, Pdin covered his nose and began to question whether his decision to disguise himself as a priest was correct. Pdin, dressed in a brand new ck priest''s robe, was covering his nose with his sleeve. He suddenly felt a strong desire to return to the back room. After Northam had agreed to cooperate and became his temporary partner, Northam informed him that this church had a basement which functioned as a storage room containing wine barrels and dry rations. Pdin, who desperately needed a secluded location, was overjoyed In particr, Pdin realized a significant point. The most basic requirement for him to advance, to have a good life and a high position, was that he must have power! Pdin, who had just discovered the sweet taste of abusing power, naturally couldn¡¯t wait to refine more Philosopher''s Stones again to increase his power. As a result, Pdin, who was filled with desire, instructed Northam to capture some of the town''s peasants tomorrow night, preferably those unloved, unpleasant rogues! This way, even if someone went missing, not many people would pay attention. After all, Pdin was too young and it¡¯d be extremely dangerous for him to presumptuously win over a depraved priest. That Northam could also simply leave and never return. Pdin would¡¯ve nothing to do with the opposing party. Fortunately, luck was still on his side Because when night fell after a rough day for him, when Pdin eagerly returned to the back room, he was just in time to see Northam in a mess, propped up against the wall with bated breath. Pdin couldn''t care less whether Northam was alive or dead. He lowered his head and noticed four sacks of varying sizes on the ground. Pdin was able to identify two old men and two children in the dim light despite the fact that it was not very obvious. They had filthy hair and greasy faces. Obviously, these people were beggars on the street. Pdin nodded in satisfaction. He looked at the street''s empty intersection and said, "Good job, has anyone noticed you?" Northam shook his head tiredly. He took the water bottle from his pocket, and began drinking. "Stop drinking, let''s carry them into the basement together. Staying here any longer could be potentially dangerous." After saying that, he picked up the children and entered the church. Northam hesitated as he looked at Pdin''s back, wanting to say something but he didn''t say anything at the end. So, he grabbed the remaining sacks and followed Pdin¡¯s footsteps. m! As the trapdoor leading to the basement swung open, Pdin and Northam walked in with four unconscious people on their shoulders. Northam casually threw them to the ground and lit the torch beside the wall. It gradually brightened the very dark basement. Pdin took a look around. Pdin nced around. The basement was, as Northam stated, quiterge. Aside from a few barrels of fruit wine, there were sacks of dry food and wheat. There was still a lot of unused space. Pdin nodded in satisfaction and waved his hand. . "Get out. Remember to lock the door." Hearing this, Northam paused and couldn''t help but ask, "Pdin, why do you want them? You are a Father, Pdin!" Before Northam could finish his sentence, Pdin turned his head, stared at Northam grimly, and corrected his inappropriate address. "Father Pdin." Northam lowered his head, speaking slowly and deliberately, "What are you doing to need to lock these people up for? Tell me what you really want to do, now that we''re in this together." "The time is not right, I will tell youter." Northam was irritated by the apparent perfunctory tone, which prompted him to ask angrily, "What exactly do you want to do? You''re not going to sacrifice them while they''re still alive, are you? Sacrifice them up to some evil god!" Pdin raised his brows, although that wasn¡¯t the case, but it wasn¡¯t far from it. Northam saw Pdin¡¯s expression darkened, his eyes filled with viciousness and cruelty. "You don''t have to worry about my business. And what does the existence of these scumbags have to do with you? Don''t you think a man who has faith in the fallen, a ck sorcerer who kills innocent people indiscriminately, shouldn¡¯t be concerned about the lives of a few insignificant people?" Perhaps these words of Pdin crossed Northam¡¯s bottom line. His face turned bright red and he roared with anger, "Insignificant? They are living human beings! I know you are a nobleman, high above, who look down on these ve-like lowly people and call themselves noble blood. But I¡¯ll tell you what, Pdin. Humans, even in poverty, can breathe, grieve, and be heartbroken! They are all living people, just like you and me!" Unexpectedly, Northam''s self-righteous ranting hit Pdin exactly seven inches deep in the chest. In a sh, Pdin''s pupils contracted violently as the scenes of the miserable and humiliating life he had in the Freemasons¡¯ Association for twenty years shed through his mind. It shed right in front of his eyes, just like a flying horse watching flowers swooshed past it. "You are the same as them. You are as low and poor as them. You are no different from them," a voice in Pdin''s heart said. "No!" Pdin suddenly roared, his eyes bloodshot. He stared viciously and ferociously at the still enraged Northam. He thought to himself, "No, I''m different! I''m not the same as these insignificant garbages at all! What exactly are they? Begging on the street, every meal is less than the previous one. They have hands and feet, but they are incapable of supporting themselves. All they know is how to ept alms! How much have I paid for freedom? Killing people, running away, eating grass roots, hiding in bear caves. I have abandoned morality because it only led me into a life of poverty and lowliness! Now I am a nobleman, a higher person than amoner, Pdin mel!" Head full of this thought, Pdin''s brow furrowed, only to be interrupted by a snap. Suddenly, he pped Northam. Pdin looked at thetter''s stunned and unbelieving eyes. He grimly sneered. "I think you are living more and more backwards, dead old man. As a ck sorcerer who is studying forbidden dark magic and necromancy, a cruel executioner and butcher, how dare you preach anything about life to me? Hahahahaha! GET OUTt" Northam was yelled at in the face by a junior. His face was already purple with anger. He red, pointed at Pdin in anger, and warned him, "You''d better remember your promise to bring down the Holy See." After saying that, he flicked his sleeves, climbed up the stairs, and mmed the door shut. Inside the basement, which was suddenly darkened, Pdin looked at the door in front of him with a grim smile. Taking the quill out of his sleeve whileughing maliciously, he said "Don''t worry, Northam. When I drain you of your value, I¡¯ll absolutely throw you away like a broken rag." Chapter 21: Accident

Chapter 21: ident

Taking out the quill and inking it, Pdinid down on the ground to draw the Philosopher''s Stone alchemy circle on the ground. Drawing from memory, Pdin''s wless sketching waspleted. He looked at it quitecently. Pdin was about to turn around and pce a child on the magic circle when he heard something. The previously sleepy child lying on the top with closed eyes suddenly opened his eyes. He jumped out of the sandbag with unmatched agility. With a piece of broken ss that had been hidden in his hand for quite some time, he stabbed viciously at Pdin who was squatting down! Pdin¡¯s hair instantly pricked up. With horror inside his eyes, he subconsciously jumped back, trying to avoid the sharp ss. Who would have known that the child was very agile? Seeing that he missed, he didn''t stop. He kicked his feet to catch up with Pdin''s speed. The sharp ss in his hand went straight to Pdin''s eye socket! Death! Pdin could clearly sense death approaching. At this point, Pdin''s desire to survive outweighed all other desires, prompting him to scream in horror, "DON¡¯T!" Pdin''s foot identally tripped over the hand of an unconscious beggar, causing the former''s center of gravity to shift and making him fall to the ground. The beggar had also made up his mind to kill the young priest. When he saw Pdin fall to the ground, he changed the posture of his wrist and stabbed down fiercely. Pdin continued to move backwards with his hands on the floor, avoiding the boy''s de. In horror, he begged, "Please, please! Don''t kill me, I don''t want to die! What do you want? I''ll give it to you!" Hearing this, the boy who missed the hit spit out in disgust. Without responding, when he saw Pdin retreating to the wall, he immediately leaped and attempted to stab the desperate Pdin. "NO!" Following Pdin''s horrifying scream, Pdin subconsciously stretched out his right hand, seeing that the sharp ss was about to pierce his neck, and grasped the sharp ss in the boy''s hand. The boy was stunned. The sharp ss was firmly held by the priest but neither his flesh nor skin were torn. Not a single drop of blood was spilled. What surprised him even more was that the pupils of the priest, who was huddled in the corner at this moment, were emitting a dazzling golden light. The entire eyeballs were bathed in golden light. Shining bright in this dark basement, it was difficult to look at. Shocked, Pdin nced at the firmly grasped de. Suddenly, he recalled that his hand was fused with golden light elements. His original frightened and desperate expression changed instantly. "Go to hell!" he said, with a crazy and yful eerie smile. In an instant, the table had been turned. The boy saw Pdin exert force and rubbed his hand. The ss shard instantly turned into powder. Pdin looked at the boy whose eyes were filled with disbelief. Dissatisfied with the movements of his hands, Pdin¡¯s right hand was instantly wrapped in golden light magic elements and transformed into a pair of gloves with five light knives. Ruthlessly, he shoved it in front of the boy''s face. The boy, who had never seen this kind of ability, panicked. However, the advantage lies in the agility of his body and the fact that Pdin wasn¡¯t good at closebat. Pdin attacked back and forth dozens of times but surprisingly, the teenager managed to dodge every single time. "Bastard, continuing to dodge! Want to escape, huh?" Somewhat exasperated and tired, Pdin attacked again. Unexpectedly, the boy, who had gradually calmed down, picked up the pole that was originally used to carry logs on the ground. With that one stick, he swung it to Pdin''s face fiercely. Pdin grabbed the wooden stick. His angry eyes transformed into ecstasy in an instant. He couldn''t stopughing. "I¡¯m so stupid, so stupid!" Pdinpletely ignored the solemnity of the boy''s gaze and stretched out his right hand. The light that was originally condensed on his fingers disappeared, vanished, and deformed. It turned into a lightsaber that was more than three feet long and made of golden light. Seeing this, the young boy''s face changed drastically. He was about to run away when Pdin sneered and said, "Trying to run? It''s toote!" In fact, Pdin never knew his magic element well enough. When he saw the boy hitting him with a wooden stick, he realized that the magic elements'' form was constantly changing, so he didn''t have to stick to ws. Then, driven by his thoughts, these elements morphed on his arms. Very obediently gathering together, obeying Pdin''s ideas. And then, it formed a sword. The boy couldn''t dodge in time. As a result, his wrist was severed by Pdin''s sword. Before the boy had the chance to cry out in pain, Pdin grinned and shed his sword again on the boy''s knee. The boy finally fell to his knees as he cried out in pain. With a wave of his hand, the sword made of light in Pdin''s hand scattered. He stuffed the rag used to stuff the wine barrel into the boy''s mouth so hard that he couldn''t even scream. Hearing the boy, who was lying in the pool of blood, whimpering out of pain, Pdin indifferently dragged him and the other three into the magic circle. He was so excited. Skillfully, he poured water on the edge of the center of the circle, lit a fire, blew some wind, sprinkled some soil, and then stepped into the center of the circle. Ready to bite his finger to activate the circle with his own blood. Although the boy who had lost a lot of blood had no idea what the terrifying priest was going to do, he had a vague feeling that his life was in grave danger. In a trance, he nced at the crazed and excited Pdin. The boy was barely able to raise his remaining hand to remove the rag from his mouth. At his dying moment, when he felt death approaching, his pale lips trembled. He could only utter a weak, "Why¡­?" Pdin stopped his hands and turned to face the boy. Instead of bing enraged because the other party removed the cloth, he said disdainfully, "You won''t understand and you will never understand." The boy¡¯s expression weakened even more. He weakly asked, "Why? I am¡­ innocent¡­." "This matter has absolutely nothing to do with you." Squinting, Pdin looked down at the boy. He wasn''t looking at a person right now; he was looking at an inferior creature. The contempt in those eyes was palpable. But right now, the boy who had a pale and angry face smiled nostalgically. Almost like a partingst word, he said, "I have a mother who¡¯s waiting for me to go home¡­. and she will miss me day and night, sob.¡± When Pdin heard this, he couldn''t stopughing. He sarcastically said, "That''s why you''re lying here now, weakling." Pdin bit his finger and drew an inverted cross in the center of the circle. When the action waspleted, the magic circle immediately roared while emitting a strange dazzling light. Feeling that his strength and thinking ability were being devoured by an invisible big mouth, the boy took onest look at the man who had ruined his life, this crazy priest. However, he only saw the priest standing up in the center, the inverted cross under his feet. His arms were opened in a weing manner while his face was filled with indescribable joy. "My entire life has been a joke." The boy, who had only believed in kindness and happiness in his heart all his life, muttered to himself. Finally, his empty eyes were closed forever. Chapter 22: The Second Fusion

Chapter 22: The Second Fusion

Pdin was genuinely ecstatic as he held the olive-sized, gem-like Philosopher''s Stone in his hand. After quickly storing it in his pocket, Pdin took out the ink absorber from his pocket and began to wipe off the magic circle drawn on the floor. The contents written in this magic formation were entirely his only. Therefore, it must be destroyed whenever a Philosopher''s Stone was sessfully refined. If someone else saw and copied it, it''d be over for Pdin. Without giving a single nce at the four skeletons strewn on the floor, Pdin climbed the stairs, put on his gloves, and pushed the door open. "Ah, you are finally here, Father Pdin.¡± As soon as the wooden door opened, Pdin noticed Northam lift his hand in surprise. It seemed like he was about to knock on the door. When Pdin saw this, heughed maliciously. "Northam, you sure look relieved. Did you not hear the loud fighting noisesing from the basement just now?¡± "Yes, I did hear. However, Father Pdin ordered that no matter what, I shall not enter." Pdin snorted at Northam¡¯s excuse. He mmed the wooden door shut behind him with the back of his hand, took the door¡¯s key card from his waist, and swiped it on the lock. "Father, what happened to the four of them?¡± Northam inquired after hesitating for a long time. "What happened to them? Northam, that''s not a question you should be asking. You just have to keep in mind that I''m the one who''ll destroy the Holy See.'''' Pdin turned around after seeing Northam nod reluctantly at his answer. Before going upstairs, he continued, "I have some personal matters to attend to. If I didn''te down before dawn, please inform those whoe to pray that the priest is ill." "Certainly, Father Pdin." The sound of the door closing confirmed that Pdin had entered his room. Northam threw the attic aplicated gaze before turning his head to look solemnly at the entrance of the basement. Lost deeply in his thoughts. Inside his room, Pdin took in the view of the clear night sky outside the window. He sat quietly on a stool, his hand ying with the Philosopher''s Stone. Not a single word was uttered. As if in a trance, it wasn¡¯t until the morning sun cast its harsh sunlight through the window and shone on Pdin''s hand that he came to his senses. He silently raised his head to look directly at the sunlight. Not a single care was given about the pain and difort it caused his eyes. Pdin rose to his feet with a smile stered on his face. Pdin took a huge magnifying ss from the box beside the bed and positioned it in front of the window. The sunlight that fell directly on the magnifying ss condensed into an extremely dense beam of light that shone onto the table. A burning odor immediately filled Pdin''s nose. Pdin smiled slightly and sat down at the table. A magnifying ss wasn¡¯t difficult to obtain, especially in wealthier towns like Nurba. It was always avable in any shop that sold alchemy and magical supplies. Ordinary alchemists and Freemasons'' Association alchemists held fundamentally opposing views. The alchemists who joined the Freemasons'' Association firmly believed that Enos, the God of Light, was nothing more than a sham. They also believed in an invisible force that ran through the world and was greater than all the Gods. The truth, the fundamentalw, and/or the essence of the universe. You could call it whatever you want. For the Holy See, this belief was simply a p in the face. Contrary to those who joined the Freemasons¡¯ Association, ordinary alchemists were talents that no forces or countries would ever turn down. Inparison to mages, who controlled magical elements and thus had powerful strength that made them difficult to control, alchemists didn¡¯t have many deadly abilities. They only performed enchantments and/or created magic items and supplies. Nheless, those were extremely valuable. As a result, as long as you weren''t an alchemist from the Freemasons'' Association, you could find a decent job and live a life free of worries about food and clothing. Pdin removed his gloves and examined the veins on his wrist, which were emitting a faint golden light. With the quill, he drew the disintegration and reintegration magic circles on his wrist. Lastly, he ced the Philosopher''s Stone on top. Pdin then took a deep breath. If you looked closely, you could see that Pdin was currently sweating profusely and continuously gulping his saliva. Those were, in fact, signs of fear. It was natural, because he had previously experienced the sharp pain that tore into his soul when he was fusing with the light element before. Normal people would never want to do it again. Because if one wasn¡¯t strong enough to withstand the pain, they could fall unconscious from such severe pain! "What are you afraid of?! Gaining poweres at a price and this is a worthy exchange! What''s the point of hesitating if the cost is only pain?" Pdin tried to persuade himself. His head was slightly lowered, his somewhat pale lips trembled. He continued to prepare his mind. "Reaching my dream life and obtaining the power to dominate others, all of it depends on you! What are you afraid of?!" As soon as he said that, Pdin¡¯s eyes turned red. Fully determined, he stretched out his hand. The condensed beam of light immediately focused on the Philosopher''s stone and in an instant, the magic circles drawn on his hand activated. The olive-sized Philosopher''s Stone was glowing red. It broke down the sunlight that shone on him, made it flow into Pdin''s arm, and reintegrate it again! "AAAAHHHH!¡± Pdin''s eyes instantly widened. He tilted his head and cried out in desperation. The pain was like a swarm of razor-sharp knives piercing his every pore. It was like being dead, getting resurrected, and then dead again. It kept on repeating, never stopping. Blood began to gradually flow out of his pores. It trickled down onto the floor, staining the ground under him until a pool of blood was formed. Pdin¡¯s entire body trembled, his teeth gritted. Pdin felt like he couldn''t stand it anymore and was about to copse. When hisst vestige of sanity was submerged by endless pain, Pdin''s tightly shut mouth suddenly formed a curve. He then began tough madly and irrationally. "Hehe, hahaha! HAHAHAHA! Very good, not bad! Power, I can sense an influx of power! That''s exactly what I want! ¡± When Pdin wasughing maniacally, his eyes were brightly glowing golden. This supposedly sacred golden light appeared gloomy and terrifying when reflected on the ceiling. As the olive-sized Philosopher''s Stone¡¯s power ran out, Pdin jumped up sharply and used his hand to topple the magnifying ss. He fell unconscious on top of the pool of blood and fell back into a deep sleep. Pdin sat motionless on the ground in the empty space. A pitch-ck baby was lying his head on Pdin''s wrist. Its mouth cracked open to wail. "Feed me, feed me, feed me." Pdin sat like a puppet, his head nk, simply unmoved by foreign objects. His eyes gazed at the nk space in front of him, unfocused. However, some changes started to appear, whenpared to before. The befuddled Pdin noticed a strange and familiar pattern emerging on the ground in this empty space. An upside-down tree with branches separated from its trunk. Ten circles were drawn on the branches. Pdin noticed he was in the circle closest to the leaves. It also had text written on it. Pdin read it word by word, his initially unfocused eyes gradually cleared. Finally, he jumped up with a bang. Feeling kind of lost, he said, "Material and kingdom? Isn''t this the drawing on the stone tablet that came out after the Ripley Scroll was taken?! No, this is a dream! A dream I had before!¡± He was startled awake and realized that he was in a dream. Pdin hadn¡¯t yete to his senses when he heard a persistent childish voice say, "Feed me, feed me, feed me!" "Ugh!" Pdin was startled. He flicked his hand to push the pitch-ck baby onto the ground. It appeared unscathed. Once again, Pdinid on the ground and yelled at the ck baby who had moved toe closer to him, "Don''te over, don''te over!" However, the ck baby ignored Pdin¡¯s request. It continued to lick its lips and yell at Pdin to feed it. Pdin attempted to flee, but discovered that he couldn''t leave the circle with ''Material and Kingdom'' written beneath his feet. There was an invisible barrier directly in front of him as soon as he moved. He simply couldn¡¯t leave at all. "Feed me, feed me!" The ck baby grabbed Pdin''s thigh and crawled up childishly and strangely, its mouth still repeating the boring two words. Pdin stared at the baby in horror, and for some reason, he felt an iparable closeness to the baby. It felt like someone close to him. Finally, Pdin asked the question he held back deep inside. "You, who the hell are you?" But, who would''ve guessed? As soon as he asked that, the ck baby, who had been repeating those two words over and over abruptly stopped. At first, it was stunned. Just as Pdin was about to ask, the ck baby shed a terrifying and crazed smile. Chapter 23: Strange Perspective

Chapter 23: Strange Perspective

Pdin''s eyes shot open. He quickly sat up on top of the pool of blood, while violently gasping for air like a drowning man trying to climb ashore. His terrified eyes darted nervously back and forth. Only after confirming that he was in his room did his racing heart begin to calm down. "That thing, is it really just a dream?" Pdin sighed deeply as he held his head with one hand. Suddenly, his previously tired gaze became fierce. He couldn''t help but be dazed as he took in the sight of his surroundings. With trembling hands, he stroked the empty air in front of him. Meanwhile, he expressionlessly muttered, "All of these are magic elements!" From Pdin¡¯s point of view, the air in front of him was currently filled with countless magic elements. Fiery red fire magic elements writhed around the charred table top, azure water magic elements floated freely in the air, and grayish-white wind magic elements floated violently alongside the water magic elements. There were also a lot of earth magic elements piled on top of tables, furniture, and floors! These were the most fundamental elements from which everything was made out of. The mysterious veil had been lifted from Pdin''s eyes,pletely unraveling the secrets inside in front of him. Pdin watched all this in shock. His trembling hand slowly reached out, attempting to touch the water magic element floating in front of him. . Something unexpected happened. Pdin''s hand hadn¡¯t touched the water magic element yet when the golden light magic elements that were hovering around him suddenly ran amok, mming water magic elements that were near them fiercely. Before Pdin got a hold of himself, he discovered that all magic elements that approached him, regardless of type, were attacked by the golden light magic elements surrounding him and were sent flying far away. Pdin, who stood up slowly, looked around the dream-like scene surrounding him. It was as if he were in a sea of bubbles. However, unlike the elements manipted by the mages, these elements that wander the world operate in an irregr and scattered floating pattern. The words that could best describe the scene in front of him was, ¡®A miracle. A treasure he possessed nobody else could ever imagine!¡¯ Pdin stood still with a strange smile stered on his face. He opened his hands, fantasizing about embracing the magic elements and fell into ecstasy. But the next scene he saw took his happy mood to a whole new level. Right now, the golden light magic elements were coiling around his body, forming bands of halo. Slightly dazed, Pdin counted carefully. Next, his face lit up with joy. "Three hundred and ten! A whopping three hundred and ten light magic elements! That''s a fivefold increase over my original ability, which was only 60! Five times increase!" Pdin, who was dancing in excitement, suddenly recalled about the raw materials he used to refine the Philosopher¡¯s Stonest night. "Wait a minute, the Philosopher''s Stone I previously refined with one of the association¡¯s guards gained me sixty golden light magic elements, meanwhile the one refined with the lives of four people has an increase of exactly two hundred and forty golden light magic elements. Doesn¡¯t this mean that an ordinary person¡¯s life essence can be exchanged for sixty golden light elements when fused?" Pdin murmured, beginning to understand the concept. Pdin nodded devilishly. As if he had discovered a new continent he rubbed his hands and walked to the table by the window, all the while muttering in a crazed tone "Let''s say, this thing has nothing to do with the individual''s age, physical condition, or gender. A person''s life essence can be exchanged for 60 light elements. If I use ten people, a hundred, or even a thousand people at a time to refine the stone, I, Pdin will have an immense amount of magic elements! Hahahaha!¡± Pdin couldn''t help butugh slowly. One could no longer see a semnce of humanity in his eyes which were full of countless ambitions. He was akin to a monster that had broken free of its chains. Hissing, roaring and fiddling with its ws as if it couldn''t wait to have a taste of flesh and blood. "Hah! For the first time, I realized how wonderful life is!" Pdin sighed and raised his red face. Subconsciously, his gaze trailed to look at the beautiful scenery in the distance through the window. Pride fully bloomed in his chest. Unfortunately, there was something wrong. His prideful spirit hadn¡¯t had a chance to be released when his entire body instantly froze because of the view out of the window. The buildings and towering walls that Pdin should¡¯ve seen were no longer visible. There were no white clouds and blue sky, no green trees and grass. A bizarre scene assembled by countless magic elements was taking ce. The magic elements were all swimming in an irregr and slow manner. Vaguely, Pdin could feel that these elements were moving in the same way as the runes on the powerful seal inside the Freemasons¡¯ Association that led to the ce where the scroll was stored! Pdin, who was slowly gathering his thoughts, suddenly noticed that the direct sunlight shining down couldn¡¯t be seen in thisposition of magic elements. But, Pdin¡¯s attention was elsewhere; he was concerned with the fact that the sun was already high in the sky. "It''s already thiste! Couldn¡¯t that old thing, Northam, do something bad while I was away?" Pdin, who thought so, immediately frowned. Without a second thought, he immediately put on a ck priest robe and went downstairs to check. "Northam, Northam!" Pdin shouted. Northam was no longer in the front hall. Seeing this, Pdin felt more and more unhappy. He couldn''t help but start cursing. ¡®Where would he go?¡¯ Pdin pondered. Still frowning, he kept on looking for Northam. Suddenly, when the corner leading to the basement caught his gaze, an extremely bad premonition came to his mind. In an instant, Pdin eyes immediately went from gentle to sharp, full with endless brutality. He quickly walked to the basement¡¯s entrance. When Pdin arrived at the entrance and saw that the wooden door was pried open, his eyes immediately glowed golden. Pdin clenched his teeth tightly, muttering sinisterly as he made his way towards the basement, "Northam, you''d better get out of here. If I catch sight of you. you''ll definitely understand what regret is!" Pdin''s vision was unaffected by the dark passage, thanks to the additional magic elements he recently obtained. One step at a time, Pdin entered the basement. A familiar voice containing remorse and pain could be heard. "It''s all my fault, it''s all my fault! I was blinded by impulse and ended up hurting innocent lives for nothing! Enos! O great God, please inflict divine punishment on me, this lowly and foolish servant!" When Pdin heard this voice, he looked for the source of the sound and saw Northam. His hood was lowered, his snow-white white hair was hanging down, his face was filled with dense wrinkles. He was on his knees, hands clutching the trash¡ªa skeleton, to be precise¡ªabandoned by Pdin with a runny nose and teary eyes. He was crossing his arms painfully in front of his chest, desperately trying to repent for his sins. "Northam, what are you doing?!" Suddenly hearing someone behind him, Northam panicked and turned around. His cloudy old eyes erupted with bitter hatred upon seeing the culprit, who was no other than Pdin. "Pdin! Tell me, tell me clearly! Tell me what happened to these skeletons! What the hell did you do to them? Do you have any kindness or mercy left in your heart? You lowly, filthy demon!" Northam shouted. Chapter 24: Extermination

Chapter 24: Extermination

Pdin''s eyes narrowed as he slowly took one step forward. His tone of voice was eerily t and unsettling. "Northam, I had told you not toe in." "Answer my question!" Northam, not wanting to be outdone, spoke back immediately. Pdin came to a halt about five meters away from Northam. When he heard Northam''s question, a yful smile appeared on his blurred face lit by the torchlight. He couldn¡¯t help but burst outughing maniacally while flippantly raising his right hand and leisurely removing the right glove, showing his pale right hand to Northam. "Take a good look, Northam! This is the reason, and this is the power!" Northam, who was furious, felt as if a bucket of cold water had been dumped on his head. He couldn''t believe his eyes when he saw Pdin''s right hand brightly glowing golden just like a crystal. The palm that seemed to be crystallized was connected to the wrist hidden in the sleeve. There, several blood vessels that had a magical crystallization appearance were shown. What shocked Northam the most was that the spot that was crystallized emitted a dazzling golden light in the dark night! In an instant, Northam realized. With a calm voice, he said, "Pdin, this is your magic ability to control the power of the magic elements. You''re willing to tell me, so you''re nning to kill me, right?" Pdin looked into Northam''s eyes and nodded approvingly. He took a gentle step forward and proudly stated, "You are no match for me, Northam. ¡± ''Especially now that I can control three hundred light magic elements,'' he added in his heart. Northam only nodded in dismay. With the look of someone who had just realized the truth, he whispered. "I must¡¯ve been tempted by the devil to assist you settle down and do such things. Only a sliver of the notion has already pushed me to do regrettable things in my life, such as allowing innocent people to be sacrificed in vain." Who knew that when Pdin heard this, he immediatelyughed with disdain. Taking another step forward, he sarcastically said, "Oh, the hypocrisy of the dark sorcerer. Doesn¡¯t acknowledge that the root of the problem is you, so you put all of the responsibility on the ethereal devil. Are you trying to flee? Escaping consequences because of your ridiculous conscience? You are nothing more than a worthless weakling. What makes you different from these losers scattered on the ground?" Pdin pointed to the four skeletons on the ground, with an expression of indescribable contempt. He threw such an insult, but received no reaction from Northam. Northam only sighed deeply and said, "Pdin, there is one thing I must tell you before I die." Hearing that, Pdin snorted softly and took a step forward, a yful smile stered on his face. "Go on. Say it before yourst words." But when their distance was only two meters apart, Northam, who had his head lowered, suddenly raised his head. His eyes were filled with murderous killing intent. "I''m going to die after you!" Northam roared. Pdin really had no idea that Northam would pull out his wand. A small ck light shone on the tip of his wand, rushing forward and stabbed Pdin''s forehead. At the moment when Pdin was about to be stabbed, Northam noticed Pdin''s expression. There was no panic, no fear. There was only that sickening eerie snicker on his face. ¡®Something is surely wrong! There must be some kind of a trick!¡¯ The thought urred to Northam, but s, it was toote. Pdin''s sinister smile suddenly widened. A burst of golden light shot out from his eye. The corners of his tightly closed mouth cracked. The right hand moved so fast it left afterimages to grab the hand Northam used to hold the wand. Looking at Northam¡¯s face paling instantly, Pdin grimlyughed. "Foolish! I¡¯ve long seen through your ruse!" Actually, Pdin only recently discovered that when Northam discovered that it was him who came to the basement, Northam immediately pulled out his wand. Originally, Pdin would never have known about that. However, the dark magic element hovering around Northam collectively surged to his left hand. Anyone would¡¯ve noticed. When Northam tried to pull his hand back, Pdin smiled. The golden light magic elements around him moved like an extension of his arm. Rushing to integrate onto his right hand before rushing into Northam''s arm. Something incredible happened Northam screamed. His arm that was grabbed by Pdin burst into mes. The me was extremely hot that his flesh got burnt and poofed into ashes instantly. Tongues of fire began to spread on his arm bones. Pdin, on the other hand, was getting more excited. There was no sign of burns on his hands. Pdin yanked Northam¡¯s hand. With a snap, Northam''s burnt arm got ripped. Sparks were flying everywhere. Pdin looked at Northam, who was screaming and clutching what was left of his arm. With a sinister smile, Pdin raised his foot and kicked Northam in the stomach. As his body flew to the wall and copsed on the ground, thetter could only whimper. Blood was flowing uncontrobly from the corners of his mouth. "Old man, it appears that you are no longer of much use. It would be more dangerous for me if I left you alive." Pdinughed at his own words. Gently shaking his hand, he gradually inched closer towards Northam who copsed in the corner. Seriously injured, Northam could barely lift his head. his eyes filled with pain and fear as he watched Pdin approaching him. Without the slightest hesitation, Pdin lightly grunted as he casually spread open his right palm. A lightsaber instantly coalesced in his right hand. Ruthlessly, he swung his hand. Northam''s other hand, which was flung to the floor far away, immediately emitted a burnt odor. "AAHHHHHHH!" Northam let out a heartbreaking scream. However, Pdin frowned at that and said unhappily, "Be quiet! There are civilians up there! Shut up!" After that, Pdin quickly swung his lightsaber again. Northam''s screams ceased, his eyes dimmed. Arge stream of blood gushed from a thick bloody wound on his neck. Pdin quickly jumped away, avoiding getting sprayed with blood. When he flung his hand, the lightsaber dissipated. He crouched down to check if there was anything of use on the old man¡¯s body. After searching for a while, Pdin not only found five gold coins and a bottle of anesthesia refined using dark magic, but also a book with an old cover and folded edges made Pdin feel like he hit the jackpot. Pdin picked up the book and saw a painting that depicted a priest hanging on a cross on the cover. Moreover, the book had the same symbol as Morris¡¯¡ªthe Inquisition¡¯s chief executive officer¡ªrobe. This meant the book was from the Inquisition. Pdin was stunned for a split second before bursting into ecstasy. "Hahaha, this old thing really has some treasure. The Herald of the Hanged, the Inquisition''s Sacred Execution Magic!" Pdin excitedly flipped open the book. The book was full of spells and the magic elements that corresponded to the spells in order. This was clearly a magic book that documented magic and its application! Pdin was aware that the priests couldn¡¯t learn the Holy See¡¯s magic spells. In general, priests were only capable of non-aggressive magic like healing, bondage, blessings, and so on. The Inquisition, on the other hand, possessed the divine magic specially prepared for executioners to hunt heretics. That was why the book was a rare and precious treasure! Pdin was ecstatic; this was his first encounter with traditional magic, and he knew he''d have to work hard to understand it. But just as Pdin was about to put the magic book into his pocket, a wave of exhaustion washed over him. It swept his whole body, this strength was rapidly fading. Eventually, he unintentionally fell to his knees. "What the heck is going on?!" Pdin couldn¡¯t figure out what was going on as he was unable toe to his senses. However, he was astounded to see with his own eyes how his arm was aging rapidly. The originally smooth arm he used only a few moments ago began to sag and wrinkle like that of an eighty-year-old man. Even old age spots gradually appeared on his skin out of nowhere! "What''s happening? What the hell is going on?!" Pdin who saw all this finally couldn''t control his overflowing fear and screamed. Chapter 25: The Price

Chapter 25: The Price

Some loud screams could be hearding from the basement. At this point, the rapid aging had spread to Pdin''s entire body, instead of just his arms. In a short time, Pdin, who was originally in the prime of his life, had be an old man in his twilight years. Pdin stood up, his body trembling. He looked at his bark-like hands incredulously. When he touched his cheeks, he felt that the skin of his face was definitely not much better than the bark of a tree. Pdin''s face was filled with horror. Immediately, he pulled up his hood to cover his face, ran out of the basement on wobbly feet, and went straight to his room. He had to find out what had happened to him. After mming the door shut, he hurriedly took out the dusty mirror. When the dust had been wiped away, Pdin instantly fell into unknown fear. "Are you kidding?! What is this? What the hell is this!¡± The reflection in the mirror was of an elderly man with white hair, a white beard, and a frightening face. The old man was none other than Pdin. Such a drastic change. Pdin couldn¡¯t calm down at all. He took a few cautious steps back and sat on the stool. His panicked eyes darted left and right. He couldn''t stop himself from muttering, "I''m growing old! This phenomenon urs when there¡¯s a loss of life essence. Why does this happen? Did I eat something wrong? Or, is someone trying to hurt me?! Could it be Northam? No, he doesn''t have the strength. Wait a minute! It''s Morris! It has to be him, because he¡¯s so powerful." Pdin, who had been specting wildly, abruptly came to his senses. He pped himself in the face, trying to calm down his increasing panic. "Calm down! I should calm down, I can''t keep going like this. I''ve finally gained power, how can I stop here? Wait a minute! Power!" Pdin suddenly had an epiphany. He nced down at the blood vessels on the palm of his right hand that looked like crystals. Recalling the words a professor had repeated over and over again when he was eavesdropping a lecture at the Freemasons¡¯ Association. "Everything in the world has a price. You have to pay as much as you get.¡± "How much will I be required to pay?" Pdin''s tone gradually became bitter, but his eyes were clearer than ever. "It turns out that I haven''t paid enough. It''s far from enough." Pdin, whose eyes began to show some understanding at the time, determinedly whispered something. His tone was ruthless. "If it is really because of the fusing with the light magic elements that I''ve run out of life essence, then can the Philosopher''s Stone, which was originally refined by using human life, help me replenish my life? Today, my body is powerless and weak, like an empty shell. I believe I might die of old age in a few days." Pdin abruptly raised his hand and looked at his crystal-like veins where something was flowing slowly inside. A hideous expression appeared on his face. "Then tonight, just for tonight! For the sake of my life and my future!" Right now, even when scrutinized closely, Pdin''s eyes contained no worries other than moving forward. Night gradually enveloped this rich and peaceful town. Everyone chose the dark to do anything unseen, which was a miraculous coincidence. Rather than avoiding detection, it was more likely because the darkness gave people a sense of security. Pdin went outside d in a ck robe. Instead of showing his usual fake gentle demeanor, he quietly sneaked into a clothing store. Trying to find someone sleeping in the dark who¡¯d be his victim-to-be. Pdin simply didn¡¯t have the time and mood to be choosy with the ingredients. Keeping in mind that should he fail to find someone, he could still snatch a sum of money, he pried open the store¡¯s door with a crowbar. He then quickly entered, leaving a puff of smoke. Despite the darkness, Pdin could see that the ss counters on both sides were full of fine fabrics thanks to the moonlight. That, however, was not why he came here. He came for the family who was sleeping inside. Creak. Gently pushing the door open, Pdin was surprised to find a huge double bed. The elderly couple was sleeping in each other''s arms on top of the bed. Between them was a baby wrapped in a swaddling cloth. The baby was sucking something sweetly. Pdin didn¡¯t know and didn¡¯t want to know if the baby was drinking fresh milk or whatever, as it was none of his business. Calmly and quietly, he tiptoed to the window. He then carefully took out two handkerchiefs coated with the anesthetic left by Northam. Just when he was about to cover their noses with it, the baby who had been sleeping soundly suddenly woke up. When the child saw a strange old man with a hideous face standing in front of him, he immediately cried out in fright. . Pdin''s expression changed in an instant! The couple gradually opened their tired eyes and saw Pdin. They were about to scream when Pdin''s heart was burning with determination. With the two handkerchiefs, he covered the couple¡¯s mouth and nose. The husband and wife struggled violently, but were helpless. Northam''s anesthetic was really extraordinary. Their breaths slowed before they fainted. "Wahh, wahhh wahh!" The baby''s crying became more and more intense. Pdin remembered that he vaguely saw some lights outside the shop. Afraid of being noticed by passers-by, he quickly picked up the handkerchief in panic and covered the baby''s mouth and nose.A muffled cry could still be heard through the handkerchief. Panicked and terrified, he shoved the handkerchief into the baby''s mouth. He didn''t stop until there was no longer any sound. Thump. Pdin quietly and cautiously walked to the window. Trying to see whether the people outside noticed something amiss with the sound. However, they just cursed sleepily and blew the candle to continue sleeping. Only then did Pdin feel deeply relieved. His aged body couldn¡¯t withstand such activity. Pdin''s forehead was already covered with a fineyer of sweat. The exhausted Pdin gasped for breath. When he turned around, he was instantly petrified on the spot. The baby was now stiff and motionless. His round eyes were staring at the ceiling. His face was purple, proving that the baby had unfortunately died. Pdin swallowed deeply, pulled out the handkerchief from the baby''s mouth, and stuffed it into his sleeve. He began to search for jewelry or money inside the store. Pdin felt guilty; he had just killed a baby by mistake. Whatever the way, the oue would still be the same. The baby would be dead sooner orter. Pdin''s burning guilt and conscience vanished as he thought of the tempting Philosopher¡¯s Stone. Pdin looked at the three pieces of silver jewelry and thirty-five gold coins that were clinking against each other in his hand. A happy smile bloomed on his face. Who wouldn¡¯t get ecstatic when they got a big sum of easy money? Pdin was no different. However, the most important thing to do right now was to refine the Philosophers'' Stone using the couple on the spot. Pdin could clearly feel his energy and physical strength rapidly declining. He even believed that it wouldn''t be long before he didn¡¯t have the strength to stand. Chapter 26: Unexpected Happiness

Chapter 26: Unexpected Happiness

Pdin, who became increasingly sluggish, rummaged through the cab for a bottle of ink. When he found one, he dipped his finger directly into it and tore open the worn carpet on the floor. Skillfully, he began to draw the magic circle. After that, he lit a fire, poured water, blew some wind, and sprinkled soil on it. After finishing all these, Pdin gasped for air. He dragged the two sleeping couples into the magic circle, stood straight in the center, and drew some of his blood. Boom! Boom! Boom! There was a sh of a blinding light. Pdin picked up the soybean-sized Philosopher''s stone lying on the ground with one hand. With his sleeve, he wiped the magic circle off the floor. After ncing left and right and seeing nobody else, he dashed towards the church. Leaving behind the family of three¡¯s corpses in the store. Pdin stumbled into the room, closing the door with a shake of his hand. He copsed to the ground weakly. Right now, he was terrified because he clearly felt that he was dying. His limbs became so weak and his brain began to get confused. Pdin''s feet were practically numb at this crucial moment, so he had to clench his teeth. He steeled his resolve, supported himself on the ground with his weak arms, and muttered resentfully, "How can-how can I just die here?! Dying in a humble and lowly way, which is because of old age? I''m Pdin, the one who¡¯d be a great figure in the future!¡± Harboring deep grievances, Pdin failed to walk to the counter. Heid limply on the floor. A sliver of life essence was rapidly escaping him. Pdin dazedlyughed. He continued tough as he looked at the ceiling. His strength was no longer sufficient to draw the Dharma Array, the reintegration and disintegration magic circle. He didn''t even have the strength to climb onto the stool. Aside from despair, there was a deep unwillingness clearly reflected in his eyes right now. While in a trance, Pdin¡¯s journey in life, his own humble and lowly life, was yed in his mind from the very beginning. He had never been cared for. His life was inferior to that of pigs and dogs. Every day was filled with humiliation and burden. At that point in time, he was studying more desperately than any student. All because he was convinced that only by mastering knowledge could he get ahead, get rid of his original life, and gain respect. That was, until he came across the scroll¡­. The Ripley Scroll, which recorded the recipe for the legendary great medicine in alchemy, the Philosopher''s Stone. Pdin was unable to resist the strong temptation and took it for himself. "Sure enough, I gained power and a life with freedom. I have a high status; if I could add a beautiful wife to that, I''d be satisfied." Pdin had a self-deprecating smile on his face as his eyes gradually became unfocused. Just as he was about to slowly close his eyes and wait for death to take him, the visage of a man and a woman with blurry faces suddenly popped in his mind. They were looking at him with a smile. The inexplicable intimacy that came from these two people made Pdin understand in an instant that these were his biological parents whose appearance had been forgotten by him. That moment, a nameless fire suddenly ignited in Ptin''s heart. His heavy eyes opened instantly, filled with endless malice and madness. "Get away! I don¡¯t need your pity! I''m not a rabid dog wagging its tail pleading for mercy!" Pdin said hoarsely. He firmly grasped the philosopher''s stone in his hand, threw it into his mouth with all of his remaining strength, and swallowed. Heughed nervously, a smug smile stered on his crazed expression. "Even if I, Pdin, die, I don''t want your pity! Even if my body burst due to the Philosopher''s Stone¡¯s huge power and no single bones remained, I am me and will always be me! ¡± Pdin was desperate. After swallowing the Philosopher''s Stone, his body felt like a dying nt that was being rained on. Pdin''s exhausted body was warmed by an endless warm current. "Aaaaah! Sofortable! ¡± Unlike the previous sharp pain that ran through his body, Pdin felt morefortable than ever. He was pleased to see his dry wrinkled skin regained its smoothness and tenderness. Endless strength gushes out of his whole body. It was as if the exhaustion he felt before was but a dream. Pdin rolled over and immediately stood up. Looking at his young self in the mirror, he looked happy. "It turns out that it can be swallowed raw. Hahahaha! I, Pdin, do not deserve to die in that manner!" However, as soon as the words were spoken, Pdin''s body began to age again. Obviously, it wasn¡¯t that fast this time. Pdin was only slightly stunned beforeughing viciously. "The Philosopher''s stone refined with two people isn¡¯t enough? I''ve fused with the magic elements using four people at once, the Philosopher''s Stone refined using only two people couldn¡¯t be enough at all. Fortunately, there are plenty of people in the town. There are raw materials everywhere." Pdin, who was smiling, seemed to have abruptly remembered something. He fell into deep thought for a while. Not long after, he suppressed his excitement and said, "Wait a minute, if I swallowed ten Philosopher''s Stones in one go, doesn''t that mean my lifespan will be ten times longer than others? What if it''s a hundred people, or even a thousand people? Will I be immortal? I can live forever! Hahaha!¡± A faint forebodingughter echoed in the room. The people, who were still asleep at this time, would have no idea that they had been seen as raw materials to be squandered at will by a highly revered priest. The dark night gradually lit up when the sun began to rise up into the sky. A ray of sunlight illuminated the interior of the town''s church. Pdin, who was sitting on a pew with a manic face, couldn''t help but softlyugh as he looked at an egg-sized bright red Philosopher''s Stone lying in a handkerchief. "Ten portions of life essence, a Philosopher''s Stone made with a whole ten portions of life essence! Ah, what a lovely color. It¡¯s eye-catching, as if it¡¯s filled with endless blood. It is mine and mine alone!¡± Pdin picked up the Philosopher''s Stone and swallowed it with one gulp. "Hah, hahah! Hahahaha!" Pdin''s gradually aging skin was instantly rejuvenated. His skin looked as if it had been painted with ayer of white paint, showing an unusual snow-white color. Although his appearance remained the same, it was a little more bright. He looked a few years younger than his actual age of twenty-two. Pdin was pleased with his own body. He was not afraid of things falling apart and getting caught because the majority of those who died were beggars and stragglers, not the people of this town. The only ones who could be identified were the couple he murdered previously. But he was unafraid because the bodies had turned into skeletons. Ordinary soldiers would only think it was the doing of a ck sorcerer. Since a ck sorcerer was presumably involved in this matter, it was necessary to seek the assistance of the local priest. That priest was no other than Pdin himself. He would never report it to the Holy See and would never allow it to be sent to the magistrate from the Inquisition. Moreover, the lord of this town didn¡¯t care about the life or death of civilians while the soldiers and the captain of the guard couldn¡¯t contact the Holy See. So, as long as he didn¡¯t report it, he could get a vast variation of raw materials to choose from. Pdin couldn''t help butugh again when he remembered this delightful fact. Now, all he had to do now was change into a suitable costume and wait for the soldiers to arrive. Inviting him to perform the show. Chapter 27: Making A Show

Chapter 27: Making A Show

There were some hard knocks on the dpidated door. Several anxious-looking soldiers dressed in leather and cotton armor were standing in front of the church, constantly knocking the wooden door. Knock knock knock. Listening to this series of sounds, Pdin, looking as if he just woke up, opened the door dressed in a priest''s ck robe. When Pdin noticed a few guards who appeared terrified and anxious, he frowned suspiciously. "How many havee to pray or repent?¡± The leader of the soldiers was anxious. He wordlessly stepped forward and pulled Pdin with one hand. He opened his mouth to exin while moving, "Father, please forgive our rudeness! It''s extremely important!" It was ufortable. He was dragged away by about three or five thick andrge men. He frowned and pretended to be angry. Then, he flung his hand away from the guards "Whatever the matter is, it will not prevent me from worshiping the Almighty God! Do you know how sphemous it is to skip your morning prayers?¡± The guard, with an I''ll-kill-you look on his face, didn¡¯t dare to pull Pdin anymore. Instead, he began to beg bitterly. "Father, something happened at that clothing store. The captain of the guards requested that we inform you of the location, saying that only you will understand!" He couldn¡¯t say it more bluntly. The things a priest knew of except healing were about heresy. Pdin, who knew the truth, pretended to have a moment of realization. He pulled the guard back solemnly, walked quickly to the ce of the shop, and said angrily, "If you talk to me in that way, I will not help you.¡± The guard squeaked and couldn¡¯t say anything. In fact, he didn¡¯t dare to say anything. If the pedestrians on the road heard, it could cause quite a stir. So, Pdin and a few guards rushed to the scene of the crime. After passing through the crowds gathered near the store, Pdin and a few guards were about to enter when they noticed a yellow-bearded man with a bulky body like a tiger. He was dressed in chain armor and equipped with a hammer pinned to his waist. He was observing everything seriously. Examining the two skeletons on the ground. Pdin''s footsteps alerted the captain, who was startled at first. When he saw the person who was approaching, obvious relief showed on his face. He then waved his hand. "You guys go out, I want to talk to the priest for a while." The soldiers nodded and left one after another. Pdin looked at the two skeletons on the ground and jumped in fright. With a contorted face, he said, "Captain, what''s going on here?!" The captain of the guard looked at Pdin who looked frightened and unconsciously felt a little bit of contempt. If he wasn¡¯t mistaken, the priest was the son of a nobleman. Seeing such horrifying corpses must have been a first for him. The captain of the guard, who thought so, smiled. "Father, you are a local priest. Logically speaking, murders in Nurba should be the responsibility of mercenaries and private soldiers. However, as you can see, the couple who owned this clothing store went out yesterday as they received a business deal. Today, they were already dead on the ground and turned into bones. Even their two-month-old baby was brutally murdered. It''s obviously not the doing of an ordinary person. It is clearly not the work of an ordinary person. As a result, we''d like to ask you whether this incident could be linked to a dark sorcerer." The captain of the guard cautiously asked. Deep inside, he was very worried. Although the person in front of him was only a priest, the other party was a nobleman, and The Holy See was behind him. Not to mention, things involving dark sorcerers were too sensitive. If one articted it badly, they could get implicated. The captain of the guard was wary. Pdin''s face stiffened, but he muttered inwardly, ¡®So it¡¯s just private soldiers and mercenaries who check on these trash people. If this is the case, then I don''t have to worry too much." The corners of Pdin''s mouth slightly curled upwards. In fact, Nurba was part of a territory ruled by the Count of Torch. The territory included not only Nurba, but also ten nearby viges, two towns, and a city called Edelweiss. In the past, the count could send his own private soldiers to guard it. However, the Duchy of Kasmi imposed serious restrictions regarding the nobility¡¯s private soldiers. As a result, the Count of Torch was only able to recruit a thousand private soldiers. One more and the count could be charged with treason. Fortunately, there were mercenaries in this world who were willing to wield knives for money. While preventing his power from being dispersed, the count could still station some soldiers in his territory. Therefore, Pdin wasn¡¯t worried at all. Mercenaries only knew of gold coins and women. Too easy to fool. Pdin''s rmed expression softened slightly. Directly ignoring the captain of the guard who stood next to him, he wore a gloomy face as he stepped forward. Then, he squatted down. "Father, do you notice anything?" The captain of the guards inquired hastily. He came to be a captain of the guard just to settle down and avoid having more blood sttered on the edge of his knife. Who would¡¯ve thought that he would run into such bad luck? The captain of the guard wasmenting in his heart when he noticed Pdin''s expression. He jumped away immediately. Pdin quickly crossed his hand on his chest, and said with a reverent expression, "The Great, All-knowing and All-powerful Lord! My Father and My Mother. Your humble servant asks thee to send down light to expel the evil that crawls in the darkness. Shouting thy holy name, Enos! Bless me!" Pdin took out holy water from his sleeve and sprinkled it around. Clutching the cross on his chest, he began to pray. "Father, what the hell is going on?!" It wasn''t until Pdin stopped praying that the captain of the guard eagerly asked. Pdin solemnly put down the cross, turned his head, and said thest thing the captain of the guard wanted to hear. "Captain, it is true. This was done by the dark wizard. There are dark wizards nearby, and I must report it to the Holy See so they dispatch an executive of the Inquisition to deal with it." "What?!" The captain of the guard yelled in surprise. When he realized that his voice was too loud, he looked outside to confirm that no one was paying attention. He then pulled Pdin to a corner with one hand, pleading anxiously and tteringly. "Father, you are the priest of this town and the godfather of all the children here in the future. Obviously you don''t want to see this beautiful ce destroyed by people from the Inquisition, right.¡± The captain of the guard understood that the Count of Torch didn¡¯t care how many civilians died, but it would change once the executive officer of the Inquisition came. In a fit of rage, the count wouldn''t mind making a mercenary his scapegoat. So, the captain of the guard really didn''t want Pdin to report it. This didn¡¯t only concern his own future, but also his life and family! Pdin naturally understood what was on the captain''s mind. When he saw that, he pretended to be angry and reproached, "Captain! Watch your words and deeds! You are openly denigrating the Inquisition in front of a priest!¡± "Father, you misunderstood. Although the Inquisition is God¡¯s weapon to bring justice and eradicate evil heretics, it is not good as it indirectly destroys the lives of the people." The captain, who knew that he had said the wrong thing, immediately tried to make up for it. A sincere smile appeared on his face when he uttered those words to Pdin. Pdin smiled secretly in his heart. Let alone being begged to not report it, even if the captain threatened him with a knife, he wouldn¡¯t do it. On second thought, even if nothing was reported, he could reap some benefits out of this situation. Pdin, who thought so, racked his brain. His expression looked indignant as he walked to the depths of the dark corner. Angrily, he said, "Although Your Excellency is correct, it is not good to destroy people''s lives. Indeed, that is not the Holy See¡¯s intention. You cannot, however, allow the dark wizard to keep on refining evil magic! This is absolutely not allowed!¡± Chapter 28: Forming a Clique

Chapter 28: Forming a Clique

The captain looked troubled. Rubbing his hands, he took two steps forward to stand behind Pdin and whispered, "But¡­." Before he could finish speaking, Pdin suddenly turned his head. His face that appeared sacred now was sporting a bizarre greedy smile. "The ck sorcerer is a devil who has betrayed humanity and their faith. The criminal in question who had lived inside the town should also be some poor and vicious person who can¡¯t ever be forgiven by Enos." "Huh?" The captain was taken aback, but before he could react, Pdin lowered his voice andughed darkly. "We have reasons to believe that such a criminal who killed his own kind is also a ck sorcerer who can cruelly and ruthlessly ughter innocent people!" In this instant, the captain''s view of this immature and stubborn young noble priest was suddenly covered with ayer of blood. The holy light on his head dimmed as well. The captain''s expression changed as he fixed his gaze on Pdin and spoke cautiously, "What if it''s not a ck sorcerer who murdered them? What if someone else dies?" Who would¡¯ve thought that Pdin would shake his head and sarcastically say, "No ck sorcerer would be so stupid as to kill a civilian instead of killing a priest first. Is he trying to lure the Inquisition? This heretic, in all probability, has already left the town and will nevere back." Once he said that, Pdin saw the captain sunk down. With a bright smile, Pdin continued, "Of course, eradicating the ck sorcerer and bringing happiness and stability to the people is our duty. But even so, I am a priest from a foreign country who can not even eat a bite of meat, ah." The captain looked up in shock at the smiling Pdin, but then calmed down. With increasing caution, he asked "What do you want?" The captain no longer wanted to continue chatting with this hypocritical and greedy priest. He only felt as if he had been badly teased by a junior and it was very ufortable. But, as if nothing had happened, Pdin said in a wolfish tone, "I heard that the deceased is the owner of the store. They own not only this clothing store, but also an iron factory, and a pottery factory. Because there are so many iron smelting nts, his business could be considered deserted. However, it still can be considered arge family business." The captain''s eyes narrowed. He feltpelled to sh this beast with his sword. But then, he heard Pdin say, "The iron smelter is refining weapons, too ferocious. If I am in charge, I can calm the murderous intent in the people. As for the pottery factory, Captain, you can be in charge of that." The captain''s eyes, which had been narrowed earlier, opened instantly as he was stunned. There was greed mixed in with the anger in his eyes. But he still asked cautiously. "I''m just a head soldier hired by the lord. If anyone reports it, I''ll be reced at any time!" "Captain! The Count will not care about such an insignificant town. You and I will join forces, gathering the soldiers and merchants beneath us to control the road to the public market and deliver the iron! Not only will the people be safe and happy, but we will also be prosperous and wealthy!¡± The captain still hesitated. Uncertainty stillced his voice. "What if the people disagree to be below us? You are just a priest. If someone elsees to rece you or you''re transferred away, you''ll have to go away. I will be damned!" However, Pdin pouted and sneered. "You underestimate me, Captain. You don''t think I''m willing to be a priest for the rest of my life, do you? In less than three to five years, I will join the diocesan bishop as a staff. By then, I will be in a position of great power and no one will dare to touch you!" "Phew." The captain exhaled deeply. For the first time, he realized that this kid, who was only half his age, had made him afraid! Forcing down his fear, the captain tentatively asked, "What if I say no?" "No?" Pdin''s expression darkened instantly. His hand darted forward to choke the captain and press him to the wall. Thetter was taken aback and attempted to break free, only to discover that this scrawny priest was far stronger than him. "Heh heh heh, you''d better not have such thoughts, Captain." Pdinughed grimly, leaned in close to the captain¡¯s face, and continued, "You''d better think about your family, captainI''ve heard that you have three beautiful daughters, an elegant and respectable wife, and a beloved youngest son who is only nine years old at the time. He is going to be my godson in a year! You''d better think it over." As he spoke, Pdin yfully pped the captain''s face. Thetter had anger burning in his eyes, but deep inside, there was a deep fear. Pdin had urately hit his weakness. He was now in his forties and had a lovely wife, two lovely daughters, and a bright and capable son. He couldn''t bear the thought of losing the warmth of his family after tasting it. "Good for you." At that, the captain gritted his teeth. Pdin, however, smiled, and said, "So, a deal?" Only when he saw the captain nod did he let go of his hand. Thetter immediately touched his painful neck. In the mirror next to them, the captain could see five red and swollen finger marks on his neck. He was shocked again inwardly. ¡®This kid, I heard that he was a nobleman. Unexpectedly, he¡¯s so powerful!¡¯ The captain was stunned and fell silent. He didn''t pay attention but Pdin, who was adjusting his gloves, suddenly asked, "This town belongs to the Diocese of Rineke. Captain, you are also a mercenary who has traveled all over the world. Do you know what kind of person the bishop of the Diocese of Rineke is?" The captain, who was concerned about his family, responded in a good-natured voice, "He? He''s nothing more than an old pervert! Others are unaware, but I am. He once hired me to apprehend runaway ves, all of whom were female ves purchased from vers! Each one was tortured beyond humanprehension, just like you!" The captain''s sarcasm had no effect on Pdin, who instead smiled thoughtfully. In his mind, he thought, ¡®Like women? That''s a good thing. Soon, I¡¯ll go to the vers in Edley to see if there are any good ones.¡¯ Pdin nodded slightly after thinking about it. He then looked at the captain and said with a smile, "Do not worry, as long as you do not have any extra ideas, we will join forces. This town will be run as what we say. By the time you are old and retired, your son will also inherit arge amount of gold and family business. Isn''t that great?" As soon as Pdin mentioned the captain¡¯s son, his expression immediately improved a lot. He had spent a long time contemting how to make his son suffer less in the future and live a better life. For him, it was a pleasure to do this. Pdin just smiled. When he was about to open the door to leave, he suddenly turned around and said, "Captain, I still don''t know your name." . "Kaleqi." "Oh, Captain Kaleqi. I hope we get along well." When he was about to push open the door, Kaleqi, who was staring at Pdin''s back, suddenly questioned, "As a priest, are you not afraid of being cursed by Enos for such tant sphemy and vition of priestly virtue?" What he got in response was a mere strange and profound smile from Pdin. Pdin raised his head to look at the endless sky as he walked down the street. He softly murmured in a contemptuous tone, "God? He is just like a child, standing at the edge of the sky watching us ying below. God doesn¡¯t care about morality, righteousness, and evil. Because if they did, they wouldn''t be entitled to the moniker ''Bastards Standing by the Clouds''." Pdinughed, suddenly remembering what Northam had said. An unreadable smile adorning his face as he strode towards the church. Chapter 29: Nature of Magic

Chapter 29: Nature of Magic

That was how it ended. Kaleqi, unable to bear the excitement and thrill, gave Pdin the contract for the iron smelter the very next day. ¡°Although the iron smelter nt is expensive, there are numerous iron smelters here, so pottery factories are more valuable. Why did you opt for the former?" Kaleqi questioned, feeling suspicious. In response to Kaleqi''s question, Pdin closed the door with a nonmittal smile. Indeed, as Kaleqi stated, the ironworks profit in Nurba was clearly lower than that of the pottery factory. The thing was, Kaleqi didn¡¯t anticipate other ironworks to close down one after another for various reasons like idents, death by disease, murder, annexes. So, Pdin just smiled grimly. He could do anything for arge sum of gold coins¡­. During the weekdays, Pdin continued to celebrate Mass and hear confessions. He was currently locked away in his room, concentrating on the magic book he had gotten from Northam. He gazed at the magic book greedily, gesticting something with his hands. Finally, Pdin stood up and began to chant the incantation of Light Arrow, the first spell recorded in the magic book, "Kado waka waka, that wisp of Silova, the kabi is sharp!" As soon as he finished chanting the spell, Pdin gaped in awe. His eyes, which could see all of the magical elementals floating in the air, were caught off guard by a sh of several silver rays of light. The light formed a cone with each other vertically and horizontally. Inside, the light cut a staggered line that was simr to a circr road at first nce. Hundreds of pure white light elements floated in from the window before Pdin could react, as if they were drawn to the floating cone made out of light in front of him. Something strange then happened. As soon as these white light elements approached Pdin, the golden light elements around him rioted violently, as if provoked by something. The golden light magic elements swarmed and mmed into the white light magic elements. Pdins were stunned. Presumably, these white light magic elements were the Holy See¡¯s. These, ording tomon sense, were real light magic elements. But, given his ability to see all magic elements, why didn''t he find any white light elements in the sky? Instead, he could see the dense and active golden light magic elements from the sunlight that were exactly the same as the other ones surrounding him. The ck sorcerer who believed in Birl was theplete antithesis of the Holy See. Pdin had never seen that sinister and dark ck magic element before. Were these two magic elements the true light elements and/or dark elements? Did these two elements really exist in the world? Plunged into endless thought, Pdin finally snapped back to his senses a whileter. He witnessed hundreds of white light magic elements being knocked away by the golden magic elements and dissipating without a trace in a short period of time. At the same time, the frame formed by the convergence of light floating in mid-air dissipated. The interlocking paths in the frame, which were as orderly as possible, copsed. Pdin was astounded to see a circle of invisible ripples spread out from the copsed structure. All of the free magic elements were swept up by the ripples and flocked on the top of the structure. It was extremely violent and wildly pounced on Pdin. Pdin''s knowledge of alchemy that was gained through eavesdropping and self-study over the years, was not in vain. He reflexively jumped and shouted, "The structure of the magic sequence has copsed! An Arcane Wave ising!" Pdin jolted when he recalled that moment before in the Freemasons'' Association. He was hiding in the passageway that led to the Ripley Scroll. Professor Francis caused a violent collision of the elements by destroying the structure of the sequence that made the magic, causing an Arcane Wave. And now he was witnessing the creation of an Arcane Wave with his own eyes. Witnessing the structure of a magic sequence, which could only be felt and perceived by meditating. He also witnessed how the magic elements transformed into magic. Pdin was ecstatic to discover that his unusual and entric point of view, not only saw the magic elements, but also saw right into the most fundamental and primitive nature of magic! Pdin then calmed down. He saw the Arcane Wave rushing towards him. Only to be attacked by a swarm of over 300 light elements hovering around him, crushing the rioting magic elements in the Arcane Wave. Pdin effortlessly solved the magic bacsh caused by the changes in alchemy and magic! Pdin stood there in a daze, staring at his hands with a half-crying expression on his face. Incredulously, he murmured, "Turns out I¡¯ve severely underestimated myself." Before he finished speaking, Pdin narrowed his eyes. Picturing the magic structure of the Arrow of Light he had just seen in his mind. He was pleased to see that the exact same conical structure appeared in front of him with a single stretch of his hands. Without hesitation, Pdin directed the golden light magic elements into the structure. It worked in a fundamental order ording to the magic sequence he had just seen. A miracle urred. A golden cone of light instantly converged in Pdin''s hands, shining with a dazzling and eye-catching light. Pdin suddenly felt mischievous. He knew in his heart that even though they had converged into a light cone, they were still like an extension of his arms, simr to the free golden light magic elements around him. When he was thinking about it, he noticed the arrow of light that glowed golden immediately turned. Following Pdin¡¯s imagination, it moved back and forth, entwined between his hands, did somersaults from time to time, and wandered around. Seeing this, he nodded in satisfaction. With one hand, Pdin waved at the vase on the table. The golden cone instantly shed a golden light and dashed towards the vase. Crack! Pdin clicked his tongue in response to the loud noise the vase made when it exploded and shattered. Pdin, taken aback by its power, simply stepped forward to investigate. He got even more shocked when he discovered that the wooden wall behind the vase had also been pierced, leaving a massive hole. "Whether it''s Enos the God of Light or Bir the God of Darkness, who knows what kind of power this is!" For the first time, Pdin felt terrified of his own power. He couldn''t help but ask himself if he could really control such a terrifyingly powerful force improving at such a terrifying speed. This thought was instantly extinguished by the desire in Pdin''s heart. Pdin had no idea that his ability is more terrifying than he initially expected. If a mage had been present at the scene, they would¡¯ve had a mental breakdown and died of anger. He was able to cast the spell by looking directly at the essence of the magic, watching it being cast once, and understanding the structure and sequence of magic! Moreover, power was even stronger! This was no longer at a genius level, but it was an insult to all magicians in the world! Trampling on the tens of thousands of years of magical knowledge gained through numerous life and time. Furthermore, if Pdin had more exposure on this matter, he could create his own magic or even arrange andbine magic structures by himself. An existence that stood above magic, the power of the gods! The power of creation! What made matters worse was that Pdin''s mental strength was surprisingly strong. A neer who had only been exposed to orthodox magic for a few days could already use spiritual power to control magic at will, something that even a great magician couldn''t do. Powerful spiritual power was precisely the power for which many magicians had worked and pursued their entire lives. At this moment, Pdin came to a realization. In fact, the magic that the world regarded as a miracle and was passed down from generation to generation was simply about constructing a framework and distributing sequences with incantations. Magic was created by injecting magical elements into the frame that werepatible with it. A melting pot could be used as an analogy. The spells were sketches drawn by the predecessors in search for the truth. The sketches were the furnace. The magic element was the furnace''s me. Depending on the affinity, its firepower could be increased or decreased. Thus, these provided power for the furnace, allowing it to function properly. Finally, the melting pot in the work was the magic. Some mages could cast spells instantly because they had a deep understanding of the structure through meditation and multiple practice, could draw without incantations, and poured magic elements directly into magic. This was usible to those powerful magic teachers in ancient legends, such as St. Mage. He was given the title of saint and created many powerful and wonderful magic spells. He no longer needed to use incantations to draw frames, distribute sequences, and create magic because he had already understood the true meaning of magic by meditation. . Even so, it paled inparison to Pdin''s terrifying ability at the time. St. Mage sacrificed almost his entire life to reach that level, whereas Pdin aplished it in a matter of days. Moreover, St. Mage couldn¡¯t see the magic elements at all, hence he also couldn¡¯t see the magic structure. He could only sense magic and magical elements for a little bit using meditation. Pdin, on the other hand, directly saw them with his naked eye. Mage had to get the feeling before correcting it a little bit to make magic spells. This process took at least a few months. To create new magic, Pdin only needed to change a few parts of the spell. St. Mage¡¯s process was like a blind man feeling an elephant. A blind man had to spend a long time feeling something was obvious at first nce. Moreover, it was extremely prone to errors. It could be seen that Pdin¡¯s potential was unimaginable. Just that at this time, he still wasn¡¯t aware about that. Chapter 30: A Great Turmoil

Chapter 30: A Great Turmoil

Pdin couldn''t help but have new doubts after witnessing the power of his strange golden light element. The Arrow Of Light''s framework required at least a hundred elements to function normally before it could form magic. If the magic elements he possessed could be depleted in a single breath, how quickly could they be replenished? Pdin had to know this, as he might encounter enemies in the future. His life would be at stake, so he had to make careful calctions. Pdin squinted his eyes and three structures of Arrow of Light appeared in front of him, exactly as he desired. Three hundred light elements swarmed out of his body, flocking to the three structures. There was a sh of golden light and three golden light arrows were suspended in the air. Following Pdin''s fingers, the structure immediately disintegrated and vanished. Pdin immediately closed his eyes to carefully examine how this works. Surprisingly, the Light elementsmanded by his arms werepletely indifferent to Pdin''s order at this time. Frowning, Pdin opened his eyes to see sunlight streaming in through the window. It was densely filled with golden light magic elements. Pdin wanted to instruct these magic elements that were the same as the one he had to get closer to him, but it didn''t work. The only thing the sunlight did was shine on his body, making him feel a sense offort. asionally, one or two golden elements strayed into Pdin''s elemental belt, bing a part of the Magic Ring. This, however, was far from satisfactory. If it had such a slow recovery rate, Pdin could confirm that a civilian with a machete could ughter himself indiscriminately as soon as his magical elements were depleted. "Hahaha, Naru, today''s harvest is good. You''re a lucky kid to get so many fish!" Pdin was bing annoyed whenughter rang out from outside the church. He opened the window and looked down, just in time to see a rough fisherman surrounded by a crowd of friendly civiliansughing and lightly hitting him. Pdin didn''t care about these people at all, his attention only focused on the old cart behind the fisherman. Fresh fish of various sizes were alive and kicking in the huge fishings ced in the cart. When a ray of light hit the top of his head, Pdin realized instantly. A smile gradually appeared on his face. There was a river near the town. Because it was downstream, many schools of fish gathered nearby to look for food. It was human nature to harvest so much. That, however, wasn''t the thing that shocked Pdin. It was none other than the fishing. Yes, the fishing. Pdin stomped his feet, mocking himself for his stupidity, and muttered with a wider smile on his face, "I¡¯m so stupid. Just like a fishing can catch arge group of fish in one, I can use my golden elements as a fishing. Therefore, I can catch the golden elements in the sunlight, just like those fish!¡± The excited Pdin immediately waved his hands. Only about five or six golden light elements were spread. Pdin controlled them with his consciousness. He willed them to fiercely wrap and pull the sunlight that was shining down like a fishing. A miracle urred. He captured 50 or 60 elements in a single breath. Pdin''s energy immediately increased. He then used more than 60 elements that were at hismand to catch more magic elements. In two different parts of the world, just as Pdin plunged headlong into researching magic and developing his own power, the branch of the Freemasons¡¯ Association saw a different scene ten days after Pdin escaped. At this time, various forces were mixed there. Some forces even expressed their stance by directly and domineeringly cing all students and professors under house arrest, sealing the entrances and exits, and searching the entire castle. The once-quiet and silent learning paradise was now rife with violence and repression. The Scarlet Sandstorm Mercenary Group, one of thergest mercenary groups on the Olosen Continent, was the most arrogant. Nasura, the Great Ice Mage, and Adele, the Assassin Alliance''s hound, were disguised as a professor and a student. They stood on top of the tower, looking down at the mercenaries, who were dressed in leather armor and wielded long swords. Nasura straightened his wrinkled cor. With a gentle voiceden with disgust, he said, "What a bunch of savage and stupid pigs! Their actions are telling Freemasons¡¯ Association¡¯s high-level officials that the secret has been exposed! Speaking of which, who is the leader of this mercenary group? He¡¯s able to figure out the secret, which is the Ripley scroll!" Adele, who had been closing her eyes, opened them abruptly. Fragrant sweat flowed out of her pretty white face. While frowning, she said to Nasura beside her, "Let''s get out of here!" "Huh?" Before Nasura could react, a mercenary came up the roof with a tter. When he saw the two of them, he immediately drew his sword and yelled, "Why are you here?! Shouldn''t you all be in the basement?!" Adele¡¯s eyes narrowed. She wouldn¡¯t let his words go. Her curvy body instantly became a blur. The next moment, she had arrived behind the mercenary, her fingers stained red. Only a snap could be heard. The mercenary had his eyes wide open when blood immediately streamed down out of the wound on his neck. Nasura teleported to Adele''s side and said with a frown, "What¡¯s wrong? We¡¯ve searched for ten days and finally identified three targets. Are you going to give up right now?" "These days, people from all the major forces have beening in," Adele said, shaking her head gruffly. Other kingdoms, duchies, and even the Emma Empire have all sent representatives. The situation was bing increasinglyplicated. ¡°I sensed that theckeys from the Assassin Alliance have also arrived. A tutor, along with two hundred hounds to boot. Although I am confident that my breath holding method will not be detected by them, but you¡­" Nasura faintly froze, and then curiously asked, "Me? You can just go, you don¡¯t have to care about me at all, right? What¡¯s the purpose of you telling me this?" Adele blushed and feigned anger. "What''s the point of talking right now! Just run away! None of the three targets are even in the Association right now. We won''t have much to lose!" Ignoring Nasura¡¯s reply, Adele took him by the hand and flew down the tower. Nasura looked at the her back which was in front of him. A warm smile bloomed on his face. Boom! Shortly after the two of them fled, the three-meter-high gate was knocked down by a huge force. When the smoke and dust cleared, a creepy man dressed in tight ck clothes with a ck hood and mask could be seen. He retracted his fist. The mercenary who was about to alert his group that there was an invader was struck by a cold current through the side of his body. His sweaty hair stood on end because behind the man who had blown the gate away with one punch, there were hundreds of people dressed in the same clothes! Everyone wielded two sharp and long daggers in their hands. "You guys, who are you?" One of the mercenaries who led the group boldly stepped forward and asked. The masked man nodded slightly and four people jumped out from behind him in a sh. The mercenary was immediately dismembered and fell to the ground in pieces. "You guys! How dare you kill the captain! I, Grand Master Monrik, will not forgive you!" Despite the fact that they were being threatened by a powerful force, these mercenaries, who were already used to gruesome situations, spoke up and threatened them. Hoping to chase away these terrifying guys. Unfortunately, he was wrong. ¡°Bow to the darkness and serve punishment to the light," said the leading ck masked man in a low voice after lowering his head. He then turned around to reveal the bloody de symbol painted on his back. As soon as the words were spoken, hundreds of men dressed in ck¡ªboth outside and behind the man¡ªimmediately knelt down and raised their hands above their heads. They shouted frantically, "A sharp de in the darkness! Impose the punishment of the dark upon the light!" "Kill them!" Hundreds of men in ck dashed and jumped towards the terrified mercenaries. They looked like a ck whirlwind bringing upon a rain of blood. Chapter 31: The Secret of Assassin Association

Chapter 31: The Secret of Assassin Association

"Wait, wait, wait. I am a special envoy from the Kingdom of Nurba, you can''t kill me!" "I am the Grand Knight from the Aixinzhe Kingdom. Kill me and wait for the kingdom''s revenge." "I''m a disciple of the Archdruid from the Nature Temple! We have no grudges or animosities towards one another!" "Assassin Alliance, my father is acquainted with a few of your high level officials. You should think about this carefully!" The mercenaries witnessed the people in front of them being instantly dismembered. As the sharp des swept in like a storm, the people from major forces who were hiding their identities finally couldn''t stay hidden. Obviously, these butcher assassins only followed the orders given to them, which was to kill. They didn''t give a damn about their identities. Without hesitation, they severed these people''s necks and limbs. Except for the initial screams, no other sound could be heard. Within a short period of time, only the assassins from the Assassin Alliance remained in the entirerge square. Thick bloodstains and fragmented limbs strewn on the ground were the mercenaries¡¯ only visible traces that were left. The group''s leader, the masked man, grunted lightly and spoke to a thin man beside him, "You go with the other nine mentors to finish off all mercenaries in the vicinity, regardless of their identities. The fewer our opponents, the better for our alliance and the scroll." "This subordinate understands." The skinny mentor agreed. Along with the other nine, they immediately shed and disappeared. Mentors! All ten of them were mentors! ording to Adele, the assassins known as the Dark Pathfinder Dog were the backbone of the Assassin Alliance. A mentor was on an even higher level than them all. This masked man, however, had the authority to order these mentors! Then, who was he if he wasn''t one of the Assassin Alliance''s leaders who controlled the organization? The masked man motioned to the two hundred hounds following him. They immediately followed the masked man into the castle''s grocery room. As soon as he pushed the door open, a sharp de that glowed red targeted the gap in the man''s mask. It was such a critical moment, but the man simply smiled disdainfully and didn¡¯t move at all. The sharp de that had tried to stab him had broken into pieces ,while the one who had attempted to stab him had been kicked into the room. The masked man slowly walked in. Light streamed in through the crack of the door, illuminating the visage of the assant. Thick eyebrows, big eyes, and a shaved beard. If one didn''t see his magnificent and solid top quality mercenary corps armor, they''d think he was a peasant stranded on the wrong side of the road. Even with the fine armor, he had a full footprint dent on his chestte. One can only imagine the masked man''s strength. What was odd was that the masked man didn''t seem surprised when he saw him. He stood with his arms crossed instead. In a rxed and joking manner, he said, "Winnie, sweet little Winnie. How long has it been since Ist saw you? Oh, twenty years ago, you were still an immature youth. The noble and outstanding mentor of the Assassin Alliance, Winnie. Perhaps you should be known as Grand Master Menglik now." The masked man¡¯s words were shocking. This seemingly loyal man was not only the Crimson Desert''s leader, but also an Assassin Alliance mentor! No wonder the Mercenaries of the Crimson Desert knew the secret regarding the scroll. Winnie, who was bleeding from the corner of his mouth, looked at the masked man in horror. Barely able to squeeze out a few words with his trembling lips, he said, "An Observer, Crimson de... Teacher, your voice is still so youthful even after twenty years. What methods did you use to stay young?" "Well, I''ll tell you, but only after I finish my business," Crimson de casually said. This conversation had revealed a shocking truth. Among the Assassin Alliance, there was an existence that overrides the tutors. They were known as the Observers. Crimson de was definitely not the only one. There were so many more Observers. Despite the fact that the Crimson de''s face couldn¡¯t be seen, in addition to his teenager-like voice, he was the teacher of this middle-aged head mentor. Crimson de waved his hand gently. The mentors quickly nodded and departed. Only the two of them remained in the room. "Bah!" Seeing that there was no one else, Winnie gradually calmed down. He spat out a small amount of blood, looked at Crimson de with hatred and said, "What are you waiting for? Kill me. I¡¯ve betrayed the alliance for twenty years. I never thought I could live this long. In fact, my life ended the day you murdered my fianc¨¦e!" "You were so talented back then, it wouldn''t have taken you long to be an Observer like your teacher and me," the Blood Red de said regretfully. ¡°Get real power! That''s why I told you the secret about the scroll. But you wanted to leave the alliance and live a normal life for a woman? A single vige woman? Hahahaha! Look at your appearance. The constant affection has made your skills rusty. Not only have you not grown in the past twenty years, but you¡¯ve greatly deteriorated!" Crimson de suddenly calmed down after rambling angrily. Winnie kept silent, not saying a word. It didn¡¯t intrigue him anymore. His voice instantly turned cold. "Tell me! Who told you the secret about the scroll in the first ce?! Who exactly is the traitor?!" "Hehehehe..." Winnie continued tough slowly and sarcastically. "What are youughing at? Answer my question, traitor." Crimson de''s tone was filled with murderous intent, but Winnie didn¡¯t care in the slightest. Raising his head slowly, Winnie looked at the red glow hovering between Crimson de¡¯s fingers. His sneer grew wider and wider. ¡°Teacher, how does this powerful power feel? To obtain it, you need to open the ck Gate and summon demons. This power must be a lot of fun. Being corroded by the power of demons as the flesh began to rot piece by piece every day at noon. Eventually transforming into a skeleton,plete with thoughts and feelings. The gradually increasing pain must feel extremely refreshing! Hahahaha!" Crimson de''s heart exploded with murderous intent the moment Winnie finished speaking. He kicked Winnie¡¯s armor fiercely, stepped on his chest before letting out an angry and shocked roar, "How do you know?! It''s him, it must be him who told you the scroll! Tell me, who the hell is he? Who!" The furious Crimson de hadn¡¯t expected the fact that the Observers secretly borrowed the power of demons to strengthen themselves would be discovered by others. Crimson de was consumed by endless rage and terror. He didn''t expect Winnie to show him something he didn''t want to see Smiling, Winnie flipped open thepels of his coat, revealing bronze skin. Characters appeared to be painted on the skin with a special paint. At a nce, the knowledgeable Crimson de recognized that it was ¡®God¡¯ written in an ancient ritualnguage. Referring to the Great and All-powerful God. However the characters were written upside down. Step, step, step. Crimson de took several steps back. Even that mask couldn''t conceal the fear and shock in his voice. "The Illuminati, the Alliance against God, the most heinous heresy! Have they¡­ infiltrated the top echelons of our Assassin Alliance?" Chapter 32: The Arrival of The Inquisition

Chapter 32: The Arrival of The Inquisition

"Heh heh heh, teacher. I joined the Illuminati before I realized that the Assassin Alliance and the Illuminati are like a rat and a griffin!" Crimson de fell silent for a while. The red glow between his fingers was sucked back into his palm, before it turned into a devil''s w,plete with ck scales and sharp nails. After that, he issued an ultimatum. "Say it, you traitor. Who the hell is the spy in the upper echelons?" "Ahem, ahem, I won''t tell. You will never find out¡­." "You!" Crimson de saw how stubborn Winnie was. He was about to break his neck in a fit of rage when- Bang! Outside, there was a violent explosion. Faint screams could be heard from inside the room. Crimson de gave Winnie a fierce look and noticed that Winnie also looked stunned. Without hesitation, he took out some herbal medicine and forced Winnie to swallow it. Thetter began to tremble all over, his limbs went limp, and he copsed. Seeing that he was no longer a hindrance, Crimson de quickly exited the room to check the situation outside. As soon as he jumped out of the room, Crimson de saw a sharp de emitting a white light cut down a mentor in front of him in half. Crimson de waspletely covered in blood. He wiped off the blood a little, revealing two ice-cold eyes in the hollow of the mask. When those eyes saw who the visitor was, they instantly radiated a violent gaze. However, he couldn''t help but let his voice loose to scream out, "The Thirteenth Secret Order, the Order of the Martyrs. The Inquisition!" The long sword filled with white light was lowered until it touched the ground. The handsome and captivating face hidden beneath the white hood was soon revealed. Moreover, each of the five people standing behind him held a cross sword, was dressed in fine silver armor, and wore a hood. Who were they if not Morris and five others who had previously encountered Pdin? Morris raised his white-gloved hand slightly, ced it on his chest, and bowed in respect. Despite the fact that the entire huge square was filled with the corpses of the Assassin Alliance¡¯s assassins who had been cut in half, he calmly said, "Rare, very rare. Today, we encountered an Assassin Alliance¡¯s Observer it seems. I, Morris, stood up for the Great God and was able to eradicate the garbage that has been polluting the earth." "Crazy believer! State your name! Do you have the qualifications to do this?" Crimson de¡¯s tone became increasingly colder as he roared loudly. Morris was not irritated in the least. He simply shook his hand gracefully and softly said, "Excuse me, I am Morris, Chief Executive Officer of the Sixth Court of the Inquisition. These are my subordinates. They are all great servants of God. We came here to eradicate the heretics.¡± "Hmph!" The Crimson de snorted disdainfully. Red light wrapped around his hands, transforming them into ferocious and massive demon ws. He yelled arrogantly, "Code name Crimson de, one of the Assassin Alliance''s eight Observers. Destroy all enemies!" As soon he said that, Morris'' gentle expression darkened. Those two beautiful eyes began to exude a frightening murderous intent. Not only him, but his five subordinates also raised their heads angrily and bowed down. Waiting for Morris to give an order. Morris stepped forward, intending to tear up this heretic. Although Morris was still indifferent, his tone was no longer as gentle as before. It was filled with endless disgust. "You poor and filthy Assassin Alliance. You have abandoned human dignity and presumptuously used ck sorcery, opened the ck Gate, and signed a contract with the reptiles of the abyss!" Before he finished saying those words, Morris was already scowling. He could not tolerate the existence of demons. That was the greatest sphemy against the true god they worshiped, Enos. What more, this Assassin Alliance¡¯s assassin actually used the power of demons in front of them. He really challenged their bottom line. Morris raised the cross sword in his hand that was emitting a dazzling white light before the Crimson de could say anything. "What are you waiting for?!" he eximed, his face pious. Behind him, the five executive officers knelt on one knee and raised their cross swords above their heads. Right now, tens of white figures appeared from outside the gate. They all knelt on one knee behind Morris, holding the cross swords in their raised hands as well. In the blink of an eye, hundreds of people were already kneeling behind Morris. The white robes they wore created the illusion of a white ocean. Crimson de took a step back, stunned. Although he was not proficient in the Convergence (Breath Holding) method, it was still extremely powerful. However, he hadn''t noticed anyone outside! These people were either able to hide using their own breath-holding technique, or they rushed to the area in an instant! Thetter was obviously more usible. Hundreds of executives behind Morris immediately roared loudly, "We are the daggers and the poison. We are the broom of the true God! We sweep away all evil!" Morris shouted once more, the crossed swords in his hands became more and more dazzling, even the magnificent white robe on his body exuded floating white arcs of light. "Where is your faith located?!" "You must have a dagger in your left hand and poison in your right hand. Shout the name of the true god, Enos and hang yourself on the cross! May you be the Holy Spirit and unite with tens of thousands ofpatriots to fight to the death with countless demons in the abyss!" As soon as the executives behind him finished speaking, Morris put down the raised cross swords, bowed his body, looked at the shocked Crimson de with endless murderous intent, and roared in a low voice, "Amen!" He transformed into a white light, dashing towards the Crimson de. His sharp sword going straight for the Crimson de''s head. The moment Morris moved, tthose kneeling executive officers immediately followed and stood up. Brandishing the cross swords in their hands and rushing towards the Crimson de, bing bundles of white light. Aside from anger and hatred, those several hundreds pairs of eyes revealed fanatical beliefs ordinary people can neverprehend. Anyone who wasn''t a fool could see that the Crimson de was fighting a group of lunatics, very strong lunatics. It was bad. Crimson de wasn¡¯t stupid; on the contrary, he was quite smart. The moment Morris approached, Crimson de¡¯s whole body glowed red as he swished up and ran towards the mercenary leader, Winnie. "Don''t flee! You wretched heretical devil!" Morris yelled, chasing after him. Assassin Alliance, however, had one of the best escape capabilities. The distance between the two only gradually widened. Even when there was a loud bang, Crimson de kept on sprinting, paying no attention to Morris who was moring behind him. He then kicked the closed door where Winnie was in. Seeing the situation inside, he was stunned for a split second. It was because of this momentary negligence that Morris, who was quick-eyed and quick-handed, seeded to catch him. Morris waved one hand across the air and a few white chains went around Crimson de, wrapping his whole body tightly. The shackles of the chains jolted Crimson de out of his trance. Such delicate magic could be destroyed by the Crimson de with a single breath. However, he didn''t have much time to do that. The next moment, when arge group of executive officers who were following Morris saw this, they didn''t need any orders to move. With a single wave of their hands, hundreds of white chains swarmed up,pletely binding Crimson de. "Ahh! Despicable, despicable!" The Crimson de was tightly bound by the chains. It would take a long time to untie. His extremely angry eyes were exposed under the mask. Those eyes inadvertently looked back at the room, revealing a little sadness. Winnie, who was supposed to be paralyzed and unable to move, was decapitated in the room by someone with a sword. He was already dead and couldn¡¯t be more dead than this. The Crimson de understood. He understood very well. As expected, Winnie must¡¯ve been assassinated by others from the Illuminati. Emotions swept his whole being because of the feeling of betrayal and the death of an old friend. The eyes beneath his mask glowed a destructive red light. Morris didn''t really care, as the Crimson de was temporarily bound. His cross sword that was glowing with a dazzling white light was about to sh down to end him once and for all when Crimson de suddenly fell to his knees. Red light intensely shone from his eyes, as if he couldn¡¯t control it anymore. ng! There was a sound of metal nking. Morris was shocked to discover that his full-strength sword swing using holy light had been bounced back. Looking down, Morris instantly raised Crimson de¡¯s chin. There was a light and shallow mark on Crimson de¡¯s forehead. A ck light shot out from a mountain far away in the sky, breaking through the sky with a loud bang. In the blink of an eye, a big hole opened in the sky above Morris'' head. A ck light struck down, hitting Crimson de who was kneeling on the ground. "The ck Gate! You opened the ck Gate¡­! Be careful! Everyone, be careful!" When Morris was taken aback, the reed light from Crimson de¡¯s eyes prated the mask. Suddenly, he let out a ferocious voice that certainly was not human. Thrilled at the prospect of wreaking havoc. "I havee¡­ to the human world!" Chapter 33: The Great Demon Uruses

Chapter 33: The Great Demon Uruses

Morris, whose expression looked unbearably ugly, roared loudly, "Watch out! He has summoned the contracted demons from the abyss through his own ck Gate!" Just as Morris''s words left his mouth, Crimson de, who had been keeping his head down, suddenly moved. His dangling arm suddenly moved so fast it disappeared. That arm then tried to grab Morris'' chin with its ws, attempting to sever the human''s head. Morris, on the other hand, wasn''t going to die easily. After all, he bore the title of the Chief Executive Officer of the Inquisition. The moment Crimson de made a move, Morris had already brandished his cross sword and blocked the attack. A dazzling white light spread across the long sword. Unfortunately, Morris still underestimated the opponent''s strength. The magic sword in Morris''s hand, made of high-quality materials and filled with holy magic, was smashed to pieces by the w. Morris'' pupils contracted viciously. However, Crimson de¡¯s next kick was extremely swift and violent. It shattered the magic-enhanced robe he wore on the outside, reaching the armor made of mithril inside. The impact of the kick went straight into Morris'' stomach. "Wooah!" Morris screamed in agony and flew into the air. Leaving an obvious trail of blood behind. Boom! Morris fell to the ground. His subordinates immediately stepped forward to assist him. They were taken aback that the chief they admired and respected had been seriously injured by the opponent''s kick. "Don''t pay attention to me, watch out for the enemy!" Although Morris¡ªwho could only stare and barely able to stand up¡ªsaid that, he felt a little desperate inside. Right now, the previously weak Crimson de no longer existed. Crimson de staggered and slowly stood up. Like a baby learning to walk, he used his limbs in a strange way. Eventually, he growled impatiently, "The human body is too troublesome." Crimson de propped up the mask. The mask cracked because of a single touch from him. A mouth with barbed jaws and a pair of enormous fangs were revealed. Immediately after, a pair of crimson eyes several timesrger than a bull''s eye could be seen. Crimson de¡¯s original hair was gone, reced by two massive horns that were curved in the edge. The body swelled rapidly, the skin turned ck, and scales grew, covering his whole body. His human feet twisted and deformed into hooves, resembling those of cattle and/or sheep. After a while, this behemoth had grown to the size of the branch''s wall. Its shadow engulfed all of the executive officers present. Morris and the others looked at all this in shock. Prickles appeared from all of the huge monster''s joints, and its entire body burst into mes. Its back, which was covered in bone spikes, trembled. Two massive bat wings surrounded by mes pped open soon after. Because of his wings, the entire castle was shrouded in darkness. The sleeping monster awoke, still a little groggy. The massive crimson eyes widened suddenly. mes erupted as its eyes examined the tiny creatures below. The huge nose sniffed, smelling the earthy fragrance of earth. Finally, it excitedly opened its big mouth full of fangs, roaring energetically at the executive officers below. "ROAR ROARR ROARRR ROARRR!" A massive wave of sound roared, apanied by the pungent odor of sulfur on the surface. Many of the executives began to cower in fear, lowering their swords. Morris, who was fast to calm andpose himself, cried out in disgust. These executives were the best believers and soldiers. Even so, it was natural for them to be terrified if they encountered such an inhuman demon that only existed in legends and myths. All he had to do now was boost their and his own morale. "Faithful believers! What are you hesitating for? Have you forgotten the vows you made to the true God before? To eliminate evil and uphold God''s justice! If youy down your weapons now, you might be able to escape with your lives. However, what you''ve been guarding your entire lives will no longer exist! Your faith would crumble, and your lives would lose their luster! It will be difficult to look at the condemning eyes of the younger generations directed at you! Is that really what you want?!" . "No! No! No!" Morris'' words uplifted their morale. The executive officers'' eyes, which had been a little scared at first, became full of determination. They raised their swords again and took out the crossbows on their backs. "For the Great and Almighty Enos! Return to God¡¯s embrace after death!" they shouted in unison. Morris was relieved. The executive officers immediately raised their crossbows, arrows drenched with holy water. They then pressed the trigger, targeting the demon''s head and huge body. Whoosh whoosh whoosh! The sound of arrows piercing through the air pulled the demon''s attention from its initial excitement. It finally realized that these tiny things approaching were actually attacking it. The seemingly thunderous crossbow shot did not hurt or even itch its body. The arrows fell to the ground without leaving a mark. Well, even though it didn''t care about being bitten by a group of ants, it was still ufortable. This was what the Great Demon Uruses was thinking at the time. Uruses shook its enormous head, causing the tower that came into contact with its curved horns to copse. Looking at the dense crowd of white-robed humans below, it eximed loudly, "Humans! You puny humans are attacking me? You will be silenced by the zing mes of the Abyss!" As soon as the words were spoken, a massive fireball condensed on the big devil''s mouth full of fangs. With a bang, a fireball in the size of a carriage went straight to Morris and the others. "Guardian Enchantment! Quick!" Morris shouted in horror. All the executive officers immediately threw down their crossbows, grabbed the crosses on their chests, and chanted loudly, "Great God, thou are my father and mother. May thy glory protect thy humble servants. Bring down mercy and justice, delighted to erge it.'''' Amidst the chant, arge milky white shield surrounded the crowd. The extremely powerful fireball hit it all at once, exploding with a bang. The waves of crimson fire spread across the shield, causing the surrounding walls and facilities to copse and burn. Morris stared in horror at the trembling shield, but fortunately it held out. He heaved a relieved sigh. The humans, who it thought would be destroyed in an instant in the face of its power, were unscathed. The Great Demon Uruses snorted from his nostrils in displeasure, letting out a huff of mes. However, the great demon was suddenly stunned. It felt the aura of the shield summoned by Morris and others. That familiar yet unfamiliar aura that disgusted all the demons in the abyss. The big demon''s indifferent expression changed. With a ferocious and angry expression, he roared. "Enos¡¯ aura! The aura of that dirty, despicable, hypocritical entity! You are priests! Despicable priests, tremble under the gaze of the All-knowing, All-powerful God of Darkness, Belial!" The great demon raised one hand. Massiveva sword the thickness and height of a tower gathered in his palm. If such a dreadful thing was to fall on them, certainly no one would be spared. So, Morris shouted determinedly, "Divine Punishment! Summon Divine Punishment!" Chapter 34: The Eye of Enos

Chapter 34: The Eye of Enos

At that point of time, on a mountain far from the Freemasons¡¯ Association, Nasura¡ªthe great ice mage¡ªwas leaning on the tree trunk next to him. He was taken aback by the massive demon towering over the castle in the distance. Before he could express his emotion, there was a faint sound of footsteps behind him. He closed his eyes and readied his wand. Nasura was about to cast an ice mist spell as soon as he turned around. But then, he saw Adele. Adele had disappeared halfway through the journey. She was now standing behind him, in a dazed state. Nasura exhaled and frowned. He immediately inquired, "Adele, where did you go?" Nasura noticed that herplexion was off. Moreover, her hands were covered with blood. Nasura''s stern expression softened. He took a step forward. Gently and carefully, he said, "What''s wrong with you? Did something happen? Don''t worry, we both are in the same boat now. If you have any difficulties, please let me know." These words pulled Adele out of her trance. She looked at Nasura who was smiling softly despite his confusion. Her once powerful and determined eyes were long gone. Tears flowed like a torrent of infinite deration. She threw herself into Nasura''s arms, wailing and crying bitterly. Nasura stared nkly at Adele in his arms. The burst of her intoxicating body fragrance coupled with her soft body made him feel a little troubled. After a while, Nasura was about tofort her when Adele pushed him away. In embarrassment, she looked at the trace her tears had left on his chest. Her pretty face flushed red. "It''s okay, it''s okay. I''ll just wash it." Nasura hurriedlyforted her. In fact, he wished Adele would always be this way to him. "Nasura, I just murdered my teacher and severed his head! I still remember him being so determined to ask me to kill him. I really couldn''t save him at that time." Adele surprisingly opened the door of her heart and spoke the words in her heart. "It''s okay, everything is okay. I''m still here with you." Nasura fell silent for a moment before stepping forward and hugging Adele in his arms. Although Adele struggled a little at first, he could feel her whole body softened not long after Leaning into his arms like a kitten¡­. At the same time, after Morris shouted hismand, all of the executive officers were slightly taken aback before wearing a resolute expression. When the executive officers saw that the great demon''s huge ming giant sword was about to strike down and kill everyone, they fell to their knees in unison, quickly took the daggers from their waist, and stabbed it at the back of their left hand. It was a chilling moment! Blood spurted from the palms of hundreds of people, sshing everywhere. However, they didn''t show the slightest pain. Instead, they crossed their bloodied hands across their chests and gazed up at the unpredictable sky above them. "Great God Enos! Bring down the scepter of punishment and wash away the filthy evil! We, with our blood as a medium, are willing to sacrifice our lives and return to the embrace of God!" As soon as they finished chanting, the hugeva sword in the great demon''s hand smashed down fiercely. Followed with the sound of wind and thunder. With a bang, it hit the shield. Surprisingly, the shield seeded in deflecting the terrifying giant sword. However, the light shield was overwhelmed and shattered in return. "Hm? Enos''ckeys still have some tricks on their sleeves!" The great demon looked at the giant sword that bounced off his hand. It smiled and stared at the frightened executives below. Finally, it raised the giant sword once more to dispose of these ants in one blow. At such a critical moment, the executives looked at each other with a relieved smile on their faces and shouted in unison, "Amen!" Rumble! There was a thunderp in the sky. The gigantic demon was about to sh down when it suddenly froze. He raised his massive and ferocious head, but was horrified to see that the sky, which had previously been clear, was now obscured by dark clouds. Lightning bolts slithered through the dark clouds likerge snakes. Wow! A crack suddenly appeared on the clouds above its head. It opened like the eyes of a human, revealing the bright sunshine behind the clouds. Like a miracle, the buildings of this Freemasons¡¯ Association¡¯s branch were dark as they were shrouded in dark clouds. But then sacred light streamed from the huge hole that appeared in the middle of the clouds. It was truly a breathtaking sight! In a trance, the great demon looked up at the hole above its head. It seemed to hear the prayers and pious singing of countless people that wereing endlessly from the hole. Morris and the others looked at this scene, their eyes were filled with tears as they sped their hands together. Praying in a low voice devoutly. All people within a radius of ten miles¡ªincluding hunters, merchants, and mercenaries¡ªopened their mouths and watched this scene in shock. What a miraculous scene! Right now, it didn¡¯t matter whether you have faith or not. Those who had a good impression of Enos and the Holy See all fell to their knees devoutly, cried until their clothes wet with tears, and chanted unfamiliar scriptures excitedly while confessing their sins. The scene astounded Adele and Nasura as well. She was about to kneel unconsciously when Nasura pulled her up. He, too, was barely hanging on. With a solemn expression, he said "Do. Not. Kneel. to. God!" In response, Adele looked at him with her serious and bright eyes. The Great Demon Uruses¡¯ huge crimson eyes showed unprecedented fear. With a trembling voice, it couldn''t help but murmur, "Enos, Enos!" Others couldn''t see it, but he, the great demon, could vaguely see it. There appeared to be a pair of cold, white, and bright eyes without the slightest emotion looking at all this with contempt from the hole in the sky. The great demon started to retreat. It could clearly feel the Lord God''s unrivaled power. The feeling was the same as in the abyss. The feelinging from the altar of Belial, the God of Darkness. There was no chance of either victory or survival. The great demon was about to spread its massive wings in order to flee when a pure white thunder as wide as a tower instantly struck down from the hole in the sky. Hitting straight into the great demon¡¯s body. "Oooh ah ah ah!" The mes on its body had been extinguished while the scales all over its body had been blown to smithereens. Thick ck smoke emanated from its body. "No! Enos, you can''t do this!" The great demon wailed in despair. It fell on his knees as its body began to fade away rapidly. It certainly wouldn''t be long before not even ashes were left of this powerful great demon. Unfortunately, the great demon''s luck was even better than it thought. The executive officers, who kept on chanting, suddenly began to tremble all over. The blood on their hands instantly evaporated. Their bodies shriveled up like a balloon. Not even having a chance to scream before they went as limp as a piece of paper, dead as one could be. The chanting stopped. The desperate great demon noticed that pair of indifferent eyes in the hole slowly closing. In an instant, the thunder vanished, the dark clouds dispersed, and the hole also closed. There were no traces left of the previous miracle that happened between heaven and earth. If it weren''t for the floor cracked by the thunder, it might as well have been a dream. "No.... NO! Oh Enos! Have thou abandoned your followers?!" Morris wept out in reluctance to the sky. The great demon¡ªwho had survived the divine lightning¡ªhad no desire for vengeance. It was desperate to survive. With augh, it spread open its broken wings. Gathering a storm of encouragement for itself, it desperately flew towards the mountain range that had previously burst into ck light. After a while, it was nowhere to be seen. Chapter 35: The Gathering Of The Four Parties

Chapter 35: The Gathering Of The Four Parties

The great demon, engulfed in ck smoke, flew to the edge of the cliff. Finally, it sighed in relief and cursed angrily, "Keep your body safe, human. Otherwise, the contract that you and I signed will be void!" As soon as it said that, the great demon¡¯s body shrank rapidly. The horns on its head, the scales on its body, its tail, and its huge wings disappeared. Only a long-haired man who copsed powerlessly in the jungle remained. Taking a closer look, the man looked absolutely stunning,plete with a bit of heroic feeling. He would be considered a handsome man if it weren''t for the bloody eyes that made his face look a little hideous. It was hard to imagine that for such a cold-blooded masked man, Crimson de''s real face was so handsome! Barely able to sit on the ground, Crimson de opened the hole in the tree next to him, which safely held a ck stone te the size of a dinner te inside. If Morris was here, he would know at a nce what that was. That was an heretical evil thing that couldmunicate with the abyss and summon demons, the ck Gate! The very exhausted Crimson de picked up the ck Gate and stuffed it into his chest. He threw aplicated nce back at the branch of the Freemasons¡¯ Association before grunting and walking away with difficulty. Right now, at the association, Morris stared nkly at the executive officers who had copsed in front of him. The bodies of these executive officers had shrunk, like mummified corpses dried by the scorching sun. Not even a trace of blood remained. Morris looked around, dazed, at the three remaining executive officers. He sighed helplessly. He understood, understood very well. The price for summoning Divine Punishment was the flesh and blood of all those who participated in the prayer. The more lives, the greater the Divine Punishment¡¯s power. Some of Morris'' faith were shaken for a brief moment. "The Divine Punishment is called one of the Holy See''s most important divine arts. The price is the living¡¯s flesh and blood. What is the difference between such divine art and evil, dark, undead magic?" He wavered for a short time. Morris quickly dismissed those thoughts. "How can the dirty and evil necromancy magic bepared with the divine magic of the Holy See? They differ by bounds and leaps from necromancy. Those who sacrifice themselves are able to gain salvation and return to God''s embrace. It should be a good thing." Devoutly, Morris smiled. The Holy See''s doctrine prohibited suicide as a means of returning to God''s embrace. Sacrificing oneself for the sake of others was an exception. They were bestowed with the highest honor. Morris was about to pray for his fallen subordinates with a smile on his face when his ears picked up on a small movement. With a stern expression, he turned his head and shouted towards the castle. "Who is it?! Come out!" The door was pushed open. Three groups of people emerged, each holding a different weapon. It included some trembling students from the Freemasons¡¯ Association. Morris saw a mage wearing a cloak and holding a wand with sharp and cold eyes. The ring on his hand clearly indicated that he was from Hellitt, a wizard from the Forest of Towers. There were also others who were dressed in leather armor made of magical beasts¡¯ skin and light iron. Their hands were holding thin, rune-carved swords. The group used magic and swords, thus was between mages and swordsmen, The Brotherhood of Magic Swordsmen! Among them, the most conspicuous ones were a group of huge, bulky, savage men wearing tattered and hideous leather armor, wielding giant axes and hammers. Such a special body shape. Morris immediately knew that this group were barbarians who fought with the ck Orcs in the north all year round. Belonging to the current Rurukh dynasty of the barbarians. Awakened with formidable physical strength passed down by bloodline to serve as a foundation for traversing the continent. These three groups of people purposefully avoided the two men who were standing in the middle, walking leisurely in the courtyard. One of them was wearing a gorgeous robe, his every move was elegant. His shawl and long ck hair added to his entric appearance. He should be a big noble, but Morris had no idea to whom he belonged or what power he possessed. Whenpared to the other person, he made people feel as if he wasn¡¯t human. A dazzling blond hair, in robes, and no weapons on his body. Just like a regr person. This one, on the other hand, was the one Morris was most concerned about. A person who could make him unable to see their origin in the slightest was obviously beyond his own knowledge. Humans had always been innately afraid of the unknown. Morris looked at the two men in the middle with caution and said, "Hellite from the Forest of Towers, the Brotherhood of Magic Swordsmen, the guards of the Rurukh Dynasty. What are you people doing here?!" The tall barbarian leader shook his huge armor and dangled the huge ax in his hand. He stared right into Morris'' eyes before shouting loudly, "Does it need to be said?! You fanatics must havee here for that scroll. That¡¯s right. We, the Rurukh Dynasty, will not give up the treasure to you!" Morris stood up cautiously and stepped back slightly. The situation was now unfavorable to him. Not only was he injured, but most of his executive officers were also killed or injured. They would not be able to avoid death if they really wanted to fight. So, in a deliberate tone, he said, "There is no reason. Although you all know of the mystery from ten thousand years ago, after so many years, there is no doubt that the scroll is not here. Despite the fact that this branch has been respected for some time, you have all rummaged through it inside and out numerous times. Still, you haven''t even found the shadow of the scroll. What brought you here now, after thousands of years?" As soon Morris said that, a magic swordsman who was holding a glowing thin sword slightly adjusted his crooked enchanted armor. He looked at Morris with gloomy and sharp eyes . Sarcastically, he said, "Crazy believer. You Holy See don''t y dumb. Don''t think you''re the only one who has a copy of the Prophet''s Letter. Every major force has one.¡± "The Prophet¡¯s Letter? Where did you get it from?!" Morris'' pupils immediately contracted. It felt somewhat incredulous. He clearly remembered that written in the archives of the Holy See, all of the people involved in the Prophet''s Letter had been burned at the stake on the charge of heresy. None of them had survived. The ck-robed mage who had been silent suddenly stood up. Slightly raising the top-level magic wand blessed with forty sequences of runes, he sarcastically said, "The Dark Sky, the Eye of the Night will close its eyes. Heaven and earth will bepletely dark.The sphemy would happen once more. The legendary treasure would be bathed in morning sunlight once more, but would be silent in mes." The shock in Morris'' eyes vanished as soon as these words were spoken. It was reced by an icy expression. The passage spoken by the mage from the Forest of Towers was precisely the prophecy recorded in the Prophet¡¯s Letter. Obviously, that prophet had duped the entire Holy See. The precious Prophet''s Letter had been leaked and was taken by the major forces for themselves. All was secretly waiting for theing of the Eye of Night, the lunar eclipse. "Then, how can you confirm the facts? It may not necessarily refer to the lunar eclipsest month, but rather in the future! If not, isn''t this a waste of your time?" Morris immediately questioned, but was countered by the magic swordsman. "That¡¯s why it''s just us minions who came here. The real boss didn''t even move. That''s why the Holy See only sent you, the chief executive officer of the court." Editor¡¯s note: What¡¯s with the author. These handsome guys keep on appearing :¡¯D Notining, tho. But it feels so unnecessary to put an emphasis on how handsome they are, kek. Chapter 36: Summoning the Bitter Water Dragon

Chapter 36: Summoning the Bitter Water Dragon

At this point, Morris had already intended to retreat. Given the involvement of several major forces, he must return alive to report this information to the Holy See. Morris, who was being cautious, noticed that the two men mysteriously standing in the middle turned their heads at the same time to look at the city gate on the right. Then, they exchanged scornful looks. At that very moment, that city gate suddenly exploded. Two groups of men riding horses charged into the city, chopping and stabbing what stood in their way. Morris and several people from other forces focused their gaze at them. Unanimously, they all raised their voices and yelled, "The Northern ck Orcs! The Royal Elves of The Nine ns in the South!" One of the parties, as expected, was dressed in simple ck armor, covered in ck, and carrying a plethora of weapons. They were scowling and yelling at the group of people on the other side. On the other side, everyone had the same shade of green hair. All handsome and beautiful regardless of gender. Their armor was like a work of art, containing unrivaled beauty. In addition, the pointed ears under their hair affirmed that they were elves, a creature ordinary people would¡¯ve never seen in their whole lives. The barbarian had the strongest reaction when he saw the ck Orcs. Immediately raising his huge ax and hammer, grimacing while getting into a fighting stance, he roared, "Filthy, dirty ck orcs! Today you will pay back the blood debt of my three thousand brothers on the Bega Grasnd!" He was about to lead his men to charge those ck Orcs when a beautiful female elf pulled out her bow and arrow. She was tall and curvy, with pale green hair and smooth white skin. Her heroic eyes blinked angrily. All of these characteristics were typical of an elf''s beauty, which could make every man''s heart race. At that moment, her pointed ears twitched as she looked at the enraged barbarians. She immediately let out a beautiful voice, like a nightingale, "The Rurukh Dynasty of the Bega Grasnd? We are the head of the Nine ns of the Dark Forest, the descendants of the God, Smander. I am the seventh royal princess, Windsor Smander! I admire the bloodline of Marcus, the God of War, that flows in your veins. We may worship different gods, but if you and I join forces to defeat this vile race that only knows how to destroy and plunder, you will be able to befriend elves and discuss fine iron trade with our queen!" The elves were not fools, they loved peace. In the rich forest, there was no shortage of iron ore or precious metals. The Rurukh Dynasty, on the other hand, was in the freezing north where it snowed all year round. Iron ore was not only scarce, but also extremely difficult to mine. They mostly traded with neighboring human countries to purchase a small amount of iron at an exorbitant price. So, Windsor''s words were undeniably enticing to these barbarians. They would not only avoid border disputes if they traded with the elves in the south, but also obtain the iron ore they desperately needed. Elves were known to be notoriously peaceful. There would be no conflict of interest between them. The leader of the barbarians was not an idiot. Windsor''s words were credible. To them, those words were a glimmer of hope. A hope of being able to arm all the Rurukh warriors with weapons. All to destroy the orcs to unify the north and establish an eternal kingdom, As the captain of the Varangian guards from the Rurukh Dynasty, he would not let this opportunity pass him by. In response, the tall captain flicked his beard and yelled righteously, "You lowly ck orcs! Not only did you plunder our hometown, but you also targeted our peace-loving elf friends! You who believe in the God of Darkness, Demons God Belial! I''m going to annihte you today!" As soon as he said that, the barbarians behind him rushed forward with great vigor. Princess Windsor gently breathed a sigh of relief. If none of these forces helped them, the elves who had been given special orders to flee the dark forest might never be able to return. This was good, the situation had been reversed. Unfortunately, things were far from that simple. Before Windsor could smile, the ck Orc with protruding fangs, dark purple skin, and decent clothes narrowed his crimson eyes and joyfully shouted, "Summon the Bitter Water Dragon! The gifts for the devil can be organized first!" The Hellitt mages from the Forest of Towers, who held their heads high as if this had nothing to do with them, and the members of the Brotherhood of Magic Swordsmen suddenly became righteous at the same time. They each picked up their wands and magic swords. One of them shouted with anger, "ck Orcs! We have nothing to do with the conflict between you and them! If our brotherhood is to be involved, the ck Orcs'' camp will be gone by tomorrow. The g of magic and sword will be hung there!" Followed by the mage from the Forest of Towers who immediately said, "The three masters will be prosperous, but anything else will be damaged. Only the fire and meteor from the myth wille to life. The forbidden spell will reappear in the north!" Who would¡¯ve known that the dirty and ugly ck Orc onlyughed. It was full of hideous killing intent. "Humans, elves! I will kill all of you. None of you will be able to leave to tell others!" A loud and clear roar erupted from the sky. The sound pierced through the walls like a sharp de and directly into people''s ears. Morris from the Inquisition, the mages from the Forest of Towers, the magic swordsmen, the barbarians, and Princess Windsor, all turned pale at the same time. The unarmed students from the Freemasons'' Association were already on their knees, covering their ears in pain. Just as the roars began to subside, three huge creatures were flying in the sky. They were pping their wings. There were four straight horns on their heads, gray scales all over their bodies, and hideous huge barbed ws on their feet. TThey swooped in with a brutality that obliterated everything! Morris and the others were stunned when they saw these three massive creaturese to life. All of them eximed in shock, "Bitter Water Dragons!" Bitter Water Dragons were very vicious dragons that could only be found in the north. They were called dragons, but they belonged to the sub-dragon species. One could only imagine the heroic appearance of a real pure-blooded dragon or a giant dragon as written in mythology. Despite being a sub-dragon species, this Bitter Water Dragon lived and bred in the vast Hada Salt Lake in the north due to its longsting lifespan. Therefore, it could let out a very strong corrosive breath. The Great Hada Salt Lake tasted very bitter because it was too salty, so the local residents called it bitter water. The name of Bitter Water Dragon also originated from this. Because of its rough skin and thick flesh, the bitter water dragon was difficult to hurt or kill with ordinary sword magic. It was a creature that the army dared not provoke in the cold northernnd. Morris counted and was in shock when he found out that these three were all adult bitter water dragons. Each of them was twenty meters long. Their two wings were fifty meters wide. Three heads swooped down, enough to kill more than half of the major forces present at the same time. At such a critical moment, the elves immediately readied their bows and arrows. The magic swordsmen took out the shield behind their backs. Preparing to withstand the dragons¡¯ deadly breath. The barbarians drew their huge axes, readying themselves to strike a fatal blow to the bitter water dragon. Morris and others also ran to the rear of the team, ready to treat the injured. The assassins who were originally suspicious of each other and the various forces that were at war, miraculously united to face this unfathomable enemy together. The ck orcs who had already fled triumphantly smiled. They didn''t believe the three bitter water dragons could take on these major forces'' elites. However, it was worthwhile to significantly weaken them. With this, the Demon Lord''s task would bepleted as well. It was a pity that the short-sighted ck Orcs didn''t care at all about the two people with unknown powers standing on the edge of the team, strolling casually in the courtyard. He had no idea what kind of enemies he would encounter on this mission. Chapter 37: The Giant Dragon Odovic

Chapter 37: The Giant Dragon Odovic

Princess Windsor, who was standing behind the shields lined up by magic swordsmen, noticed the two handsome men, whose identities were unknown, exchange a quick nce. The ck-haired man in the Chinese robe smiled and said to the blond man who had been ignoring him, "Although you and I don''t know each other nor have we fought each other before, I have a feeling that these three sub-dragons will be suitable opponents for you to face. After all, this is also your family''s business." As soon as he said that before the major forces around him could react, the blond man wisely smiled. He nodded appreciatively and said, "Have you already seen through my origin, the fabled warrior lord?" Hearing this, he ck-haired man was taken aback for a moment. However, he then smiled and took a half step back. Expressing that he would not interfere. Princess Windsor, who had been perplexed at first, was shocked to see this wise blond man take a step forward and look up at the three huge bitter water dragons that were swooping down. And those initially gentle eyes quickly transformed into an awe-inspiring and shocking gaze. His round pupils, the one a human being had, turned into a vertical pupil akin to a beast. A miracle happened. The Bitter Water Dragons, which were about to break through the tower and crush these humans with their sharp ws and fangs, suddenly halted midair. They looked warily if they sensed a huge threat. Their pping wings looked panicked. A subtle feeling of wanting to turn around and run away arose. If one looked carefully, they would notice that the initially ferocious eyes of these Bitter Water Dragons were filled with fear. They feared something that was among the group of tiny human beings below. The majestic aura of a king wasing from down there. When he saw these Bitter Water Dragons, the blond man did not flee. His eyebrows frowned in displeasure. Suddenly opening his mouth, he let out a terrifying roar that scared all of the surrounding major forces. Making them fall onto the ground. "Roar, ROARR!" The mages, magic swordsmen, barbarians, elves, and Morris in the vicinity all felt a wave of terror. The powerful shockwave was enough to push them away. Even the shield of a strong person from the Inquisition like Morris'' was instantly destroyed by the shockwave. He fell to the ground powerlessly. One could imagine how violently the three Bitter Water Dragons were struck by this roar. They wailed and fell to the ground in unison. rashing into the surrounding towers and rolling together. However, when facing these tiny human beings, the Bitter Water Dragons didn''t have their previous ferocity anymore. They raised their heads and nced at the blond man in fear. Sitting up reluctantly and burying their noble heads deep within their arms. They kept retreating in humility and fear, just like amoner in front of the king. It wasn''t until they retreated near the city gate that they let out a roar of joy because they survived the catastrophe. They quickly spread their wings and flew away, as if fleeing from something. Dumbfounded. At the time, this was the most urate portrayal of everyone. They all stared nkly at the blond man in the center who was straightening his cor. A thought shed through everyone''s mind, "The giant dragon lost in the mythology has reappeared!" The first to react, surprisingly, were the mages of the Forest of Hellit. After all, these schrs spent their entire day in silence studying magic and arcane arts. They specialized in all knowledge. Thus, they were unrivaled in their knowledge of the continent. Before the others could react, these mages¡ªwho originally had a high and mighty demeanor¡ªgathered around excitedly as if they had just seen a lost mystery of magic. One of them said, "I have researched magic all my life. To be able to see the dragon that represents the crystallization of the mystery of magic before I die, now I can die with a smile on my face! Hahahaha!" "Tell me guys, will those instructors be envious of us when we return to the Forest of Towers? Oh Almighty God, this is a real living dragon!" "Oh my, it''s really a giant dragon, The illusion technique is so advanced, the details are so realistic you can even see the hairs! That''s awesome." Arge group of mages gathered around the blond man, talking nonstop. Originally, they were wise. But now, they looked like lunatics who hadn¡¯t spoken for thousands of years. Commenting about the giant dragon feared by the world. Morris and Windsor were slightly stunned. They scolded these mages to quickly move, only for the dragon to be surrounded by other bootlickers. The magic swordsman spoke first, "Oh great dragon, our Brotherhood of Magic Swordsmen is now the most powerful organization, I hope to invite you to the headquarters to rest for a few days." As soon as he heard this, the barbarian was offended, "Your magic swordsmen are the most powerful? Our Rurukh Dynasty is in the northernnd, ruled by the God of War! If Mr. Dragon visits us, he can ask for as many jewels and gold coins as he desires!" The barbarians took advantage of the dragon''s penchant for shiny things. When they were about to say the right things to convince him, Morris maintained his faithful and gentle manner while saying, "Holy Dragon, your n once made allies with our Holy See in ancient mythology. Instead of going to these barbarians¡¯ uncivilized dwellings, why not visit our temple and bask in the holy light of Enos?" The beautiful and dignified Windsor couldn''t keep her cool when it came to the giant dragon. Her long pointed ears were tensing. She immediately sneered, "Allies? In mythology, it was your pope who dered the dragons as heretics. Now you have the nerve to call them allies? Mr. Dragon, our people in the Dark Forest value peace; these humans are only interested in power and profit. Why don''t youe and live in the forest for a while?" At the time, these forces were shamelessly attempting to woo the dragon. They all knew that the appearance of the giant dragon meant that he would return to the maind again. Now was different from the ancient times in the mythology. Nowadays, talents had withered. Strong people had died or retired. When would the opportunity of meeting the dragon who crossed the continent back then appear again? They didn¡¯t know about that, but they did understand one thing. If one of the forces became a dragon knight or an ally of the dragon, the benefits would be so great, needless to say. The domineering dragon smiled awkwardly and said, "Because you guys can''t say my real name, just call me Odovic. I''m not here on behalf of the dragon n, I just came here for fun." Even after Odovic exined, these forces that were determined to curry favor with the dragon showed no signs of letting go. The ck Orcs, who saw the Bitter Water Dragon were scared away by the sudden mysterious dragon, realized that the situation was not favorable to them. When they were about to flee, the man in the ck robe who had slipped under the radar suddenly raised his hand. There was a dagger. Soon, a series of cutting sounds were heard from the city gate. Windsor and others instantly returned to their senses and turned their heads. Only to discover that the ck-haired man had long since disappeared and had been standing at the far side of the city gates who knew when. What shocked them even more was that, with the exception of the leading orc, the heads of the other orcs had been severed. Their bodies limp, copsed in a pool of blood. Chapter 38: We are The FreeMasons

Chapter 38: We are The FreeMasons

Fast, it was shockingly fast! Windsor and Morris looked at the scene, dumbfounded. The overwhelming shock made them unable to collect themselves for a brief moment. The dragon, Odovic, was now looking at the ck-haired man. His eyes showed a dignified gaze and a bit of hatred. On the other side, the only survivor, the Orc leader, was sweating profusely. His trembling hands dropped the long sword. His mind was nk. The ck-haired man smiled. Raising the dagger in his hand and pointing it at the Orc, he said, "You just mentioned a gift for the Demon Lord. I''m curious, who is this Demon Lord?" The ck Orc immediately came back to his senses. Unexpectedly, he gritted his fangs and said, "Kill me! The mes and the army of the Demon Lord will trample your humannd sooner orter!" The ck-haired man smiled faintly, but said glumly, "If you don''t say anything, I''ll go to a ck sorcerer for aid. Their soul stripping magic is very effective. Even believers who has faith in Belial are able to do it." Soul stripping magic was a masterpiece of evil magic, a branch of the extremely cruel dark magic. They could forcibly strip the soul of a creature and put it in a specific container. One could do whatever they want to this soul. Whether it was searching for their life memories and offering them as sacrifices to the gods, or using dark alchemy to make evil magical items with it. It was a magic that the Holy See and other forces could not tolerate. And as soon as these words were spoken, the ck orc''s face changed dramatically. His previously dark face turned a little pale. Morris became gloomy in an instant. For a fanatic like him, publicly requesting assistance from the ck wizard would be a p in the face to the Holy See. He, Morris, naturally couldn''t take it any longer and was about to stand up. Grab. Windsor, who was standing beside him, promptly held him with one hand. Her face was more solemn than ever before. She shook her head. The ck Orc who had an ugly face suddenly took out two scrolls from his pockets on both sides and tore them apart. Yellow light wasing from the ground beside him. As if it had life, the gravel ground moved by itself. It gradually condensed into two massive earth and stone figures. They were eight meters tall and there was a flickering arcane energy in the seams to keep the figures operating. "Two Earth Elemental Summoning Scrolls! It''s something from our Forest of Towers!" the mages shouted. Those were the fruit of their painstaking efforts. Who knew it would be used against them by the enemy? But then, whether it was the wailing mages, the observing barbarians, the inwardly ufortable Morris, the silently watching Windsor, or the silent magic swordsmen, everyone was terrified! When the smiling ck-haired man opened his eyes, thousands of stars seemed to flow through his pupils in an instant. The two huge earth figures that were about tounch an attack froze and copsed, returning back into soil and stones. Everyone was stunned. The mages from the Forest of Towers were all also stunned. Nobody knew what this meant better than they did The leading mage''s eyes were filled with disbelief as he muttered, "The magical structure copsed? No, that''s impossible! It''s impossible for the magic that¡¯s activated using a scroll to get a structural copse! Then, what is this?!" As soon as the leader finished speaking, a small mage behind him muttered, "This guy, is he a warrior or a colleague?" The magic swordsman and his gang jumped up excitedly. They believed that this mysterious and powerful figure was also a magic swordsman. Perhaps he was the most powerful among the magic swordsmen. Breaking the myth of a magic swordsman''s double cultivation in magic and martial arts. "You, what have you done?!" The ck orc looked at all this in shock. Although he did not understand magic nor did he understand what this meant, he knew that the person who could break apart this magic was definitely not ordinary. The ck-haired man smiled faintly and said nothing in response to the ck orc''s question. Instead, Odovic, who was standing at a distance, said with aplicated expression, "A power that should not exist. It''s been three thousand years, warrior. Are you still not extinct?" "Neither of us is malicious. It was just a misunderstanding three thousand years ago. The leader has already apologized in person to your patriarch. You''re well aware of it." . Feelingplicated, Ordovic nodded and stopped talking. The ck-haired man ignored the ck Orc who was getting more and more nervous. He said, "Odovic! Son of the Red Dragon of Lunacy. You have the right to know my real name!" The ck-haired man let out a series of strange and wonderful sybles. So odd that a human mouth wouldn¡¯t be able to make such a sound. When Odovic heard it, he bowed gracefully and wisely. "I honor you with your human manners, you are a warrior worthy of my, Odovic''s, respect." People like Windsor and Morris, who had previously been chattering and noisy, fell silent at this point. They felt that the power they were proud of was nothing in front of these genuine strong men. They were so embarrassed that they remained silent and swallowed their doubts. Unfortunately, the situation was vtile. When everyone in the major forces was getting emotional over the appearance of giant dragons and the mysterious warrior, Unfortunately, the situation was vtile. Everyone in the major forces was getting emotional over the appearance of giant dragons and the mysterious warrior when a huge underground world that was astonishinglyrge was unfolding. It was thousands of miles away and thousands of meters deep in an unnoticed forest pool. Beneath the heavy rockyers and tunnels, there was a huge underground city. There were stone houses and stone buildings. Everything was made out of stones. There was also a spacious road paved with stone bs. Both sides of the road were adorned with beautiful and expensive magic lights that emitted a soft yellow light. There was a ten-thousand-foot abyss between the road on one side and the road on the other side. Cold underground water was flowing from the endless stone wall a thousand meters above the head, falling directly into the abyss. From a distance, it looked like a breathtaking waterfall. Artificial bridges were built so one could cross the abyss. If scrutinized carefully, a dense sequence of runes were carved into these stone bridges and buildings. It was used so the bridges and buildings could stand firm for eternity.. Strangely, everyone on the street was dressed in cloaks and trench coats. These people, men and women, young and old, were either holding books or carrying arge number of alchemy experiments they had just bought from the store. If looked closely, one would find that the majority of the people wearing cloaks weren¡¯t human. There were elves with pointy ears, dwarves with big beards, orcs with fangs, and Mms with their ck skin as they originated from the desert. asionally, acquaintances passed by and greeted each other in a friendly manner. The ce was filled with delightful peace and good manners. Past the endless stone houses and buildings and through the countless branches of the stone road, the center of this huge underground city was located there. The most conspicuous thing was not the magnificent castle nor the crowds of people walking through, but a stone statue of an old man with a book in his left hand and a hammer in his right hand, towering over the huge square. Countless passers-by would always pause in front of the stone statue. They only raised their heads to look at it. After watching silently, they walked away without saying a word. A massive stone bid beneath the stone statue. Hundreds ofnguages, including the elfnguage, ancient elfnguage, ancient demonnguage, desert mmnguage, imperialnguage, ancient sacrificialnguage, oguage, barbariannguage, and others, were used on the stone bs. The text was densely written, but they all said the same thing: We are freemasons! In order to search for the truth and prove the truth, we would rather give up our freedom, hold a book and a hammer, and knock down the high god from the throne of truth with the hammer in our right hand. We use the book in our left hand to teach about life so everyone knows the truth. Recognize that their soul does note from God, but from themselves! Chapter 39: Destruction

Chapter 39: Destruction

This vast and boundless underground city turned out to be the headquarters of the very mysterious Freemasons¡¯ Association. These madmen, devoted to alchemy and the pursuit of truth, had expanded the headquarters into an enormous city. Right behind the stone statue, there stood a castle without walls. There were stairs leading to the castle in all directions. Vaguely, it could be seen that all kinds of alchemists were carrying documents or potions, walking on the magnificent corridors. What was truly amazing about this castle was the huge tower suspended right above the castle¡¯s roofs. Beneath the tower, there was arge crystal ball that was emanating a magical luster and thousands of rune sequences enchanted with alchemy. This huge thing was suspended in mid-air. On the top floor of this suspended magic tower, suddenly a ball of white light lit up in the center of a dark hall, above the round table. What was inside the hall was immediately visible, illuminated by the white light. Around the round table, sat eight masked people. They were staring silently at the huge crystal ball in the middle, which was glowing white. What was shocking was that this crystal ball showed the situation in which the Freemasons¡¯ Association branch was invaded and searched by various forces from the past half month until the past ten days. The crystal ball only flickered, showing the events from half a month ago in less than a minute. After, the light dimmed until no more light was emitted. The entire hall was plunged into darkness once more. Such an ufortable atmosphere, yet none of these eight weird people spoke. The silence persisted, making the atmosphere feel torturous. It was overwhelming until a man on the west side of the table spoke up. His voice sounded old. "Willis, you are in charge of Branch No. 22. Please report your situation and the gravity of the situation." As soon as he said that, a man who was sitting on the east side sighed faintly. The tiny magic light streaming in from the window shone on the in gold mask worn by the man called Willis. The outline of the mask was exactly the same as the face of the man who appeared in the branch''s mirror that day. "The lunar eclipse appeared and the scroll surfaced. It is identical as written in the Prophet''s Letter. Illuminati and other major forces mixed in and searched extensively. I''m pleased that the great seal of Emmonik was discovered. Even if it is, it is unlikely that the seal can be broken in less than a month," Willis slowly said. The other seven remained silent. Willis kept talking, but his words were vaguely reproachful, "Frodo, the Divination Bureau''s failure to predict the date of the lunar eclipse in advance is unquestionably a dereliction of duty. You are in charge of the divination bureau, so this also falls upon your responsibility." The old man named Frodo, who spoke earlier, nodded. He didn¡¯t care whether the others could see it or not. He said, "I¡¯ll take responsibility. After the meeting, I will voluntarily go to the Disciplinary Department to receive punishment. ording to what we deciphered from the Prophet''s Letter, the scroll is most likely to have been burned. Our mission had been aplished. What about the major forces who have infiltrated the branch?" Frodo had just finished speaking when the huge crystal ball suddenly lit up again. The crystal ball showed a strange man wearing a wooden mask on his head. When Frodo, Willis, and the others saw it, they pushed their stools aside and stood up. They proceeded to respectfully bow and salute the man. "President." "Sit down, I''mte on some news, I need to understand the specifics." Willis and the others smiled and sat down. "Today is the day the scroll willpletely disappear. We, the association, are following the prophecy written in the Prophet''s Letter. Thus, we have given the truth of the scroll for the world to destroy. I have confirmed that President Uruk''s ten thousand-year-old magic mark has been destroyed. The scroll has vanished from the face of the earth," the president said in a low voice. Willis and the others were relieved, but there was still some reluctance. After all, they were talking about the highest achievement of alchemy. Although the method used should be ssified as dark alchemy, no matter what, it was still alchemy. Willis was relieved because what the president said reduced his own responsibility significantly. After a moment of silence, the president suddenly turned his head and asked Willis, "The Branch¡¯s Dean, I remember his name is Ryan, the naughty boy. How is he doing?" Willis'' body trembled. Somewhat with a heavy heart, he said, "After seeing the lunar eclipse, Ryan became extremely anxious, knowing that the Prophet¡¯s Letter is referring to him. To avoid him being seized by people from other forces, I intimidated and lured him to self-destruct. As hisst wish, he only hoped the president could take care of his family that is staying at headquarters." "Hey, Ryan, this kid. I watched him grow up. Okay, allocate three hundred gold coins to his family, enough for them to live." Willis nodded. The president in the crystal ball abruptly raised his hand, his face solemn. In an instant, dense runes appeared throughout the entire dark hall. Like water currents, it formed aplex and huge alchemical array floating on everyone''s table. The eight people immediately stopped making noise. "Vote, those who agree to destroy the 22nd branch of the Freemasons¡¯ Association, stand up,¡± the president said softly."Agree." "I agree." "I also agree." One by one, seven people expressed their opinions until Willis was the only one left. Frodo sighed and said, "Willis, let him destroy what needs to be destroyed. We are sorry for the innocent children who will die in vain. We''ll have to pay this debt eventually. The branch can only be destroyed to thwart the selfishness of the major forces in their pursuit of the scroll." Willis remained silent when he heard these words. Finally, he nodded slightly and said, hoarsely, "Agreed." The president looked deeply at Willis through the crystal ball. Flowing with charisma, the president then said, "Eight people agreed. In my position as the president, ording to the agreement of the Freemasons, I¡¯ll destroy the 22nd branch!" As soon as he said that, the huge andplicated alchemy array on the round table suddenly changed. Its numerous runes shifted and deformed. Surprisingly, it converged into thousands of alchemical formations, both small andrge. Willis'' eyes caught sight of one of the small alchemical arrays floating in front of him. In the center of the alchemical array, ¡®Freemasons Federation, Branch Number 22¡¯ was written in ancientnguage. Numbers such as No. 23, No. 25, No. 76, No. 450, and so on were written in these thousands of alchemical formations of various sizes. In other words, two pieces of information could be gained from this. Not only did this terrifying alchemical formation have an indirect grip on all the branches, but there were thousands of branches, enough to cover the entire continent. At that moment, the president in the crystal ball nodded slightly. Eight people, including Willis, immediately stretched out their palms and pressed on the huge alchemical array floating on the table. In unison, they said, "Start the 22nd Branch''s dposition spell!" The Freemasons¡¯ Association''s alchemical array marked with No. 22 immediately burst into a dazzling light. Its encircling runes dispersed one by one in all directions. This phantom almost brought the entire alchemical formation to life! Right now, at the Freemasons¡¯ Association Branch No. 22, the ck-haired man and the dragon Odovic¡¯s expressions suddenly changed dramatically. The two exchanged a look. Odovic immediately jumped up, opened his mouth towards the city gate to mutter a few iprehensible sybles. From his mouth, a huge ball of searing hot fire erupted. The st blew up the gates. The ck-haired man, not wanting to be outdone, opened his voice and shouted. "Everyone run away! Damn alchemists! How dare they attack so hard!" Morris, Windsor, and the others exchanged looks. Wondering what was wrong because they had no idea what had happened. From the ground outside the exploded gate, a dazzling light suddenly burst out, spreading to Morris and the others¡¯ feet at an extremely fast speed. When he saw the dense runes that had covered the ground beneath his feet, the mage of Heillitt from the Forest of Towers dropped his wand in fear. Thousands of them were floating on the stone floor. So dense if one didn¡¯t look closely, it was akin to a knee-deep river. TThe barbarians who were about to say they were staying to explore the search scrolls immediately swallowed their words. After exchanging nces to the left and right, a young magic swordsman who didn''t know what to do or what was important yelled excitedly, "Ow ow ow! These alchemists must be scared! Chief, let''s rush inside the castle and find the scroll now! The dawn for us, magic swordsmen ising!" Who knew that the stunned leader of the Brotherhood of Magic Swordsmen would crack his hands and p him. His face was full of fear as he shouted, "If you want to die, you stay! We''re leaving! If you find the scroll and don¡¯t die, you can take my position!" At this point, everyone understood that the countless runes on the ground were absolutely noughing matter. Unsurprisingly, these five forces of people immediately scattered wildly towards the exploded city gate. The old mage, who was physically shy and weak, yelled in frustration while holding his breath, "Damn alchemist! How dare they paint the entire castle with dposition alchemy formations! If I, Philip, did not die, I would definitely¡­." "Hey, don''t be so sure. Run for your life first!" A barbarian beside him lifted the old Philip and ran towards the city gate with big strides. "Let go of me, you savage and rude guy! Can¡¯t you be gentler?!" In the distance, old Philip''s angry curses could be heard faintly. Chapter 40: Developing Skills

Chapter 40: Developing Skills

On the hill outside the branch of the Freemasons¡¯ Association, a dreadful Morris, Windsor, and the rest of the crowd were dumbfounded. They stood there watching as the magnificent castle was engulfed in an iparably massive pir of light that emerged. The figures of those who did not have enough time to flee could still be seen in the distance. They wailed as they kneeled in the violent floating runes. Alongside the screams, they dposed into dust and disappeared. Windsor trembled and whispered in terror as the pir of light that was reaching the sky gradually fading away, "Everything is gone. All of it." The original magnificent castle was no longer there. It was as if ice cream had been scooped out of a piece of t surface, forming an extremely curved circr sunken ground. Everyone was hesitant to speak in this strange silence. Odovic, the dragon, exchanged nces with the mysterious warrior. Then, the two just quietly left. Pdin, who was far away, had no way of knowing about the great turmoil in the Freemasons¡¯ Association. At the time, he was still drunk on developing andprehending his own power. After discovering that he could capture the golden light element using his own element, Pdin had to acknowledge a fact. When darkness fell and there was no hint of sunlight in the night, it was impossible for him to replenish the magic elements. In other words, during the night, Pdin was very vulnerable. Once the three hundred magic elements surrounding his body had been depleted, unless daylight came, he would be nothing but an empty shell. This fact made Pdin sigh. On the other hand, if he chose to develop the use of the magic elements in the daytime first, he could capture the magic elements endlessly. If so, wouldn''t he have unlimited magic power in the daytime? The temptation was too great. However, Pdin had to learn the hard way that once he used the elements to coalesce magic to the limit of what they could hold, they could no longer absorb the elements. The reason was that his own limit at this moment was three hundred. He tried to make light arrows with three hundred magic elements while continuously absorbing magic elements when the spell was activated. However, absorbing and using magic elements at the same time wasn¡¯t possible. The amount of magic elements he could have at one time was limited. The previous attempt to replenish thousands, if not tens of thousands, of magic elements failed. There were some gains even if there were losses too, Pdin tried to console himself. Pdin also discovered that absorbing magic elements through the Philosopher''s Stone would greatly consume his life essence. He must use an equal amount of Philosopher''s Stone to restore the life essence, or he¡¯d revert to his previous miserable state, in which he nearly died of old age. The good news was that the number of magical elements gained from the Philosopher''s Stone would not diminish with age. At least, it provided him with some sce. At present, Pdin still had little contact with the outer world. As a result, he had no idea that a mage with over a thousand elements, such as the great ice mage Nasura, was a rare and unreachable high-leveled person on the continent. Simply put, those who attained a thousand magic elements would be great mages. Common mages possessed less than a thousand magical elements. While the mages required magic props to determine how many magic elements they possessed, Pdin only needed to see with his eyes. The magic guide was a level higher than the great mage. The maximum number of magical elements that one could possess to still be considered as a great mage was 5.000 magic elements. However, the maximum amount for a magic guide was considerably higher. The maximum limit was a whopping 50,000 magic elements. The magic power was so strong it could destroy an entire army. They were feared and fawned over by major monarchs, enough to turn someone into a legendary figure. Currently, only the leaders of the Three Grand Masters had reached the level of Archmage. The exact extent of their powers were unknown. Just like the mythical St. Magen, who was bestowed the title of Saint by the Holy See. Although it was unknown how powerful he was, it was said that he alone directly overpowered the spell cast by ten great mages. Unfortunately, Pdin could only see the magic elements. As a result, he could only see the mage''s or caster''s ability at a nce. He wouldn¡¯t be able to see the power level of different kinds of fighters and assassins¡ªfor example, magic swordsmen, barbarians with bloodline power, assassins from Assassin Association, and some powerful warriors or knights. Their power level could be ssified using the ten sses established by the soldiers themselves. Just as mages had mages, great mages, magic guides, magic mentors, and archmages. The five lower ranks of fighters could fight against mages. The next four levels were strong enough to fight against the great mages. Meanwhile, the highest level of fighters could barely deal with magic guides. It was just that the power of magic was too strong. No matter how hard someone trained their body, they couldn''t resist the power of this world. This would result in the current situation in which justice was expensive while war was cheap. Because of this, countless warriors sought out various powers in order to strengthen themselves against mages. The magic swordsmen''s dual practice of magic and martial arts, barbarians'' bloodline method, Assassin Alliance''s power based on instant burst, dragon knights'' ability to make friends with dragons to strengthen himself, Pdin''s use of divine power, and so on were a few of them. It was a pity that they would all be unable to resist the powerful and wise group of mages. Although the power of his 300 magic elements was onlyparable to that of an ordinary mage, the elements he had mastered were too strange. In addition, his elemental control was so good it made people feel suicidal. There was no danger even if he went up against a mage withbat power twice his own. Deep in thought, Pdin waved his hand casually. The three hundred light elements hovering around him immediately gathered in his palm. A tiny ball of light was formed, emanating a dazzling luster. These days, Pdin devoted himself to studying divine magic. Not only did he learn how to make the Arrow of Light, but he also learned other two magics that required less than three hundred magic elements. There was a sacred chain designed to bind enemies. The effect was mediocre. Pdin wasn¡¯t that impressed. Instead, it was another tasteless lighting technique that brightened Pdin''s eyes. As the name implies, the lighting technique consisted of creating a magicalmp to illuminate the surroundings. When Pdin used it at will, he discovered that it was one of the few magics that could be used without any magic structure! It was different from a fireball technique. Although arge number of elements could be used to boost its power, once the number of elements exceeded the limit of the magic frame, the magic would vanish due to the structure being squeezed out. A wooden barrel would be a good analogy. You could take a bath with a half-full wooden barrel, but you could also add more water. However, once the amount of water exceeded the capacity of the wooden barrel, it¡¯d overflow, wasting the water. The lighting technique, on the other hand, didn¡¯t have this w because it simply added condensed magic elements to increase the density and generate light and heat. Because there was no frame constraint, you could use up all of your magic elements. It didn''t look much. At best, it¡¯d be brighter. But, it was important to mention that Pdin''s golden light magic elements were violent and aggressive. Thus, the end result was quite different. Pdin smiled as he looked at the ball of light in his hand. Immediately, all three hundred golden magical elements surrounding him went crazy and became condensed. The light ball, which was only the size of a soybean at first, quickly swelled up like a sponge absorbing water. It continued to grow bigger. When Pdin used all of his magic elements, the light sphere had grown to the size of the mouth of a bowl. Pdin was pleasantly surprised to hear the faint crackling sound of energy collisioning from the light sphere. Without further ado, Pdin intercepted the extremely dense elements on the ball¡¯s surface. Just like piercing a small hole in a balloon with a needle. He then extended his hand and aimed it out of the window. Instantly, the light sphere burst. Forming a golden light beam as thick as a finger with a buzzing sound that made ears ring. This golden light beam darted across the church, through the houses, and struck arge tree hundreds of meters away. It was as simple as slicing thin paper with a knife. Thisrge tree, at least a hundred years old, was easily sliced down the middle. High-temperature sparks radiated from the cut. The nearby houses copsed with a bang. The emptiness felt when Pdin¡¯s magic elements were used up in an instant didn¡¯t bother him. Right now, he was looking at the disaster he had caused with a crazed face. The corners of his mouth formed a sinister arc. "This is exactly what I¡¯m looking for!" Chapter 41: Tougher Than You

Chapter 41: Tougher Than You

. The next morning, Pdin stood in front of Enos'' statue. Receiving the prayers of themoners who came. When he was smiling and holding the hand of a young girl to exin God''s mercy, the church door was suddenly kicked open. A middle-aged man in ornate clothes stood there with a wretched appearance and a beard bearded into eight. Two mercenaries in leather armor stood behind him, long swords at their waists. He grinned and shouted ¡°, "Pdin! You priest! You''ve sphemed against Enos'' mercy! You should be thrown into the abyss and tortured to death by those demons!" Pdin''s face was devoid of anger in the face of verbal abuse. Instead, he turned to the stunned civilians with a gentle face and said, "Please leave, I have something to say to this believer." Civilians who didn''t want to get caught in trouble immediately heaved a relieved sigh and ran away without a trace. This was obviously what the fat merchant wanted to see. After allowing the civilians to leave, the door was closed. Then, the guards stood beside him. With a grim smile on his face, he said, "Pdin, you disregarded the doctrine and purposefully killed the shopkeeper, Prad. Then you¡¯re taking over the ironworks under his name! You are greedy for profit and have been deeply poisoned by the devil!" He abruptly lowered his voice and continued, "Automatically, as long as you admit your mistake, transfer the deed of the ironworks to me for safekeeping, and sincerely kneel down to lick the soles of my shoes, I will not report it to the bishop of the diocese." "Humph." Pdin grunted disdainfully. He looked at the merchant and said, "Smart people don''t spew nonsense, you want this iron smelter?" "That¡¯s right! You do have some brain. I just want the iron smelter. When something happens in Nurba, you can ask me to help you out. Trust me, you''ll think this is a good deal, given that I, a wealthy local businessman, will support and assist the priest." Surprised, the rich merchant nodded and stated his intention directly and openly. The normally kind and even shy priest¡¯s behavior had changed drastically. Surprisingly, he ignored the wealthy merchant and turned to the two mercenaries behind him, asking, "You are Kaleqi''s men, what are his orders?" The two mercenaries looked at each other, but fell silent. Pdin immediately nodded in understanding, still ignoring the rich merchant who was a little angry at being ignored. He then muttered, "Kaleqi should be the one in charge of the smelters. Are you trying to test me?" "Hey! I''m talking to you, a priest whocks even the most basic manners!" The rich merchant became enraged and stepped forward, pointing at Pdin''s nose and cursing him. But Pdin gave him a sidelong nce, waved his hand expressionlessly, and knocked him to the ground with a p. His right foot immediately followed with a hard kick to the fat stomach. "AHHH!" The rich merchant let out a heartbreaking scream. The two mercenaries jumped in shock and were about to draw their swords. However, they were forced to stop when they saw Pdin¡¯s darkened eyes. They felt as if they were being watched by a python coiling in the dry leaves. Staring at them, making the atmosphere feel suffocating and oppressing. As soon as they moved a little bit, the huge python would wrap itself around them and crush all of their bones. "How dare you hit me? Pdin, so you don''t want to be a priest anymore! I know the bishop of the diocese, you¡­." Pdin didn¡¯t let the angry rich merchant finish speaking. He grabbed his fat neck, lifting up the rich merchant who weighed more than two hundred pounds, and mmed him against the wall. "You''re a foolish and greedy lowlife with nothing but gold coins. Tell me, did youe here to get the ironworks for yourself or are you coborating with those foolish colleagues who couldn¡¯t even move?¡± The rich merchant, who was already scared but still had some courage, turned his head to look at the mercenaries who stood frozen in ce. He was about to scold them when Pdin¡¯s grip grew stronger and it squeezed his neck even more. His face instantly became red. "You haven''t answered my question yet." The rich merchant, whose neck was being squeezed more and more, realized that Pdin''s eyes no longer had the devotion and gentleness that a servant of God should have. Instead, those eyes were unbridled, crazy, and full of madness. At this point, the rich merchant was really terrified. There was a voice inside his head, telling him that if he didn''t say anything, this monster d in the priest''s robe would really kill him! "I''ll say it, I''ll say it! It''s their words, Nari''s, Chira''s, and Dorren''s. I''m just snooping! Don''t kill me!" The rich merchant, fully panicked, told Pdin who his aplices were. Pdin only nodded in understanding. These were the merchants who took up the majority of Nurba''s iron ore output. To put it another way, these few people represent all of Nurba''s iron smelters. Pdin had guessed so. He then removed his hand. The rich merchant immediately fell to the ground and started coughing. His neck was red like a rose. The rich merchant, who was relieved because he thought his opponent was actually scared to kill someone, was taken aback when he saw Pdin smiling and searching for the dagger he was wearing on his body. The rich merchant could guarantee that he only carried the dagger. He had no real intention of killing anyone. It was purely a gorgeous decoration the merchant had already worn for years, but had never been pulled out. Just when the rich merchant was worried that Pdin was really thinking of killing him, Pdinughed, raised the dagger, and stabbed his own left arm. "Ahhhhhhh! Ahhhhhhh! That hurts!" Pdin pulled out the dagger. Immediately, bright red blood flowed from the arm. His eyes were bing increasingly crazier. "You crazy man." The rich merchant and the two mercenaries looked at the scene in a daze. However, the obese rich merchant was the first to react and showed a look of fear. Pdin raised his head, cold sweat began to form on his forehead. With a conspiratorial smile, he said, "Early in the morning, you disturbed a sacred church, drove away the believers, and tried to murder a priest of the Holy See! Hahahahaha, you foolish fellow, you messed with the wrong person!" At that moment, the door that had been closed tightly was suddenly kicked open from outside. Kaleqi, together with a group of guards, walked in in a pretentious manner. Ignoring the curious people behind him, he yelled at the top of his lungs, "I heard that some people openly provoked the holy church! Huh? What''s going on here?!" Halfway through his line, Kaleqi saw the two mercenaries carefully pointing at Pdin who had a painful expression on his face and the rich merchant who was lying on the ground with a pale face. When he saw the blood rushing out of Pdin''s arm, his originally rational head instantly went nk. When Pdin saw the main character of the show approaching him, he screamed and copsed to the ground. He covered his bleeding arm and started wailing. Kaleqii, who heard the scream, immediately came back to his senses. He quickly ran over and didn¡¯t forget to look at the rich merchant. But, he then saw that the other party''s eyes were nk, as if his feelings were dead. Chapter 42: No Questions

Chapter 42: No Questions

"Father, what''s going on?!" Kaleqi dashed over to Pdin and squatted. He looked at the serious injury on Pdin''s arm and said that in a concerned but reproachful tone. With a pained expression, Pdin wailed. He nced at the civilians standing over the doorway, watching him curiously. Immediately, he cried out in aggravation. "I was listening to the believers'' confessions. Who''d have thought he''d break in? He imed to be the master of Nurba. To prevent me from liberating the town under his control and envement, he purposefully nned the death of the Prad family. All of this is simply a plot to take over Prad''s ironworks! When he didn''t get his way, he became so enraged that he told me to kneel and then tried to kill me with the dagger in his arms!" Boom! Pdin said it extra loud so that the civilians outside could hear. It immediately caused an uproar. The civilians quickly whispered to each other. Kaleqi red fiercely at Pdin. But then, he turned his head to look at the wealthy merchant. With a sad expression, he said, "Grundy, you are also a well known figure in Nurba. I can''t imagine that you would do such a thing. You mutted Prad, whom you''ve known for over a decade, and plotted to take over his family business!" "No, no! He''s lying! This priest is deceiving you! That is not what happened, he''s lying!" Grundy jumped up, his face flushed bright red, as if he''d been beaten with chicken blood. He attempted to argue, yelling and pointing at the two people at the door, "They, the two of them, witnessed what happened. It''s different from what this looks like! Kaleqi, these two..." Kaleqi frowned. He was worried that this bastard would put all the me on him. So, he immediately responded, "Yes, both of them are people from my escort team, but I have no idea why they are here! Tell me what you saw. You guys absolutely can¡¯t lie and falsely use others!" Kaleqi red fiercely at the two mercenaries, who were at a loss for words and squeaked. That rich merchant Grundy was also looking at them nervously, expecting them to rify the facts for him and kill this bastard priest Pdin. Pdinughed cryptically. Calmly, he said, "You two, as guards, have a family of your own. Nurba''s stability is entirely your responsibility. I don''t think you will wrong innocent people." The underlying message was that ¡®the two of you now have jobs that don''t require you be on the knife-edge, have families like wives, children, mothers, and daughters. Your family will be destroyed if you dare to tell the truth!¡¯ When the two mercenaries noticed Pdin''s warning look and heard the words brimming with murderous intenting from him, they trembled. Exchanging looks with each other, finally they chose family over conscience. They lowered their heads and said, "It was Grundy who wanted to kill Father Pdin. That''s the truth." "Lies! Why are you lying?! Why?!" Grundy shouted in panic, only to be interrupted by a vaguely grinning Pdin, "Grundy, in this holy church, in front of the Great Enos, do you not even have the sense to repent?!" "Grundy, you bastard! How dare you do such a thing!" As soon as the words left Pdin¡¯s mouth, the civilians immediately raised the banner of so-called justice and began to criticize with righteous indignation. "I''ve observed him for a long time. This fat man is definitely not a good person." "After all, evil can triumph but the Great Enos will carry out the deed. Let this filthy viin be judged!" "Trial! Trial! Trial!" Upon closer inspection, they were not so much enraged by Grandy''s crimes. They were happy that justice had been served. It would be more urate to say that these stupid people in the lower sses simply rejoiced and gloated because they witnessed the fall of a higher-ranked people, who were originally their superior. To put it bluntly, it was caused by their narrow mindset, which was ¡®if I can''t live well, neither can you.¡¯ . Pdin naturally despised these ignorant and greedymoners, but he wore a holier-than-thou expression. He abruptly raised the cross ced on the altar and shouted righteously, "For killing others, trying to seize others¡¯ property, attempting to murder the priest of the church of the Holy See, I, Pdin mel, in ordance with the eternal and indestructible code ofw, on behalf of the Supreme Enos, hereby dere that today you will be judged!" After Pdin finished speaking, Kaleqi said in a hushed tone, "Pdin, he should be handed over to our guard and reported to Count Torch. It is the standard treatment, ah." "You''d think a count would want toe for these civilians? Bothering him when he¡¯s making love to another nobleman''s daughter just because some othermoner was murdered? Don''t worry about that Kaleqi. I''m a nobleman too, I know these things very well." Pdin whispered in response. When he saw that Grundy''s face was already a deadly pale, he rode the heat and yelled, "Prepare the stake!" Waaaah! Shouts of excitement erupted from the civilians outside. They''d never seen a fire stand dedicated to the execution of heretics before. "You can''t do this to me, I''m a merchant! Not a heretic! You can''t execute me in the same way in which you execute heretics! I demand a fair and reasonable trial!" Grundy yelled, his voice cracking. Only onest hope remained for him, and that was the Count of Torch, the town''s lord. Who would have guessed that Pdin would only shake his head with a sad expression? He took a step forward, gently tugging Grundy''s messy hair to lift his head, and said, "You broke into the church with the intent of murdering the Holy See''s legal priest. What else could you be if not a heretic with sphemous ideas? Grandy, may you find your way back to God''s embrace and repent of your sins." Grundy removed Pdin''s hand in disgust, pointed at his face, and shouted, "You bastard, this devil in the robes of God! I will not spare you! I won''t!" Pdin, however, simply ignored Grundy''s dying struggle. simply ignored Grundy''s dying struggle. With a smile on his face, he gently rubbed the red hand that had been pped. He then faintly nced at Kaleqi. Thetter immediately understood. Kaleqi stepped forward, knocked Grundy down with a p, and shouted, "Grundy has murdered people and intended to assassinate the priest. In ordance with the wishes of the priest, burn him at the stake!" After that, he turned to his subordinates and said, "Go, tie him up and take him to the prison for a while." The surrounding guards swarmed around Grundy and took out a hemp rope to tie him up. Regardless of how hard thetter struggled, it was in vain. The guards dragged Grundy, who was screaming miserably, away from the church. "I''ll go get sticks! I have a lot of thick sticks at home!" "Torches, get some more torches!" "I just came back from cutting some wood today, I''m going back to get it!" "Father, I''ll go help you, too." Seeing Grundy being carried away, these civilians couldn''t sit still. They spoke delightfully to Pdin before scattering home to prepare the materials for the stake. After a while, the church was empty. At that moment, there was only the sound of tearing. Kaleqi observed Pdin calmly tearing a strip of cloth from the edge of his robe, dripping some strong wine on it, and then firmly tying the cloth on the wound on his arm. The wound was treated with such a simple manner. From the beginning of the treatment to the end, Kaleqi watched Pdin. Whether from the excruciating pain he must''ve felt when he wiped the liquor on the wound or from the way he tied his arms, Pdin¡¯s face stayed expressionless. As if feeling pain was a normal thing for him. At this moment, Kaleqi seemed to feel that the fog surrounding Pdin''s true identity had thickened rather than lightened. ¡®Which ordinary pampered nobles will treat their own wounds? People who experience severe pain for the first time will scream uncontrobly. Is this Pdin simply a nobleman who spent money to be a priest? Why is hepletely different from those people I met before? Pdin finished treating his wound and noticed Kaleqi staring at him in a daze. Displeased, he snorted and sarcastically said, "What''s wrong with the captain? Do you doubt my abilities? Stop staring. Instead, go to the prison and meet this unlucky man. I still have some things to do." While speaking, Pdin unconsciously wore a smug smile on his face, which only made Kaleqi feel a chill run down the back of his neck. Chapter 43: Last Wish

Chapter 43: Last Wish

Grundy was imprisoned in a cell deep within the dark and damp prison. He was leaning against the old stone wall with dead eyes. The sight made Kaleqi sigh. He squatted down and handed over a jug of wine to him. "Grundy, you should not expect those peers toe to your rescue. They forced you toe here and are willing to sacrifice you." Grundy, who was mutely opening his mouth to drink the wine handed over by Kaleqi, heard what Kaleqi said. Some colors in his eyes returned. He jerked up his head to look at Kaleqi and bitterly said, "We have known each other for more than a decade. You know deep down that I did not murder Prad. Originally, our Nurba was a very calm town. With the forest as barriers, war will not affect this purend. Although the royal family''s special envoys keep the price of iron ore very low every time theye to take the purchase, it is enough for Nurba to be wealthy." Grundy''s chubby face was full of tears as he whispered angrily, "But since this Pdin came, my old buddy Prad and his family died. Surprisingly, many homeless people and travelers also went missing. This Pdin not only did not report to the Holy See, but also kept this matter securely under wraps!" Kaleqi sighed again. Putting the wine jug on the ground, he said, "He has just arrived in Nurba. He is young and vigorous. Naturally, he doesn¡¯t want idents to happen in the town, where he is in charge of evangelizing. If not, his name will get smeared.¡± . ¡°No, that¡¯s not the case at all!¡± Grundy immediately shouted, his eyes were filled with despair. "In the church, he dropped the false mask he was wearing. This bastard doesn''t deserve being called a priest at all! He is insidious, vicious, and merciless! He solely cares about money, position, poprity, and promotion! Kaleqi, this man will be an absolute disaster if he will stay here!" Yet Kaleqi, who was facing Grundy, kept his mouth shut. Awoken from his reverie, Grundy seemed to have a revtion. He abruptly showed a desperate smile and added, "So you were bought by him too. What is it? Is it gold coins? Or is it women? You also get a share of Prad''s assets, right?" "I¡¯m doing this with my children in mind. I don''t want them to grow up and live a life simr to mine when I was young." Grundyughed at himself when he listened to Kaleqi''s confession. "Carrot and stick, hahaha! It''s simply a disgrace that a mere child has yed us!" In response, Kaleqi remained silent. Suddenly, the cell was plunged into an eerie silence. Neither of them spoke as their gazes drifted. At that moment, the sound of the iron door opening in the distance could be heard. The guard at the door shouted loudly, "Father, what brings you to this filthy ce?" Followed by Pdin''s hateful voice, ¡°It is my duty to pray for the dead, so that he may return to God''s embrace." "Here hees!" With a hateful gaze in his eyes, Grundy turned his head to Kaleqi and sharply said, "Kaleqi, you and I have known each other for over ten years and I have never caused you any trouble or asked for any favors. For the sake of our friendship, please take care of my wife and daughter, I beg you!" Kaleqi looked at Grundy''s pleading gaze. Finally, he slowly nodded. "I will take care of your wife and daughter. Don''t worry." "Thank you... Thank you." "Huh? The captain is also here?" Pdin had just arrived in front of the cell. He smiled when he saw the unexpected scene in front of him, which was Kaleqi squatting on the floor of the cell. Grundy immediately noticed that Pdin was holding a coal stove on an iron stand,plete with a squeaky iron pan on top. The tasty aroma of meat that was to-die-for was wafting from it. Kaleqi watched as Pdin walked in and ced the iron pot with the beef cooking on the floor. In confusion, he asked, "Father, what are you doing?" "Oh? I came to let Grundy pray for confession and have a good meal because he is about to return to God''s embrace." Smiling gently, Pdin stabbed a piece of fragrant beef with an iron fork and handed it to Grundy. He then said, "Eat. I purposefully added a bottle of Ysu red wine that costs a gold coin. It¡¯s very delicious." Grundy looked at Pdin with hatred and finally opened his mouth to eat the beef. Gulp! He swallowed it into his stomach. Pdin simply ignored Grundy''s gaze. Once again, he picked up a piece of beef, bringing it near Grundy''s mouth, andughed. "When the execution takes ce, those peers who asked you to make a mess will undoubtedly attend the execution. I hope you don''t say something obnoxious indiscriminately by then." "Bah!" Grundy shook his head, hitting the beef around his mouth, causing it to fall on the ground. While sneering, he said, "Pdin, you should be afraid. When the Holy See captures a heretic, they will definitely follow the rules and ask the heretic to confess their sins. When the timees, I will definitely tell everyone about how you, a despicable viin, plotted to seize Prad''s assets and murder him with evil ck sorcery! I will humiliate you in front of the entire poption of Nurba! Let the Inquisition send you to the stake you built with your own hands! Go to hell!" "Hey¡­." Pdin looked at the beef on the ground and sighed. He turned his head to face Kaleqi and said, "Why did you tell everything to him? If I am out of luck, will the condition of your family be better?" Kaleqi was also a little upset. He looked at Grundy and said, "I promised to take care of your family, but now you are¡­." "What? Where is that warrior who dared to break into the magical beast forest alone and retrieve the ming Scorpion Lion''s tail?! Kaleqi, have all these years of livingfortably smoothed out the calluses on your hands?" Kaleqi shuddered and then turned his head away in shame. He didn¡¯t answer Grundy''s questioning. Just when Grundy wanted to ask a follow-up question, Pdin suddenlyughed out loud, "Family? Kaleqi, you promised to protect his family? Hahahaha!" "What are youughing at, you heretical filthy evil creep?" Angry, Grundy immediately gave a deadly re and roared at Pdin. "Hmm." Pdin responded. He abruptly removed the iron pan in which the beef was cooking and used the iron fork to pick a small piece of red-hot coal from the coal stove. When Pdin looked at Grundy, his darkened eyes were filled with twisted intentions. He then added, "Don''t worry, I''ll look after your family. I have to be good to them, hahahahaha! Just like Prad¡¯s!" "If you dare touch even a single strand of their hair, I will never let you go. All of my friends will also not let you go!" Pdinughed and grabbed Grundy''s mouth to squeeze it open. The hand that was holding the burning red coal gradually moved closer. Pdin sneered and said, "Hmph, you noisy crow. I will make you never speak again from now on!" He was about to make Grundy swallow the coal when Kaleqi shouted, "Pdin, stop! You can''t do that!" Kaleqi¡¯s body trembled all over. Pdin stuffed the red-hot coal, which asionally produced fire sparks, into Grundy''s mouth just as Kaleqi was about to step forward to stop it. Grundy''s eyes were filled with extreme terror. Then, Pdin tightly covered Grundy¡¯s mouth. Despite Grundy¡¯s trembling and struggling, coupled with the tears and snot flowing out as a result of the pain, he couldn''t spit out the source of severe pain in his mouth that was burning his mouth. After a while, Grundy passed out from the pain. Pdin calmly let go. Saliva flowed out of Grundy¡¯s mouth, along with blood and the coal. Pdin smiled and reached for a handkerchief from his sleeve to help Grundy wipe off the blood. Kaleqi put down his outstretched hand. He was ring viciously at Pdin. With a very displeased tone, he said, "Why did you have to do it up to this point? Obviously, he is not much of a threat anymore." Pdin just casually nced at him and stood up. Leisurely, he answered, "After he dies, bring me his family and children. Just say I''ll send them away and get them a ce to settle down." "Will you be so kind?" Kaleqi immediately said that in a mocking tone. In return, Pdin was grinning sardonically. "What do you think?" Chapter 44: Peoples Rebellion

Chapter 44: People''s Rebellion

. The sharp pain spreading from Grundy''s mouth gradually jolted him awake. When he barely opened his heavy eyelids, his vision was filled with the frenzied popce that spat and roared angrily at him. At that, Grundy quickly came to his senses. Only then did he realize his hands and feet were securely tied to some wooden sticks. He observed his surroundings and was taken aback to discover that he was tied to a wooden cross. Stacks of dry firewood piled beneath the soles of his feet. The tidal wave of civilians that was surrounding him spat, threw garbage, and hurled curses at him. Furthermore, when some of Grundy¡¯s close friends saw that he was awake, they immediately shouted angrily at him, "Grundy, I was wrong about you! You murdered the Prads to take their gold and ironworks! And to think you¡¯d use such evil ck sorcery! Ugh!" "This old bastard, I''ve long suspected that he is not a good person. Everyone, no need to be merciful. Just throw whatever it is in your hands!" The civilians quickly picked up stones from the ground and threw them hard towards Grundy''s body. It then struck thetter''s forehead, causing blood to flow. Only then did Grundy realize that he was in Nurba¡¯s town square. Almost every Nurba resident hade. His old buddies, too, were here. Hiding in the corner, watching all this unfold with cold eyes. He tried to open his mouth to exin, but all he could manage was a whimper. Grundy was immediately reminded of the horrible memory of Pdin stuffing a red-hot coal into his mouth. Chills immediately filled his heart. Even the bleeding wound on his forehead and the saliva spat on his body couldn¡¯t mask the chill he felt from the bottom of his heart. He was being yed. That priest even took away his ability to try to justify himself in the end. Standing on a high tform in the town square, Pdin looked at Grundy¡¯s desperate and hollow eyes. After a subtle smile, Pdin showed his holy, gentle, and dignified expression. "Everyone, everyone! Please stop for a moment! Please listen to my words!" he shouted. When the enraged folks at the bottom looked up and saw Pdin, they immediately dropped the stones in their hands. ¡°Ah, oh priest. Thank you for exposing this despicable bastard. If you have any requests, we will certainly try to assist you in fulfilling them," said some elderly people with great respect. The people around nodded in agreement and looked at Pdin with a friendly and affectionate gaze. Pdin smiled and bowed to the crowd. In an emotional tone, he slowly said, "Grundy has lived in Nurba for far more years than I have. Although I am still young, I can see that Grundy is not a bad person at heart. He did open a factory, but he cared for the workers who worked hard every day. He loved his daughters, loved his wife, and helped the weak, which could even make me, a priest of the Holy See, feel ashamed." People listened attentively to his words. An unmistakably depressing smile adorned his sad expression. Pdin then continued, "But even so, these can never conceal the fact that Grundy was blinded by the darkness, for hemitted such a heartbreaking crime. Our good friends, good elders, the Prad family, and also the children who can not even speak, have returned to God because of Grundy''s evil ck sorcery and heartless soul. May we who are present here pray for them. Amen." The people immediately sped their hands reverently and prayed. There were also some heavy emotions, as the Prad family¡¯s friends were silently in tears. Right now, Kaleqi, who was together with a few guards that were standing next to him, became more and more gloomy. "This kid. He arrived here less than a month ago and is already ruling the people of Nurba?" After a half-minute pause, Pdin pretended to wipe away the non-existent tears from the corners of his eyes and said solemnly, "Grundymitted such a felony, what should we do?!" "Burn him! Burn him! Burn him!" The people below waved their arms in agitation. Wanting to burn Grandy to death immediately. As for Grundy, who was listening to the words uttered, he waspletely in despair. His eyes were nk. He still couldn''t figure out how his past actions, which were purely to test and threaten the priest, to let the priest know how powerful he was, would develop into what it was now. In a corner far from the crowd, there stood several big local businessmen who had ordered Grundy to do that. They were Nari, Chira, and Dorren. While staring angrily at Pdin, they whispered to each other. "This kid is so arrogant! Now he dares to execute one of ours in a non-dignified manner! He has no regard for us! Chira, don''t you know the bishop of this diocese? Tell him to take care of this young man who doesn''t know any better." The old man with a golden beard, who was called Q, sighed helplessly. "Nari, did you say I knew him? I can only talk about us being acquainted with each other. In reality, it is me who is trying to tter him. He ispletely uninterested in me. This Pdin is technically his subordinate. Going before him to request that he denounces his subordinate? I don''t dare to go there." Dorren, the oldest of the bunch who had a white hair, spoke up. "This kid is too arrogant. Tomorrow morning, I will go find Baron Fetter and send him to speak to the Count on our behalf. Let this kid taste our power." The three old men plotted in secret while at this time, Pdin looked at Kaleqi and said, "Grundymitted a serious crime, but his wife and daughter are innocent." After saying that, Pdin waved his hand. Consequently, Kaleqi winked and several guards immediately brought Grundy''s dazed wife and his bewildered daughter. When he saw his family, Grundy, who was tied to the stake, struggled to say something, but to no avail. His tongue and throat were severely damaged. He couldn''t speak a word at all. If one looked closely, one could see him repeating the words, "Run away!" The crowd looked at the mother and daughter. Pdin turned to face the ordinary-looking redhead, who was Grundy''s wife, and said, "Madam, you are also aware of what your husband has done. Do you have anything to say to him?" The wife timidly raised her head, looked at Grundy with a tense expression, and then at the guard holding a long sword at his waist. She recalled what Pdin said to her in private not long ago. "Your husband murdered and also attempted a murder. He attempted to murder me! If you want to survive, there is only one way, which is topletely separate yourself from Grundy! Otherwise, you will be burned together with your husband! Even your daughter won¡¯t be spared!" Thinking of Pdin¡¯s words, the wife''s desire to survive finally gained the upper hand. With tears of shame welling up in the corners of her eyes, she blurted out, "Grundy, I have nothing to do with you anymore! Your daughter will also never be yours any longer!" At this moment, Grundy''s heart was burnt to ashes. His previously slightly expectant gaze had vanished. Slowly, he lowered his head, tears streaming down his face. Seeing that the job had beenpleted, Pdin smiled gently and said, "You did a good job." The wife did not dare to meet this young priest''s gaze. The priest''s eyes, in her opinion, were like a razor de right now. Cutting open her husband over and over again. Pdin smiled indifferently before squatting down to ask the befuddled young girl in front of him. "What''s your name?" "I, my name is Fanny." Pdin nodded cheerfully. He took out a candy from his pocket and gave it to Fanny. "Brother will give you candy. So, you have to tell brother something, okay?" Fanny seemed to think of something for a moment before she took the candy happily and nodded happily. At this point, the frightened wife suddenly felt that something was wrong. However, she couldn¡¯t exin what felt wrong. "Your father has done something bad, so he must be burned with fire. Do you want him to be burned?" Pdin inquired, his voice gentle. In an instant, everyone in the square focused their attention, trying to listen with their ears. They did, however, see and hear the still young little girl nodding innocently and happily. "Burn! Burn him! Quickly burn him!" Chapter 45: Dividing Results

Chapter 45: Dividing Results

The entire square was in an uproar. While it was shocking, the crowd couldn''t help but feel that Grundy had done a lot of bad things that even his wife and daughter didn''t like him anymore. It could be said that his wife and daughter didn¡¯t want to get involved with him. His family was destroyed. Kaleqi, who stood beside Pdin, looked at the girl¡ªwho was still smiling sweetly¨C-in puzzlement and shock. He couldn''t understand how a girl less than ten years old could say such a cruel thing. The wife who was standing behind her turned pale instantly. She was about to p the girl when she noticed Pdin''s sinister gaze. Her hand came to an abrupt halt. She had no choice but to put up with it for the sake of herself and her daughter''s future.Grundy, on the other hand, simply shook his head and smiled wryly. It was no longer a surprise to him. At this moment, he already knew how to see through Pdin''s tricks. The little girl was a little afraid of the crowd''s reaction, which was either taken aback or sighing. In her opinion, she had done nothing wrong. To this day, she remembered this gentle older brother telling her not long ago that her father had done something bad and wanted to leave them. The only way she could save her father was by letting him burn. If her father was burned, his wrongdoings would be wiped clean, so there was no need for him to leave them. The little girl was haunted by the big brother¡¯s words. Moreover, she believed that she couldn¡¯t live without her father. Thus, she must follow the big brother''s instructions and let father burn! Convinced that what she was doing was the right thing, the little girl''s eyes became firm. At that, Pdin sighed instead. He stood up and said, "Grundy''s wife and daughter have already expressed their displeasure with Grundy''s actions. For the sake of their future, I decided to give them the factory under Grundy''s name and the factory under the Prad family¡¯s name. Let Captain Kaleqi manage it on their behalf. So they could be clothed and fed well in the future. Afterwards, let them leave this sad ce and go to other towns to settle down." At this moment, the crowd began to speak. "The priest is a good man. And, the two factories, ah, surprisingly he doesn¡¯t want to take them for himself." "The priest is too poor, take care of him more on weekdays in the future." "Hey, what a waste, giving the factories to this heartless mother and daughter.¡± The wife, on the other hand, looked at Pdin¡¯s gentle expression in shock. Trying to see some hints of his true feelings. Unfortunately, she couldn¡¯t find it at all. In her heart she couldn''t help but wonder, "This priest, is he really going to give me the factory?" She didn''t expect Pdin to be so gracious. However, Kaleqi just gave Pdin a look and remained silent. Apparently, Pdin had gestured something at him. Pdin observed the crowd¡¯s reaction beneath the tform, took out two factory deeds from his sleeve, and handed them to the wife. "It¡¯d be hard for you to watch, take your daughter down. What happenster must not be seen by her." Thus, the wife wailed and immediately ran off the stage, clutching the deeds and her daughter in her arms. She didn¡¯t even give Grundy another glimpse. All this was seen by the three old men hiding in the distance. Nari and Chira were silent. Dorren suddenly eximed, "What a powerful and vicious kid. I''m starting to like him a little." Nari interjected angrily, "Doesn''t Grundy want to say something? This is equivalent to dividing his entire possessions in front of him. Grundy''s wife and daughter are miserable. I don''t know if they''ll make it through the day." Chira suddenly retorted, "Do you think Grundy can still speak out? He¡¯s either sedated or his tongue was severed! Hmph, in all the years I''ve been doing business around the Duchy of Kasmi, I''ve never seen such a ruthless and unscrupulous kid." Although Chira¡¯s assumption wasn¡¯t right, he wasn¡¯t far from the truth. Pdin was very satisfied with the situation. When he suddenly sped his hands together, the chattering crowd below immediately went quiet. They heard him saying, "Grundy, you are about to receive the trial of the sacred fire. Do you confess to your crimes?" As soon as he said that, everyone immediately looked at Grundy. Grundy, who couldn''t express his anguish, could only stare at Pdin with hatred. It was as if he wanted to firmly remember Pdin¡¯s appearance in his heart, so he could seek revenge on him should he be an undead. Ignoring Grundy¡¯s re, Pdin nodded and said, "Since you don''t speak, you are tacitly acquiescing. Guards! Start the fire!" Several guards removed torches from the wall, went to the pile of dry wood beneath Grundy, and threw the torch onto the dry wood sprinkled with kerosene. Immediately, raging mes like fiery snakes danced around Grundy. After a while, the tongues of me climbed onto Grandy''s body and reached his cor and nostrils. It burned everything that could be burned. "AAHHHHHHHH!¡± Grundy couldn''t speak, but it couldn¡¯t stop the scream caused by the severe pain all over his body. The scream made people shiver. It was as if the scream had merged with endless resentment and unwillingness. Some people even couldn''t bear it and turned their heads away, not daring to see such a tragic scene again. Pdin, on the other hand, watched with delight as Grundy''s screams faded, his clothes turned to ash, and his body turned to coals, exposing the burnt ck bones. Gradually, the bones began to mangle. Eventually turning into bone fragments and disappearing together with the burning stake. Grundy was no longer in the world anymore. People left one after the other after the cremation. The guards cleaned the remains of the stake, sorted the ashes in a jar, and handed it over to Pdin. Pdin looked at the square that had be quiet and returned to the church with a smirk. As soon as he entered the church, he saw Kaleqi together with Grundy¡¯s frightened wife and curious daughter. Waiting for him for quite a long time. Pdin smiled and said to Kaleqi, "You didn''t bring any guards, did you?" "No, Of course not." Kaleqi replied. However, he saw Pdin waving his hand and said, "You will run the factory in the open and the contract will be given to you. I only need 30% of the ie. The rest is all yours. How about it? Are you okay with it?" Kaleqi was taken aback for a moment, but quickly realized that as a priest, it was difficult to show up to work. Furthermore this option was also out of the question for Pdin. Kaleqi naturally nodded in satisfaction and promised, "This way, as long as there are no idents, you and I will be allies in offense and defense, in advancing and withdrawing." Pdin smiled incontestably. He went up to the wife with a dark expression and said, "Where is the contract? Give it to me." Trembling, the wife took the contract out of her sleeve and reluctantly handed it over to Pdin. Pdin smiled and was about to take it away when he felt the wife''s death grip on the contract, unwilling to let go. Pdin looked at the woman and suddenly his heart was on fire. He pped her across the face. With a bang the wife¡¯s body hit the table. She howled as she fell to the ground. The daughter was so terrified that she knelt down to assist her mother and yelled angrily, "Brother, why did you beat my mother?! You said that my father would not leave us as long as he is burned!" At this moment, the wife, whose cheek was in pain, sat up in shock. Her face was filled with hatred. She pointed at Pdin and tremblingly said, "You inhuman monster! How dare you deceive a little girl?! You scum!" Pdin grunted with great disdain and turned back to hand the contract in his hand to Kaleqi. When he saw Kaleqi''s heartless expression, he suddenly warned, "The benefits of being my ally are obvious to you. Now you have taken the majority of shares. You also have a share in the death of her husband. So, why hesitate?" Kaleqi nodded perceptively. He finally put on a straight face and left without looking back. As for how the mother and daughter would be treated by Pdin, it was no longer a question he wanted to know the answer to. He only knew that now, he was really rich. His family and his son could live a happy and beautiful life. And, that was enough. Chapter 46: Handling Matters

Chapter 46: Handling Matters

"Big brother, what about the promise you made regarding my father?!" When Pdin heard the little girl behind him ask him a question, he turned around and shut the door tightly with his hand. A terrifying, gut-wrenching smile spread across his face. Looking at the girl with tears welling in her eyes, heughed and said, "Your father? He¡¯s been burned. Just like what you said to do, he¡¯s been burned. He¡¯s dead, understand? Your father is dead because of you! Hahahaha!" "No way! it can''t be! Brother, you were the one who said that Daddy would not leave us as long as he was burned!" the little girl remarked loudly. In response, Pdin stepped closer and said, "Yes, I did not go back on my words. You and your father will be reunited very soon!" As soon as he said that, Pdin casually threw Grundy''s urn, which immediately fell to the ground, scattering the ashes. And then Pdin sneered and said, "Come and see, this is your dad. Your daddy who has been burned to ashes! Whoa!" Seeing that Pdin''s shadow was about to cover the young girl, the wife, who was on the floor, burst out with unprecedented strength and leapt to her feet. Grabbing the cross used for Mass on the table, she shed it at Pdin''s head. But, why would Pdin be scared of her? The wife saw Pdin casually waving his hand. Three hundred magic elements that were surrounding him immediately poured into Pdin''s cohesive magical constructs. In an instant, two chains made of golden light immediately shot out, tying the mother and daughter in a solid knot. Causing them to fall to the ground, unable to move. Despite being illiterate, the wife was aware of the existence of magic. She witnessed the magic chain appear out of nowhere. That very moment, she realized immediately that she had underestimated this scumbag. Pdin¡¯s magic power snuffed out thest vestige of her fighting spirit. The wife looked at Pdin and begged him, "Father, please let her go. She hasn¡¯t even turned ten years old! I''ll do whatever you want, but please don''t harm her!" Pdin snorted in disdain. Ignoring her pleading, he directly grabbed the mother and daughter''s hair, disregarding their miserable screams. He dragged them directly to the basement door. The wife, who was wondering what Pdin wanted to do, saw Pdin stretching out his hand and pressing a very inconspicuous magic circle with his palm on the stone wall. In an instant, a tall magic circle the size of one person appeared in front of the stone wall. Its center was filled with countless strange runes arranged in an orderly manner. Very skillfully, Pdin raised his other hand and moved the floating runes in the magic circle, as if arranging some code. The wife waited until Pdin lowered his hand. The magic circle disappeared. When the wall suddenly parted, a door came into view. Pdin pulled out a key and unlocked the door. She saw a long staircase extending into the deep darkness below. At this point, both mother and daughter had an extremely bad feeling. But before she could say anything, Pdin once again grabbed their hair with both of his hands and dragged them inside. As the figures of the three disappeared into the darkness, the door was immediately mmed shut. The stone wall was slowly moving back to cover the door, making it seem as if there had never been one, like before. The next time the stone wall parted, only Pdin leisurely walked out of there. Both the mother and daughter were nowhere to be seen. Instead, there was a bright red stone the size of a soybean in his hand. It was a beautiful untamed Philosopher''s stone. However, Pdin didn¡¯t rush to fuse with it. He waited silently for the night to fall by listening to the confessions of themon folks. And so, the night fell. As one of the richest men in town, Nari was lyingfortably on the bed in his home, preparing for sleepiness toe. He was exhausted from all of his activities during the day. Now, he just wanted to have a good sleep and talk about what''s going on tomorrow. But obviously, he wouldn''t even be able to see the dawn tomorrow. Somehow, his bedroom window had been opened. Pdin, d in ck, quietly entered the bedroom. He looked at Nari, who was slowly but surely snoring. When Grundy confessed yesterday, Pdin remembered very clearly that Nari was one of Grundy¡¯s colleagues. Now, all Pdin needed to do was to let Nari go to see Grundy. Carefully, he took out the alchemically refined drug. Gently opening the bottle cap, he let the powder inside fall on the tip of Nari''s nose. As Nari¡¯s snoring became more intense, the light green powder was sucked into his nasal cavity. Reaching his lungs and brain. It only took a mere three minutes for Nari to gradually stop snoring. He''d fallen into a deep slumber. Pdin smiled faintly. He took the hemp rope he had prepared from his waist, hung it on the beam, and then tied a dead knot. He effortlessly lifted Nari to ce his neck inside the noose. After that, he grabbed the other end of the rope hanging on the beam and pulled it hard. Blink! Even if the drug was strong, being in such severe pain and unable to breathe made Nari wake up instantly. He awoke only to see that arrogant boy he saw during the dayughing and pulling a rope. The pain in his neck made him unable to breathe. Because of that, Nari''s eyes widened, his tongue lolled out, and his feet kicked haphazardly. He wanted to shout but couldn¡¯t. Reluctant and desperate, he red intensely at theughing Pdin. Eventually, his body went limp, hanging helplessly in the air. Nari¡¯s face had turned ckish purple. Pdin, on the other hand, calmly took the rope to tie a knot at the head of the bed. He went to Nari¡¯s desk, took out a pen and paper, opened the records and diary written by this old thing, and began to write a suicide note imitating the way Nari wrote and form sentences. This was not too difficult for Pdin, who had read too many misceneous books. At that time, he was very diligent in forging notes so that he could continue to own the books purchased by the association. It was also because of this that he was able to deceive the entire association and quietly take the expensive books they bought, the ones that weren¡¯t in the association¡¯s collection. As a result the real one wouldn''t be avable in the association. Speaking of his history of forging notes, it had been more than ten years since the first time he did it. After finished writing, a triumphant smile appeared on Pdin¡¯s face when he read what he had written in the suicide note. The contents were: ''My conscience was remorseful as I watched Grundy''s trial today. Grundy died because of me. All this was the fault of the three of us: me, Chira and Dorren. We shouldn''t have been obsessed with Prad''s properties. I have to die. Please forgive my selfishness, my son. I can''t give you the family¡¯s business, which is established by the blood and sword of our family. I n to give it to the poor Grundy''s wife and daughter. To make amends for them.'' Pdin carefully tidied up the desk after checking that the suicide note was written correctly. When he confirmed that there were no mistakes, he quietly climbed out of the window and carefully closed it. He then vanished into the night once more. Chapter 47: The Incident

Chapter 47: The Incident

Next, Pdin went to Chira''s house and did the same thing. After that, he returned to the church, quietly waiting for dawn toe. He had no intention of killing Dorren. People would inevitably be suspicious if all three old men died. Only by letting one of them live and using the power of the false testament could Dorren die with dignityter. Pdin wasn''t in a hurry to kill, but he believed that any potential harm and instability should bepletely eradicated. When these few merchants who led Nurba were all wiped out, their minions would be frightened. Theycked both feelings of righteousness and friendship. They only followed others and their goal was to make some money to settle down. After all those who dared to oppose him were dead, the most rational and only option for other merchants was to attach themselves to him. By then, Nurba''s iron ore industry would fall into his hands. Pdin would be Nurba''s true master. However, will Nurba, a single town, be enough? Obviously not! Pdin desired the position of bishop of the diocese. The one who was in charge of the entire diocese. The sacred hierarchy of the Holy See was divided into three ranks: clergy, priests, and bishops. The bishop was, without a doubt, the Holy See''s leader .Among the bishops, the bishop of a diocese held the lowest rank. An archdiocese wasposed of about five or six dioceses. Each diocese was under the jurisdiction of a bishop. All of the dioceses in the entire archdiocese were responsible to the archdiocesan bishop,monly known as the archbishop. The Duchy of Kasmi, for example, was a diocese. There were about ten archdioceses led by archbishops that would form an Episcopal Conference. Together, they managed the territory under their jurisdiction. One of the archbishops would be elected to be the head of the Episcopate. Further up, there were the bishops from the Holy City of Cassily. They led many deputy clerks, registrars, head priests, priests, and a ss of clergies. Their rank was the same as that of the bishop, but they had rtively greater power because they were working for the holy city. The thirteen bishops who led and managed all of the dioceses together were also known as the thirteen cardinals. The thirteen cardinals were led by the Pope, the Apostle of God. The Inquisition had one cardinal in charge. Three other cardinals were in charge of the three major knight orders. Meanwhile, the remaining eight cardinals oversaw more than thirty dioceses that spanned the entire human kingdom. These were only the official ones. Additionally, there were also some local militarized branches of monasteries, cloistered orders, and knightly monastic orders that were unified under the orders of the pope. Plus, their number was huge. The most intriguing aspect was the presence of three monastic orders whose power spreads throughout the Holy See: Dominican, Franciscan, and Carmelite. They had a very loose system, not a strict one. However, the number of members was huge. Almost all clergy belonged to one of these three monastic orders. . When holding meetings and Masses, the Dominicans wore ck. They advocated the eradication of heresy, as well as the purification of poverty and chastity. This was why the majority of the Inquisition and the Knightly Orders were members of the Dominicans. The Franciscans wore gray. They advocated for poverty and peace. They didn¡¯t like to fight and didn¡¯t eat meat. Most priests and ministers were Franciscans. The Carmelites, on the other hand, wore white and advocated begging for food and rather than scavenging for wealth. The poor should be helped. They practiced asceticism on a daily basis to experience the mercy of God. So, the ascetics and preachers were developed from the Carmelites. With this in mind, there were numerous forces at work within the Holy See. Let¡¯s not even get started with the conflicts and factions among the various Cardinals of Calvary. The conflicts between the Holy See''s three major religious orders were enough to make many people''s hearts and minds tremble with fear. However, none of this concerns Pdin at the moment. Right now, his goal and vision were still too narrow. Full of anticipation and joy, Pdin waited for the arrival of dawn. Strangely, Pdin slept less and less these days, but he didn¡¯t feel exhausted. He was full of energy, without any drowsiness even when his original eight hours of sleep a day had been reduced to two hours a day. As dawn approached, the dark sky of Nurba was gradually covered by ayer of an azure veil. The door to Pdin''s room was being knocked on eagerly. Pdin calmly stood up and opened the door. There, he saw Kaleqi fully armored, together with a dozen anxious guards waiting for him. Kaeqi said, "Something happened! Two merchants, Nari and Chira, hanged themselvesst night!" When Pdin heard that, he smiled briefly. That smile was soon reced by an expression of shock and disbelief. He quickly wore his robes and walked out, while ncing at the guards around him. With a face that showed doubt, Pdin said, "Why? What motivated them to do this?" In response, Kaleqi sighed. He pulled Pdin''s arm and rushed to Nari''s mansion. Along the way, Kaleqi opened his mouth and gruffly said, "They all left a suicide note, in which states that they instructed Grundy to do all this. Theymitted suicide out of shame and fear of their crimes." "What?! They are the culprits?!" Pdin showed a surprised expression and looked at Kaleqi in disbelief. It made Kaleqi turn his head away irritably. He really disliked the feeling of acting with this jerk. The town wasn¡¯trge. Soon, Pdin and his party arrived in front of Nari''s vi. They could hear faint choking soundsing from the house. The good thing was that this was early in the morning, so there were not many pedestrians on the road. However, some passers-by in twos and threes noticed that something was wrong, so they came over to see what happened. As soon as these passers-by saw Kaleqi and Pdin approaching, they approached them respectfully and inquired, "Father, Captain, what''s going on here?" Kaleqi didn¡¯t want to garner people¡¯s attention, so he simply answered, "I do not know." before instructing the guards surrounding him. "Guard the entrance and don''t let anyone else go up there. You, you, and you, go to Chira''s house. Tell them that the priest and I will be arriving shortly," Kaleqi gave the order with his thunderous voice. Hispanions and subordinates, who had been with Kaleqi for more than ten years, promptly obeyed hismand. One group of men guarded the entrance while the other group darted towards Chira''s house. Kaleqi simply ignored Pdin''s envious expression, took him by the arm, and led him through the door and up the stairs. Seeing that no one was around, Kaleqi red in annoyance and lowered his voice to question Pdin. "Did you do this?" "Mmhm." Pdin nodded heartlessly in response. Kaleqi, in return, let out an irritated growl. "You idiot, why are you in such a hurry! Grundy was burned at the stake yesterday, and you''re already doing something else today at dawn. If words get to the Count''s ears, the two of us will be the ones at the stake!" "Hmm?" Pdin suddenly stopped in his tracks. His eyes became icy. His right hand flew to grab Kaleqi''s neck. With displeasure, he said, "It is not your ce to me me, Kaleqi. You just need to do a good job to take care of the aftermath." Kaleqi had been a mercenary for over two decades. He''d even in monsters. Yet, he was astounded to find that his muscles and strength were powerless against Pdin''s white hand. Based on the strength he felt from the white hand, if Pdin gave a little squeeze, his life wouldpletely be over. After realizing the huge gap in strength between them, Kaleqi turned red. He grabbed Pdin¡¯s hand vigorously and said, "Got it¡­ I got it! Let go!" Pdinplied and let go. "Later, when we¡¯re up there, do not act on your own thoughts. Do everything ording to my lead," Pdin said while ring at Kaleqi. Ignoring Kaleqi, who was touching his neck, and the guilty expression on his face, Pdin climbed up the stairs to go to the second floor. Chapter 48: Captain Harvey

Chapter 48: Captain Harvey

"Ah! Father, you''ve arrived, the Captain too. Come and take a look. How could my fathermit suicide?!" When Pdin and Kaleqi arrived at the second floor, a middle-aged woman with an elegant appearance leaped over and started sobbing. Disgust momentarily shed across Pdin''s face as he sidestepped to avoid the woman. He looked at the few individuals who were present. Not far away, an elderly butler with a sad face and a grandson just in his teens were perplexedly looking at Nari¡¯s corpse. There was also an old man wearing full armor and wielding a massive two-handed sword who appeared to be a mercenary. Ignoring the butler and the child, Pdin carefully observed the mercenary. The reflective white armor covered his body tightly. asionally, some parts of the dark chainmail armor could be seen from the gaps of the outer armor. He also wore a helmet that fully covered his face. If it weren''t for the absence of any marks or coats of arms on his armor, Pdin would have assumed the man was a noble¡¯s private soldier or a knight. However, the inly visible symbol made of four stars engraved on his chest made Pdin recognize that this big man had at least the qualifications of a four-star fighter. Albeit still unable to bepared to a great magician, the man was a rtively rare master among the fighters. But, judging by the fact that he didn''t even remove his helmet, he most likely had juste here not long ago. Thinking so, Pdin calmly approached Nari''s body that was lying on the ground with a look of horror on his face. The bedroom was beautifully decorated. The rope was still there, swaying in the breeze that entered the room filled with silver utensils. Pdin knelt down, his brows furrowed. He pretended to look at the corpse before standing up. Staring at the mercenary, he said, "May I ask who your Excellency might be? What kind of connection do you have with Nari, the owner of this home?" Kaleqi, who sessfully broke free from the clingy middle-aged woman, immediately stepped forward and introduced the mercenary. "This is my friend Harvey. He is currently employed by the Duchy. He is the leader of a group of 100 soldiers." As soon as Kaleqi said that, Pdin immediately frowned and looked at Kaleqi The doubt in his eyes couldn''t be more obvious. At this exact moment, after some people of power in Nurba had been eliminated, Kaleqi actually brought his own friend, who in turn led and brought a hundred soldiers from the battlefield, here. The implication of Kaleqi¡¯s action made Pdin feel very ufortable. After ring at Kaleqi, Pdin smiled and turned his head away. With a weing smile, Pdin suddenly started a conversation with Harvey. "A mercenary hired by the Duchy? Is the Duchy going to war? The nations that border this area are not close by. Is there something wrong? Why did Captain Harvey bring a hundred people here?" Nurba was merely a tiny town. Did you feel that the benefits are not enough and want to eat them all up, so you brought 100 soldiers here?! However, Harvey clearly didn''t understand what Pdin meant. Directly ignoring the topic of going to war, he put his hand on his chest and said, "The soldiers under mymand are not fully equipped. I heard that Nurba is a ce where iron ore is transported nearby, so I want to ask my old friend Kaleqi to make 20 sets of armor for us" Pdin frowned. After looking at Kaleqi who nodded slightly, Pdin smiled brightly. He stepped forward and patted Harvey, who was a head taller than him. Then, he pped Harvey¡¯s shoulder armor and said, "Sir Harvey, you are really rich! Twenty sets of armor, half body or full body? Chain armor or te armor?" Harvey raised his head and gave Kaleqi a doubtful look. He didn''t understand how this strange priest had the audacity to intervene in this matter. After all, all iron from the mines in Nurba were sold only to the Duchy. Selling them to others without authorization was either a minor or major felony. One would only face a minimal fine if the offense was minor. Otherwise, one would be hanged if it was a huge one! However, Harvey''s doubts were dispelled by Kaleqi. He saw Kaleqi approaching the two of them with a smile and softly said, "My old buddy Harvey, as the shepherd of our Nurba, the priest has the right to know what we have done for justice. Fear not, he is also one of Nurba¡¯s shareholders. Be bold and speak up." Harvey was about to speak when he was stopped by Pdin''s hand. Harvey saw Pdin smiling gently and then said, "Let''s wait until the issue here is resolved. I will properly talk to Mr. Harveyter." After seeing Harvey nodding in agreement, Pdin walked to the table next to them. He picked up the suicide note and pretended to read it several times. Then, with disgust, he said,: "It turns out that Nari, Chira, and Dorren are real heretics. Captain, you know what to do next." As soon as Pdin finished speaking, Kaleqi hummed. Drawing out his long sword with a hint of fervor, he pointed at the panic-stricken housekeeper and woman. Then, he shouted, "Guards! These people are heretics! Take them all away and send them to prison!" The guards downstairs instantly ran upstairs with high spirits, weapons ready in hand. They were very excited because they had heard from the captain that they would receive bonuses as soon as this matter was over. A whopping gold goin each! Pdin looked coldly at the guards, who were about to drag the crying women and the terrified housekeeper with grim smiles. The woman hugged Pdin''s feet miserably and begged, "Father! Captain! I honestly had no idea that my dad was a heretic, I really didn''t know! Please, show some kindness. Give me a way out! At least, at least please pray for Dad first! So he may return to God¡¯s embrace!" Pdin frowned in annoyance. Seeing that there were no other outsiders present, he shook his feet and freed it from the woman''s hand. But, the woman persisted and eventually angered Pdin by grabbing his pants once more. Pdin raised his right foot and stepped hard on the back of the woman''s hand. Ignoring the woman''s screams caused by the severe pain, he twisted his feet violently. With an angry smile, Pdin said, "Him? Pray for him? This heretic? Hahahaha! Let me tell you, whether he is a heretic or not, I will never pray for him! It is clearly recorded in the doctrine that a person who hasmitted suicide can not return to God¡¯s embrace. They can only be pulled by the chains of evil and fall into the mouth of the heretical God of Darkness, Belial! He shall be tortured for all of eternity!" After saying that, Pdin raised his foot and kicked the woman away in the forehead. Ignoring the blood flowing from her forehead, he shouted angrily, "Hurry up and take her downstairs! I can''t stand the heretical auraing from this bitch for a moment longer!" Only after the woman''s screams had gradually faded away did Pdin gently say, "Please, both of you, Let¡¯s find a quiet ce and talk slowly." Harvey watched Pdin sauntering down the stairs with an ugly expression. He couldn''t help but lower his voice and asked Kaleqi who was already used to it. "Kaleqi, is this guy truly a priest? I have traveled all over the world and seen some priests on the journey, yet I have nevere across one of this kind.¡± "Okay, okay, Harvey. You only need the armor, so don''t think about the rest. You know, I get chills all over my body whenever I see him.¡± Harvey nodded in agreement. A fearful expression still lingered on his face when he followed Kaleqi downstairs. At the same time, he said secretly in his heart, "You are already so vicious at such a young age. Fortunately, you are not my enemy." Chapter 49: Negotiation

Chapter 49: Negotiation

Pdin stood in Nari''s backyard, admiring the waning yellow sky. With hands sped behind his back, he said, "Let¡¯s get to the point. There are no outsiders here. Sir Harvey, what kind of armor do you need?" In this situation, Harvey answered bluntly and impolitely, just like Pdin. "Twenty pairs of chain armor and half-body te armor. Plus twenty pieces of standard cross swords, hammers, and spears!" Unexpectedly, Pdin waved his hand and refused. "Impossible! Sir Harvey, you must know that considering my and Kaleqi¡¯s connection, the armor is no problem. The most we can do is make some deals under the table with our connections and then pay a little fine. Weapons, on the other hand, are absolutely not allowed! If word gets out, all three of us will be sent to the gallows! Even the Holy See will ignore me." Harvey noticed Pdin''s firm resolution and also knew that pushing to get what he wanted was unnecessary. Only then did Harvey say his original request. "Forty sets of armor, no weapons are needed. For each pair, I will give you one hundred and fifty gold coins! How about it?" Pdin and Kaleqi were startled. After ncing briefly at each other, Pdin was still a little taken aback when he said, "I can''t believe it, Sir Harvey. For a group consisting of a hundred soldiers, you can earn at least 6,000 gold coins. You are really rich!" Who knew that Harvey would wave his hand and say, "I didn''t buy it for my group. I bought it for my backings. There are too many who are involved, so you better not ask. Yet, when ites to pricing, we are really generous .In the future, I might buy from you again, after all.¡± Pdin and Kaleqi immediately nodded knowingly. Inside Pdin¡¯s head, a picture of the situation became gradually clearer. ¡®This Harvey is hired by the Duchy. Plus, the person who hired him must be a powerful nobleman. He spent so much money to make armor discreetly. Moreover, he doesn''t want others to know it. Is what I think true? Is there going to be a war?¡¯ This thought only briefly passed his mind, but it was temporarily suppressed by Pdin. What they had to think about now was not whether there would be a war or not, but their own ie. After all, in the absence of money, many avenues cannot be opened. Pdin nodded thoughtfully and suddenly asked, "When do you want the goods?" "The sooner the better. It can¡¯t be longer than two months." Pdin considered it and decided it was fine. Finding an unknown cksmith to hurry work so it could be done in two months wouldn¡¯t be an issue. Pdin looked at Kaleqi, who also nodded in agreement. Then, he opened his mouth and said, "Okay, I''ll give it to you in two months." Harvey nodded in satisfaction. However, Pdin then continued, "I''m afraid you will turn to the other side, so you will have to pay me a thousand gold coins first." Kaleqi''s expression became a little ugly. In any case, Harvey was also his friend. So, it was a bit embarrassing to ask for money in person like that. But, Harvey only boldly nodded in response. "Alright, I will. However, one thousand gold coins is too many. I didn¡¯t have all of them in my body right now. Tomorrow. I¡¯ll have someone bring it to you tomorrow." At present, they discussed it carefully until they had to part ways before the sky becamepletely bright. Pdin suddenly halted, looked at Harvey who was about to leave, and asked, "Captain, if you can tell me, I would like to ask you something." The priest then bluntly asked, "You brought a hundred people, not simply just for the armor, right?¡± When Kaleqi saw the hesitation on Harvey¡¯s face, he immediately interjected, ¡°Harvey, say it, we are all in the same boat.¡± They saw Harvey nod and then whisper viciously, "Father, I onlye out to do errands for others. I gain nothing from this. The Magical Beast Forest is located in between three kingdoms, which are only ten days away from here. Furthermore, the Duchy limits the number of imports and exports. The avaricious profits on the route to and from the road are enormous. If I don''t make a single fortune from the nearby caravan, I¡¯ll feel sorry for the minions who follow me.¡± Pdin gave a knowing nod. Mercenaries were notoriously unruly and dishonorable troops. They may switch jobs from mercenary to robber at any time as long as it was profitable. Just like the armies of many kingdoms. In times of peace, when the country didn¡¯t do anything special, most soldiers would go to war-torn countries to be mercenaries for one of the sides. Because they weren¡¯t from the country in question, there¡¯d be no psychological burden if they set it on fire, killed, and or looted there. As a result, many soldiers, including civilian mercenaries, liked to fight for other countries. Pdin suddenly remembered about the Philosopher''s Stone. So, he immediately requested something from Harvey. "Please send over any prisoners you catch to me. I''ll pay you five gold coins every person, which is twice as much than Airdrie''s ves! I''ll take as many as there are avable." Harvey wasn¡¯t the only one who was taken a little aback. Kaleqi also looked at Pdin in confusion. He couldn''t figure out why Pdin wanted so many ves, regardless of gender or age. But it wasn¡¯t easy to ask about other people''s affairs, so he had to keep it to himself. Nevertheless, anotheryer of fog obscured his understanding of Pdin, making it even more difficult to see clearly. Harvey also didn''t understand Pdin¡¯s intention. He''d only known this priest for about an hour, so it was only reasonable. The other party desired to spend money, whereas he desired to make money. Why not give it a shot? Harvey pped the breastte on his chest, nodded happily, and said, "Don''t worry, Father, I will try my best to bring back beautiful women for you." Without refuting anything, Pdin smiled, and left with a flick of his sleeves. That was how things ended. Pdin and Kaleqi joined forces to announce that Nari, Chira, and Dorren were the ones behind the scenes. Dorren was disheartened, so he wrapped up his family¡¯s properties and escaped from Nurba overnight. There was no further news from him after that. Some folks who went out of town imed that Dorren was robbed on the way and had his head decapitated by the robbers. In any case, Pdin was overjoyed now that all the ironworks under Dorren, Nari, Chira and Grundy¡¯s names had all be his and Kaleqi''s properties. Through Kaleqi''s decades of contacts, he discreetly recruited some cksmiths who specialized in ck market transactions to help make the armor. Pdin had a premonition that the Duchy was about to go to war. By then, arge amount of Nurba''s iron ore would flow into the Duchy. With this, he could make a lot of money. Roughly speaking, Pdin could get sixty gold coins every month. This was much more than just relying on donations from the believers. In the blink of an eye, seven days had passed. Pdin was in the church at the moment, holding gauze and hemostatic medicine to bandage the wounded arm of a young man who was lying in the bed. "Hurts, hurts, it hurts!" The young man didn¡¯t really have a name. Thus, everyone called him Uka. In the Duchy¡¯s localnguage, it meant reckless. He was wounded this time because when he went hunting in the morning, he ran into a wild boar. He was so lucky that only his arm was cut open. With a wonderful smile on his face, Pdin applied the hemostatic medicine and gently tied the gauze. Pdin breathed a sigh of relief. He smiled brightly and said to Uka, who had been treated, "Okay, the wound has been bandaged. However, you have to remember that you can''t go hunting for a few days. Otherwise, the wound will open again. It could also get infected. If that is the case, it will be very difficult to deal with." Uka stood up. His arm really felt much better. Looking at Pdin with a grateful expression, he said, "Oh, Father, thank you very much! However, my family doesn''t have any money, so I really don''t know how to repay you." Pdin shook his head casually. He carefully helped Uka walk to the door and said, "There is no need for a thank you gift. I am already overjoyed at the prospect of you being able to attend tomorrow''s mass as a believer." "Don''t worry, Father. I will definitelye." Uka looked gratefully at this priest who was no older than him, but waspletely admirable. "Yo! Father!" Just as Pdin was about to go back inside the church, a middle-aged woman came with a bag of fruits and vegetables. She handed it to Pdin and said, "Thank you for officiating at my daughter''s wedding. Since you don''t usually eat very well, these home-grown fruits and potatoes are for you. I''ll let you have a taste." Pdin looked a little embarrassed at that, but he still took the basket. However, at this moment, a familiar figure walked over. Chapter 50: Choir

Chapter 50: Choir

"Oh, Enos bless you, reverend priest." Kaleqi had taken off his armor and changed into beautiful fancy clothes. He approached Pdin with a child in tow. "Kaleqi, I told you to maintain the stability of Nurba. Why did youe here?" Pdin said with a coy smile. The woman at his side immediately interjected kindly, "You guys talk. I have to go back to take care of my grandson." With that, she turned around and left. "Good morning, Father!" "Hello Father." "Father, when are you going to go to my store for some roast beef?¡± Kaleqi watched the passersby on the street greeting Pdin warmly. An invisible sense of reverence and affection permeated from the surroundings. Kaleqi stroked the silky hair of the child beside him and looked at Pdin, who continued to return the greeting. Kaleqi smiled and said, "You''re very popr now. Father." Pdin smiled. Looking at the curious child, he said, "Is this your son?" Kaleqi proudly and affectionately patted the back of the child''s head. He lowered his head to look at his child and urged, "Quick, introduce yourself. This is Father Pdin. The child was only about seven or eight years old, just as old as he can only remember his age. The brown hair made the curious child more and more adorable. He immediately answered in his childish and pure voice, "Father, I am Uther, the son of Kaleqi." When the kid was about to kneel down on one knee, Pdin immediately stepped forward to hold Uther''s body and said in an encouraging tone, "Good boy, don''t kneel down for me. You can only kneel before your parents and the king." Uther only understood half of what Pdin had said, and then he raised his head. His pink but handsome face was revealed in front of Pdin''s eyes. "Pdin, how is it? My son is not bad, right?" "Well, very good, very good, not inferior to those nobles at all." Pdin looked up at Kaleqi with droopy eyes. Thetter nodded knowingly and led Uther into the church. Pdin came in after them and closed the door. Kaleqi looked at Pdin with a strange expression and said slowly, "Pdin, you don''t have a godson yet, right?" As soon as Kaleqi said that, Pdin turned to look at the serious Kaleqi, his face seemed to say ¡®you''re not like those kinds of people, right?¡¯. Sure enough, Kaleqi nodded in acknowledgement and said, "I want to ask you to be Uther''s godfather and baptize him. Will you oblige me?" Pdin''s face remained calm. He knew that this was a disguised attempt by Kaleqi to bring the two closer together. It was also to prove that there was no possibility of them bing foes. But, on second thought, this was a good thing. He didn¡¯t have a godson now, so it could be used in exchange for Kaleqi''s trust. So, Pdin nodded readily. Uther was also a smart kid. When he saw Pdin nodding, he immediately knelt down on one knee and shouted respectfully, "Godfather, my godfather, your godson, Uther, is willing to ept the godfather''s guidance and encouragement." Pdin picked up Uther and looked at the boy with watery eyes, showing a heartfelt smile. "Good. There is a Mass tomorrow so wait for next week. I will baptize you next week." While saying this, Pdin took out a candy and handed it to Uther. Gently and kindly, he then added, "Go and y. I have something to say to your father." Uther turned his head to look at Kaleqi. When Kaleqi nodded in approval, he let out a giggle and took off like a bird that had just been freed. He joyfully ran out of the church and went to have fun with his ymates. "What a carefree kid. Kaleqi, were you like this when you were a child?" Pdin watched Uther from the window. Suddenly, he felt a strange feeling. He couldn''t help but open his mouth to ask. Kaleqi only responded with a hmm. Kaleqi touched his freshly shaved chin. Feeling the roughness of his stubble in his hands, he simply answered, "This is what childhood is like. They will all go through childhood, whether they are nobles ormoners. Pdin, haven''t you experienced it too?" "No." Pdin said without thinking. Then, he added, "I first ate candy at the age of twelve. It was not bought or given by others. Rather, I stole it myself. That was my entire childhood back then." Kaleqi frowned and looked at Pdin, whose eyes were lost in thought. He asked, "Stole? Pdin, considering you are from a noble family, was it necessary to steal candy?" That very moment, Pdin came back to his senses. Only then did he realize that he had said the wrong thing. His cold eyes that were staring at Kaleqi turned sharp like a viper. Scared, Kaleqi could not help but take half a step back. However, Kaleqi then heard Pdin say, "You care too much, Kaleqi!" "I''m sorry, please ept my apology." Kaleqi didn''t know where he made a mistake, so he bowed and apologized. However, he waited far too long for any form of reply from Pdin, so Kaleqi gradually raised his head in doubt. All he saw was Pdin''s indifferent face, as if his previous hideous expression never existed. Looking out the window at Uther who was ying peek-a-boo with the civilians, Pdin said, "Kaleqi, please assist me in informing the entire town that I wish to form a choir. Every choir member will be paid twenty silver coins a month." "A choir? Pdin, what is your goal? What good will it do you?" "No parish priest has the time and money to run a choir because it''s mboyant, impractical and pointless." At this point, Pdin looked at Kaleqi indifferently. Then, he continued, "Yet it is this useless thing that appeals to those in positions of power. Isn''t it ridiculous? No, it¡¯s not. Useless people are fond of worthless things. Birds of a feather flock together." Kaleqi felt Pdin''s words were very ironic. He felt that he could never be friends with him, because friends were connected heart-to-heart and had equal standing. In his opinion, Pdin did not believe anyone was on an equal footing with him. In this scenario, everyone was simply using each other to seek benefits, nothing more. By noon that day, Kaleqi''s official letter was sent out. Some low-ie families with multiple children quickly aim for that monthly ie of twenty silver coins. "Oh! Praise Father Pdin, the apostle of God! Twenty silver coins a month, for God''s sake, my man only gets fifteen silver coins a month!" "No matter what you say, let my son join. Whoever steals my son¡¯s position, I''ll fight them!" "My son is strong and healthy. No adult can evenpare with him in farm work. He is definitely the one!" "Bah! It¡¯s not about doing farm work, it¡¯s about singing! My son has been taught by the bards on the street, and that¡¯s an advantage!¡± In front of the church, a dozen children dressed in new clothes looked fearfully at Pdin, who was sitting at the table. Behind them, arge group of middle-aged women and mothers cursed at each other, abandoning their image just for the high sry of twenty silver coins. Their fathers also fought over the ie that would certainly improve the family''s life. "Quiet, quiet!" Kaleqi, who was standing beside Pdin, yelled loudly. When the adults who were about to fight saw Kaleqi''s menacing eyes and arge group of armed guards behind him, they immediately calmed down, not daring to speak anymore. Pdin nodded in satisfaction while looking at the dozen or so children in front of him. However, he was feeling a little unhappy inside. A dozen or so were too few. Although it was more than enough to form a choir, it was simply not extravagant enough at this scale. After all, the number of people was too small. However, at this moment, the crowd that had originally crowded the gate suddenly eximed. They were shouting and cursing because they got pushed away one by one. Just as Pdin was wondering what had happened, a young girl wearing a big hat, dressed in a white and pink dress while carrying a bag rushed in. Then, she shouted loudly, "Father, count me in too!" Chapter 51: Princess Lucia

Chapter 51: Princess Lucia

¡°Hahahahaha, big girl, do you want to join the choir as well?" The civilians nearby quickly burst outughing when they realized it was a youngdy. The pinkish face of the youngdy immediately flushed red. She timidly looked at Pdin, hoping that this young priest would be graceful and ept her. At this time, Pdin''s face was expressionless, but his heart was in turmoil. Right now, all he could see was therge pile of the magic elements of the world. However, it was the rectangr hole in the bag on this little girl''s back that surprised him. That was right, the environment wasposed of the four magic elements. Even the human body was made up of a numerous variety of magic elements. Pdin had never seen something like this before. In the ocean of magic elements, there was a dark empty hole without any magic elements. ¡®What is in this young girl''s backpack? Surprisingly, it isn¡¯t made out of the four elements? Does this mean it¡¯s some kind of treasure?¡¯ Pdin thought. The thought made Pdin suddenlyugh. "We''re only recruiting children for the choir. Youngdy, you are a bit too old." As soon as Pdin said that, the civilians burst outughing again. The youngdy''s face was as red as an apple. She gently apologized to Pdin and was about to turn to leave the church when Pdin said, "Wait, you indeed are not able to join the choir but I do not have nuns now. Do you have the will and determination to be a servant of God?" The young girl was slightly taken aback. The civilians around her quickly fell silent. But then, they heard Pdin continue, "Fifty silver coins a month, what do you think?" The people around them were immediately in an uproar. They started to talk to each other. On the contrary, the young girl was slightly stunned before nodding excitedly. "Yes, yes! Father, I do! My name is Luna." "Good, Sister Luna." Pdin simply ignored the startled civilians who stood in front of the door and Kaleqi who was looking at him strangely. His eyes looked straight at Luna, or rather, straight at her backpack. The corners of his mouth curled upwards, showing an untraceable disturbing smile.
"Luna, you must get out of this forest before eveninges. You also have to avoid being gnawed by hungry magical beasts in the middle of the night!" In the center of the Duchy of Kasmi, Aixinzhe Kingdom, and Nubia Kingdom, the huge forest full of magical beasts defended the borders of the three kingdoms. Two women in fancy Chinese clothes were walking in the forest with difficulty. Luna, the injured woman, identally stepped on a hunter''s trap. The ferocious and cold metal trap immediately trapped her white, tender, and smooth long legs tightly to the bones. The woman in front, who was wearing a luxurious white gown that had been ripped in some ces because of the branches, immediately turned around and tried to use her arms that had never done physical work to break the hard metal trap. The strange thing was that although Luna got trapped and an extremely painful expression showed on her beautiful face that was deathly pale, she clenched her teeth and didn¡¯t utter a single cry. The other woman looked up at Luna, surprised, but then lowered her head to fiddle with the metal trap more vigorously. It was because they knew that if one of them yelled right now, they would not only attract the nearby magical beasts, but also the rebels who had followed them all the way here. The woman in the white dress could not stand it any longer. Her body was trembling slightly. Drops of tears indisputably dripping on the metal trap and Luna''s blood-stained leg. "Princess." A relieved smile suddenly bloomed on Luna¡¯s face. When the woman in white looked up to see Luna''s expression, some unpleasant thoughts flitted through her mind. "Princess, don''t worry about me. Even if the trap can be opened, I have already lost a lot of blood. So, Princess, please go now." "No!" The princess shouted out. She could not restrain her tears any longer. She bit her pink lips and said, "You and I grew up together. How can I leave you and escape by myself! You are not only my maid, but also my friend!" Luna was shocked when she heard this. She, too, was in tears. In shock, she berated her. "Princess Lucia, your Highness, did you forget the king of Aixinzhe, your father''sst words?!" Princess Lucia shuddered, the movement of her hands stopped. Tried to stifle her cry, she then whispered, "I have not forgotten!" Yes, she would never forget it in her life. Up until a month ago, she was a princess who was clothed in gold and held high in the sky. She was the daughter of the king of the kingdom of Aisinzhe, Ju De''an. That day, she was chatting and drinking tea with the noblewomen in the morning as usual. She also learned how to draw with Lex, the eldest son of Marquis Hierak. Oh, Lex, the elegant nobleman with mncholy purple hair who exuded an aura that fascinated her. Lucia admitted that she had loved him since the first moment she saw him. She hoped that her father would marry her to Lex, who would inherit the title of Marquis and be the leader of the Knights Order. Of course, King Ju De''an felt the same way as he watched the two of them grow older, already sixteen or seventeen years old, and fell more and more in love with each other. Ju De''an then suggested to Marquis Hierak for their child to marry. Marquis Hierak was very happy. The war general, whomanded a massive and powerful army, was guarding the border that was bordering the Duchy of Kasmi. After hearing the news, his usually stern face was filled with disbelief and excitement. It almost made Luciaugh thinking about it. Everything was so perfect. For those few short days, Lucia seemed to live in honey. She considered herself fortunate inparison to those who married far away to the nobles and royal grandchildren outside the town, never even knowing what they looked like before. She was undoubtedly lucky to marry the man of her choice. Unfortunately, things were far more horrible than she had imagined. All of the kingdom''s prestigious figures attended the wedding ceremony. The capital city would host a three-day party. Commoners and nobles drank free fine wine and danced traditional dances passed down through generations. The entire capital was filled with a joyful and beautiful atmosphere. In thergest church in the kingdom, St. Margaret''s Cathedral, Lucia wore a fancy wedding dress. She watched Lexe towards her, his purple hair was flowing. She listened to the words recited by the archbishop of one of the episcopal churches belonging to the Aixinzhe diocese. Then, she also heard her dreamy lover elegantly say yes. Lucia''s whole heart was about to jump out of her chest. Shyly, she, too, said yes. Lex embraced Lucia''s small waist that was covered by the white wedding dress and kissed her deeply. What followed was a party, an endless drunken festivity. Even the king and the ministers, who normally discussed the state of affairs and would even scold each other, raised their sses happily. That was, until every one of them let out a groan of pain. Then, many nobles throughout the hall spouted ck blood from their mouths and fell to the ground with a whimper. Lucia was terrified. She watched her biological father''s round dead eyes staring at her. What was even more frightening was, the door was kicked open next. Endless soldiers in full te armor poured in, holding a longsword in each of their hands. They didn¡¯t say anything when they all raised the weapon in their hands and began to stab the dead nobles¡¯ body to make sure they were dead for real. ¡®Treason!¡¯ All Lucia wanted to do when the word popped in her mind was to seek the protection of her lover, Lex. However, Lex, this beastly bastard! With a victorious smile, he ordered the ughter of the nobles who surrendered and did not dare to resist. "Lex, what''s going on?!" Lucia looked at her royal rtives and his father who had died unexpectedly with tears all over her face. She was caught in a vortex of unimaginable pain. "What''s the matter, my love?" Lex''s face was no longer elegant. The burning me in his eyes made Lucia feel unfathomably strange. She saw Lex casually moving towards King Ju De''an¡¯s corpse. He took the crown from the dead king¡¯s head and put it on his own head. "My love, you are going to be a queen! Hahaha!¡± Chapter 52: A Huge Change

Chapter 52: A Huge Change

"Is this all because of your father, Marquis Hierak?! Has he been wanting to rebel since long ago?!" Lucia roared out. It made her tender voice sound a little hoarse. These words reached Lex''s ears, but he wore an unsettling expression instead. A look of hatred and usation filled his face. "Lucia, you are disappointing me. Who am I? Lex from the Appanra Steel n! I am the descendant of the glorious and wise Appanra Steel n! That man, however-" At the end of his sentence, the soldier who had disposed of the corpses, came while carrying the body of an old man stabbed with numerous spears. Lucia could see at a nce that the old man was none other than Lex''s own father, Marquis Hierak. Lex looked at his father''s corpse with contempt and then cursed, "From the time the kingdom was founded, our Appanra Steel n was the chiefmander of the entire army. Without our n, the Kingdom of Aixinzhe would have been destroyed by the surrounding kingdoms long ago!" Lex took a step forward, his face contemptuous. "This man is a disgrace as a patriarch of the Appanra Steel n. He is holding a third of the kingdom''s military strength in his hands; the only army that has been tested through the numerous wars, but this idiot doesn''t even dare to think that the kingdom of Aixinzhe belongs to our n! He has let me down too much. When I proposed a series of ns for rebellion, instead of getting excited and prepare the things we needed, he wanted to send me to your father to be convicted! This coward has been corrupted by chivalry values! He doesn''t deserve to be the patriarch, let alone the new king of Aixinzhe!" Turning his head to look the stunned Lucia in the eyes, Lex said, "God, on the other hand, favors me. He gave me a woman, a woman who will be a queen in the future. This rebellion would not have seeded without you, Lucia. Without you, I wouldn''t have been able to get rid of all the generals and nobles in the kingdom who opposed me in one night! And you know what? It was ordained by God. Now,e. Come right into my arms. The kingdom is now all ours!" "No, no!" Lucia abruptly stood up. While leaning against the door and growling in pain, she said, "You broke my heart, as well as my love for you, you bastard with a human face and a monster heart! I swear I will make you regret what you did today as long as I''m alive!" Lex frowned. He walked towards Lucia, opened his hands, and said, "Don''t worry, honey. I still love you. I want you to bear me a son, a son who will inherit thisnd that has been conquered from our ancestors! Lucia,e." Who would''ve guessed that Lucia would keep getting further away. She didn''t have any intention to approach him at all. "You sadden me, love," Lex affectionately said. Suddenly he talked to the soldiers behind him with a stern face. "Take the queen to rest, she is already sleepy." "No, don''te here!" Lucia leaned against the wall in panic, watching the soldiers expressionlessly raise their armored arms and were about to reach out to Lucia. Suddenly there was a sh of light, one that was akin to a thunderbolt before their eyes. When they went to look for the source of the light in question, they saw an old man with white hair, covered in a luxurious and bulky full-body te armor standing in front of Lucia. There was a thin and long rapier in his hand. His expression was full of strong rage and hatred. After a ''boom'' sound, the bodies of the soldiers shook before blood burst out from their bodies all over. Their bodies and armor had been ripped apart. They became mere pieces of meat before falling to the ground. "Uncle Brandt!" Lucia cried with joy. She became happy when she saw who her savior was. Lex looked at the old man, whose previously sunken face immediately became icy. He said in a low voice, "Count Brandt, the head of the Two-Headed Dragon Knight. Brandt, The Sky Knight. I''m surprised you didn''t die from the poisoned wine!" "Sorry, Lex." Brandt shook the thin sword in his hand and gestured something.? A dozen or more people in various costumes emerged from behind him to protect Princess Lucia. He took a nce at the fallen Ju De''an''s body that was lying in a pool of blood. The next words that came out from his mouth next were full of an unfathomable rage. "Lex! You have assassinated the king and seized the throne, brutally ughtering countless nobles in the process. Moreover, you''ve poisoned our king, my former best friend! What a shame that I''m old, so I no longer drink. Your efforts were futile." Lex retreated slightly to take out the magic props from his pocket. However, his subtle action was seen by Brandt. As a result, Brandt immediately threatened him. "Lex, you''d better make a wise decision. Despite my age, I still have the strength of a ten-star fighter. Furthermore, I am a magical swordsman. You won''t even be able to think of using any magic props." Sure enough, Lex stopped the movement of his hands when he heard Brandt''s warning. A ten-star fighter, that was the highest level of strength a fighter can achieve. It was the equivalent of half a magic guide''s power. Plus, he was also a magic swordsman. This meant his? strength potentially exceeded the fighter level standard that was used by the continent. He was not someone Lex could deal with. Brandt, with a triumphant smile on his lips,manded his subordinates behind him, "Take the princess and leave the kingdom. The farther you go, the better." "No, I''m not going! Let me go!" Lucia looked at the warriors whose chest was either marked with five stars or seven stars and roared unwillingly. However, Brandt suddenly pped Lucia in the face while ring and shouting at her, "What are you screaming about?! I really can''t stand you spoiled nobles. Go! The kingdom has fallen. The lords of thend are either dead or switched sides! This is no longer Ju De''an''s Aixinzhe!" Lucia stared nkly at Brandt, who was angry but regretful. The tears in her eyes fell down again. "Here!" Brandt suddenly threw a small stone b wrapped in cloth to Lucia''s arms. Seeing Lucia''s puzzled expression, Brandt said with a smile, "This is the treasure your father entrusted to me. He said the kingdom may be destroyed, but this stone b must never be lost. It contains a power that could even make a giant dragon tremble." Looking at Lucia, who gradually got a hold of herself as determination filled her eyes,? Brandt suddenly teased, "Although I have not found out anything special even after decades of looking at it, it can be considered a relic from your father. Go, don''te back! Find a ce for yourself and live well, child." Clutching the b in her arms, Lucia realized that Brandt was saying goodbye to her. She immediately struggled and cried bitterly, "Uncle, Uncle Brandt! No!" However, Brandt''s iron-hearted subordinates only gave him a military salute before silently carrying Lucia and fleeing away. "Don''t leave! Give me back my queen!" How could Lex let them take his lover away in such a grand way? Just as he was about to chase after her, Brandt blocked his way with the tip of his sword. His long white beard shook on his chin when he smiled and said, "Lex, don''t worry. Let''s have a chat with uncle." Lex stopped abruptly. He looked at Brandt who was unmovable and still smiling. Biting his lips and gritting his teeth, Lex said, "If you don''t want to let me pass, kill me! Just kill me!" "Of course I want to kill you!" Brandt answered immediately, causing Lex to take half a step back in fright. He vigntly looked at the long sword in Brandt''s hand that was pointing at him. But then Brandt murmured, his tone heavy, "Of course I want to kill you. But once you die, Aixinzhe will really be finished. Nubia and Kasmi will never let this opportunity slip by. Everything Ju De''an lived for, his ambition is about to be destroyed. And Lucia? How can a person who can''t even kill a little rabbit govern the country?" After he finished speaking, Brandt firmly looked at Lex, whose mouth agape in a daze, and said, "Aixinzhe is now solely dependent on you. Although you''ve killed my friends, subordinates, and king, now I can only rely on you, kid." "Yo, Brandt is here too." The two fell into a strange silence when a calm and wise voice suddenly came from behind Lex. Brandt heard the voice and looked towards the source. His brows furrowed when he saw who it was. "So it''s your doing, old man." Chapter 53: The Apocalypse

Chapter 53: The Apocalypse

Lex turned around and eximed in surprise, "Lord Magician Saruman, you are finally here!" A man with white hair and purple robes emerged from the shadows. The elderly man was holding a high-level staff with glowing runes. He walked past Lex and looked at the nervous Brandt with a wise and calm expression on his face. "Old man, where are your Two-headed Dragon Knights? Are they out there busy partying? Why didn''t theye with you?" Brandt''splexion became extremely bad. With great displeasure, he said, Saruman, you are the court mages'' leader. There was a coup d''¨¦tat and the king was killed. Why didn''t you do anything?" Saruman casually shook the staff in his hand, shaking the runes around it as well:, "Although I am a court mage, I am also a Hellitt, a magic guide from the Forest of Towers. I can''t and don''t want to get involved in the battles between kingdoms." "Hmph!" Brandt grunted lightly, but his hand that was holding the sword was sweating. A proof of how nervous this old man was. Saruman stared at him with narrowed eyes before he suddenly smiled and said, "Old man, since you are poisoned, don''t hold it back. It''s bad for your body." "What?! He was poisoned?!" Lex was ecstatic. He looked at Brandt, whose forehead was beginning to break out in a cold sweat. He raised his long sword, eager to try to fight Brandt. Who knew that Saruman would make Lex lower the longsword with a flick of his staff. Looking at Lex¡¯s angry face, Saruman sneered, "Even if he is poisoned, a ten-star magic swordsman is not someone you can face." Sarumanughed sinisterly, but Brandt only shrugged and wiped off his cold sweat. Suddenly, his lips formed a barely discernible smile. "Saruman, you didn¡¯t dare toe here earlier. Is it because you are afraid of me? You sure are aware of the limits of your own capabilities. In such a small hall, even if I am poisoned, once I be desperate, you will at least lose an arm, if not die! You are waiting. Waiting for me to be poisoned to death." Saruman''s face was expressionless, but his hand never stopped moving. When the staff mmed into the floor, threeyers of azure glowing shield shielded Saruman''s body. "Humph, cowards. This is why I hate you magicians." Brandtughed contemptuously. Casually throwing away his sword, he then sat down on the ground. Brandt leaned against the wall, his breath becamebored. "me it on my greed. I downed two jugs in one sitting. I wonder, will the nosy Ju De¡¯an nag me again?" Lex was finally able to confirm that Brandt had been poisoned when he watched Brandt sweating profusely. Raising the longsword in his hand, heughed. "I can''t believe I¡¯d have the honor to kill the Sky Knight. Haha, to think I¡¯d kill this old man my father often praised with my own hands!" "Stop it." Saruman remained calm as he stepped forward and blocked Lex''s path. Although his face was calm, there was a sh of anger in his eyes. "He is a Sky Knight, he cannot die in your hands. He should die in a more grand and heroic manner!" Lex, however, disagreed. His eyes were full of zing anger. "Saruman! I am the one who is going to be the king of Aixinzhe! You dare to speak to me like that?!" "What''s so daring about it? Honorable King of Aixinzhe, if you want to taste Hellitt of the Forest of Towers¡¯ hostility, feel free toe and kill me!" After hearing the words Saruman had said, Lexpletely froze. With all of his might, he held back his anger. Hellitt from the Forest of Towers. It was one of the three mage associations in the continent. Unlike the other two that were mysterious and distanced themselves from the matters concerning the continent, the Forest of Towers was very keen in the intersection of forces in the continent. As a result, the Forest of Towers had a much higher status than the continent''s other two mage associations. So high that even a kingdom had to think twice before opposing them. Their degree of hostility couldn¡¯t be taken lightly. "Old buddy, we''ve known each other for decades. Although all of them are unpleasant memories, at the very least, I can give you a better end." Saruman approached Brandt slowly. At the tip of his staff, an ice sword formed, apanied by a gust of icy wind. Brandt onlyughed weakly. His eyes had lost their luster and his face had already turned very pale. "Thank you so much. Please be fast, I already can''t see anything now." Saruman stood in front of Brandt. He stared at the dying old man, recalling the many fights andpetitions the two of them had over the decades. From childhood fights and bullying, to the antagonism in their old age. Surprisingly, the good memories served no purpose. He couldn''t help but sigh. Raising the staff in his hand, he aimed it at Brandt''s forehead "Anyst words?" "Hahaha..." Suddenly, tears fell from Brandt¡¯s unseeing eyes. With a choked tone, he said, "Do me a favor. Don''t kill Ju De¡¯an''s only daughter." "I give you my word." Lex frowned, his anger rose exponentially. He wanted to speak out and refuse it, but then he thought, what could a mere woman do? Sooner orter, would she not eventually return to his side and be queen? With that in mind, he restrained his anger. Brandt closed his eyes, peacefully waiting for his end. When Saruman was about to take his life, suddenly an iparably powerful force came from the left. Saruman was astounded to discover that the ice sword on his staff had been crushed and vanished! After that, a huge force pushed Saruman away. Sending him flying into the wall on the right and sliding down to the floor. "Who is it?! Come out!" Saruman quickly stood up. Cold sweat beaded on his forehead, just like Brandt''s, as he red vigntly at the culprit. Step step step. Only a faint sound of footsteps could be heard as an elegant man with ck hair entered the room. His handsome face looked indifferent at the situation. He turned out to be the one who had appeared in the Freemasons¡¯ Association not long ago. The one who was referred to as the mysterious warrior by the dragon Odovic! Seeing the personing closer, Saruman let out an angry roar. Six fireballs the size of washbasins condensed quickly atop the staff. The fireballs brightened up the entire pce. But just as he was about to attack the man, the man nonchntly waved his hand. The repulsive force that appeared just now came towards him again. Saruman was taken aback by what happened next. The six fireballs on top of his staff disappeared as if they were blown out! "What the hell is going on here?!" Saruman was a little terrified and couldn''t get a grip of himself. He decided to use magic again, so he started building a magic structure. However, he was even more shocked to find that he couldn''t mobilize any of the magic elements at all. It was as if his bridge ofmunication with the magic elements had been severed. Lex, on the other hand, was quietly trying to get away. He didn''t have any guts to fight an opponent that even Saruman was no match for. Brandt was gasping for air so heavily that he seemed to have lost his sharp hearing. He was about to return to God¡¯s embrace. The man stood in front of Brandt and squatted down slowly. After waving his hand in front of Brandt, he smiled and said gently, "I have already gotten rid of your poison. Whether you can survive or not depends on your own enlightenment and ability to see it with your own eyes." Brandt miraculously awoke, as if in a haze. The moment he opened his eyes, there seemed to be countless streams of stars shing across his eyes. His eyes were no longer blind, his ears were no longer deaf. Brandt looked at the smiling man in front of him. In a trembling tone as if he had discovered a new world, he said, "This¡­ is all real! It really exists!" Hearing that, the man smiled very warmly. Slowly, he helped Brandt up. Then, he said, "Congrattions, you have be one of us. Our responsibility and power. Our sorrow and joy. Wee, my brothers and sisters." Thump! The staff in Saruman''s hand fell to the ground. With a frightened but joyful expression, he said, "I remember, I remember you! The legendary warrior! The power that shouldn''t exist!" The man smiled and looked away from Saruman. "We have many names: the Legendary Warriors, the Knights of the Apocalypse, the Apocalypse, and the Destroyers." Saruman stepped forward, his face full of excitement. He knelt on one knee and said with tears in his eyes, "The Mages¡¯ nemesis, the Silencer of The Magic Elements. The de of The World. Oh my God! I met the legendary hero in my old age." The man smiled faintly. Without uttering any words, he looked at Brandt and nodded. Brandt understood what he meant, so he turned his back to Saruman and said, "Goodbye, Saruman. Brandt has just died. I hope you can arrange a funeral for me, thank you." Still smiling, the two gradually vanished into thin air. There was no trace of their existence that was left. The originally dazed Lex came out of his daze. He then indifferently nced at Saruman, who was kneeling on the ground with aplicated face. The two closed their mouths at the same time. They both had a tacit understanding. This was a secret, a secret that could never be known. Chapter 54: The Mysterious Tablet

Chapter 54: The Mysterious Tablet

Meanwhile in the capital city, Lucia was still carrying the b of stone. Her head was covered by a veil. Together with the warriors who were escorting her, they weaved through the streets¡¯ alleyways. The streets were filled with soldiers who were questioning and interrogating the citizens. Once they found someone suspicious, they shot them right away. They didn¡¯t ept any excuses. "Princess, where will you go after we get out of the city gates? Almost all of the castles and cities in Aixinzhe have now defected to Lex. We can no longer stay within the kingdom,¡± whispered a female archer with a beautiful body who was carrying a bow and arrows. Lucia was about to speak when a timid but excited voice came from behind her. "Your Highness? I¡¯m d Her Highness is all right!" As soon as they heard that, the soldiers around Lucia immediately pointed their swords at the source of the sound. If Lucia had been even one secondte, the person''s heart would have been pierced by sharp swords and arrows. Lucia quickly turned around. She soon saw Luna standing behind her. Underneath the cloak, Luna¡¯s joy could be seen. Immediately, Lucia waved her hand to stop the soldiers. "Wait, she''s one of my people!" "Oh, princess! I thought you already..." As soon as the soldiers exhaled and dropped their rapier, Luna whimpered and jumped into Lucia''s arms. She then wailed like a child. "Your Highness, the destination hasn''t been set yet." The archer next to her reminded Lucia again. Lucia tightened her grip on the te in her arms. Determination and hatred bubbled in her eyes. "The enemy of my enemy is my friend. I''m going to the Duchy of Kasmi! Then, I¡¯ll attack the enemy by using the enemy¡¯s hand!" The surrounding soldiers collectively froze. Speechless, they exchanged nces with each other. Although they did not agree with her choice, it was still the most convenient strategy at the moment.
"Hey, have you heard? The nobles of Aixinzhe Kingdom plotted against the king and killed him!" "Did you just hear that? Let me tell you, my nephew is a soldier at the border. He told me arge number of troops have been transported to the front. Various lords have responded to the Archduke¡¯s call to go to the battlefield!" "Oh my God, another war? I don''t know how long it will take. I won¡¯t be able to continue this business." Pdin, who was in the church to hear the visitors'' prayers, was listening intently to themoners'' discussions about the coup d''¨¦tat that happened in the Aixinzhe Kingdom. He observed Luna¡¯s reaction. She was casually sweeping the floor. She seemed unfazed. Pdin''s brows immediately furrowed. ''I heard Luna''s ent and, while I''m not sure where she''s from, it''s definitely not Kasmi''s. She¡¯s very suspicious. News about Aixinzhe arrived a few days after she arrived. At the same time, she is acting too indifferent about the situation. When someone hears that there is going to be a war, even ordinary people will more or less show some reaction. This Luna, on the other hand, is too unconcerned about the situation. No, it''s not that she doesn''t care. Rather, it¡¯s more like she purposefully doesn''t care!'' "Luna, let''s have lunch," Pdin said to Luna with a smile after dismissing thest believer who hade for morning prayers. "Hmm? Mhmm." When Pdin approached the table, he saw mashed potatoes, clean and fresh tomatoes, a small te of cheese, and toasted golden breads lined up across the worn table. Pdin unexpectedly approached closer and inhaled the fragrant scent. A smile immediately bloomed on his face. "It smells good, Luna. Did you make all this?" Luna smiled shyly but said nothing. ¡®If it hadn''t been for the fact that I studied cooking with the chef in the pce for a while purely for fun, today would have been a disaster,¡¯ Luna thought. Luna satisfiedly watched as Pdin sat down. Next, she also sat down because she was hungry as well. She was about to pick up a piece of bread and put it into her peach lips when¨C p! "Ah, it hurts! How dare you hit me?!" Pdin pped the back of Luna''s hand and thetter''s bread fell back into the basket. She didn¡¯t think long enough before reprimanding Pdin as she patted the back of her hand. However, not long after, Luna knew she had said something wrong. This was not the royal pce, she was no longer the high and mighty Princess Lucia. Pdin simply looked away, sped his hands in front of him, and closed his eyes before praying reverently. "Thank you, Mighty God, for giving us food so that we don¡¯t get hungry. May your goodness shine upon us forever, amen." Luna couldn''t retaliate. She had seen stubborn priests like Pdin before. She didn¡¯t have any excuse, so she had no choice but to repeat what Pdin had said. Pdin smiled slightly and started to eat. The meal was extremely boring. Because of etiquette, Lucia often couldn¡¯t talk while eating in the pce. But, sometimes parents turned a blind eye when they were talking with their peers. Though when faced with Pdin, she couldn¡¯t put up a fight. From the beginning to the end, she actually didn''t say a word. She just vented her repressed voice to the te of bread, not noticing that she was the only one who was still eating. After the tedious lunch, Lucia''s suffering was far from over. Pdin did not give her time to rest. At noon, Pdin invited those energetic choir members to practice singing. At the afternoon Mass, Lucia was asked to prepare tea and water on the side. The Holy Bread was served along with the Holy Blood. My God, what a big jug full of wine! It weighed between four and five pounds and she had to serve the wine for two hours!Lucia was on the verge of copsing from exhaustion, but then, she still underestimated Pdin''s ability to order people. After Mass, the church was littered with litter and dust. Lucia was nominated as a nun, so she had to clean up all of this manually. She worked until the sky turned ck and the owls began to hangout on the treetops and hooted. The work for the day was finallyplete. "Father, I''m going to take a rest. Good night." Pdin, who was about to go upstairs with the Bible, immediately smiled gently and reminded her. "Remember to pray before going to bed." "Mhmm¡­." Lucia reluctantly suppressed the anger she felt when dealing with this young but old-fashioned priest. She dashed into the recently vacated grocery room, paying no attention to how messy it was or how strange it smelled. She immediately copsed on the floor. After a few breaths, she fell into a deep sleep. Even Lucia would¡¯ve never imagined sleeping in a bed that even her servants wouldn''t sleep in a month ago. Now, this was the ce where she was the happiest and most satisfied. Lucia, who had never exercised or worked out, was forced to do physical work so suddenly. Feeling physical fatigue was a natural thing. All of this, however, was nned by Pdin. Three hourster, in the dead of night, Lucia''s door was gently pushed open. Pdin entered silently, his face dark. The faint moonlight from outside the window, albeit dimly, helped Pdin to see the curvy figure that was lying on the bed. A figure that could not be covered even by the quilt. The undting mountain peaks, smooth grasnds, and brilliantndslides, the figure¡¯s perfect lines could make a man lose control. It was even amplified by Lucia''s pretty face, red lips, and brown hair. There was a faint fragranceing from her that made people feel dizzy and fascinated. When Pdin inhaled it, in an instant, a surge of the most primitive human desire spread to Pdin''s limbs. With a slight shake of his head, Pdin drove those thoughts away. His main goal was to find out the identity of the woman. Pdin regained hisposure and began rummaging Lucia¡¯s belongings for something relevant. A bloodstained wedding dress. Pdin''s pupils shrank rapidly. The fabric was exquisite. It was embellished with exquisite handiwork. Pdin became aware that the background of this woman called Luna was not simple. When he spread open the wedding dress, a symbol that was stained with blood came into view. The symbol was a dark red coat of arms, on which a lion with two swords was standing and roaring in the fire. No matter how ignorant Pdin was, he knew that this was the symbol of Aixinzhe Kingdom¡¯s royal family, which was publicly known as the enemy of the Duchy of Kasmi! "This woman has something to do with Aixinzhe''s rebellion! Perhaps, she''s a noble from the royal family!" Pdin was taken aback by his newfound spection. He hurriedly put Luna¡¯s things back in ce, trying his best to make it seem like it had never been turned over. He took a deep breath and quietly opened the first drawer, his expression intense. A stone b wrapped in thick cotton cloth appeared before his eyes. Chapter 55: The All-Seeing Eye

Chapter 55: The All-Seeing Eye

The stone b was Pdin''s main goal. It was not until he saw the b with his own eyes could Pdin confirm that this was the thing he searched for, the very thing that created a hollow space devoid of magic elements amidst the ocean of magic elements. To Pdin, this thing was akin to a torch in the darkness. It was too conspicuous. Pdin gently grabbed the b, quietly left the room, and slowly closed the wooden He then hurried up the stairs to the attic. Closing the door with a swing of his hand, Pdin immediately drew the curtains and gently untied the cotton cloth wrapping the b. A ck and purple colored te was revealed in front of his eyes. "Hmm?" Pdin frowned. The stone b was originally hollow, but after opening the cloth, arge number of magic elements were absorbed into it. Pdin was too stunned to let go of the stone b because of the astonishing scene only he could see. He watched the magic elements fly into the stone te. Then, the elements fused, twisted, deformed inside. Forming a strange and unfamiliar word. Pdin could guarantee that, although he wasn¡¯t fluent, he could recognize about hundreds ofnguages that were avable in the continent. He might be unable to read it, but he could identify one when he saw it. This word, however, Pdin swore he had never seen this kind of character. Suddenly, Pdin''s vision blurred. He was shocked to find that the word was reflected and now inside his mind. But, as soon as he focused his mind on the word, he forgot all about it, as if he had never seen it before! "What''s going on?! What the hell is this bizarre thing?" No matter how many times Pdin tried to make the word reappear in his mind, it would be instantly forgotten after. Pdin wandered inside his mind while sharpening all of his senses, trying to carefully take a look at the word. The moment he lowered his head, something changed. The text suddenly lurched and turned into a huge mouth that swallowed Pdin. Amidst the shock, an unparalleled and intense stabbing pain erupted from his mind. "AHHHHH!" Pdin covered his head with both hands, screaming in pain. The three hundred magic elements around him went ballistic, colliding all around without order. In his trance, Pdin felt as if he was in the middle of a torrent, a huge and endless torrent. A powerful power dragged Pdin''s entire body under the fierce raging water. "AHHH! It hurts!" Pdin couldn''t stop himself from crying out and violently opened his eyes. How shocked he was to see that he had no body. Yes, there was no body.Furthermore, his eyes could no longer only see ahead, but could now see in all directions. Suddenly, Pdin recalled studying about a dangerous and miraculous state when he was studying by himself in the past. "Soul state!" Pdin was shocked that now he was left with only his soul. However, he abruptly realized that the rumbling water flowing around him wasn¡¯t made of water droplets. Rather, it was made of a myriad of images. Pdin looked around with his vision that immediately spread in all directions. It was a bit terrifying. The countless images shing on his eyes were all about the human world. The images depicted soldiers fighting on the battlefield, assassins hiding in the shadows to kill, merchants selling fruits, the king standing in front of the pce, and there were even images about grass blown by the breeze, tall trees, uneven stones, drops of water falling to the ground, etc. This torrent of images was made of everything that was happening in the human world. "Mother, where is my candy?" "Your Majesty, this battle must be fought!" "Three silver coins for one big pumpkin!" "Brother, don''t you die!" "You bitch, you belong to me!" "Kill all the humans, for the glory of the orcs!" "Yo, it''s a nice day." The voices from the images suddenly got greatly amplified, and it all drilled into Pdin''s ears at the same time. There was a mixture of the sound of wind blowing, sword fighting, shouting, cursing, and many more. These made blood rush into his ears. Before such a loud mammoth sound, Pdin onlysted less than a second before copsing. "Ahhhhhhhhh! Quiet, quiet, QUIET! AHHHHH!" Just when Pdin¡¯s soul was about to copse, a grand and tranquil voice suddenly came from the endless bottom of the torrent. Obliterating the sounds that were amplifying anding from the picture. "God''s light, God''s darkness. The eyes of God, the words of God. Runes..." As soon as the voice finished speaking, Pdin saw the exact same words spoken appeared on the tablet before his eyes. However, it seemed Pdin no longer had short-term memory amnesia. The words were rooted deep in his brain. So deep that Pdin couldn''t forget even if he wanted to! Whoosh. The words suddenly turned into a stream of light, rushing straight to Pdin''s eyes like lightning. It entered Pdin''s eyes in a fraction of a second. Pdin''s body, which was covered in cold sweat, could sense the ground¡¯s pronounced texture of the grainy wood. He eventually got a grip of himself after looking around for a while. Finally, let out a sigh of relief. "I''m back, I''m truly back now." Pdin reluctantly stood up. Soothing his non-stop trembling feet, he looked at the stone b with lingering fear. Fortunately, the te never formed words again like before. Pdin, who still couldn''t figure out what happened, was about to sit down and sort out his thoughts when he felt another stabbing pain in his head. "Ah... ah¡­." Pdin¡¯s body trembled all over. Resisting the stabbing pain, he was trying to make as little noise as possible. But at the moment, he had no idea how to deal with it. All he could think about was this strange stone b. "Ah! Ahhh¡­." The stabbing pain became more and more intense. Pdin moved towards the stone b on the table with steps that became increasingly weaker. He wished he could just wave his hand over it and smash it. He didn''t want to bear this excruciating pain for even a second longer. Suddenly, Pdin came to a halt. He froze in ce, genuinely shocked. Even the pain couldn''t hide his shock. Pdin slowly turned around and watched the long mirror ced next to a wardrobe specifically used for organizing clothing. Inside the mirror was, without surprise, Pdin dressed in a ck priest''s robe with super messy hair. But, but-! Pdin¡¯s eyes emanated dazzling golden light that even obscured his eyes and eyeballs. It looked as if two golden magicmps reced his eyes. However, the thing Pdin was most shocked about, the one that made Pdin almost fall to the ground in shock, was a golden eye floating above his forehead! The eye was floating horizontally in front of his forehead. It had a light trail around it that swayed like the sun''s afterglow. It looked like the sun was inside a circle that made it akin to an eye. It was both sacred and glorious. When Pdin came back to his senses, the sharp pain had disappeared. His new third eye that emerged on his forehead, too, disappeared. Along with his golden glowing eyes that gradually dimmed. Pdin hurriedly turned over arge pile of ancient records, frantically looking for information about it. In his mind, he knew this urrence wasn¡¯t simple. The tablet was definitely not simple either! He turned everything all over because it was just that hard to find. In the ancient literature of alchemy, arge part of it was recorded by carving it on a huge b of stone. He finally found one that had nothing written on it. However, on the top of the b, an eye was carved there. It was an eye drawn horizontally that emitted sun-like light. The same with the one that had appeared on Pdin¡¯s forehead. It was exactly the same! "My God, what the hell is going on here." The corners of Pdin''s mouth gradually went up, forming an excited smile. He looked at the documentation about the stone b and read it word for word, "The Tablet of Grace. Legend has it that it existed when the world was first formed. It is a divine object cast into the world by the gods. It contains thenguage of the gods, the writing of the gods, which was reverently called the Ruini script. Unfortunately, through the ages, the writing on the tablets has long since disappeared. It is fated that humans can notmunicate with the Great God. People reverently call the eye that is carved high on the stone b as The All-Seeing Eye." After reading it, Pdin threw away the book with a low sardonicugh. The smile on his face grew even more vicious and excited. "This is incorrect. It''s not that the words have disappeared, but you simply can''t see them at all!" Chapter 56: Deadly Rain

Chapter 56: Deadly Rain

Late at night, Pdin secretly returned the stone b to its original owner. Before that, he confirmed that Lucia was still sleeping like a dead pig. Afterwards, Pdin gently closed the bedroom door. The next morning, an impatient Lucia approached Pdin and inquired, "Father, can you do me a favor?" "Go ahead. What is it?" With big twinkling eyes, Lucia sat down. Then with an expectant tone she said, "The nearest city from here is Edley. Father, can you take me to Edley for a stroll?" Pdin did not hesitate to nod and said, "I have not been to Edley yet, but I also want to visit the bishop. Let''s go together if you want to go." "Yes!" That morning, Pdin packed some money and took Lucia for a stroll to Edley. Along the way, Pdin cast a vague nce at Lucia. It was because he could see very clearly that Lucia was carrying the te with her. He knew deep down that Lucia, who came from a big family, definitely was nning to leave. At that, Pdin simply smiled cryptically because his goal was way bigger than that. "Stop, who are you?" In front of the magnificent but weathered city gate where the rain had left its trails over many years, Pdin observed the four sergeants equipped with spears who were guarding the entrance. He nced at their armor, which was nothing more than ayer of cotton leather armor. With a very gentle smile, he handed over the Holy See''s letter of appointment. A sergeant took a look at it before decisively waving his hand and saying, "You can go inside, Father." Pdin smiled and walked in. However, when he looked back, Lucia had disappeared at some point. Lucia, who was watching Pdin walk away from a far corner of the city, whispered somewhat apologetically, "Father, I''m sorry but I must go for the sake of my country and for the sake of avenging the tragic death of my father and the innocents. I will properly thank you the next time we meet." With that, she turned around and blended into the dark corner. The main road, which was paved with stone bs, had patches of green grass growing out of the cracks. Buildings and stores full of lights and decorations densely packed both sides of the road. The crowds of peopleing and going made the avenue, which was big enough for three carriages to travel side by side, appear a little crowded. Pdin wasn''t bothered by the crowds at all. From his point of view, he could see a hollow space that was too striking to ignore. It was moving quietly on the alley next to him amidst this sea of busy magic elements. Pdin smiled faintly and entered an alley in the corner. After looking around and confirming that there was nobody, he estimated that Luna¡ªalong with the stone b¡ªsoon would approach his spot without knowing what would befall her next. He calmly took the glove off his right hand. Whoosh. Luna saw something shing in front of her. She hadn''t realized what was going on when she saw a ck shadow bolted towards her. After that, that shadow covered her mouth with its hand that was glowing golden. And then, it mmed her into the wall. "Urgh!" Pdin watched Luna struggle with all of her might, trying to break free. Casually, he waved his other hand. Golden light chains immediately emerged from the air, binding Luna firmly keeping her down. The sunlight harshly shone when Luna raised her head. She finally saw the face of the mysterious person who attacked her. For a moment, she thought he was one of Lex''s assassins who had found her whereabouts. But when she saw his disheveled ck hair, ordinary face, and cold, hideous eyes of Father Pdin, her beautiful pupils shrunk drastically. Gone was her previous stubborn but reverent eyes. "Oh, are you surprised?" Pdin lowered his head and approached Lucia who was struggling so hard but to no avail. Pdin couldn''t help but stick out his tongue and lick her face when he sniffed the unique fragrance emanating from her body and saw her frightened eyes that were embedded in her beautiful face. "E!" Lucia showed a disgusted expression and tried to avoid Pdin''s assault. Pdin simply looked at her and suddenlyughed. "I don''t care who you are, what your origins are, and what your connection to the coup in Aixinzhe is. Anyway, today is your unlucky day." With his other hand, Pdin gently undid Lucia''s clothes to take out the stone tablet enveloped by her body fragrance from her chest. Under Lucia''s shocked and anxious gaze, he stuffed it into his bag. "Don''t worry, I won''t do anything to your body. Although I really want to have fun, if I give you to an old pervert first, I will gain more benefits." Pdin grinned and took something out of his pocket. A small bottle filled with light green liquid was dangled in front of Lucia''s terrified eyes. "Do you know what this is?" The sinister malice emanating from Pdin''s eyes grew more and more intense. Lucia didn''t expect she needed to answer because her mouth was still covered. Pdin confidently cracked an eerie smile and continued, "In thenguage of the devil, this is called Novin. However, I call it the Deadly Rain because it''s made from the white phosphorus flower that grows on the corpses of the dead." Pdin gently opened the bottle cap. Soon after, an acidic odor that could cause shortness of breath rose to the surface. Even though Pdin covered her mouth and nose with his hand, tears welled up in Lucia¡¯s eyes. Pdin, on the other hand, showed no signs of difort. Instead, as he gazed at the potion, his face was filled with admiration. "There are a lot of dead bodies in the church basement. In order for white phosphorus flowers to grow on them, I regrly poured a lot of human blood until it grew little by little. Ah, to make Deadly Rain, I used the rain dew I got in the early morning, white phosphorus flowers, and many other materials. It took more than 30plex alchemy arrays to sessfully refine it. I learned this in the Freemasons'' Association. Ah, this kind of dark alchemy, which is considered taboo in alchemy, is hidden from themon folks. Thus, I count myself lucky." After Pdin finished speaking, he shook the bottle again. Lucia, who was sweating all over, suddenly noticed that the acidic smell gradually faded. She was even taken aback; why did this double-faced and hypocritical priest talk so much? Did he love to listen to himself? Yet, Pdin didn''t care at all. Still smiling, he continued, "Do you know how effective it is? This is already diluted, but even so, it can make you unable to talk within five seconds. You will lose sight, hearing, and smell within the next hour. Eventually, your heart will corrode! Hahahaha! What a wonderful thing right? It¡¯s as tempting as a gemstone." By this point, the acidic smell of the Deadly Rain hadpletely vanished. A hideous and crazed smile formed on Pdin''s lips, much like a viper about to deal its final blow and reveal its horrifying fangs after a long wait. Full of excitement, he said, "Why do you think I told you so much, huh? This poison must mingle with air first as it will only be effective after the smell disappears! Lucia, be my stepping stone!" As soon as Pdin said that, Lucia¡¯s previously restrained heart leapt to life. She began struggling and moving, attempting to break her hands out of the chains and pull out the dagger strapped to her leg. Pdin only watched all this before smiling aggressively. The hand that was covering her mouth immediately grabbed her jaw and squeezed. Hard. Inevitably, Lucia opened her mouth. Her eyes that were looking at Pdin were full of fear and despair. He picked up the bottle and poured the Deadly Rain into her mouth, all the whileughing wildly. "You''re finished, Luna!" Chapter 57: Edley Cathedral

Chapter 57: Edley Cathedral

When the potion entered her body, Lucia felt as if she were witnessing her own tragic end. Her strength seemed to be sucked away in an instant. Soon, she copsed limply on the ground. Her mouth opened, wanting to scream for help. But that sexy little mouth could no longer make any sound. She was just like a mannequin lying in a cold and dirty alley. Pdin calmly put the bottle away, took a folded sack from his pocket, put Lucia into the sack, and then sprinkled some gravel grass roots on the ground so the shape of the trace left didn¡¯t resemble a human body. After gagging her mouth, Pdin carried her on his shoulder and calmly walked out of the alley, going towards the main road. "Hey, priest. What are you carrying?" An old man who was eating bread on the roadside asked casually with a smile. The people around immediately turned their attention to the sack on Pdin''s shoulder, which looked heavy. Pdin showed a mild expression as he said, "It is a sack full of soybeans. Even the most devout believer still need to eat." "Hahahaha, I see. The priest is so strong. A sack of soybeans, huh. Even my son will get tired and gasp for breath." The other uncle with a bottle of wine in his hand immediatelyughed. His son was a hard worker, that was why he said that. When the people around heard this, they also burst out in a good-naturedughter. Pdin alsoughed with them, but his eyes were calm. ¡®They are peaceful, bumbling civilians. It seems that Edley is in better shape than I thought. Very valuable to use.¡¯ Pdin, who was smiling cheerfully on the surface, suddenly opened his mouth and inquired, "May I ask where the cathedral of Edley is?" "Oh, is the priest going to see the bishop? Just go straight ahead and turn right. It''s very conspicuous, you can''t get lost." After finishing the bread in his hand, the dazed old man who had a kind appearance was very happy to show this young priest, one that was younger than his own son, the way to the cathedral. Pdin thanked him and walked away. "Nowadays, priests try to tter the bishop in a variety of ways, but I''ve never seen one who gives soybeans," said the old man with great sorrow after Pdin walked away. On the other side of the table, an uncle who was looking regretfully at the empty wine bottle and sitting on the stair stated, "What a pitiful priest. Such a simple man will be wrecked by that bastard bishop. So pitiful, ah¡­." Pdin naturally could not hear this conversation, and even if he did, he did not care. Just like what the old man had said, the cathedral of Edley really couldn¡¯t be mistaken as some other building. The roof that was decorated with gorgeous patterns was pointing straight to the sky. On both sides, there were stone towers made of marble. The main entrance was seven meters high, with a fifty steps staircase. In front, there was a square. This cathedral was enough to be considered andmark church. It really couldn¡¯t bepared with the dpidated church in Nurba that might copse at any time. Such a magnificent church towering in the middle of the square, surrounded by many buildings and houses as tall as a crane. Looking at such grandeur, Pdin eyes shed with longing. ¡®What a magnificent church! This is the ce worthy of me, Pdin! How did I live in that shabby room in Nurba for more than a month?¡¯ With an excitement that could not be suppressed, Pdin climbed the stairs and approached the door of the church one step at a time. After that, he stepped inside. Magnificent! Luxury! These were the first impressions that appeared in Pdin''s mind. Pews covered in red cloth were lined up inside the church, which was half the size of the square. There were thirty four rows of pews adorned with carvings filled the most space inside the church. The floor was made of fine marble. Obviously, it was something of high quality, divided in a perfectbination. On both sides of the church, there were rows of huge ss windows. The colored zed windows depicted various idols of Enos. Red curtains seven to eight meters long were hung from the ceiling until it reached the floor, adorning the ss windows. Between the windows were stone pirs, and oh my god, these fat-headed bastards! The stone pirs were all made of marble and carved with beautiful patterns! Beside the stone pirs, there were more than a dozen candles ced on amp stand. Illuminating this sliver of heaven on earth. The envious Pdin looked up and saw that there were three huge chandeliers hanging above his head! The gilded chandeliers were dozens of gigantic candles. The burning candlesplemented each other. Against the backdrop of the gilded chandeliers, with the help of the light reflected from the floor marble, the whole church appeared to be bathed in a golden light! It looked gorgeous and luxurious! What was more, on the ceiling where the chandeliers were hung, it was full of beautiful murals with vivid colors because it was painted with expensive paints! Pdin looked over tly as he stepped onto the red carpet in the center. Nestled in the middle, was a huge statue of Enos that could reach the ceiling! The most representative image of the God was of an old man that was holding themp of hope in his left hand and the sword of justice in his right hand. It was the idol of Enos. Next to the meticulously crafted idol, there dangled cross banners. Dazzling candles were ced in front of the idol. It Illuminated the surroundings, making the idol look more and more divine. Pdin¡¯s mouth gaped in awe as he stared nkly at all this. These were intended to be his. He never had these things before. Extravagant and magnificent. These things made the idea to kill the bishop right now and take his ce arose in Pdin¡¯s mind. He wanted to have all of this! "Who are you, priest? What are you doing here?" Pdin was still dazed when a few bald clerics that were cleaning the church stared at him and asked him a question. When they first saw Pdin, they cracked up before asking with vague disdain. Pdin immediately returned to his senses. Ignoring the clerics¡¯ attitude, he answered respectfully, "I am a priest under the jurisdiction of the bishop, the priest in-charge who manages Nurba. I hope to be able to ask for an audience with His Grace the Bishop." "Oh. You wait. His Grace the Bishop is very busy,e backter." Hearing Pdin''s narrative, the clerics showed obvious impatience and waved their hands in dismissal. They hoped that this priest would hurry up and leave. Pdin even vaguely heard a cleric hiding in the distance sneered at him. "A country bumpkin, carrying a sack to see the bishop? Hahaha." Pdin smiled faintly, unbothered by the clerics'' rudeness. On the contrary, he was happy. The more snobbish these clerics were, the more chances he had of surviving. He was originally araid of meeting some really devout believers, but it also saved a lot of time this way. Thinking so, Pdin took out three gold coins from his pocket and handed them to the cleric implicitly and said, "It''s hard for you to work for God. I just want to see the bishop, please let me know if I am able to?" When he saw the three gold coins, the originally disdainful look the cleric gave Pdin before immediately disappeared. These were gold coins! This priest from the countryside was so rich, it seemed he couldn¡¯t be underestimated. The balding cleric immediately looked around and grabbed the gold coins in Pdin''s hand with a firm grip. He was afraid of it being snatched away. After confirming that those were real gold coins, the attitude of these losers abruptly changed one hundred and eighty degrees. "Oh! May the Great God bless you, priest. The Lord Bishop is busy, but now he has some free time. He should be able to afford to meet a dear servant of God. I will go to inform him. Please wait a moment,¡¯ said the cleric in a ttering manner. After obtaining the gold coins with the other two, they ran up to the second floor cheerfully. The good thing was that it was already noon. Usually, no believers woulde at this time, so these clerics dared to receive bribes so tantly. Seeing nobody on his left and right, Pdin sat on the bench. He then felt up Lucia''s warm body that was shivering inside the sack. An inscrutable smile appeared on his face. Chapter 58: The Auxiliary Bishop

Chapter 58: The Auxiliary Bishop

CW: Human Trafficking Being led by the pandering cleric in front of him, Pdin went up to the second floor. He immediately saw a man dressed in a purple robe sitting at a long square table. He was nonchntly eating roasted meat, pickled asparagus, and creamy pumpkin. Pdin sniffed the tasty aroma while squinting his eyes to get a better look at the rumored archbishop. His bloated body was wrapped in a bishop¡¯s purple coat. A shawl scarf draped around his neck, the symbol of a bishop. His long snow-white hair was strewn across the back of his head, exposing his wrinkled face. Even so, Pdin couldn''t ignore the sharpness shining from the corner of his sunken eyes. "May the Great God protect you, The Reverend Lord Bishop." Pdin gently put down the sack and sped his hands respectfully. The cleric took a nce and knew that there was nothing else for him. Immediately, he closed the door with the back of his hand. Leaving the two of them, the bishop and Pdin, inside the dining room. The sharpness in the bishop''s eyes dissipated for just a moment. The bishop observed Pdin and felt that there was nothing out of the ordinary. He cut a corner of the roast meat with a knife, picked it up with a fork, and popped it into his mouth. After chewing contentedly, he picked up a ss of red wine on the table that was as bright as blood. Sipping a little of the wine, the bishop said, "What Bishop? Everyone is a servant of God. That is too much, just call me Andrew." "Yes, Lord Bishop Andrew." Andrew did not get angry at Pdin still calling him bishop. On the contrary, he simply gave an audible ¡®hmmm¡¯. The roast meat on the te was once again in his hand. In his mind, he thought, ¡®At the very least, he''s not a moron who believes he can call me by my real name without a single honorifics. I heard the cleric said his name was Pdin, as written on the data. It''s been a month or two before he finally came to see me. He¡¯s quite arrogant.¡¯ Thinking so, Andrew brandished his dinner knife and fork again. He had no ns to look after Pdin. Pdin stood quietly to the side, watching Andrew''s ring-adorned hands. The rings were either adorned by beautiful rubies or dazzling gold. For a moment, the shiny jewelries dazzled Pdin. Pdin used his strong-will to forcibly suppress his ugly gaze. He stood there, obediently waiting for Andrew to finish eating. At this point, a strange atmosphere enveloped them. Pdin stood still and did not speak, Andrew was also busy eating and did not speak. Just like this, time flew by. After a long time, there was a clinking sound. Andrew threw the cutleries onto the clean te, took the cloth on his chest, and wiped his mouth. When he stood up, he turned around and walked into his own room, treating Pdin as air. "My Lord, please stay here." "Oh? Pdin, right? Sorry, lunch is not served here. If you are hungry and haven''t eaten yet, there is a restaurant outside." Andrew teased the young man in front of him. A smug smile appeared on the old man''s face. Who knew that Pdin would take the time to pat off the non-existent dust on his clothes, and say with a mysterious smile on his face, "I heard that the Bishop likes women. Not only prostitutes and some innocent believers and civilians, but also the mercenaries who were captured. My lord, their families are all very angry." "What, are you threatening me?" Andrew frowned, he stopped walking and turned around to re at Pdin. But Pdin remained indifferent and continued, "If these things are exposed and spread to the Holy City of Kasmi, it will have a very bad influence on adults." Andrew snorted, stepped forward, and stared at Pdin disdainfully. "It''s up to you. Pdin, you are not the first person to threaten me like this. I have been through decades of storms, what do you think you can do to me?" Pdin suddenlyughed strangely, squatted down, and opened the sack. He swept away the gravel, revealing a very weak and powerless Lucia. Andrew had been tossing around with women all year round. What kind of woman had he never seen? However, the woman brought by Pdin made him stare. Saliva flowed from the corner of his mouth unconsciously. God! Leaving aside the appearance, just her tender skin was much better than those rough civilians! "This is¡­." Andrew couldn''t speak directly, but he looked at Lucia greedily. He began to form a deal in his mind. Pdin chuckled and said piously, "This is Luna, a believer. She really wants to meet the pious bishop to help her learn about God''s grace and mercy." "Oh? Oh! Yes, she is a believer. Hahaha Pdin, I know you are a good person. Don¡¯t take what I just said seriously, just treat it as an old man talking nonsense!¡± Andrew was about toe over when he said that. Intending to squat down and stroke Lucia''s face. However, he was stopped by Pdin, which made the former frown unhappily. He said, "Pdin, what else do you want?!" Andrew snorted, He looked at Pdin contemptuously and added, ¡°For exchange of a woman, what more do you want? My position?¡± "I want the position of assistant bishop. When Andrew heard it, he looked astonished. After confirming that he had heard it correctly, he immediately couldn''t help butugh. "Hahaha, I, Andrew, have been a bishop of the diocese for so long. Yet, this bishop of the diocese has never heard of such an ignorant and shameless request in the past 25 years. Assistant bishop? A priest who has only been serving for less than half a year wants to be an assistant bishop? Hahahaha!" Andrew''sughter was full of ridicule. It was true that in the Holy See¡¯s system, there could be an auxiliary bishop and an assistant bishop under the diocesan bishop. These two positions were supposedly equivalent, they both had great power. However, the assistant bishop was a tad more powerful because this position was held by the sessor of the diocesan bishop, not just anyone could get this position. So, one could imagine how excessive Pdin''s request was. Theughter stopped abruptly. Andrew stared at Pdin with disdainful eyes and cursed, "Pdin, do you think I''m old-fashioned? You want to be an assistant bishop? What achievements and backings do you have? You don''t even have the right to be an assistant bishop in this diocese. You don''t even know how many priests there are in this diocese, but you want to be an assistant bishop? Don¡¯t be ridiculous!¡± In response, Pdin stated calmly and gently, "Then I would like to be the auxiliary bishop. I will offer you five hundred gold coins in order to spread the glory of God." "Huh?" Andrew looked at Pdin in disbelief. Although the auxiliary bishop was equivalent to the assistant bishop, it was a thankless job. All trivial matters and troubles were all handled by the auxiliary bishop while the benefits might not necessarily go to them. Andrew was so busy with work that he hardly had any spare time. So, although the position was attractive, Andrew hadn¡¯t found a suitable candidate until now. This position could share his worries while also serving as a scapegoat if necessary. He couldn''t figure out why this young priest had set his sights on the position of an auxiliary bishop. Chapter 59: Negotiation

Chapter 59: Negotiation

Confused, Andrew pondered for a brief moment. Naturally, he was happy that Pdin was willing to fill the position that had been vacant for twenty years. However, he had a vague feeling that this seemingly rash decision was a bad idea. After thinking about it, Andrew asked with a sullen face, "Where did you get the 500 gold coins?" "Of course it''s from the devotees¡¯ donations," Pdinughed and babbled as he poured himself a ss of fine red wine. The tantalizing aroma slowly floated as the ss of ruby-colored wine was shaken lightly. Pdin¡¯s eyes lit up. He gently sipped a mouthful of wine. Immediately, both sweetness and bitterness bloomed in his mouth, rushing straight into his stomach. Nodding his head joyfully, Pdin said, "This red wine is really good." Andrew stepped forward to snatch the wine bottle, looking straight at Pdin with an expression as if saying ¡®who are you kidding here¡¯. That look meant that if Pdin didn''t exin how right now, then get the hell out of here. Five hundred gold coins were neither too much nor too little for Andrew, who had been in charge of the diocese for 25 years and had colluded with nobles, epting bribes and tricking the system. His entire worth was only eight thousand gold coins. But, based on what he had just said, this young Pdin had one-sixteenth of his total worth. This made Andrew feel irritated and refused to believe it. Who could have predicted that Pdin would then sh a strange smile and say, "Lord Bishop, do you know my full name?" "Your full name?" Andrew froze for a moment without responding. However, it was Pdin''s response that made him realize. "My full name is Pdin mel." "You are a nobleman! Oh, my Enos!" Andrew let out a shout of awe. He looked Pdin up and down and became somewhat polite. "My lovely boy, you should have told me so!" Andrew might¡¯ve smiled on the surface, but he kept searching for information about the mel family deep inside. Unfortunately, the information he knew wasn¡¯t that much, thus he assumed the mel family to be a small noble family that had fallen. They would not have allowed their son to be a priest otherwise. "So about that auxiliary bishop..." "Huh? Don''t worry, I always think highly of you, Pdin. Tomorrow at dawn, I will officially bestow you your title and let the whole of Edley know that you have be a bishop!" Pdin nodded and then said, "Of course, as the priest of Nurba, I also request the lord bishop to grant me a part-time arrangement. After all, I have some leftover business I need to take care of." "Yes, yes, but won''t that be too tiring? The position of auxiliary bishop is extremely busy. I doubt there would be much time left for Nurba''s affairs." Pdin gently shook his hand and said, "You don''t have to worry about that. I¡¯ll only temporarily live in Nurba. Just send a cleric to notify me when something happens and I will definitelye over. When the affairs in Nurba are finished, Pdin will voluntarily step down from the post of priest in Nurba and focus on serving you, Bishop, and the Great Enos." ¡®This guy probably has a lot of mistresses in Nurba,¡¯ Andrew muttered to himself. It was understandable for him to take some time to arrange those lovers. Reminiscent of the corrupt living habits of the low-level nobles today. Andrew nodded without much doubt and said, "Yes, yes, let me know if you want toe. I will give you the post of auxiliary bishop tomorrow." "Tomorrow, the five hundred gold coins donated by the believers will also be sent to the bishop." Andrew was stunned for a moment. Fantasizing about the shiny 500 gold coins, heughed heartily. Pdin alsoughed, but there was no joy in his eyes. There was only indifference. "I think this is enough, I''m bothering the bishop. Please enjoy yourself, bishop." Pdin smiled and pointed at the rmed Lucia. Hearing that, Andrew finally remembered that there was a new beauty here. His heart blossomed with happiness as he nodded fiercely. "Yes, yes, you go." Pdin bowed. He turned around and walked out of the room, not forgetting to give the desperate Lucia a farewell look. "Ho ho ho, little beauty! Grandpa hase to love you! Ha ha ha!" Andrew hugged Lucia, whose tears were streaming down from the corner of her eyes. He walked into the bedroom happily and closed the door behind him. Soon after, there was a burst of maniacalughter and vague cries on top of the sound of tearing clothes. "I will never forgive you! Pdin, even if I turn into an undead, I will take revenge, take revenge! Revenge!" While lying on the bed, Lucia''s eyes showed intense hatred. The deadly toxins in her body prated into her heart. Slowly, she closed her eyes. The door was then opened. A disgusted and annoyed Andrew came outside, only wearing a bathrobe. He then yelled annoyedly. "I don''t know if she was cursed by some heretic. I haven¡¯t enjoyed this woman yet, but she died. It''s not worth it, not worth it! No, I have to take a shower." Andrew was so enraged that he yelled, "Ven! Deal with this female believer! Also, prepare water for me to bathe!" As soon as he said that, a bald old cleric with dull eyes came in and took a look at her. Her face was blue. Lucia, who had been dead for a long time, wasying on her chest. Suddenly, something shed across the cleric''s nk eyes. "Ven, what are you still doing there? Hurry up and boil water for me! Also, bury the body in the cemetery in the backyard. Remember to do it at night, don''t be so stupid as to dig a hole during the day!" Andrew yelled and cursed angrily. The sharp eyes of the old cleric named Ven returned to dullness upon hearing the scolding. He opened his mouth as if wanting to let out a cry before turning around. He went downstairs to boil water. Ven was a mute. Ven had already worked here for some time when Andrew was newly ced here in his middle age. What was more, Ven was introverted and could do whatever he was asked to do. He would absolutely not refute, disclose information, nor write. That was why Andrew was reassured to have such a person dealing with these troublesome corpses. Walking to the church hall, Pdin vaguely heard the shouting upstairs although it was impossible to hear what was said. However, he could guess that Andrew felt ufortable doing it with a dead person. With a mysterious smile on his face, he was about to leave the church and go to the ve house when several clerics gathered around him. "Father, what did the bishop say to you? Why does it take so long?" "Father? No, no, no." Pdin looked at these flies flocking as if they smelled meat and sneered, "From tomorrow, you will have to call me Lord Assistant Bishop." "Wow!" These grasshoppers immediately burst with excitement. When they realized that Pdin was now a superior, they began to tter him endlessly. Pdin, who automatically filtered these insignificant chatters, was just about to leave when a look sent an instant chill down his backbone. Pdin jerked his head to look around. Right in the middle of the wooden door in the corner, there was a small crack. Ven''s deep andplex eyes were staring straight at him. But when he noticed Pdin looking back at him, he immediately walked away and disappeared into the gap in the wooden door. "That old cleric just now, who was that?" Pdin inquired, a slight frown on his face. When these clerics saw an opportunity to befriend a superior, how could they easily pass it? One by one, they scrambled to answer. "That is old Ven. He is a mute and illiterate. Usually, he¡¯s very silly. It is said that he has been here longer than Lord Bishop!" "A mute?" Pdin''s frown deepened. When he noticed the clerics¡¯ expressions had turned strange, he immediately smiled and said, "It''s nothing, something just feels strange." However deep down, Pdin became more wary of this Ven. Because when he looked back at him just now, Pdin clearly saw that this old cleric had a magic ring around him. That was the proof of his mastery of the magic element. The ring was blue,posed of a whopping five hundred and twenty water elements! ¡®That old thing is not illiterate. Look at the scale of his magic ring. Hmph, he hid it very well. Is he from the Mage Society? Or an undead sorcerer? Or perhaps, is he an alchemist?¡¯ Pdin left the Edley Cathedral with a smile. In any case, he had to be careful and alert of this Ven guy. Tens of thousands of years of history had taught him that no illiterate or stupid person could learn magic. This was a fact. Chapter 60: The Slave House

Chapter 60: The ve House

CW: Human Trafficking Pdin left the cathedral. However, he didn''t want to go back to Nurba so soon. It had been a long time since he had fused with light magic elements. Harvey, that temporary bandit, was not likely to return right away either. So, now all he needed to do was go to the ve house and find some strong and healthy ves. In Edley, both the ve house and the cathedral clearly had conspicuous buildings. There was no need to ask for directions. Arge road sign had this written in a text that was visible from ten meters away: "ve House, one hundred meters ahead." A small text was written below: "Please bring your own deodorant handkerchief." Pdin ignored and passed this road sign before walking into another road. The scenery changed so dramatically that it felt like being transported to another dimension. Pdin froze in his tracks and looked back at the bustling street not far behind him. Meanwhile, there was only silence a few meters ahead from his spot. Pdin took a closer look and discovered that all the people walking on this road were wearing fine clothes. There were even carriages passing by in twos and threes. Everyone appeared to have a tacit understanding that the other person was another nobleman. Except for the nobles, there were either mercenaries with shields and long swords on their backs, or soldiers with spears and chain armor. Needless to say, these armed forces were used to maintain the transactions here. Pdin took a deep breath and walked in with great strides. The surrounding sergeants and mercenaries looked at Pdin with curious eyes. Apparently, the priestly robes that he wore because he didn¡¯t have time to change clothes looked new to these people. It wasn¡¯t that priests never came here, but that if they dide, they would all change out of their priestly robe. The whole road was very deserted. In Pdin''s imagination, the ve camps would be full of ves being sold along the street. However, there was no ve or ve trader in sight. Just when Pdin wondered if he was going the wrong way, the few nobles who were walking in front of him suddenly nodded, turned around to the right and walked towards an ordinary house next to it that no longer looked ordinary. Pdin suddenly became suspicious, but then he saw the two nobles that were standing at the door taking out a scented handkerchief from their pockets, and coughing lightly. A young man in a canvas cap opened the door from the inside and let them in. He moved and humbly spread his hands, revealing the situation inside the house. At that moment, even Pdin had the urge to curse after seeing what was inside. When the two nobles were walking to enter the house, Pdin quickly followed and walked into the room. In just a split second, the disgusting smell of sweat and body odor rushed over. Pdin''s expression darkened instantly. He decisively took out a handkerchief from his sleeve to cover his mouth and nose. Only then did he feel better. When he looked at the two nobles from a distance, they had already taken out their handkerchiefs and naturally began to appreciate the ves. This was a mere room; of course it could be interpreted that way. But to be precise, this was a series of houses. These damned ve traders actually bought the entire street with hundreds of houses in three rows and merged them into a huge warehouse. As far as eyes could see, in these almost endless corridors, hundreds of people¡ªbig and small¡ªwere upying a ce inside cages made of crude iron bars. A dozen ve traders stood in front of their shop and yelled at their products. A few strong men with covered faces like thugs beat the ves with leather whips mercilessly when they saw any goods that were dishonest. Pdin frowned as he walked through the small pathway left inside the massive warehouse, looking at the goods locked inside the cages. There were both women and men. There were children, and naturally, there were old men and women as well. Without exception, these goods were all stripped naked, numb, and lifeless as theyy in the cage. Thick iron rings were wrapped around the ves'' necks. Chains connected those rings to iron bars attached to the walls to make sure they wouldn¡¯t try to run away. Pdin walked in the inner world of this society, looking at these ves who were not regarded as the same kind as the vers. This reminded him of the little pigs he saw when he was a child. The pigs were trapped in the pen at the Freemasons Association, waiting to be ughtered. The helpless eyes of the little pig lying on the ground coincided with this scenery he saw right now. "Oh, Father, you are merciful andpassionate. Look at this woman, it is a Mm from the desert. Although it is a bit dark-skinned, its feet, tsk tsk. It will definitely make you full of energy the next day!¡± When Pdin was walking past a stall, a big man with a thick yellow beard and a hunting cap saw Pdin. Without hesitation, the man tried to sell his products. Then, with the wooden stick in his hand, he flipped the woman, exposing her breasts for Pdin to see. Pdin frowned immediately, the woman looked like she was dying. Her life essence must be not enough to refine a Philosopher''s Stone. He didn''t want to spend money to buy someone, go back, and take care of it painstakingly. He didn''t want to refine it before it was full and healthy. And, was that water on its head? So, Pdin just shook his head slightly and went straight to the next house. The ve trader was obviously used to being ignored like this, so he immediately put on a smiling face and began to promote his goods to another passing nobleman. Pdin scanned the area left and right. He couldn¡¯t help but feel more and more disappointed. The ves disyed here were various but all of them looked like they were dying. Pdin could feel the mournful cry of the refined Philosopher''s Stone if he purchased a living dead in this manner. It hurted his self-esteem too much! "Please, please buy us!" But just as Pdin was about to abandon the idea of buying ves, pleadings came from the cage of a shop in front of him. Pdin looked at the source. Five young men around his own age were holding the bars of what could be called barely constructed cage, shouting desperately at every passing nobleman. The ve trader¡¯s colleagues around the area looked at them as if they were watching a joke. The ve trader was also furious, thus he kept on whipping them with the whip in his hand. Nheless, the blood on these several young men¡¯s backs only heightened their desire to survive. The five young men''s strong desire to survive made Pdin freeze on the spot. It was not that he pitied these people. Rather, it was because he realized a crucial fact. If there was a desire to survive, they obviously hadn¡¯t given up hope yet. They had only recently be ves, so their bodies had not yet deteriorated from the torture of these ve traders. So, their physical qualities should be good enough to refine the Philosopher''s Stone. In short, Pdin found his raw materials! "Stop!" Pdin suddenly shouted righteously. He then strode over to them. "Huh? What''s wrong with this guest?" The attention of all the ve traders present was drawn to Pdin. Even the nobles who were inspecting the goods also looked at him with eyes full of curiosity. When the five young men saw Pdin, they eximed excitedly, as if they were seeing their savior, "Father, Priest, please save us! Pdin gave them a reassuring look before turning his head to the ve trader. He then asked, "How much for these five? I''ll buy them." At first, the dazed ve trader thought he had misheard, but when Pdin repeated his question, he nodded enthusiastically and said, ¡°I recently captured them, deserters from the battlefield. Each is powerful, so three gold coins per person." The ve trader rubbed his hands, his expression greedy. He scanned the strange priest from head to toe. In his opinion, as long as the priest paid, then he would be considered a guest no matter what status he had. Chapter 61: Buying Slaves

Chapter 61: Buying ves

CW: Human Trafficking Pdin¡¯s face might be expressionless, but deep down, he was trash talking this bastard ve trader. What an outrageously high starting price! Generally, an adult male could be sold for one to two gold coins. It was already the maximum price. Three gold coins? That was the price of a female. This ve trader was obviously swindling Pdin because he was a priest! Still, Pdin couldn¡¯t bargain since he was openly wearing the mask of justice. Once he started bargaining, he¡¯d give off the feeling of a mercenary. So, absolutely no bargaining. From the five young men¡¯s expectant eyes, they only saw Pdin nod before taking out fifteen gold coins from his pocket and handing them to the ecstatic ve trader. "Let them go," Pdin said. "Good, good. You are the customer, so you have the final say." The ve trader couldn''t stop talking, he was too happy. He then asked the thugs next to him to open the iron cage. Pdin immediately squatted down, untied his shawl, and draped it over the naked man. With a kind expression, he said, "Come,e with me. Let¡¯s get out of this filthy ce." "Well¡­ Brothers, we can go home now!" The young man that was near the door of the cage held Pdin''s palm. Hot tears streamed down his face while he walked out of the cage together with his four other excitedpanions. All of them were looking at Pdin with eyes full of gratitude. Right now, Pdin had obviously noticed many nobles snickering and exchanging nces with each other. Perhaps, it was because they thought Pdin was a fool. With a pious expression, Pdin then asked the man who was supposedly the leader of these young men. "Do you know why I saved you and not the others?" "Huh?" The five young men looked at Pdin, who gazed back at them. There was nothing but bewilderment and confusion in their eyes. Pdin smiled as he picked up a handkerchief and helped one of them in wiping away the blood on his scarred chest. With a solemn face, he said, "It¡¯s because you have hope in your eyes, while they don''t. So, it is worth it to save you." The snickering nobles fell silent at once. Pdin''s words not only exined his reason for saving them, but also stated that the other ves had lost the will to live. What was more, he also reproached these nobles implicitly, ¡®You are gorgeously dressed, but you refuse to do even the smallest things to help. What makes you different from the ves whose hearts have already died?'' Filled with hatred, the majority of the nobles secretly gnashed their teeth. Meanwhile a small minority of nobles lowered their heads, bearing the condemnation of their conscience. However, something outside the scope of Pdin''s prediction happened. He was just about to y his part by calling for a carriage to drive him back to his church in Nurba when an inhuman howl suddenly came from an iron cage behind him. "Ho Ho Ho!" Pdin vigntly turned around at once. A man three heads taller than Pdin was tied inside an iron cage. The big man''s arms were as thick as Pdin¡¯s waist. He was wearing an iron muzzle. His hands were firmly tied with iron chains. The man¡¯s red eyes were looking at Pdin, wishing to eat him in one bite. Right this moment, the ve trader immediately yelled with a displeased face, "Too bad, the beast woke up. We can''t do business today!" ¡°Beast?" Pdin frowned as he observed the big man. He was astounded to discover that this enormous man not only had lush body hair, but also vertical pupils like a beast. There were sharp and thick hooked ws on the fingers of both his hands. From the gaps of the muzzle, neat and sharp teeth could be vaguely seen. The ve trader ignored the snickers of his peers. He frowned and scolded one of the thugs. "What''s the deal with this?! I gave him ten servings of sleeping pills, why did he wake up so quickly?!" "Boss, I do not know either." Pdin, who was proficient in alchemy, was very surprised that his pupils constricted. Ten servings of sleeping pills? If he was an ordinary person, he¡¯d die! But from the tone of the ve trader, it could be concluded that he ate that and was beaten every day! What kind of monster was this giant man?! "What''s the matter with this man? Judging by his stature, he should be a barbarian from the north." When he heard Pdin''s question, the helpless ve trader immediately rubbed his hands and smiled. "That''s right, this thing is a barbarian from the north. However, even his kind said that he was a monster." A middle-aged nobleman next to him immediately teased, "A barbarian among barbarians, hahaha." Pdin simply ignored these nobles'' banter. He stared at the monster with crazy eyes, and suddenly reached out his hand to touch it. "Be careful!" The ver was startled and hurriedly tried to stop him. Pdin noticed the monster staring at his hand, looking hungry and thirsty. He tried toe forward, the mouth inside the iron muzzle kept on moving up and down, attempting to eat Pdin¡¯s hand. The ve trader quickly yanked Pdin''s hand back and nervously warned, "This monster eats everything, even people! Once, a mercenary reached inside the cage, and then he was bitten by this monster to pieces. This monster even shattered the iron muzzle, bit through the flesh on the mercenary¡¯s arm, and tore off his entire palm!" Pdin started bing more and more interested in this monster. This monster seemed to have no reason. He only had a beast''s desire and survival instinct. Pdin suddenly decided to buy the monster. "Boss, how much does he cost?" "Huh? What did you say?" The ve trader was stunned, suspecting that his ears were damaged. The surrounding nobles also looked at Pdin with great interest. Who would¡¯ve known that Pdin would say this with certainty next, "I want to buy it, how much do you want?" "This.... Father ah, I¡¯m really saying this for your own good. This thing will only kill you!" "How much?" "s.... You are the one who did not listen to me, do not me me if something happens. If the priest really wants it, a gold coin will do." The ve trader''s heart burst into happiness despite his helplessness. Finally, he was able to sell this monster who did nothing but ate a lot! As for whether or not this priest would get eaten, that was no longer the ve trader¡¯s responsibility. Pdin took out a gold coin and handed it to the ve trader. The five young men around him immediately asked in disbelief, "Venerable priest, why did you save him?" "Because he is also desperate." Pdin felt like a philosopher at that moment. He had said a whole lot of things that he himself did not care about. The kicker was that these idiots really looked ashamed and nodded. This almost made him burst outughing on the spot. The-mother-of-all-saints Pdin turned to face the monster that was eager to devour him in one bite. Pdin''s eyes narrowed. He smiled and extended his hand again before saying, "Hello, my name is Pdin." The ve trader watched from the sidelines without saying anything. The goods had already been sold, thus he was not liable for any idents. Plus, he vaguely anticipated this childish priest being bitten, which would be a hrious scene. However, the 300 light magic elements around Pdin became agitated and wanted to kill this monster just in case. The monster who was longing for flesh and blood suddenly realized that the delicious meat in front of him had turned into an extremely terrifying and ferocious monster. That terrifying and deadly aurapelled him to obey his instinct, the beastly instinct of the weak to obey the strong. The man¡¯s ferocious eyes became fearful. He lowered his head timidly, his body trembling all over. When he felt Pdin gently stroking his hair, he began whining for mercy. "Oh my Enos! What is this situation?!" The ve trader looked dumbfounded. The surrounding nobles who knew that this monster was powerful were also dumbfounded. The ve traders in the area were even petrified! They were witnessing something unbelievable. A priest was literally touching this monster''s hair! What was more, this monster, who used to be so ferocious, bowed his head very submissively! Pdin smiled faintly and simply ignored the scene where everybody present froze. In a very small voice, he squeezed a few words out of his lips. "Good boy, good dog." Chapter 62: Drugging

Chapter 62: Drugging

After separating from the ve traders and summoning two carriages, Pdin embarked on a journey back to the church together with five fallen soldiers and a monster. This minor urrence, as he had predicted, became a topic of private discussion among the nobles. Somehow, the story spread. It even made its way to the ears of some higher-ups. The first thing that came to their mind was that Edley seemed to have one more idiot who believed in Enos. However, just when the carriage was leaving Edley, Pdin, who was sitting in the carriage, distributed bread and nkets to the starving soldiers. He watched the soldiers who were eager to swallow a big piece of bread in one gulp. Pretending to be indifferent, he asked, "I heard from the ve trader that you all were captured from the battlefield? Were you fighting in a war?" "Mhm." The one that was apparently older than the other four swallowed a mouthful of bread and hastily chugged a bottle of water before answering their savior''s question. "Yes, we are all from Aixinzhe. We were originally members of the 12th Army''s 50th Scouting Regiment, Reconnaissance Team No. 7. We were the vanguard, but then we encountered the ve traders on a in at Aixinzhe¡¯s border. Thus, a skirmish took ce. They were backed up by passing scouts. We surrendered because we were outnumbered. After, our clothes were stripped and our weapons were confiscated. It took numerous days of travel in the wagon to get here." The man smiled gratefully and added, "It''s a good thing we met the priest on the second day we''re here. Who knows what those beasts would have done to us if it hadn''t been for the priest." Outside, Pdin clearly smiled. Inside his mind, however, he was busy conjuring up connections between Aixinzhe and Kasmi. These two sides crossed paths on asion. Usually, even if there were only a dozen or so people in both groups, they both drew their swords and fought, which was bound to end in a tragic fight. Moreover, it seemed that the rebels were plotting a coup in Aixinzhe. Pdin thought so because about a month or so ago, there was a fight on the border. The moment this news reached the Grand Duke of Kasmi, obviously he wouldn''t miss this good opportunity. He wanted to take advantage of Aixinzhe''s weakness to bring them down. Naturally, the rebels plotting the coup realized they were being taken advantage of by others. The situation could be said wasn''t good. On the day of the rebellion, arge number of troops had gathered at the border. They were simply waiting for an order to move from the other rebels who had sessfully taken control of Aixinzhe. As soon as they received it, they immediately waged war against the Duchy of Kasmi. They did, however, wage war not only on the Duchy of Kasmi, but also on the Kingdom of Nubia¨CAixinzhe''s other neighboring kingdom on the other side. Somehow, Pdin came to a sudden realization. The three kingdoms, which had been at peace for three years, were about to go to an all-out war! And what did war entail? Death, armor, destruction, and gold! When would a kingdom be the most generous? The answer was during a time when there was a war to be fought. They would spend arge sum of money regardless of the cost to buy expensive armor, arrows, weapons, horses, and an astronomical amount of food plus daily necessities! Instead of a battle between the armies, it was a battle between economies and wealth! Each side involved in this war had an iparable amount of wealth. With that in mind, Pdin took the six people back to Nurba. They arrived in the middle of the night. Perhaps, because it waste at night and the buildings hadn''t been repaired for many years, the originally small-popted town now resembled ruins rather than a town. Pdin happily opened the door of the church and led these people inside. With a bang, the door of the church was mmed shut behind the five soldiers who were carrying the cage in which the sleeping monster was trapped. Pdin looked at these people''s exhausted faces before taking out a bottle of red wine. With a smile, he said, "Thank you for your hard work, everyone. Please sit down and let''s have a drink." "Ah, thank you, priest." The five soldiers obviously loved to drink. When they heard Pdin''s offer, they were overjoyed. They quickly sat around the dining table while looking around the humble church with interest. Pdin cast a sidelong nce at the five people who were not looking at him. He turned his back quietly and took a small bottle of blue potion from his sleeve. This potion was kind of like an ecstasy drug that Pdin had spent a long time refining. Even though the miraculous effectsted only for a brief moment, it was very effective. The only downside was that it had too many side effects, such as waking up feeling worse than a hangover. However, none of this mattered to Pdin. He gently poured a small amount of potion into the wine bottle. The blue potion then mixed into the red liquor, leaving no visible trace behind. "Ah, I didn¡¯t expect that the priest''s church would be so simple." The soldiers observed the dpidated church and genuinely admired it. However, to Pdin, this wasn''t exactly a happy thing to hear. Since he had seen the grandeur and luxury of the Edley church, Pdin realized that this damn ce was simply a beggar''s doghouse. How could he, Pdin, live at a ce like this?! Such a magnificent church, simr to the Edley church, was where he belonged! Thinking so, Pdin turned away. He pretended to shake the wine bottle enthusiastically in order to mix the potion thoroughly. While smiling, he said, "I despise spending money when it is not absolutely necessary. The believers'' donation be used entirely for the benefit of the people. Spending this money on myself would go against my conscience." After saying that, Pdin leisurely walked over and poured the ruby-colored wine into the prepared sses. When he watched the five people sitting around the table having a gluttonous expression on their faces, heughed even more happily. The soldiers did not care about what Pdin had said when the wine was ready to be drunk. When they saw Pdin finish pouring the wine, they bristled to pick up the ss and chug it all down. "Wow, this vor is so nostalgic, ah. In the army, we were not allowed to drink. So, we haven''t had a drink for quite a long time," the man with a scar on his face who was sitting on the left happily said. On the other side, a young man who was obviously a poor drinker considering his face was already red, licked his lips and handed over the ss of wine he had emptied. While looking at Pdin expectantly, he said, "Father, please pour me another ss. I drank too fast that I was unable to taste anything." "This kid! The priest is our savior! Be polite! Do you not want to live?!" a bearded man nearing middle age that sat next to the young man immediately yelled. Pdin''s response was a mere indifferent smile. Then, he poured the fine wine into the wine ss and kindly said, "Just drink it. It was given to me by the residents of Nurba. I don''t usually drink, so I still have a lot left." "Really? Then, we¡¯ll take your offer, thank you!" The soldiers exchanged nces before hurriedly cing their wine sses on the table. Their desire for wine seemed to have been suppressed for a long time. Pdin granted their request and poured the wine while casually asking them, "Do you have any ns after this? Will you be going back to Aixinzhe?" . "I''m not going back! I''m going to run to the countryside to farm, marry another woman and start a family! It''s far more pleasant than fighting a war," the young man with a beard on his face immediately made a statement. However, the one with a scar on his face immediately cursed. He was undoubtedly the leader of the five. "I don''t have any other ambition. I still want to advance in my career and kill enemies. Maybe I''ll get lucky and be a knight! Then, I''ll be a nobleman!" As soon as he said that, the other four immediately mocked him with disdain. The youngest, a big boy who was already a little tipsy, hupped and stated, "I am no longer a soldier, but I want to go back to Aixinzhe. That is my mothend after all. My parents and two-year-old sister are all waiting for me at home. The girl I met previously, I wonder if she''s married?" These words immediately extinguished the previously lively atmosphere. All of these soldiers had family members, some even had wives and sons. Thinking of their family members who lived far away on the other side of the in, their eyes were filled with nostalgia and longing. Pdin reckoned that their time was almost up. Suddenly, he snorted frivolously. His kind expression vanished like a lie. He raised his head and looked at the five stunned soldiers with contempt tantly shown on his face before filling the wine ss in his hand. "Father, are you going to drink?" A few soldiers were still perplexed by the situation. Pdin gulped down the entire contents of his ss and abruptly ced said ss on the table. With a mocking smile on his face, he said. "Unfortunately, you will never see your family again, trash." Chapter 63: Aberleigh

Chapter 63: Aberleigh

"Father, what did you just say?" These soldiers were still perplexed by the situation, but all of a sudden, they began to feel their limbs weaken and their heads dizzy. They saw golden stars twirling before their eyes. This made their expressions change dramatically. "We''ve been drugged!" the scarred man immediately shouted. However, the next thing he saw was several of hispanions fainting one after another on their respective chairs. All of them fell unconscious! "Pft, hahahahaha! What wonderful raw materials. After all, all of you are soldiers who went to fight on the battlefield." Pdin¡¯s icy eyes narrowed. Surprisingly, he took out a bottle of purple potion, raised his head, and drank it as if no one else was present. In an instant, the scarred man realized that everything was a ploy devised by this seemingly benign priest. That small bottle was most likely the antidote to the drug. One thing he didn''t understand was how quickly the drug took effect; he''d never seen a drug as fast as this. Furthermore, what was Pdin''s real motive? They were captured and sold as ves. For money? But they didn¡¯t have any. Either way, they¡¯d die in the end. Plus, Pdin already had dozens of gold coins. The scarred man really couldn''t figure Pdin out. When he saw Pdin walk forward while smirking before patting his unconsciouspatriot, his mind became more and more confused. The man could only feel coldness deep inside his heart. After opening the entrance to the basement, Pdin dragged the five men who had fainted into the dark and gloomy basement. Pdin threw the quill in his hand and gazed at the massive Philosopher''s Stone refining formation drawn on the ground. Feeling satisfied, he smiled. "Huh?" Pdin frowned and covered his nose as he looked at the bodies piled up in the empty space. What a wonderful pile of corpses. The pile consisted of six to seven dried corpses. Small luminous flowers that were emitting white light sprouted from the corpses'' dark brown skin. The flowers grew in clusters all over the bodies, just like mushrooms. It was hard to believe that this beautiful flower grew on top of the death of others. These white phosphorus flowers were used to make Novin, the main material of the Deadly Rain. At first, Pdin didn¡¯t sense anything, but just now, he was sure he smelled a sour odor. The odor blended with the white phosphorus flowers¡¯ seeds. The seeds were harmless if inhaled by living creatures, but it would quickly take root and sprout once it fell on the skin of dead creatures. It didn¡¯t even take a few days for the white phosphorous flowers to grow lush. If one looked closely, they could see that these clusters of white phosphorus flowers sometimes shook. It was as if the petals surged upwards to spurt its untraceable seeds just like dust. Pdin felt helpless, he didn¡¯t know how to get rid of the odor. "There¡¯s no way. The basement can¡¯t be ventted. These seeds have umted in the basement and are bing a hazard. This is not a good sign." When Pdin was thinking about how to get rid of the odor, he heard an ¡®Ohhhhh¡¯. Pdin''s nape hair immediately stood on end. He opened his right hand to make a lightsaber by condensing the light magic element. He took a step and turned around. Without even having the time to look, he was about to strike the unknown entity behind him with a wave of his hand. "Whoa..." Pdin halted abruptly. He stared nkly at the creature that was behind him. It turned out to be the monster he had just bought. The said monster was timidly lying on the ground. "Woah-woo." The giant monster put his chin on the ground, looked upwards to see Pdin''s gaze, and yelped tteringly. A smile gradually appeared on Pdin''s face, and the lightsaber in his hand vanished into nothingness. "Stand up." With an inexplicable smile on his face, Pdin gave an order. The monster stood up obediently. The top of his head, which was covered with brown hair, was directly touching the basement ceiling. "Do you understand what I¡¯m saying?" Pdin inquired, his voice tinged with curiosity. The monster actually nodded vigorously while smiling pleasantly at the small man who was much shorter than him. Pdin, who found this very interesting, had a sh of doubt in his eyes and asked bluntly, "How did you get out of the cage?" The monster opened his palm to reveal a pile of iron pieces, which made Pdin want tough but also cry at the same time. What a powerful strength! Pdin was both surprised and delighted. It would be fantastic if the monster obeyed him. When the monster saw that Pdin wasn¡¯t responding, he pointed to his mouth, which was full of sharp teeth, and then pointed to his belly. The message was clear: he is hungry. Pdin got a grip of himself and fell silent. He had no idea how much food he needed to feed such arge man! Moreover, judging by his demeanor, he was clearly not a vegetarian. The question was, where would he get so much meat? Although Pdin was not short on cash right now, buying so much meat for no apparent reason would be suspicious. Pdin had also decided that the existence of this big man must not be known by the public. Suddenly, an idea popped in Pdin¡¯s brain. Squinting at the people who were lying unconscious on the ground, his face gradually began to distort, showing a cruel expression as heughed. "Big man, do you eat humans?" The big man, whose appearance was horrifying, froze. Obviously, he didn¡¯t understand what Pdin had just said, but he still nodded in agreement. Seeing him nod, Pdin smiled. Then, Pdin pointed to a rtively strong soldier, the cruel expression on his face intensified. "You can eat this one. But remember, you can''t eat it in my church or anywhere else where other humans can see it. Remember, etch it into your brain! If you want to eat, go eat in the wild! Run away if you see someone you can''t kill passing by! Never, ever run towards the church! Got it?" The big man looked at Pdin with a genuinely serious expression on his face. It took him thinking for a while to understand. Nodding happily, he stepped forward and grabbed the man as if he was grabbing a chicken. He was about to go to the wild to fill his stomach when he suddenly heard Pdin¡¯s shout. "Wait a minute!" The big man immediately came to a halt and then, and he was back to squatting timidly at the basement''s entrance while staring at Pdin. However, Pdin simply said this while smiling, "It''s really inconvenient to call you big man all the time. Because you¡¯re a monster, from now on, you''ll be called Aberleigh." "Oh oh oh!" When he heard his new name, Aberleigh waved his arms very happily, and then quickly went out of the church with Pdin''s permission. Nobody else was around when Pdin brought out a kettle, soil, and a torch. He approached the few people who were lying in the refining formation step by step. "That''s right, I want power," he said while looking at them. At this time, Aberleigh, who had already run to the deep mountains and old forests, was very happy. Although he had no memory of the past, his pure intelligence was still there. He believed he had found a good master. The master had helped him to escape from those weak humans and gave him something to eat. He felt very happy. However, Aberleigh had always had this question in his heart. Why did his powerful master take on the form of those weak humans? Aberleigh''s wild intuition assured him that his master was definitely not a human. There was no trace of human breath on him! Considering his intelligence at the time, Aberleigh couldn''t possibly solve the mystery. Perhaps, even Pdin himself hadn''t even considered the possibility that he was no longer a human. Chapter 64: The Original Sin, Gluttony

Chapter 64: The Original Sin, Gluttony

It was alreadyte at night when Pdin leisurely walked out of the basement. In his hand, there was a bright red philosopher''s stone the size of a ping pong ball. It showed how much he had gained tonight. He simply used alchemy to seal up the entrance to the basement while Aberleigh was on the floor, looking at Pdin with a happy expression and barking hard. ¡°Ohhhh, wahhh." Pdin squinted his eyes. With a frown, he stepped forward and took out a handkerchief from his sleeve to wipe the blood around Aberleigh¡¯s mouth. After that, he inquired, "Have you eaten all of it?" "Ohhhh!" Aberleigh nodded happily. Looking at his bulging stomach, it was clear that he had devoured almost the whole thing clean. . At that, Pdin felt relieved. He threw the handkerchief to the side andmanded, "You guard the church. If anyone breaks in without knocking, kill them! Avoid being seen, do you hear me?" "Ohhh." Aberleigh immediately barked. With his huge body, he jumped up and stuck on the ceiling at once. He was almost integrated with the darkness that he¡¯d be impossible to detect without close examination. Pdin nodded with satisfaction. He tightened his grip on the Philosopher''s Stone, walked up to the attic, and locked the door to his room. Next, he waited for dawn to fall. When he felt bored, Pdin read a variety of alchemical books. He also read other books such as biographies and national history. He hadn¡¯t slept for many days. At the beginning, two or three hours of sleep was sufficient, but then his sleep hour was gradually reduced. And ten days ago, he didn¡¯t sleep a wink. It wasn¡¯t that he couldn¡¯t sleep, but he simply didn¡¯t want to sleep. Pdin, who didn¡¯t feel sleepy at all, suspected this problem arose because of the fusion with the light magic elements. But at the moment, it didn¡¯t appear to be a bad thing. At least, he had plenty of time to do what he wanted to do. Thus, Pdin killed time by reading books. When the first rays of sunlight pierced the dark clouds and broke through the curtains, brightening Pdin''s eyes that were in a trance, he knew that it was time. Without any other thoughts, Pdin prepared a magnifying ss, drew the fusion refinement formation, and simply waited for the sunlight to gradually growrger andrger before starting the fusion. In his mind, he calcted that he had swallowed the lifespan of ten extra people before, and two of them were consumed to overdraft aging. Now, there should be eight people¡¯s worth of lifespan in his body. But of course he didn¡¯t count his own, since his own lifespan had long been consumed. In this case, five human portions of light magic element shouldn¡¯t trigger the aging phenomenon. His body should be capable for three portions more after the fusion waspleted. In other words, Pdin could probably live to about 280 to 300 years old! When he thought he could live for hundreds of years more, Pdin couldn¡¯t help but snicker. At the time, enough sunlight was gathered by the magnifying ss, thus a thick beam of light was projected on the table, starting the fusion. "Hahahahahahahahahaha!" The long-lost and familiar sharp pain instantly spread throughout his body. However, Pdin no longer copsed, it was not as painful as before. Whenever he was in severe pain, the thought of more and more powerful power being continuously integrated into his own body, the iparable joy and happiness he felt diluted all the pain. Leaving only extreme joy. So, right now, Pdin didn''t know whether it was because of the pain or the happy feeling he felt, but looking at the gradual expansion of the golden crystal on his right arm, he let out a burst of happyughter. "Yes, yes! Endless power! Endless power!" Pdin was ecstatic to see that the three hundred light elements surrounding him were trembling violently. One divided into two, two divided into four. When the Philosopher''s Stone fully fused with him, the number of light magic elements in the surrounding area doubled. There were now over 600 light elements, his strength had doubled. Pdin didn¡¯t have the chance to fully express his joy before the world turned ck in his eyes. He stoppedughing, and his knee fell onto the ground. Once again, he fell into a briefa. . . . . . . "Feed me." Familiar yet unfamiliar words rang in his ears. Pdin hazily opened his eyes. The pure white space, the huge inverted tree drawn beneath his feet, and the ck baby with the same shape as before was in front of him. Without getting tired, it kept on saying feed me, feed me. Because of his past experiences, Pdin instantly understood that he was once again inside that strange and eerie dream. "Feed me. Feed me." This ck baby squatting in front of him was still calling him. "You always said to feed you. What do you want me to feed you?" Pdin asked, a strange expression stered on his face. Who would have guessed that as soon as Pdin asked that question, the circle marked by the word ''Material Kingdom'' beneath his feet would begin to glow? Because the circle was the closest to the tree¡¯s canopy, the entire canopy of leaves shone. Pdin froze, he had never been in this situation before. Suddenly, the ck baby was in front of his eyes. It smiled very excitedly and climbed up, grabbing Pdin''s thumb and tugging it outward. Pdin¡¯s bnce became unstable, and it forced him to take a step outside of the circle. When he realized what had happened, his face showed surprise. He remembered clearly that when he tried to leave the circle before, invisible barriers blocked his path, preventing him from doing so. But now, he could leave easily! "Come here, follow me." The ck baby let out a cheerful cry and pulled Pdin towards the circle with gluttony written on it. When he was about to step into the circle, Pdin suddenly felt an inexplicable sense of fear. There appeared to be a road of no return before him. Once he stepped inside, he could never turn back! "No, let go! I''m not going over there!"Pdin made a desperate attempt to shake the baby''s hand and flee from the circle in front of him. However, the baby was surprisingly strong. As an adult, Pdin couldn¡¯t even sway its tiny hand that was as small as an apple. "Let go of me! I''m not going over there!" Seeing the ck baby¡¯s insistence of him going inside there, Pdin got increasingly uneasy. s, he simply couldn¡¯t do anything against the baby¡¯s extremely disproportionate strength. He was yanked forcefully into the circle. Thud. Pdin''s whole body fell inside the circle. Terrified, he immediately jumped up and attempted to escape from the ¡®Gluttony¡¯ circle. But then, an invisible barrier of despair appeared on the sides of the circle, bouncing Pdin back inside the circle again. "What do you want?! What the hell is going on here?! Answer me!" Pdin looked at the ck baby and roared out. But instead, he saw the baby''s mouth open, revealing a terrifying mouth full of fangs. Crack, crack! The baby, whose height was only up to his waist, opened its mouth so wide it could eat a watermelon in one bite. Just as Pdin was getting a bad feeling, the baby suddenly flew quickly upwards. Strong arms immediately grabbed Pdin''s left hand. It thenughed and eximed, "Feed me!" Its massive mouth ripped Pdin''s left hand apart with force. "AHHHH!" Pdin immediately felt the intense pain that burrowed into his mind. This was as painful as fusing with the light magic elements, if not worse! Chapter 65: The Flamel Family

Chapter 65: The mel Family

"AHHH! Hahh, hahh." Pdin, who had once again awoken on the floor of the church¡¯s loft, noticed the familiarity of his surroundings. So, he let out a sigh of relief. That terrible nightmare was over for now. However, Pdin was not a fool. He knew that after every fusion with light magic elements, he¡¯d enter that dream. And unlike normal dreams, which he usually had no recollection of, this particr dream felt as real as if he were there. The most important thing to take note of inside the dream was the little baby and the huge inverted tree. The only time he saw the inverted tree was in the space where the Ripley Scroll was sealed, drawn in the huge stone b that emerged from the ground. At first, Pdin thought it was merely his imagination that made him have such dreams. However, the consecutive and non-repetitive dreams made Pdin realize that there was a deeper meaning that was hard to swallow inside. It was difficult to say, but this dream seemed to be greatly connected with the Philosopher''s Stone, particrly the inverted tree. Thinking about it, Pdin immediately jumped up, opened the mountain of bookshelves, and began to read through a variety of strange and bizarre alchemical books one after another. He believed that since the Philosopher''s Stone was an alchemical product, then the inverted tree should also be rted to alchemy. There should be relevant descriptions in the ssics. Unfortunately, even after reading many books such as "Popr Science of Alchemy Encyclopedia", "The Origin of Alchemy of Various Schools", "Proof of the Origin of Alchemy", and even "Excerpts of Dark Alchemy", there was still no information found about the inverted tree. Just when Pdin was about to give up, thest book in his hand, titled "Heretics and Gods", which was a misceneous book, lit up the light in Pdin¡¯s eyes. This said book recorded nothing more than about the five main gods believed by all races on the Olosen Continent, which were: the representative of hope and justice, the god of light Enos; the representative of sin and despair, the god of darkness Belial; the god of storms, thunder, and the sea, Nasius; the representative of nts and earth, the god of nature Jaconot. The book also wrote about the "Furnace and War", where major divine sects use each other of heresy. To them, the gods of their own side were the true gods. However, Pdin naturally didn¡¯t care about these things. He focused on the contents of the book, on a page about a mysterious sect called the Illuminati. This sect was the most dangerous and terrifying anti-God group. Every member didn¡¯t acknowledge the true heresy of any god. The core idea of this sect was depicted in an illustration, which was the exact inverted tree Pdin was looking for. A scribble on it told Pdin that this illustration was called the Kabbh Inverted Tree. It was said that the gods drove the first humans created out of the supreme paradise of heaven because they feared these creatures would surpass them one day. So, they put every creature in chains. This Kabbh tree was the chains that God put on mankind. "Chains?" Pdin frowned and thought carefully. But he still couldn¡¯t understand why this inverted tree was meant to be chains. How could something without a keyhole be a lock? However, reality did not give Pdin any more time to think, as there was a knocking sounding from the door downstairs. "Hahh,¡± softly sighing, Pdin closed his book and walked downstairs. He found Abeleigh, who was stuck on the ceiling. Abeleigh stretched out his tongue and looked at Pdin eagerly. Thetter immediately shook his head. Who was he kidding, asking for food in broad daylight? Pdin didn¡¯t want to create a mess anymore. "Which believer, ah? This morning''s prayer has not yet begun!" Pdin said as he put on his divine robe. He wore the cross, picked up the shoddy scepter, and then mmed the door open. "Oh, reverend priest, here is a letter for you." When the door was opened, a young man with a rimmed hat very politely handed Pdin a red-painted envelope from his backpack. Pdin immediately took the envelope suspiciously and looked around, he could not help but ask, "Are you sure this is for me?" "Yes, I¡¯m sure." The messenger was a little ufortable with Pdin''s question. It was an insult to his job, but the other man was a priest. So, he answered politely, "The priest¡¯s name is Pdin mel, right?" "Mhm," Pdin hesitantly agreed. The messenger then said, "You see, this is sent to you. Look at the writings on the cover." When Pdin looked at it, he saw a sentence written in a very beautiful script that almost sent Pdin''s soul into a spin. To my son, Pdin mel. Your most loving mother Aaron mel. For a moment, Pdin''s expression changed dramatically. However, it quickly returned to normal before showing a warm look of nostalgia. "Father, it''s your letter, right?" "Yes, thank you. I don''t have much money, so take these." Pdin smiled calmly, took out three gold coins from his pocket. and handed them to the messenger. Such a sudden reward made the messenger a bit overwhelmed, "Father, this is too much!" Who knew that Pdin would suddenly wave his hand, take out a paper and pencil from the side table, and write a letter. Then he sealed the envelope with red wax and handed it to the messenger. . "This letter, please give it to Bishop Andrew of Edley." "Yes, yes. Thank you, Father!" The messenger breathed a sigh of relief, he still got the money. He then joyfully said goodbye to Pdin before climbing the chestnut horse tethered at the door and going away with a whoosh. When the messenger was already far away, Pdin''s originally nd face instantly darkened. He took out the letter and opened it, only to see that there were two or three short sentences written on it. My son Pdin, You have been away from home for two months, but did not send a letter back home. It¡¯s making me and your sister worry all day long. When you have time,e back to see us. Your father''s health is getting worse and worse. Your elder brother went out to join the army, and we don''t know whether he is alive or dead. If you still refuse to send a letter to us, we will set off to find you! Love, your mother. Aaron, mel The moment he finished reading the letter, only two words appeared in Pdin''s mind, which was ¡®Shut up!¡¯ Crumpling the fragile paper with his hand, Pdin''s face became more and more gloomy. "I absolutely can¡¯t let theme here. Once they found out I¡¯m not the original Pdin, but an impostor, not only will months of my effort be in vain, but I will also be wanted by the Duchy of Kasmi. I will have to change my face and start all over again!" Pdin muttered viciously. He immediately considered a n to eradicate them. He vaguely remembered that the Pdin Family lived in Fenrir Parish. Although it was a small noble family, it was much more noticeable than the average family. Going back and forth on a horse would take at least a day. But he still didn¡¯t take into ount the time spent in eliminating them. Time was running out. Keeping this family alive was always a potential hazard. Thus, he must wipe them out with lightning speed! Chapter 66: Gods Perspective

Chapter 66: God''s Perspective

"Hey, Pdin. What are you thinking about, standing at the door so early in the morning?" At this moment, Kaleqi, who was wearing a fancy dress, walked over with his son Uther. Kaleqi, who was about to open his mouth to yfully say something when he noticed Pdin''s unusual grave expression. His previous intent to joke suddenly disappeared. He stepped forward curiously and asked, "Pdin, what''s wrong? This stern expression of yours is really rare!" "Oh! It''s nothing serious." Only then did Pdine back to his senses. He crumpled the envelope in his hand into a ball and twisted it in his palm. Looking at the lively and lovely Uther, heughed. "My godson, have youe to pray?" "Oh, Pdin, I have something to do today. Some of the people I entrusted to manage the ironworks said that recently, some people-" Kaleqi hadn''t finished speaking when Pdin, whose mind was still full about the Pdin family, interrupted him by saying, "I''ll discuss it with you after I get back, I''m going to visit Edley right now." "Uh, okay." Kaleqi had no other choice but to do as Pdin said. He then left with Uther, a smile stered on his face. It wasn''t until Kaleqi and Uther left that Pdin returned to the church. With a straight face, he asked Aberleigh who was on the ceiling. "How far can you run with me on your back?" Aberleigh saw his master¡¯s serious expression and imitated a horse''s cry, indicating that it wasparable to the speed of a horse. Pdin immediately nodded in satisfaction. No matter whose horse he rode, he would be noticed. When the time came, it was not good for the truth to be known by anybody. On the contrary, by being on such a powerful big man¡¯s back and advancing to the mountains where horses couldn''t walk, no one would find out that Pdin was actually going to Fenrir instead of Edley. "Aberleigh. Carry me on your back to a ce. If we arrive there fast, I''ll reward you with a big meal!" "Oh, oh, oh!" Aberleigh nodded excitedly. He immediately jumped down and arched his body. Pdin then climbed and straddled his exaggeratedly broad back. Before Pdin could react, Aberleigh, who was excited by the thought of having a feast, started moving and left the church¡¯s door with a whoosh. However, nobody in the bustling city that gradually became more and more crowded saw this terrifying scene. Whirr whirr. In addition to the thunderous and violent wind, there was no other sound that could be heard in Pdin¡¯s ears. All he could see was splotches of hazy and distorted green and yellow. Only by the smell that rushed into his nostrils could Pdin recognize that it was the smell of woods and soil. Both of his hands tightly hugged Aberleigh''s bucket-like neck. Pdin couldn''t quell the growing shock in his heart. ¡®This bastard, how can he be so fast?! He said that he was as fast as a horse. Is this the speed of a horse?! This is clearly the speed of a giant dragon!¡¯ Pdin couldn''t bear it anymore. He closed his eyes and buried his head in his arms. The whistling wind was like a pair of sharp razors. Pdin even believed that if he stretched out his head again, his face would be scratched and bleed in an instant. Pdin had to endured such pain for a full three hours before he was finally freed. As soon as Aberleigh stopped, Pdin fell to the ground as if he had passed out. His face was pale and his eyes were red. He was panting heavily, as if he hade back after being dead. "I-I am still alive, right?" Pdin knelt on the ground and screamed at Aberleigh. Only then did he realize that this ce was in the middle of a forest. Long weeds covered the tree trunks, and the lush leaves covered the sky. asionally, one or two unrecognizable birds stood on the branches, looking curiously at the two uninvited guests. Pdin, who propped himself up slightly, walked on the grass and suddenly saw a city standing on the other side of the hill. The city was surrounded by high walls and towers with giant crossbow carts. One could even see the gs flying on the tower. The gs depicted a griffin with a red and blue background. "The g of the Marquis of Carmon!" Pdin recognized it at a nce. This was one of the only three marquises in the Duchy, the g of the Marquis of Carmon. This happened to be his destination, Fenrir, which was one of Marquis of Carmon¡¯s territories. "Aberleigh, where did you bring me?" Pdin asked. He held a tree trunk to barely stop his legs from shaking while trying to stand up. Who would¡¯ve known this journey would be a big deal. Pdin suddenly felt his stomach that had calmed down for a moment gurgling, so he hurriedly stood up. His pale face became paler. Eventually, he lowered his head and vomited. However, the answer Pdin was expecting only came in the form of "Oh oh oh!" Pdin shook his head, his body was in a sluggish state. He tried to calm down his ufortable stomach and said, "It''s useless asking you. I''d better go and see for myself." Pdin suddenly turned his head and warned, "You go with me, but you must not let others find your whereabouts, you must not let others see you! Got it?!" "Oh oh oh!" Pdin, who waspletely defeated by this cookie-cutter answer, simply ignored Aberleigh. Stepping on the muddy and weed-covered grass, he walked towards the distant city little by little. Unknowingly, Pdin walked into a densely forested area. Pdin, who didn''t want to admit that he was at a roadblock, was in a hurry to find a way out when suddenly there was a roar of a beast in the distance. Aberleigh, who had been swinging on a tree, suddenly jumped to the ground in front of Pdin before roaring with a serious expression. "Aberleigh, what''s wrong with you?" Pdin hadn''t realized what was going on until he heard a bang and saw the tree trunk in front of him explode. An adult scorpion-tailed beast pped his degenerated wings and jumped out of the shattered wood chips and leaped straight to the Pdin. In an instant Pdin could see the scorpion-tailed beast''s sharp barb, the golden hair, the pair of ferocious and hungry eyes, and the open bloody mouth. Buzz buzz! There was a ringing in Pdin¡¯s ears. Right now, the eyeballs of his shocked eyes instantly turned golden. From the two of his eyes, a dazzling golden light burst out. Not only that, but the Almighty Eye, which had not been used since he acquired it, emerged on his forehead. The horizontal golden eyes with a halo like a crown around it faced the flying Scorpion beast while emitting a golden light that was more blinding than both of his eyes. At this moment, for Pdin, the whole world seemed to stand still. The scorpion-tailed beast his sharp ws out. The saliva from that bloody mouth floated in the air. What surprised Pdin even more was that he seemed to have countless pairs of eyes, looking at everything around him from any angle. Aberleigh, who was behind him, was frantically trying to run up to him, but his pace and expression remained frozen in the air. On a nearby tree trunk, a beetle so small that it was almost invisible was spreading its wings, unconcerned by all themotion. Through the slender cuts in the trunk, the beetle was drinking the sap bit by bit. The breeze blew by, carrying some tiny dirt so small that humans couldn''t see it, and it fell on the leaves in the shape of a square. The veins of the leaves stood tall like a city wall. The ws of the sparrow flying overhead had rows of tiny cracks, indicating that it had been used for too long. All of this felt like Pdin was dissecting this very moment into countless copies of moments. Pdin had more time than he needed to take in everything that was happening around him. Pdin half dazedly looked at the scorpion-tailed beast that was still frozen in the air. This magical All-Seeing eye would be the most powerful. Surprisingly, the scorpion tail beast in front of him gradually became transparent, revealing the internal blood vessels, bones, and muscles. With a nce, Pdin intuitively discovered that in the scorpion¡¯s segmented tail, three inches below the middle of the ribs, and five decimeters deep, was where the beast¡¯s heart was located. Chapter 67: Encountering A Mercenary

Chapter 67: Encountering A Mercenary

All of this happened in a split second for others, but it had been a whole twenty minutes for Pdin. When Pdin¡¯s time returned to normal, he quickly stretched out his palm. 300 of his 600 light magic elements immediately dispersed and then condensed into light balls suspended in the palm of his hand. Without hesitation, Pdin pressed his palm to the beast¡¯s chest. The light ball buzzed and shot out as a golden light beam as thick as a thumb. It shot from his palm, and then pierced through the scorpion-tailed beast''s chest muscles, heart, and back all at once. "Hey wow wow!" The scorpion-tailed beast let out an extremely painful howl. Pdin sent the beast that was about to pounce on him flying in the opposite direction. Itnded on the grass with a bang, causing some dirt and smoke to rise up. "Huh? It¡¯s burnt?" When the smoke and dust cleared, Pdin was stunned to see arge charred area on his palm. Plus, there was a ck hole on the Scorpion-tailed Beast¡¯s chest that had fallen to the ground in the distance. It appeared like it was burnt. A small me remained alive and crackling in the scorched areas, burning the piece of flesh and blood. At the time, Pdin had no time to notice Aberleigh¡¯s awe-filled eyes behind him. He reached for a branch and lightly stabbed the scorched ck spot. The crisp texture and lumpy scorched ck spot told Pdin everything he needed to know. The charred area had turned into charcoal! "Oh. Oh huh, ha ha ha ha. Is this the power that I have?" Pdin muttered as if possessed. The power that had been disyed exceeded Pdin''s expectations. Before, he hadn¡¯t fullyprehended the fact that his power was growing increasingly stronger. At the thought, he subconsciously opened his hand that was holding the branch. The branch snapped unexpectedly. Its outeryer actually turned into charcoal which broke into pieces before being scattered all over the ground. "Huh, hahahaha!" Pdin''s shocked expression gradually changed to one of excitement and ecstasy, but then, he suddenly remembered that only half of his light magic elements were left. In other words, only three hundred were left. Just when Pdin subconsciously wanted to use his own light magic elements to capture the scattered light elements in the surrounding, the omnipotent eye that floated on his forehead gave off dazzling brilliance again. Like a ma, it attracted magical elements from the sunlight that came through the gaps in the leaves. It then melted into Pdin''s magic circle, as if returning home. In just half a minute, his light magic elements were full again. "Oh gods, can you tell me what the hell is going on with this eye?!" All this felt like a dream. When Pdin turned around, he saw Aberleigh kneeling. With a full-blown smile, he stepped forward and asked, "What are you doing on your knees?" "Woah-woo!" Aberleight felt a strong sense of fear when he saw Pdin¡¯s eyes that glowed golden and the horizontal golden eye that floated in front of Pdin¡¯s forehead. He was so terrified that he backed away and buried his head in his arms as if begging for mercy. "Huh? Are you afraid? Hehehe, are you afraid?" Pdin was beaming with delight. He could feel all the beasts, fish, and insects within a 20-meter radius running desperately through the All-seeing Eye. It was as if they felt threatened by something extremely terrifying. Pdin looked at Aberleigh who was obedient and dared not to raise his head. tly, he said, "Alright, this can also do. Fear me and serve me." Pdin, who felt like a king ruling the world, hadn''t had enough fun yet. Suddenly, the All-seeing Eye noticed four mercenaries wielding swords, bows, and crossbows walking into his field of vision with ecstatic expressions on their faces. "Hmph, heree the ones who are not afraid of death. Aberleigh, let''s have some snacks before dinner." Although it was impossible to tell Pdin''s disposition from his glowing eyes, his tone alone conveyed indifference, condescension, disregard for human life, cold-bloodedness, cruelty, and ruthlessness. "It¡¯s a Scorpion-tailed Beast! Isn''t this the beast we''ve been searching for?!" The old man who led the four mercenaries noticed the two, who were none other than Pdin and a huge man. Beside them, there was the corpse of the Scorpion-tailed Beast. One of his teammates abruptly became greedy and excitedly eximed. Meanwhile, the other teammates immediately understood what the captain wanted. A pretty-looking female warrior drew the sword from her waist. She looked at Pdin''s back and said, "It seems that you are a priest. We¡¯re grateful to you and your servant for your assistance in defeating the Scorpion-tailed Beast. However, you wouldn''t have seeded as easily if we hadn''t fought him for three days and three nights." At the end of her speech, another man who looked witty immediately nodded and agreed. "Therefore, please give the corpse of the Scorpion-tailed Beast to us. When the timees we''ll go to the priest''s church and donate some silver coins." After saying that, the four mercenariesughed in unison. They were certain they had won. After all, they were stronger than this mere priest, plus they had more people! At least, that was how they felt. Upon hearing such foolish remarks from these people who didn¡¯t know their ce, Pdin smiled disdainfully. Turning around silently, the All-seeing Eyes on his forehead shone brighter. He looked straight at the four humans. "My Enos!" Obviously, the four mercenaries were afraid of Pdin right now. His eyes were glowing golden, and a horizontal golden eye was floating on his forehead. Pdin¡¯s appearance was far from making people think he was harmless, especially when a cruel smile formed on his face. ¡°Aberleigh!" Pdin yelled, and the big man slowly rose to his feet. The mercenaries who had frozen in ce were unable to regain control of themselves. They all took a deep breath of cold air at the same time. They did think that particr man was huge, but they never thought he would be so big! The captain had been confident in his own height, but it all crumbled when he saw Aberleigh''s figure, which was three heads taller than himself. Plus, his muscles were so huge that they were as big as a millstone. Feeling ashamed, a thought suddenly shed across his mind. ¡®Did I bully the wrong people?¡¯ Pdin calmly approached the scorched corpse of the Scorpion-tailed Beast. He observed the sharp barb before kneeling down and curiously touching it. However, amidst that, he gave Aberleigh an order. "Aberleigh, keep one alive and bring it over. You can eat the rest." Then, something horrible happened. The priest''s words were like an activation button. The eyes of this tall and terrifying monster-like man instantly turned red. He fiercely opened his fang-filled mouth and dashed extremely fast to the mercenaries. Fortunately, the captain had a lot of experience under his belt. The moment he saw the monster running towards them, he immediately raised the thick oak shield in an attempt to deflect the ferocious attack and give them time to devise a battle n. The captain was convinced that as long as the four of them were given time to prepare for battle, this mighty-looking monster would be nothing more than mere a blink-and-it-all-would-be-over enemy. The thing was, the captain was wrong, very wrong. What was more, there was no room for regret. The very hard oak shield was easily smashed into pieces by Aberliegh''s extremely fast hit. It felt as if he got hit head-on by a fast-moving carriage. The captain''s eyes widened. Before he could even groan in pain, he saw the good-quality chain armor he wore got disfigured and deformed like crumpled paper. Just like squeezing orange juice, a fountain of blood burst from the gaps of the chain armor. The captain¡¯s whole body was flung into the distance until it hit a small tree. He was obviously very dead. "Captain!" the female soldier shouted loudly. However, she was pulled back by two of her frightenedpanions who thought it would be better to run away. "Let¡¯s go back and call for help. This monster is far too powerful for us to fight on our own!" "But..." "I also want to avenge the captain, so let''s go!" The three mercenaries who found an opening, immediately threw down their shields and swords before turning around to run away. Chapter 68: The Power Of The All-Seeing Eye

Chapter 68: The Power Of The All-Seeing Eye

"Ow ow ow ow!" Aberleigh felt a rush of unbridled pleasure as he watched these humans flee in panic and fear. Aberleigh excitedly barked at the three mercenaries who were slowly running away, mocking these arrogant humans. However, something suddenly pped him from behind. Before Aberleigh could react, the power contained in the p sent his entire huge body flying before falling onto the grass in the distance. "Ow-ho-ho!" Aberleigh was naturally upset after being attacked out of the blue. He stood up angrily and roared in the direction he had just flown from. He wanted to see who had the audacity to attack him. "You fool!" Pdin''s skinny body stood in the said spot. While slightly shaking his ordinary palm, Pdin¡¯s three eyes that glowed golden were staring straight at Aberleigh. "Wow um." Aberleigh''s heart trembled. He immediately whined, begging for mercy once again as he knelt on the ground. He didn¡¯t have the courage to look directly at Pdin, whose terrifying three golden eyes were still fixed on him. Pdin took off the gloves he had just put on as he nced sideways at the fleeing mercenaries before disdainfully saying, "What a trash, howling is all you can do. Watch carefully!" Pdin casually raised his right hand at the end of his sentence. Two light arrows, each containing 100 magic elements, instantly condensed in front of him. When he narrowed his eyes, the two light arrows wereunched. However, Pdin did not simplyunch them as is. He raised his left hand as the light arrows wereunched. Several arcs of light shed in the palm of his hand. "Run!" The female mercenary got separated from the others while trying to run away. Suddenly, she felt a strong sense of dangering from behind that sent a chill down her nape. When she turned around to look, she witnessed two of herpanions¡¯ bewildered faces as two magic arrows emitting golden light each struck their backs. Their bodies were torn apart by the arrow. Without even having the chance to scream, they exploded into a mass of mush, sttering in all directions. "Ahhhhhhh!" The female mercenary''s body was pushed to the ground by the air wave created by herpanions'' exploding bodies. The entirety of the clothes and armor on her body were covered with thick blood and mutted internal organs. She looked at her red hands with fearful and disoriented eyes and once again fell into extreme panic. "Aaaaaaaaaaaaah!" "Shut up! Shut up, you woman!" Pdin aimed the violent arcs of light at the female mercenary from afar. The arcs of light flickered for a split second before shooting out at breakneck speed! Before the female mercenary could react, four or five golden chains appeared and wrapped around her entire body. "What is this?! Let go! Help!" Pdin simply ignored the woman''s yells. He clenched his left fist slightly before violently yanking the chains closer. The chains that bound the female mercenary instantly glowed. Her entire body fell uncontrobly to the ground, as if being grabbed and dragged back by invisible big hands. She was dragged until she was at Pdin¡¯s feet. "Please, you are a priest! I apologize for what happened just now, please don''t kill me!" Pdin squatted down and looked into the female mercenary''s eyes, which still had a glimmer of hope as she begged for mercy. From the heart to his entire body, an unprecedented sense of satisfaction and superiority spread. Enjoying this wonderful sense of dominance, Pdin smiled and asked the female mercenary, "Tell me, where is this ce?" "Edley..." The female mercenary gazed at the golden eye that was magically floating on Pdin''s forehead, swaying and beaming above her. Her heart was filled with awe, but when she thought of the tragedy that had befallen herpanions, she immediately spoke up, "Go straight ahead, and you¡¯ll find a river. There are two bridges. Take the one on the right and you''ll arrive at Edley." "Really?" "It''s true, I swear! Just please let me go!" Pdin saw the female mercenary''s pleading gaze and felt like she was telling the truth. Just when he was about to get up and end this one¡¯s life, Pdin suddenly heard a jumble of unpleasant murmurs. "Don''t kill me!" "Hey, the little guy is so cute." "Captain, this sword is really bad." "Mom, I want to eat candy." Pdin''s body shook. He frowned and asked, "What are these sounds?" "Huh?" With a puzzled look on her face, the female mercenary tried to convince Pdin that those sounds had nothing to do with her. However, when Pdin listened attentively, he could clearly hear that all these jumbled voices wereing from the female mercenary! He felt as if he had discovered a fortune. Pdin crouched down once more. Sure enough, the noises increased in volume. Just as the female mercenary became perplexed by Pdin''s actions, thetter suddenly grabbed her chin and drew her face closer to him. The golden light in his eyes became more and more intense. The All-Seeing Eye on his forehead looked at the creature in front of him as if it hade to life. At this moment, Pdin was able to see many images through the eyes of this flustered and bewildered female mercenary. These images depict the female mercenary''s memories spanning more than 20 years, from childhood to the present. "What are you doing¡­?" The female mercenary stared at the humanoid monster''s three terrifying golden eyes. Her heart became filled with an extremely unpleasant sensation and began to pound fast. "Hmm? Is your heart racing?" Pdin''s golden eyes narrowed slightly. Suddenly, he put force in his hand that was holding the female¡¯s mercenary¡¯s chin and jerked it, forcing her to raise her head. As Pdin lowered his head, his three golden eyes were locked dead-on into the female mercenary''s eyes. He then whispered, "Look into my eyes." Right now, Pdin felt as if he had been suddenly plunged into another dimension. Back into his dreamscape, he saw the stone te that led to the tunnel between the torrents.The difference this time was that all that shed around were all the memories of this female mercenary. Memories from her childhood, memories from her teens, memories from being a mercenary, and of course, memories that showed the way to Edley that Pdin wanted. However, Pdin then felt a sh of light before his eyes and came back to reality again. Right away, he felt a headache and a stabbing pain in his temples as if stabbed by needles. However, unlike Pdin, the female mercenary was out of luck. The female mercenary felt like she was standing in front of a beach. The boundless golden seawater dyed the sky a golden yellow. As the sky wrapped around her tiny existence, her entire being was explored by the violent and powerful golden color. As a result, her consciousness gradually blurred. "Waaahhhhh!" The female mercenary let out a scream while covering her eyes with her hands desperately. Bursts of ck smoke together with a strong burnt smell emerged from beneath her closed eyelids. Her clear eyes had most likely turned into a ck gooey substance by this point. Pdin suppressed his headache and stood up slowly. Looking at the female mercenary who was rolling on the ground while crying bitterly, he disgustedly said, "You lied to me. Can you bear the price of deceiving me?" When he looked at this woman''s memory as if reading a book, Pdin knew that the correct route to Edley was via the bridge on the left. The bridge on the right would only make him go further and further away from Edley. Obviously, the female mercenary who was in pain was unable to hear anything Pdin had said. Pdin didn''t care. He opened his palm slightly and sped her face at once. Immediately, arge number of golden light magic elements gathered in the palm of his hands. After that, Pdin apathetically whispered, "Get purified in the zing fire." With a boom, the female mercenary was suddenly engulfed in a raging golden fire. Under such golden mes, even her hardest armor melted into molten iron. It was obvious what¡¯d happen to the fleshy body of the female mercenary. Her body, as well as the grass beneath her, solidified into coal fragments not long after. What about her skeleton? It was reduced to ashes too. Chapter 69: Encountering Mage ONeill Again

Chapter 69: Encountering Mage O''Neill Again

All the way to the magnificent Fenrir city gates, Pdin hadn¡¯t seen Aberleigh¡¯s shadow even once. Right now, Pdin was d in a ck robe. He nonchntly passed the civilians that wereing and going as he walked straight inside this long-established city. "Excuse me... where is the residence of the mel family?" Pdin asked a random passer-by modestly and politely. "mel? Those noblemen who collect taxes all day long? There''s a nice house straight ahead." When the passer-by heard Pdin inquire about the mel family, they very unhappily pointed out the way before turning their head away. Pdin deeply gazed at the passerby. It seemed that mel''s reputation in Fenrir was worse than he had expected. However, this was all good. This way, it would be much easier to eliminate the mel Family. . Before entering the mansion, Pdin couldn''t help but notice the vast disparity between low-ranking nobles andmoners. After gently lowering the ck hood so that no one could see his face clearly, Pdin walked leisurely through the door. "Stop! Who are you? This is the mansion of the mel Family!" "Dear Sir, I have been entrusted by the noble son, Pdin, to speak with the patriarch, his father Emmet mel." The middle-aged man guarding the gate let out a surprised cry as soon as these words left his mouth. He opened the door politely, greeted Pdin, and said, "So you''re a missionary. Please get inside, I will go to inform Mr. Emmet right away." The gatekeeper weed Pdin into the living room. Pdin sat on the couch that was covered in good wolf skin while the gatekeeper served him a cup of mellow ck tea. The gatekeeper then dashed deeper into the mansion in a hurry. Pdin inhaled the enticing fragrance and felt the softfort of the cushion. He couldn¡¯t help but look at all the luxurious decorations with envy. "From what I''ve read in the letter addressed to Pdin, Emmet has been sick recently. Their financial situation is also dire... and his presence is required immediately. Huh! Is this what they mean by dire?" Pdin picked up the ck tea and took a sip with distaste. His face crumpled as he abruptly turned his head and sprayed it out. The tea was very difficult to drink. Did it taste bad? No, the ck tea was not only mellow, but also very sweet and soothing to the throat. It was the best ck tea Pdin had ever tasted in his life. Pdin spat it out with an ugly expression because he had an instinctive rejection just now. This sensation was simr to being full, so he had a sense of resistance to eat more. Pdin hadn''t figured out what it was just now, but there was no time for him to ponder about all this. "Cough, cough, Mr. Preacher, have you seen my son?" Pdin slowly raised his head when he heard the weak voice. He saw two women, a mother and her daughter, supporting a kind man whose hair was turning white as he walked slowly over to the living room. "Huh? Does Mr. Preacher dislike the ck tea?" After walking into the room, the pretty middle-aged woman who was supporting Emmet from his left frowned immediately when she saw the ck tea that Pdin spat on the ground. There was a little difort in her tone. She was most likely Aaron mel from the letter, Pdin''s mother. But it was understandable. They, nobles, received him as a missionary. However, he spat out the ck tea inside her house. His action was really rude and uncultured. "Hmph, why are you like this?! We kindly gave you, amoner, a ck tea but you spit it on the ground!" said the girl on the right who was wearing a corset dress. Seeing the state of the room, she immediately scolded him, as she didn¡¯t have much social experience. This person was Pdin''s sister. However, Pdin didn''t care about these two. He simply ignored Emmet''s eyes that were ring at the two beside him. He quietly looked around. After confirming that there was no potential danger around, Pdin stood up while his left hand rested on his right hand, ready to erase these potential threats at any time. "Mr. Emmet, who is this?" Just as Pdin was about to make a move, four mercenaries suddenly walked in from behind them. When the leading warrior, who wore a shield and a sword around his waist, saw Pdin, he immediately asked. After a quick nce to the back, Pdin immediatelymented how small the world was. These four people were the four mercenaries who escorted him when he went to Nurba a few months ago. Orkney, a warrior who had only twenty elements, someone that seemed to be a magic swordsman. Liriel, the archer, and her fianc¨¦, the assassin. Pdin didn''t pay attention to them; instead, he focused on the team''s soul. The magician, O''Neill! At the moment, the well-informed Pdin noticed the ring on O''Neill''s finger at a nce. It was clearly the symbol of the strongest mage society, Hellitt of the Forest of Towers! When Emmet saw the mercenaries, he immediately broke the embarrassing atmosphere caused by the ck tea by smiling and talking to O''Neill. "Hahaha. Your Excellency Master O''Neill, this missionary is sent by my son to deliver a message." After that, he turned his head and smiled at Pdin before continuing, "These four are the warriors who escorted my son to Nurba! The other day, when my wife sent a letter, I asked them to escort my son home again for a family reunion," Emmet said with great enthusiasm. But then, O''Neill suddenly frowned. The preacher in front of him, whom he should¡¯ve hadn¡¯t met before, gave him a sense of d¨¦j¨¤ vu. And it didn''t feel good at all. "Brother, what''s the matter?" Orkney noticed O''Neill''s strangeness and immediately muttered. However, O''Neill, who was observing the preacher keenly, saw a strange smile formed on the preacher¡¯s exposed chin. Suddenly, a strong sense of danger spread throughout his whole body. O''Neill immediately took a step back and whispered to Orkney in a very serious manner, "Wait and protect me. Perhaps, there will be a battle soon." "Ah?" Before Orkney could react, Emmet, who felt a little ufortable seeing Pdin wearing a hood all the time, asked, "Mr. Preacher, we¡¯re protected from the scorching sun here. Why don''t you take the hood off? Have I asked for your name yet?" "Oh, is that so?" Pdin''s smile grew more terrifying and he abruptly removed the hood, revealing that ck hair and ordinary face. He smiled and said to Emmet, "Pdin is too lonely there, I hope you can go to see him." "That''s good, we can leave today." Pdin''s mother, Aaron said so happily. However, Pdin¡¯s younger sister didn''t like this missionary very much. She was clever, thus she noticed the expression of the mercenaries¡¯ leader, the mysterious and quiet magician who was looking at the missionary¡¯s extremely ordinary face right now. He looked taken aback, as if he just saw a ghost! Chapter 70: A Fierce Fight

Chapter 70: A Fierce Fight

"How do you..." O''Neill looked at Pdin''s face in shock before returning his gaze to Emmet''s dazed expression. All of the clues were connected in a straight line in an instant. An unfathomable thought came to his mind, ¡®This impostor posed as Pdin mel!¡¯ "Mr. Emmet." "Huh?" Emmet turned his head nkly. O''Neill and Orkney shouted together in a hurry, "Mr. Emmet, get away from him quickly!" Unfortunately, it was toote. Emmet soon heard thest words he¡¯d ever heard in this life. "I will be Pdin mel!" With a snap. Pdin abruptly removed the glove from his right hand. A thunderbolt-like golden lightsaber condensed from his fingers. Emmet''s unbelieving eyes quickly dimmed with a slight flick of his hand. Together with a splendid blood ssh, his severed head fell to the ground. "Ahhhhhhhhhhh!" The young girl screamed as she saw the preacher iming to be her brother suddenly decapitate her father in front of her. The flowing blood was a constant reminder that her own father, whom she had lived with for the past two decades, had died. His body was lifeless. Hearing the girl''s shout, Aaron was stunned. Pdin''s face was cruel and ferocious as the golden light in his hands instantly condensed into golden ws. Pdin grabbed the necks of both women at the same time. While looking at O''Neill who was about to cast a spell, he smiled and said, "Be careful, mage. Otherwise, these two innocent little swans will suffer!" O''Neill, who was about to cast a spell, trembled. His face was full of anger. "Despicable! You used twodies as a shield!" The archer next to him, Liriel, who was quickly bending the bow and setting the arrow, scolded him out of disgust. "Ho? You mean I should be a gentleman and put them both down while I get shot by your arrows?" Pdin''s expression was full of ridicule. However, he was stating facts. It rendered Liriel speechless. In contrast to the shivering and crying girl, Aaron, the mother, quickly calmed down. Her beautiful eyes were filled with hatred, but her tone rxed as she spoke, "Where is my son Pdin?" Pdin slightly inclined his head and looked at Aaron who had long brown hair. Suddenly, he sneered. "I took the ce of your son. There can only be one Pdin mel in this world. You ought to understand by now where he is." At these words, Aaron bit her lower lip in hatred and suddenly shouted, "Quick! Notify the Marquis! Bring out this evil person who pretended to be a nobleman and murdered a nobleman publicly!" Upon hearing her orders, it immediately dawned on the underlings who were hiding behind the door and didn''t know what to do. Several youngds ran to the front door, attempting to bring Pdin''s true identity out into the open. "That''s why I don''t like smart women." Pdin smiled, but his eyes were very cold. O''Neil, who was in a stalemate, was astounded to see that even though Pdin didn¡¯t move his hands or chant any spells, six magic arrows that shone golden unexpectedly materialized out of thin air behind him. Shocked, O''Neill turned his eyes to look at the servant who was about to open the door and shouted, "Don''t go out! It''s dangerous!" Regrettably, it was toote. Along with Pdin''s triumphant sneer, the six golden magic arrows sted the servants who tried to open the door. Turned their bodies into fireworks made of blood one by one. Not a single bone was left. "You!" Aaron, who saw this scene, suddenly turned pale. She hadn''t expected the murderer of her husband and son to be so powerful! Pdin snorted lightly. Next, his eyes instantly turned golden, bursting with golden light. The All-Seeing eye immediately surfaced on his forehead. It surprised everyone, including O''Neill! The free light magic elements in the environment began to merge into Pdin''s body with only a single thought in his mind. With only ten seconds of effort, the number of magic elements that had been consumed reached 600 once more. "What kind of magic is this?" O''Neill''s face became paler. Through the power of the magic arrows shot by Pdin just now, O''Neill knew that he was way above his level. However, now, Pdin¡¯s eyes were glowing. A magical totem also appeared on his forehead. These filled O''Neill, who had always considered himself to be knowledgeable and versatile, with dread. He had absolutely no idea what it was! Hearing O''Neill''s question, Pdinughed. "Mediocre people, this is a power beyond your kind! I''ll let you take a good look at itter!" "Wait, please don''t kill me, what do you want me to do? Anything is fine! Please don¡¯t kill me!¡± Sensing Pdin¡¯s murderous intent, these words came out of the crying younger sister¡¯s trembling pink mouth. She had been a pearl encased in the safety of her home. Let alone murderous intent, she couldn''t even bear to kill rabbits. She was nothing more than a flower in the greenhouse. As a stormy rain approached, she could only bend down weakly, lie on the dirty muddy ground, and close her eyes. Waiting for her time to die. When Aaron heard what her daughter had just said, she widened her eyes and yelled angrily, "What are you talking about?! He killed your father and your brother! How could you¡­." "Mom, I don''t want to die! I''m still young, I really don''t want to die!" Aaron looked at this cowardly daughter of hers. Red shed on her eyes as she cursed, "I spoiled you too much back then. Do you think he will let us go? He came today to kill us all, and no one in the world will ever learn of his true identity!" "But, mother. Father Sicilian is the godfather of my brother, and he knows brother too!" At her words, Aaron''s eyes were filled with despair. Meanwhile, Pdinughed out loud and eximed with delight, "Thank you, nobledy. After killing all of you, I will go to meet this priest!" At that precise moment, the stony Orkney whispered to O''Neill, "What should we do? Kill him in one breath while he is distracted?" "No, we are no match for a head-on conflict. Run! I¡¯ve contacted my senior, Nasura. I don''t know when he''ll show up, but I believe he''s on his way." Their whispers were as clear as day to Pdin, who had his All-Seeing Eye turned on. It was as if they were shouting in his ears! His expression went nk for a moment before heughed grimly and said, "So you want to flee and let me be defeated by your reinforcement that wille soon? Hahahahaha! O''Neill, you know too little about your enemy!" Pdin let out a joyfulugh full of satisfaction. Suddenly, he shouted at the ceiling, "Aberleigh! Don''te down yet!" Orkney''splexion changed drastically when the ceiling copsed with a bang. The tiles and wooden beams were shattered and scattered on the ground. The sunlight was shining down behind a figure that descended from the sky. The said figure was so huge Orkney thought it was a monster. Its terrifying sharp ws and bloody mouth charged towards the mage O''Neill. O''Neill only felt a chill deep down because he knew, at this point, he certainly was dead. Chapter 71: Escalation of the fierce fight

Chapter 71: Esction of the fierce fight

"Brother!" Orkney saw that the huge monster was about to crush the thin O''Neill; his eyes were red, and he was anxious. With one long step, he rushed forward, knocking O''Neill away at once, trying to block the terrifying blow with his shield. Unfortunately, Orkney underestimated the power of this monster. There was only a loud bang, and under Aberleigh''s overwhelming, terrifying power, the floor cracked and flew up. Orkney did not even have the time to scream and was instantly crushed with his hard shield and sturdy armor. Blood and internal organs sshed out, staining Aberleigh, who was towering in the center, red, bearing out a ferocious aura. "Brother!" O''Neill''s eyes were wide open. Shaking the staff in his hand, a fiery fireball shot out from the front of the staff, smashing into Aberleigh''s body with a boom! "Ow ow ow!" Aberleigh screamed miserably. The strong attack sent his huge body flying, knocking down the stone pir next to him, and he fell into the ruins. Watching all this, Pdin''s face changed. His hands were about to break the necks of the two women when a sound of arrows piercing through the air made Pdin''s throat rise instantly! With a "whoosh", a sharp arrow grazed Pdin''s cheek and flew past him, which was then nailed to the wall behind him with a thud. Pdin, who was a little dazed, fixed his eyes and saw Liriel, who was full of hatred, in the distance drawing another arrow and was about to shoot it. Pdin''s face suddenly became extremely cold! Whoosh! With another arrow, Pdin ced the girl in his right hand across his chest, and the sharp arrow pierced deeply into her body. "Oh! My daughter!" Aaron painfully saw her own daughter being used as a shield by this bastard. The iparable amount of hatred made her break away from Pdin''s hand and bite him on the neck. Without the slightest effort, Pdin''s hand immediately coalesced into a lightsaber and pped Aaron with his backhand. With a click, the lightsaber immediately passed through Aaron''s delicate neck to the back of her head! And even before she died, the hatred in her eyes still refused to dissipate. "You beast!" Liriel roared, full of? resentment. In a split second, the arrow in her hand was immediately released, bringing a sliver of brilliance straight to Pdin. However, Pdin''s All-Seeing Eye came into y once again. In his vision, this thundering arrow was just so predictable, with a very clear trajectory. Unbothered, he stretched out his hand calmly in the air to grab the arrow. He then looked at Liriel''s shocked face with a cruel smile. "Today none of you will be able to escape!" Pdin said so. And with a casual flip of his hand, Aaron''s body just slid off the lightsaber like a rag that fell to the ground. At this time, a furious O''Neill shouted loudly, "Liriel, shoot the calf!" "Yes!" Liriel, who was also full of hatred, once again bent her bow and loaded an arrow to shoot at Pdin quickly. However, Pdin disdainfully took a step back. With the special ability of the All-Seeing Eye, Pdin knew the moment she shot this arrow that as long as he took a step back, she would never be able to shoot him. He was even in the mood to sneer. Were these guys dazzled by hatred? No matter how, it is impossible for them to defeat him at this moment. However, the smirking Pdin suddenly heard a slight but heavy thud---cautious and swift--ing from behind him. It was impossible for such a small sound to be heard. Yet Pdin''s All-Seeing Eye could make him hear any sound around him very clearly. As soon as Pdin''s 360-degree, all-round viewing angle was opened, he immediately saw the assassin who had somehow slipped behind him. Raising his poison-smeared dagger without making a sound, he was about to stab Pdin in the back. No one can escape from this distance. Everyone was anticipating the great sess--- Pdin''s defeat. O''Neill even saw a ray of hope...when Pdin suddenlyughed. Eyes still looking straight at O''Neill with the left hand yanked back, a firm grip pulled the assassin''s hand mid-air, throwing him forward with a deadly thud to the ground! "Ahhhhh!" Before Liriel''s fianc¨¦ and part-time assassin could react, Pdin stepped hard on his face and said with a frustating grin, "Little guy, your heartbeat is too loud." And with the force in his hands, he tore off the man''s arm, alive, with a fierce blow. "Bastard! Die!" The assassin in severe pain did not even care about the blood spurting from his shoulder. He wanted to kill the beast in front of him before losing all his strength. After all, his years of skill were not for nothing. One of his arms was already torn apart by Pdin. And while he was still stepping on it, the man turned over on the spot and got rid of Pdin''s foot. He jumped up, took out another short knife from the cuff with his remaining hand, and went straight for Pdin''s head. But in the face of such a counterattack, Pdin responded very calmly. He gently raised his hand and disdainfully said, "You annoying fly, shut up." Arge number of light elements madly converge on Pdin''s raised hand. And just like swatting a fly, he pped the assassin who was about to stab him in the face with a dagger. p! He pped the assassin right in the face. Thetter immediately screamed and flew out. To everyone''s surprise, his face suddenly turned red and hot, then burst into mes. No matter how he rolled back and forth in pain, the mes did not weaken in the slightest. And not long after, the fire had wrapped around his entire body. The heavy smell of burning filled the surroundings. "Nooo!!!" Seeing her fianc¨¦ being burned alive, Liriel screamed frantically as if she had gone mad. Her hands were incredibly fast at drawing arrows, one after another, aiming at Pdin. "Hmph, another fly." Pdin shook his hand leisurely. Every arrow shot at the vitals was actually deflected by his shaking hand. But before he could fully please himself, he felt a sudden sh of light before his eyes. A powerful electric light bombarded him iparably quickly. Under such a crisis, Pdin''s face suddenly changed, and he subconsciouslyid his right hand across his chest, trying to block the thunder. It happened so quickly that only a loud bang could be heard. Pdin flew out of the mansion with the stone sculptures beside him and the fragments of the stone bs on the floor. Covered in electric light, hended outside the mansion. On the other hand, O''Neill held up the wand, gasping for breath. He immediately took out a bottle of potion and two green stickers from the bag. After putting the stickers on his temples, he drank the potion with a fierce gulp. This is a method specifically used by the Forest of Hellite to restore magic much faster than ordinary meditation and simple potions. When Liriel saw a pile of ruins outside the manor, she could not help asking, "Is he dead?" "No, it can''t be that simple." O''Neill''s face showed gloom. His eyes were filled with despair. In his heart, he could not help but ask himself, "This guy, can he really be beaten to death?" Sure enough, as soon as his words fell, the ruins suddenly exploded with a bang. Pdin, whose robe was somewhat torn and burned, came out with an angry face. At this moment, dazzling golden crystals appeared on his palm and wrist, with one or two electric arcs flickering. Chapter 72: Massacre

Chapter 72: Massacre

"Hahahahahahaha!" Pdin let out a burst of joyfulughter. Suddenly, someone knocked on the door of the manor. A nervous call came in: "Mr. Emmet, are you all right? I heard a lot ofmotion!" "It''s not a fight, is it?" "Why do I smell something burning?" "Oh, no! There must be a fire inside!" "Call the city defense team, Sir Emmet''s house is on fire!" "Come and put out the fire!" Pdin slightly inclined his head after hearing the noisy voices of the civilians outside. He could not help but hum lightly. With a wave of his hand, a dozen chains of light immediately coiled and locked the iron door firmly. As long as no magician breaks it with fireball spells, it will not open for a while. "It looks like we have to end this scuffle quickly." Pdin knows that this is Fenrir, a big city that ranks high in the Principality of Kasmi. And this is the home of a nobleman! It will not be long before hordes of soldiers surround the ce. Then it will not be so easy to escape. On the other hand, O''Neill felt his own magic gradually restored. He fixed his eyes on Pdin''s right hand and saw the bizarre golden crystal as a recement for the skin. The interspersed veins inside could be seen in the seemingly translucent crystal. "What the hell are you? What kind of monster are you?" Finally, O''Neill asked the questions he had been holding in his heart for a long time. Ignoring the guidelines of magic element control, the instantaneous formation of magic constructs, and the eye floating on that mysterious forehead---the almost endless magic power. It made O''Neill begin to wonder if the guy they were fighting with was human or not. "Hmm?" Pdin looked back at O''Neill who was being helped to stand up by Liriel. Suddenly, he smiled faintly and threw his hand violently. A subordinate immediately ran out to a dead corner of that eave, burning with zing mes, wailing, and falling to the ground. Pdin looked at the charred corpse, then suddenly nced at O''Neill. A hint of curiosity appeared in his eyes. He was certain that he saw O''Neill''s magic power suddenly drop from more than two hundred magic elements to thirty because of the release of the thunderbolt. However, at this moment, it was slowly and gradually growing. With a slight squint, Pdin got even more curious when he saw a stream of elemental energy emanating from O''Neill''s body, and it was all integrated into the sticker on his temple. And this sticker is exuding ripples that humans cannot see. It is gradually attracting free elements of the same attribute around it. "As expected of one of the three most powerful masters'' guilds, the mages of the Forest of Hellite. To think that there is such a method to restore magic power." O''Neill was shocked. This method was handed down from Hellite. Even magicians with some origins could not see through it simply. But this guy recognized it with just a nce. Thereafter, O''Neill saw the floating eyes on Pdin''s forehead. It felt like stripping him naked, which brought chills all over his body. If you fear too much, you will be afraid. Too much fear, and you will be desperate. With this in his thoughts, O''Neill suddenly picked up his wand again and threw a lightning strike that caught Pdin by surprise. Unfortunately, O''Neill infinitely overestimated Pdin but always underestimated his ability. The moment O''Neill just picked up the wand, Pdin immediately saw the magic structure quickly drawn in the void. Suddenly having evil thoughts in his heart, he immediately smiled with disdain and copied the structure but drew it faster than O''Neill. And O''Neill, who was just about to finish forming his magic suddenly saw a scene that he could not believe to be in his dying breath. He saw Pdin in front of himughing excitedly, with a crackling sound from his raised hands. Several different arcs, like O''Neill''s blue arcs with golden arcs jumping back and forth at the fingertips! Pdin raised his eyes slightly and exchanged a nce with O''Neill, whose eyes were full of shock. Then he said with augh, "It''s really good! This magic structure is supposed to simte lightning. I wonder how powerful it is." Pdin used a full two hundred golden elements to operate the structure. O''Neill saw a crackling golden thunderball in his palm at this moment. More and more arcs jumped out of the thunderball. Pdin could already feel the destructive power contained in this small, egg-like thunderball. With this, Pdinughed loudly and raised his hand violently. He opened his palm to aim at O''Neill, whose face changed greatly. To the side where Liriel was! With a loud sound, a golden thunderbolt emitting a dazzling light jumped out of Pdin''s palm. It came with a terrifying power that could exterminate everything. It exploded, making a dent in the floor as it passed by and hitting the frothing Liriel extremely fast. "Liriel, dodge!" O''Neill shouted miserably. He had already lost his brother and best friend. He did not want to lose another dear friend. O''Neill went extremely fast with his wand and then, in one fell swoop, pushed Liriel away. The golden thunder merely brushed Liriel''s hair but rumbled on O''Neill''s body. Boom! Pop! Almost half of the mansion caved in under this terrifying and deadly blow. Pdin flew to recover the consumed elements and looked at the ruins in front of him. Suddenly, the crumbling debris were pushed away, and a wretched O''Neill climbed out of the ruins. But aftering out, he did not pay any attention to Pdin at all, as if he had suddenly lost his soul. He was frantically digging through the ruins, as if looking for something very valuable. Just when Pdin wondered if this guy had been beaten silly, the tender arm that was bleeding from the ruins proved everything. Liriel was buried in the ruins. "Liriel!" O''Neill''s face was a little crazy. He also seemed to have suddenly forgotten the existence of Pdin while movingrge blocks of stone bs away. Pdin just looked at him with a strange look in his eyes. "Go straight over; you can kill him with a single p! The matter will be settled! Why are you hesitating?!" Pdin seemed to have heard a voice in his heart say this to him. He himself fully agrees with the statement. But the strange thing is that he did not do anything. He did not move. He just stared fixedly at the crazy O''Neill. He looked expressionless and did not know what he was thinking. Maybe it was "moved", maybe it was contempt. Maybe nothing. All of this should only be understood by Pdin himself. Finally, Liriel was dug out, with O''Neil ignoring the blood flowing from his hands. He fell to his knees on the ground in a decadent manner. He looked at Liriel, who was lying on the ruins with her eyes open and not breathing. His eyes showed emotions that werepletely foreign to Pdin. What is that? Some people call it heartache. Chapter 73: Escape

Chapter 73: Escape

"You! You!" Gently covering Liriel''s open eyes with his hands, he took out a gold coin from his pocket and put it in her mouth. This time, O''Neill finally revealed the feelings that Pdin was very familiar with. Those red eyes, that twisted face---that is called hatred. With a slight smile on Pdin''s face, he suddenly waved his hand, and a golden magic arrow rushed towards O''Neill. With a bang, Pdin''s pupils contracted slightly. He saw the magic arrow going straight to hit O''Neill''s body but was suddenly blocked by a shield that shed around him. Pdin had sharp eyes, and he saw the magic shield that suddenly appeared. It is a coverposed of countless densely packed triangr structures! Pdin was silent for a while, then shook his hand again to throw another magic arrow. This time, it was very clear that the magic arrow that gathered the strong golden light elemental magic energy exploded when it hit the shield. The destructive elements were scattered, counteracted, and erased by the countless triangles arranged on the shield. Pdin then realized that this is the magic shield of a mage''s life. No wonder the golden thunder just now couldn''t blow O''Neill into powder. "You bastard!" O''Neill seemed to be burning with mes of revenge all over his body. He no longer has the calmness and wisdom of a mage. He is just a monster with his brain burned out. He stood up, not caring about the safety restricted by the limit of his mental power. It quickly drove away the few elements he already had. With a violent flick of the staff in his hand, a thunderbolt, which was much weaker than before, rushed towards Pdin. "Hmph!" Pdin smiled contemptuously, and three hundred golden light elements were immediately arranged ording to the structure of O''Neill''s magic shield. Seeing that the thunderbolt was about to hit him, he stretched out his palm and pressed it against theing thunderbolt. A miracle happened, and a golden shield suddenly appeared in front of Pdin. The thunderbolt hit the shield, forming a circle of golden ripples. Layers of blue lightning spread across the shield until they dissipated without a trace. "This can''t be! This is absolutely impossible!" O''Neill looked at Pdin as if he had seen a ghost. But no matter how much he denied it, he began to ept a fact in his heart. This Pdin can master this magic just by watching it cast once! Genius? No! Without even knowing the incantation, without even understanding what kind of magic it is to cast it, this is not a genius, but a monster! A monster thatpletely and utterly overturnsmon sense! "I''ll kill youter. I don''t know what more valuable things I can find from you." Pdin walked forward step by step with a grin. O''Neill looked at Pdin with a face full of despair. He then took an old scroll from his arms. It was given to him by his teacher in the hopes of protecting him when he encounters a strong enemy. It is a magic scroll made by the teacher himself. However, this tiny movement was caught by Pdin. A ball of light suddenly condensed from the fingertips of his left hand. Just when O''Neill was about to cast the scroll, Pdin pointed at O''Neill with a grin and said, "Die!" Buzz buzz! A thin golden beam of light suddenly shot out from Pdin''s fingertips. The speed was even faster than that of thunder. O''Neill only felt a sudden sh in front of his eyes. It was pitch ck, and he could not feel anything. At this moment, the scroll in O''Neill''s hand fell to the ground. He looked at Pdin with nk and confused eyes. Suddenly there was a crash, and a raging fire ignited from the center of his eyebrows. O''Neil''s whole body was immediately split into two halves, and the incision was covered with charcoal. He fell to the ground with the blood baked and dried. "Hmph." Pdin stepped forward to pick up the scroll. After opening it lightly, he saw that it was densely covered with runes and various symbols. Although Pdin can see the magic structure, he can not understand these things that only mages can understand. And except for the moment when the magic scroll is released, there is no magic structure at all. "Wait! The moment of release!" Pdin''s eyes suddenly widened, and then a sinister smile appeared on his face. Looking left and right, the mansion began to catch fire on arge scale due to the indiscriminate use of light elements. The tables, chairs, and benches were already covered in mes. Because most of the mansion copsed, the mes spread even more. However, Pdin walked to the corner very calmly and kicked over the gravel with his feet. Aberleigh, who was buried in the ground by the ruins, was revealed. Pdin looked at the big man and suddenly kicked him in the stomach. Thetter woke up and immediately wiped the blood on his forehead and the scorched ck from O''Neill''s fireball on his back. He looked at Pdin, aggrieved. "Get up! You''re not dead! Get up quickly!" Aberleigh reluctantly stood up and moved his muscles and bones. Strangely, being hit by the fireball technique on the back only caused a minor injury, although it looked a little burned. This made Pdin look at the big man quite unexpectedly. On the other hand, the All-Seeing Eye saw arge number of soldiers surrounding the door, attempting to break the iron gate open with their bodies. But the magic cast by Pdin was no joke. Where can these soldiers run away? "Mr. Emmet! Is Mr. Emmet there?!" The soldiers outside saw the fire getting bigger and bigger, which made them anxious. If his superiors me him, he will definitely be a scapegoat. This is a nobleman who died when he was in office! "What''s going on?" This time, a magician with long aqua blue hair came up with a smaller and cute woman in a fine dress. The magician looked up at the growing fire. He could not help frowning and immediately pushed the soldier away. "I''m Nasura, the great magician! There are my friends inside. What''s going on here? Why is it on fire?!" Pdin, who was about to climb up on Aberleigh''s back, saw Nasura through the All-Seeing Eye. His expression suddenly froze. Then he thought of the great magician who pretended to be a tutor when he escaped from the Free Masons'' Association a few months ago. That was him! The great magician with more than a thousand water elements! Is he the Nasura that O''Neill spoke of? Is he also a member of the Mages of the Forest of Hellite? What had happened to the Free Masons'' Guild? Pdin frowned and pondered, then a n suddenly came to mind. Pdin immediately backhanded a fling, burning O''Neill''s body into ashes. He just ignored the sparks that have fallen overhead. He patted Aberleigh underneath and said, "Get out of here; the sooner the better." "Woah-woo!" Aberleigh made a sound, and his feet went on with a fierce force, then he jumped up! Meanwhile, under the awe-inspiring eyes of the surrounding soldiers, Nasura was about to st the door open with his magic. The female assassin beside him, Adele, suddenly showed a painful and distorted expression on her usually calm face. Frightened, Nasura immediately hugged her and asked with concern, "Is everything all right? What''s wrong?" "My convergence method." Adele''s face went very sour. She came from the H-Assassin''s Union and inherited the mysterious and unpredictable astringent breath method. It was able to illuminate the scent of everyone around and track them. But at that moment, she felt an unprecedented fantasy. "What did you see?" Nasura immediately asked in a serious manner. Adele''s astringent breath method was very mysterious. Yet it was very precise and useful. Her advice can never be ignored. "I saw it." Adele''s face looked so unpleasant that she even had to squeeze out the words as if she was enduring severe pain: "Endless light! An ocean of light that cannot be seen to end! I''ve never seen an enemy that didn''t manifest itself as a living thing!" Chapter 74: Consequences

Chapter 74: Consequences

Hearing Adele''s words, Nasura''s face changed dramatically! These days, it was either the president of the Mage Association branch or one of the leaders of the Brotherhood of Fire and Sword. For these powerhouses who are much more powerful than them, Adele only felt illusions like flying dragons or magical beasts lurking in the woods. But in this situation, her description of the endless ocean of light is unbelievable. Nasura, however, did not sink into shock. His friend was still inside. He cannot just wait outside. Nasura casually struck the iron door with a volley of ice swords, and it exploded with a boom. Then he immediately grabbed his wand. The soldiers with buckets of water followed him into the burning area. What came into view, in addition to the burning mes that covered the entire mansion, were the seven or eight bodies lying in the ruins. "What happened here?!" Nasura looked at all this in surprise. Meanwhile, there was a sudden boom in the backyard, and an unidentifiable shadow suddenly swept past the manor. When everyone looked back, it had already disappeared. But Nasura was so upied thinking of his friends at this time that he had no time to care about other things at all. He waved arge amount of water droplets casually to immediately extinguish the fire. Eagerly, he began to call O''Neill''s name, trying to find any familiar faces that might appear among the corpses. But Nasura did not find him, and neither did the soldiers, who were busy checking to see if there were any survivors. Adele, who was standing at the noisy door, was looking at the distance on the other side with a shocked expression. Her eyes directly spanned thousands of meters, where she saw the man in a ck robe who had escaped from the city wall, sitting on a monster. That was right. Adele confirmed that this man in a ck robe was the guy who gave her that terrifying and unimaginable illusion! In truth, she had something to confess but never told Nasura. In the old days, when their mentor taught them the method of convergence, he once gave a warning that has been passed down to this day. Although no one takes it seriously now, it was still passed down as a tradition from generation to generation. That is, "The Astringent Breath Method can sense all living things and judge the threat level by the high or low level of your heart to manifest into a corresponding creature. But if any of you be instructors in the future, make sure you warn the neers of this!" "If the enemy manifests something other than a living creature, not even an animal, but rather something natural, either kill it immediately, by any means necessary, or run as fast and as far as you can." When Adele asked why, the mentor, however, said with an air of disbelief, "I don''t know; it''s just a tradition that has been passed down. Besides, I''ve killed countless people for the Alliance, and I''ve never seen an enemy that wasn''t an illusionary living thing. You guys shouldn''t think too much about it." At this moment, however, Adele was in deep fear. Even if it sounded like just a joke, it is a tradition that has been passed down for thousands of years from generation to generation. Is it really not credible? Adele took a deep look at the nervous Nasura. She could not cut it off. She fell in love, and she simply could not cut off this man. Maybe...she can just take him to escape together. Suddenly, a loud scream was heard at the city gate. Nasura, Adele, and the whole Fenrir all stuck their heads out in surprise. Surprisingly, they saw a gigantic hand appear in the sky. It is floating above the gate tower, braving a strong chill. A thickyer of frost can be seen forming on the tall city wall. Suddenly, the giant hand moved! The huge hand,pletely ice-blue, lifted slightly and mmed against the gatehouse below. And they all heard a boom. Suddenly, the giant hand disappeared without a trace, while the magnificent gatehouse all turned ice blue, rumbled, and shattered into countless pieces of ice. Everyone who came back to their senses looked again, but they were petrified at the same time, looking at all this with their mouths open in shock! . The original magnificent city gate has now turned into a huge blue gap. The ice that had spilled in the sky had fallen and another group of innocent people died. Nasura looked at all this in a daze and unconsciously muttered, "The Grip of Winter. Isn''t this the scroll on O''Neill''s body?" At this moment, Fenrir, which had been stable and unaffected by the war, resounded with wails and shrieks throughout the city. Pdin, who was lying on Aberleigh''s back, unable to lift his head due to the strong speed, was secretlyughing. What a bumper harvest today! He even learned the magic shield and lightning strike magic. The moment the scroll was yed just now, that huge andplicated magic structure appeared in mid-air. Pdin could not help snickering again. But looking at this power, it seems that all the elements of Pdin''s body cannot activate this magic, even if they are piled up together. Never mind though. More elements are nothing more than a crimson Philosopher''s Stone. And more Philosopher''s Stones are just more lives. Human beings are the limitless resources of the Philosopher''s Stones, as much as he wants! And from the description of the formation, it is obviously not limited to humans. As long as there is life and energy, the Philosopher''s Stone can be refined. That is to say, tall orcs, even those dwarves, elves whose lives are much higher than humans, and even mythical dragons and demons! Who knows if the Philosopher''s Stone refined by these species is far more powerful and better than human life? Holding this crazy thought, Pdin hid in the mountains and forests on the outskirts. In the afternoon of that day, Sir Emmet''s family was killed and the city gate was destroyed. When people in the city were discussing the incident in the morning, they heard a loud noise, and it was the head priest who choked on a bread piece and died. And when they heard about him passing away, they were not interested because of the amazing power of magic they saw that day, and they talked about the death of the head priest as a joke. After all, Fenrir City is too big. A priest''s role is not highly respected. But what is little known is that he was the godfather of Pdin, the second son of Sir Emmet''s family, who died in the morning. It was Cecily. It has even been suggested that Father Cecily did not die in the morning, but long ago. Because he is a clergyman, the idea of not desecrating dead bodies is deeply rooted in his bones. Such skeptical remarks were immediately suppressed by the church. Father Cecily was also buried early. And the real truth of his death was buried along with Pdin''s bloody hands. The deliberate murder of a nobleman in Fenrir, if it were amoner, would have been nothing more than a trivial matter. But now, not only was the nobleman murdered, but the culprits were also aggressive. The magic of the Winter Grip, which only magicians are capable of releasing, destroyed the entire city gate! This is already a vition of the firstmandment of the Mages'' Guild for a magician! "You can''t participate in national politics, and you can''t participate in a war with more than 500 people!" The first thought after this incident rmed the Marquis Carmon to have everyone search for possible potential enemies. The final conclusion was that Emmet''s family had invited a mercenary force to try to escort them because they missed their second son. And in the scene afterwards, all the other bodies were present except for the magician, O''Neill, who appeared as a mercenary. All the other bodies were present, and most of them were killed by magic. Finally, after the interrogation of the self-proimed friend of O''Neill, the Great Ice Magician Nasura, confirmed a fact. O''Neill was carrying the magic scroll of the Winter Grip! The fuse of the incident magically shifted to O''Neill, who had been destroyed by Pdin. Some conspiracy theories of the nobles under the Marquis Carmon even associated it with the kingdom of Aixinzhe, which was at war with them. That legend is against the precepts of the Mage Society, secretly supporting the usurper''s court mage chief, Saruman. And then linked to the master from the same family, O''Neill. One cannot help but think that this is a demonstration attack behind the Aixinzhe. Nasura, who was inexplicably ordered to be ced under house arrest, learned that the Marquis Carmon got into the carriage that afternoon and hurried to the capital, Zhivadin. He had an audience with the Grand Duke to lodge aint. He wanted the president of the Kasmi Principality''s branch to ask for an exnation from the Forest Mage Association of Hellite Tower. The world is so strange, but Pdin''s self-protection action involved the Hellite Mage Society, which has nothing to do with the world nor with the war between the Principality of Kasmi and the Kingdom of Aixinzhe. But does Pdin know? Maybe it was good luck, or maybe the n to divert the disaster to the east was conceived the moment O''Neill''s body was destroyed. Maybe long before that? Maybe as early as the moment he received Aaron''s letter, he had already thought of it? Who knows? Chapter 75: Back To Edley

Chapter 75: Back To Edley

At this time, in Fenrir''s prison, Nasura grabbed his aquamarine hair and fell into confusion. He didn''t know what was going on, and he even believed in the conjectures of Marquis Carmon and others. O''Neill came to him as a scapegoat, and it was his original n to join forces with Saruman, who vited the precepts, to attack the Principality of Kasmi. Nashura, who devotes himself to knowledge, is aplete fool when ites to understanding the world. Stupid as stupid as themoners who believe in fanciful rumors. Suddenly, the guards standing in front of the prison door, wearing chain armor and coat of arms holding hooked sickle spears, suddenly fell to the ground without saying a word. Nashura was startled, but when he raised his head, he saw Adele opening the cell door with a dagger in her hand, and walked in with a very serious expression. "How did you open the cell door?" Nashura asked in a daze. But such dizzying words caused Adele to roll her eyes, she stepped forward and grabbed Nashura''spel and said, "You shouldn''t care about this issue. The first thing is that you have to go out." "No! I won''t go out!" Nashura stubbornly shook off his hand. Sitting in the prison cell again. Ad looked at Nashura who was acting like a child at this time, and suddenly felt a tremor in her heart, squatted down and said in a childish tone: "Good boy, there is no way for you to be trapped here. I know you don''t want to get involved The teacher of the Tower Forest, but no matter what, you can''t do anything here!" As soon as she said this, a hesitant expression appeared on Nashura''s face. Adele took advantage of the situation to persuade him, "And I vaguely saw the attacker in the morning. It''s definitely not O''Neill! Although I haven''t mentioned him, the weird aura definitely doesn''te from a mage. " Seeing the expression on Nashura''s face somewhat loosened. Adele half-jokingly said: "You could have handed me over to Marquis Carmon. This way you will not only be free, your friend can also be cleared of suspicion!" "How can I do that?" To Ad''s surprise, Nashura''s reaction to this statement was very intense, and he stood up at once. He looked at Adele with gleaming eyes and said, "I can''t give you away just because of a friend! Besides, nowadays, the H-Assassin Alliance is wanted by the Holy See. You''re absolutely dead if you go!" "What, do you still want to stay here?" Adele rarely showed her womanly attitude in front of Nashura. She leaned back and crossed her arms. She looked at Nashura, who had regained hisposure, in a very petnt manner. "Well, it''s useless to stay here. Thank you. However, my scrolls and wands and many other things¡­.." "Idiot, take it." Adeleughed and took out the props and wandsid out on the folded magic robe from behind her back. Handing them to Nashura. ". Thanks." Nashura was suddenly speechless. Only the word thank you could be squeezed out. The prison soldiers would not treat a magic robe properly. It must have been folded by Adelea herself privately. Nashura only felt a wave of warmth spread throughout his body. Suddenly he smiled very confidently and grabbed Adele''s small hand and said: "Come on, let''s go out together! Find my friend and ask what really happened." "Hmm...." Adele blushed slightly. She suddenly felt that this dirty and damp prison was extraordinarily beautiful. She wished this moment in front of her could go on forever. So soon after that, the news of Nashura''s escape from prison reached the ears of a group of close friends including Marquis Carmon. What a coincidence is that, originally there was some doubt that the mages of Hellite would not do something so out of the ordinary, after hearing this news, but determined that the mages of the Forest of Hellite Tower would intervene. Believe in this matterpletely, and if you are aggressive, you must talk to the person in charge of the Master Association in the Principality of Kasmi to have a good chat about life! But these are things forter. At this time, Pdin rushed back to Nurba. After hiding Aberleigh in the basement and packing up the five hundred gold coins promised to Bishop Andrew. When he was about to leave the church and go to Edley openly. The messenger who was in charge of delivering the letter to Pdin suddenly came to meet him. "Oh! Father, you havee back so soon! I havee here especially to thank you for your expensive reward." The messenger, who received three gold coins and was unsure of his heart, did not know that at this moment, looking at himing to him, Pdin suddenly had a murderous feeling in his heart! "This is a witness! To prove that I received a letter from Aaron today! We must get rid of it,pletely!" The messenger looked at Pdin''s smiling expression, the cold meaning in his eyes, and suddenly there was a strange sense of crisis that greeted him. In the evening of that day, when the setting sun was about to put out thest ray of brilliance in the sky. The messenger disappearedpletely from the world. Of course, it would be a different matter if he could be recognized from the pile of shapeless rotten meat in the grass. When Pdin came to Edley, all the houses in the city lit up the smoke, lit up the lights of each house, and were having a warm dinner. Pdin walked in the empty streets, smelling the various aromas wafting from all directions. Suddenly, he had an indescribable sense of loss. He suddenly stopped, looking next to the open window of the house, a child full of smiles was holding red cherries, bite after bite swallowed constantly. And next to it was sitting a pair of man and woman, that Pdin never saw the smile is now from the couple''s face. And deeply reflected in Pdin''s heart. Silently watching all this. Pdin did not say a word. Just quietly looked at the family of three for a while, before tightening the bag full of gold coins in his hands and stepping away to the magnificent Edley Cathedral in front of him. What is the significance of this to Pdin? No meaning. A monster that is getting strong by sucking the life out of its own kind will long for that ethereal kinship? Maybe the young Pdin did long for it, maybe he reallyy in the dpidated bed every night in his childhood in the Free Masons Association, longing for the love of his parents. But now he is gone. What Pdin has now is more precious than what all parents can give their children! This is his parents, his life, his dignity, his future, all of him. This is the Philosopher''s Stone. He temporarily suppressed these whimsical thoughts. Pdin entered Edley Cathedral. Seeing that there was no one in the main hall, he went up to the second floor on his own. As soon as the door was opened, the dining table was covered with the best red silk, and the side was filled with delicious food. Bishop Andrew and another priest in white looked at him in unison with surprise. "Oh, my lord bishop, sorry to keep you waiting." With a very polite bow, Pdin backhandedly closed the wooden door and walked in. Andrew casually took a piece of fatty beef on the te with a fork into his mouth. Savor the juiciness and freshness of this, and then take a sip of the blood-like red wine in the ss, after wiping his mouth with the napkin on his chest. Adopting a slightly reproachful tone, he said, "Father Pdin, it seems that your concept of time is worse than I thought." Pdin stood aside andughed along with him. But his eyes began to look at another person in the restaurant. This is a priest in a white robe. Although the decoration of the robe is not the standard clothes of the Holy See, it is also made of extremely exquisite and expensive materials. Unexpectedly, this very young priest has shoulder-length long hair and sharp eyes that look slightly sinister. He looks like a cold young man. Maybe he''s about the same age as Pdin. But the strange thing is that the young man just nced at Pdin and then lowered his head to look at the food. Giving a feeling of contempt. What drew Pdin''s attention even more was that the food on his te was full of vegetables and fruits. And three slices of golden bread! "Is this guy a vegetarian? Is he an ascetic monk? What is the meaning of Andrew calling such a person at this time?" Pdin had many thoughts in his mind. With a smile on his face, he gently shook the purse in his hand. There was a slight sound of gold coins colliding: "My lord, please forgive me, after all, the people of the church I belong to are too enthusiastic." After finishing speaking, he put the gold coin bag on the tform next to him, and there was another crisp sound of gold coins. Chapter 76: The Gathering of Three Scumbags

Chapter 76: The Gathering of Three Scumbags

Andrew took a deep look at the bag. Suddenly heughed and said cheerfully: "Pdin, you are really good. Come on, why don''t you have dinner, let''s eat together!" Andrew immediately called Pdin to sit down. There are already prepared knives, forks and tes on the rectangr table. Pdin thanked and sat down. He slightly scanned the food on the table. Roast suckling pig in red wine, cream of pumpkin soup, a rare Engend steak, fresh strawberries, green apples and grapes. Arge portion of vegetables and the best bread baked with honey sauce. The food was not rich, but extravagant! Pdinmented Andrew''s financial resources and extravagant style, and prayed before dinner with his hands crossed in a well-mannered manner. And Andrew and the priest in white just ate on their own, quietly waiting for Pdin''s prayer to end. When Pdin put down his hands piously, he picked up the knife and fork on the table and was about to cut the beef in front of him, Andrew personally for Pdin poured red wine in the ss next him. Heughed and said, "Father Pdin is really a pious believer. This red wine came out of the principality''s court. Let alone whether you can buy it, the price alone, humph! Fifty gold coins! It makes me heartbroken." Pdin was a little surprised that this bottle of wine could be so expensive, but there were outsiders present at this time, and Andrew didn''t intend to introduce it. Pdin could only pretend to go on: "It is clearly stipted in the canons that priests are not allowed to drink alcohol. My lord bishop, you are tantly viting the sacred ironw of the Holy See, which really makes me sad." "Huh?" Andrew slightly froze, saw the hypocritical look on Pdin''s face, and knew in his heart that this invited guest made Pdin wary, so he began to spread his fingers and pointed at the priest and said, "O Pdin, we are all servants of God. This is the Dean of thergest monastery in our diocese of Edley, Father Kanarawa. Don''t look at him as a young man, but he has inherited everything from the monastery! Today he is still an ascetic monk who is determined to fulfill his daily asceticism!" "Oh! What a pleasure to meet you. We are under the same roof, eating together under the eyes of God. This is a divine arrangement." Pdin''s eyes lit up and he immediately stood up and picked up his ss,plimenting this Kanarawa with great grace and without pretense. Pdin understood very well the deep meaning of Andrew''s words. Thergest monastery in Edley is located in the hills on the outskirts. Many of the preachers and ascetics are gathered there. ording to the rules of the Holy See. The master monastery that leads all monasteries in a diocese. In addition to the superficial work of propagating the doctrine. There is also the ce where all the nuns and the formation of the clergy [preparatory priests] in the diocese are in charge. Not only that, but the monastery also holds the power to request the military power of the Holy See! Able to report to the Holy See, send Temrs based on certain circumstances! Moreover, some monasteries also have their own local religious troops in the diocese. It is an organization like the Monastic Knights Association. Although the number of people is notrge, they can really be assigned as a force like a messenger! The bishop of the diocese cannot interfere with such a great power as mentioned above. It can also be regarded as a means by which the upper echelon deliberately arranges to bnce the local parish. Although all priests are under the jurisdiction of the bishop, some priests are more inclined to the dean of the monastery because of the rtionship between teachers and students. This shows how great the power of this young Kanarawa is. But at this time, the observant Pdin found that this Kanarawa does not eat meat! He originally thought that the so-called asceticism of the other party is just a look, but it seems that it is not what Pdin thought, the other party is a real ascetic! But just when Pdin was thinking about it. Kanarawa, a young man with long hair, did something that made Pdin very angry! Kanarawa looked at Pdin''s empty wine ss and ignored it. He turned to Andrew and said, "Your Excellency, is this the new auxiliary bishop you are talking about?" After all, he ignored Andrew''s non-stop winks and Pdin''s embarrassing expression. He gently pulled his floating hair to the side, and his expression was indescribably conceited and contemptuous: "Your Excellency the auxiliary bishop, you brought a big bag of gold coins, right? Your Eminence, Bishop Andrew, you are buying and selling the priesthood. If I were to report this to the Holy See, I might have to rece Your Eminence." Pdin''s eyes showed some displeasure, but his face smiled kindly and shook his head, sitting back in his seat and keeping his mouth shut. He intended to see how Andrew handled the scene. "Ah, hahahahaha!" Andrew red at Kanarawa with some anger, and suddenlyughed up. Attempting to defuse the bizarre atmosphere, he pretended to talk andugh as if nothing was wrong, "Kanarawa you are joking. Father Pdin is not only a priest, but also a nobleman! And Nurba is in his care and is in good order, the people''s lives are rich, business is booming!" Thest few words, Andrew deliberately intensified the tone. I hope Kanarawa can understand. Sure enough, Kanarawa suddenly looked at the ordinary-looking Pdin with a deeper meaning. As if it was only now that he really looked at this new auxiliary bishop, he said something irrelevant: "I heard that there has been a war recently, right, Your Eminence the auxiliary bishop." The subtext was: "I heard that you control all the ironworks in Nurba. Now that there is a war, you must be earning a lot of money." Pdin immediately understood Kanarawa''s meaning, nodded slightly, and said very confidently: "There is a war, and judging from the broken armor that keepsing back, the war should be in a tug-of-war. It will not end for a while." The subtext is: "Humph, there is still war to be fought! This ie is nothing! More gold coins are still toe!" With these words, Kanarawa''s eyes instantly lit up! More gold coins, isn''t he and this old man just for more gold coins? In that case, this Pdin is really a powerful person! It''s not that no one has thought of pulling in the relevant people from several nearby towns that are rich in iron. But these guys either do not care, or just ignore it! But he couldn''t understand, what method did this Pdin use to win over these businessmen who looked down on the clergy? You know, some of these people are even backed by Earl Torch''s cronies! Although capable, Kanarawa, who works vigorously and swiftly, always thinks he is excellent. But there are some things that a person with such a conceit like him would never do. That''s dirty and mean. And this is precisely the root of Pdin''s survival. So thinking, Kanarawa, under Andrew''s relieved sigh, picked up the wine ss, the first smile on his lonely face: "His Eminence, the auxiliary bishop, please forgive me for my previous rudeness. This is my bad habit, and I can''t change it no matter how." "No, no, it''s because I''m not very good at talking, and I''ve offended you, Dean. Dean, you are young to take up the important task, and your future achievements in proiming the grace of Enos for the world are unlimited!" Pdin and Kanva met each other''s gaze in the air, andughed at the same time. Seeing this, Andrew also smiled sincerely. Thus, the three scumbags in priestly robesughed happily in the hall of God. This is how justice died, apanied by cheerfulughter. . Chapter 77: The Confusion of Power

Chapter 77: The Confusion of Power

Laughing, Pdin just sat down in his chair, sniffing the deliberate scent wafting from the candbra behind him, and was about to drink the wine as a courtesy. Andrew put the knife and fork in his hand, suddenly interrupted Pdin''s action with a smile and said: "Pdin ah, I am going to want to let Kanarawa also serve as the head pastor of this parish, what do you think?" "Oh!" When Pdin heard that he put down his wine ss, he looked at the smiling Kanarawa with a surprised expression. The position of the head pastor. It is the priest who takes over the entire diocese when the bishop, auxiliary bishop, and assistant bishop are not present. The usual activities of mass, sacrifices and festivals are also managed by the head pastor. To be honest, it is also the position of a big housekeeper. But don''t take this job lightly. There is a lot of oil and water that can be fished out of it! Not much to say, the light is the mass every weekend, the candles, bread and red wine to be used. That amount is toorge! Although the individual value is not high, but buying in batches, as long as a part of the ie is deducted from it, it is also worth ten gold coins! What''s more, for sacrifices to Enos or festivals, the banquets and activities held in the square in front of the church cost at least one hundred gold coins for one scrape! For the powerful, powerful but poor abbot Kanarawa, this is simply fat on his lips! Pdin instantly understood what Andrew meant. It is hoped that when Kanwa is appointed as the head pastor on the bright side, he will get a vote of approval as an auxiliary bishop. After all, this position is different from that of an assistant bishop. The auxiliary bishop can be directly appointed by the bishop, but the head priest is elected by all the priests of the diocese! That is to say, when there is a voice of being out of group, Pdin wille to manage the ups and downs, causing Kanarawa to act as the head priest on the surface, which is what everyone expects. So that even those who have a heart have nothing to say. This is equivalent to sending a task to Pdin. It is the first task to see his ability to do things. Pdin nodded with understanding, then smiled and said to Kanarawa: "The abbot need not worry, I, Pdin, am firmly on your side. I believe that the other priests, too, will recognize your authority, Dean, because of the little bounty avable to improve their lives." The words were somewhat direct, but Kanarawa also wished not to beat around the bush. He immediately nodded his head expectantly. Drinking a ss of red wine again, he said, "It is said that the auxiliary bishop does not have any nuns around you yet? My ce has many pious nuns with good qualifications and a heart for God. Just ask when it''s convenient!" . Both Pdin and Andrew understood what this qualification meant. It was all about body, beauty and loyalty. Pdin naturally would love to pull up a few beautiful nuns to explore the mysteries of humanity. But his basement and the humanoid materials he came and went with could not be exposed. Having a woman around is a ticking time bomb. So he reluctantly declined the kindness, waved his hand and said, "Forget it, the nun will be spared. I''m used to living alone." Andrew and Kanarawa faintly froze, looked at each other and suddenly burst outughing! Theyughed when Pdin was at a loss for words. Kanarawa with a you-know-what expressionughing: "No nuns, auxiliary bishop do you want boys? It seems that our fetishes really coincide!" Hearing this, Pdin''s hair stood on end! Listening to Kanarawa''s words, this guy doesn''t like women, but boys? For Pdin, this is really a bit weird. But in order not to leave a bad impression on people, Pdin still smiled awkwardly. Let these two powerful guys burst outughing. "Pdin, I''m going to give you all the two towns of Qiql, Fmo to be in charge. Of course, Nurba is still the church town you manage. You know what I mean." Laughing, Andrew slightly squinted his eyes eating beef, and suddenly came out with this sentence. Pdin immediately understood, Qiql and Fmo are two out of the iron townpared to Nurba. The viges under them also have more ironmaking. These unified Pdin in charge, is the hope that Pdin can follow Nurba''s achievements, take advantage of the war to make a war fortune again! But the difficulty is that most of the merchants in these ironworks are backed by nobles or knights. You can''t anger them, you have to win them over. But that''s no limit to the Pdin. He knows his own abilities best. Not to mention how easy it is to kill a person, it is also easy to nt evidence and frame someone. And these people above are not big people. At most, there are some lords and knights who cannot be hereditary. As long as it''s not too much, they can''t do anything about it. The upper echelons, such as the Earl of Torch simply will not pay attention to these small matters. In other words, Pdin''s real opponents are only knights and some nobles. What is he afraid of? This morning, he had just killed Sir Emmet''s family! "Don''t worry, Your Excellency, the donations raised by believers will definitely satisfy you!" That is to say, the gold coins will definitely increase, so don''t worry about giving them to me! "Okay, okay!" Andrew yelled veryfortably. Once again he picked up the knife and fork to eat the meat. He suddenly found that he is somewhat tired of eating roast meat, but today there is a strange delicacy. What is that deliciousness? That is the joy of getting what you want. Seeing the two of them eating, Pdin felt relieved. He cut a small piece of beef and smelled the fragrance of spices and meat mixed with it. And put it into his mouth in one bite, chewed it a few times and swallowed it in his stomach. Felt the soft texture and the aroma of the gravy. Pdin immediately couldn''t help but nod and said: "Delicious!" After finishing speaking, he forked another piece and was about to put it into his mouth, when an unexpected thing happened suddenly! Suddenly, Pdin''s face suddenly went dead white! Andrew and Kanarawa, who were about tough, saw Pdin''s appearance and stood up with a sense of urgency and asked, "Pdin, what''s wrong with you?" "Umm." Pdin only felt a flip of the stomach bag, suddenly stood up sharply, the right hand deadly covered his mouth, rushed into the toilet at the corner, and vomited out into the toilet! "Pdin, are you¡­." Andrew and Kanarawa rushed over. Immediately saw the extremely bad-looking Pdin lying on the toilet vomiting. Even bile water had been vomited out! The room was filled with a scent. It was the aroma of that roast meat! And the sour smell of stomach acid that should have existed, but not a trace of half! Pdin''s face was ugly, but his heart was even more shocked! He felt as if his stomach had gone on strike, as if a burden existed in the body. The function hadpletely stopped! Suddenly, Pdin thought of the dream of merging light elements not long ago! That''s right, the ck baby dragged itself into the gluttonous circle! And for more than a day, Pdin didn''t eat any food. And without any hunger pangs! "I should have discovered it long ago, I should have discovered it long ago!" Pdin''s face showed a dignified expression. At this moment, he didn''t care about the strange eyes of Andrew and Kanarawa. He realized this in his heart: "Seven deadly sins. Is this the price for gaining power? If this continues, am I a human or a monster? Am I still the Pdin I thought I was? Who am I...!" Chapter 78: Delivery Arrives

Chapter 78: Delivery Arrives

Barely pulling himself together, Pdin, who said that he was physically ill, said goodbye to Andrew and Kanarawa and left first. In the restaurant where Andrew and Kanarawa were left. Kanarawa ate fresh tomatoes and said with a pun : "The tomatoes are fresh, the aroma is very good, but I do not want to taste them." Hearing this, Andrew was silent and did not say a word. Instead, Kanarawa put down the tomatoes, looked at Andrew and smiled: "Does His Eminence the Bishop like tomatoes? Maybe you do, or maybe you just like the fresh aroma, right? Bananas, apples, strawberries, grapes. It doesn''t have to be tomatoes." Andrew grunted lightly, he naturally knew what Kanarawa meant. This guy does not like Pdin, and is still questioning him so many people are bad, but choose this guy? Andrew very leisurely bit down a piece of golden bread, swallowed it into his stomach and said very satisfied: "No matter how bad the tomato taste. His fragrance is my favorite. Dean Kanarawa, don''t you also run to this clear fragrance?" "But wait until the fragrance has dissipated." "Naturally throw him away." The two guys asked one question and answered the other. Secretly discussing how to use Pdin. Secretly discussing how to use Pdin. After all, the two of them smiled at the same time, everything was kept silent. Pdin, who almost ran back to Nurba on his horseback, opened the wooden door of the church and walked in. It was dead of night, and it was midnight again. As soon as Pdin entered the room, he slumped on the chair, feeling the iparably peaceful moment, but his exhausted mind experienced a rare peace at this moment. Pdin just sat on the armchair, staring nkly at a certain ce on the bookshelf in front of him. With his eyes unfocused, he looked more like a dead man at this moment. "Hey.... Can''t sleep, no sleep at all." Pdin suddenly sighed. An invisible sense of loss surrounded Pdin. It has been more than a month, Pdin has not slept in this for more than a month. Not only did he not get tired, but became more and more energetic. And now, surprisingly, he can''t even eat the food anymore! Pdin raised his right hand slightly, removed the glove, looked at the crystallized ce on the palm and wrist, and fell into deep thought. Loneliness, this is Pdin''s most intuitive feeling at this time. There is no one who understands him, no one who supports him, and no one who has suffered the same as him. Although he is in the bustling human world. But he is like the grease on the surface of the water, which can never intersect with the water. Even the people whoe and go on a daily basis are all guys who are on guard against each other and take advantage of each other. He even felt that he was rejected and isted from the whole world. Suddenly, Pdin had a moment of rity. He had been struggling for a better life, plundering by any means. But three months have passed, although he has be a priest, but also as the auxiliary bishop of the diocese, as well as the three town''s teaching authority. But what is under this magnificent veneer? No matter poor or noble, as long as the creature can enjoy the enjoyment of sleep, and the satisfaction brought by food. Pdin can no longer be able to experience that. If things go on like this, Pdin will lose more, much more! Was this really what he, Pdin, wanted? "No!" Pdin''s eyes suddenly zed over as he stubbornly muttered, "This is what I want. This power brings me everything I''ve ever dreamed of! Status, respect, glory and gold! Everything in the world can be traded. Everything is equal! How much I gain, how much I have to lose. Isn''t that what I''vee to realize? O Pdin! What are you regretting now? What are you confused about?" Pdin, who was talking to himself, muttered to himself as if trying to convince himself. But he selectively ignored a fact. A fact he didn''t want to face. Today''s Pdin is inseparable from this power. It''s not so much that Pdin is powerful because he gains power. It''s better to say that the power is strengthened by Pdin''s obsession and desire. It''s like a rough mountain road. Which can lead to the top of the dream. Many people dare not set foot on the intersection, but more people are looking for this mountain road. Pdin walked up with the determination to go and never return. He is determined. But after walking for a while, the distant high mountains and endless forests on the original ground could not be seen. His faith began to crumble. Doubt, confusion, and fear began to dominate his thoughts. Just regretting not being in time, when he wanted to turn back, he was horrified to see that the mountain road back had all disappeared at some point. Behind the feet is the abyss, the only way is to go up, keep going up! Pdin shook his head slightly, and shook off all the messy thoughts in his head. Strength is what you need. Because power can harvest everything you want. Pdin convinced himself and was about to stand up and go to the table and spend the rest of the evening reading through the alchemy books again. The door of the church was suddenly knocked loudly: "Ta-da. Da-da-da-da. Ta-da." Pdin was taken aback. This is the secret code given by the mercenary captain Harvey! In other words, this guy who is doing robbery everywhere and secretly contacting other armor manufacturers is finally back? Pdin immediately put on his robe and hurried downstairs to open the door. He saw a blood-stained armor head-on, and Harvey, who was stroking his long beard and smiling happily, looked at himself. "It''s rare, much faster than I expected." Pdin looked Harvey up and down, and then looked at the hundreds of heavily armored soldiers in te armor behind him, and the unconscious prisoners piled up like a heap of garbage that were stacking up in the five wagons that apanied them. But when Pdin was roughly estimating how many people were here, Harvey let out a lowugh, stepped forward and hugged Pdin, and the newly added scar on his face immediately turned red. "My priest, let me tell you, this journey has exhausted me, you have to know..." Before Harvey finished speaking, Pdin waved his hand impatiently to stop Harvey''s long speech. He showed his cards and said, "Give me twenty, and you can take the sixty gold coins." Harvey was taken aback, and immediately waved to the soldiers behind him dully. Immediately, dozens of soldiers immediately lifted twenty unconscious men and women who had been stripped naked and walked into the church of the Pdin with light hands and feet. Pdin looked at these soldiers, apparently some of the body armors were broken, and even a soldier''s chest armor there was not wiped clean of blood stains. Apparently Harvey''s gang had been through many brutal battles. But Pdin could not imagine what war was like. Although he had read books and listened to the veterans. But not having been in battle, he simply did not understand the horror of the meat grinder that was the battlefield. Nor did he have much goodwill for these mercenaries who only knew how to hack and sh. When these soldiers put down the unconscious prisoners and went out in turn. Harvey was about to touch Pdin. But Pdin threw a bag of gold coins with a straight face. Roughly, there are a hundred pieces! Forty extra gold coins! "I''m sleepy and I need to sleep. Captain, do what you want. I''ll reward your subordinates with the rest of the money." "Ahaha, what a shame!" Captain Harvey''s eyes glowed, while talking and stuffed into the coat armor. He was about to climb further with Pdin. Pdin, however, said irritably, "Captain, I have a lot of things to do tomorrow. I hope you won''t bother me." "I was seeing if there was anything I could do to help." "No, thanks." Pdin said a hand to close the door, and then cuffed the iron lock. Harvey stood in front of the door with a speechless face. Chapter 79: Harsh Reality

Chapter 79: Harsh Reality

"You, you, and you. Be more nimble. Go in and see what this priest is up to!" Once Pdin closed the door, Harvey had a gloomy face and instructed the three soldiers thus. It was not for Harvey to wonder. A priest suddenly wants more than 20 prisoners! What does he want to do? Even if Harvey is not suspicious. But because his good friend Kaleqi had instructed that this Pdin was unpredictable. Do not provoke him. That''s why he didn''t rush in with his men and point his sword at Pdin and ask why. Only let three subordinates secretly see what he was doing. It is already very respectful. After all, they are not considered friends, and even the value of mutual use of contact is very fragile, and it makes sense to turn the other cheek. But Harvey waited a full ten long minutes before he felt something was wrong. When he instructed a soldier to sneak in after half an hour. Pdin opened the door. "Captain Harvey, what''s wrong with you? Why are you still waiting here? Could it be that you want toe in for a cup of hot tea?" "Father, have you seen my men?" Harvey realized something was wrong, but he pretended to be calm and asked. But Pdin who responded to him just shook his head hypocritically. Suddenly, a bag of thirty gold coins was thrown to Harvey. He said in an unfathomable tone: "Take it well, captain, there are four more prisoners you gave me. I can''t let you be wronged." After finishing speaking, he smiled contemptuously and mmed the wooden door shut. Only Harvey, who was embarrassed, held back for a while, and then growled in a low voice: "Let''s go!" Pdin, who stayed inside, handily dragged the twenty-four unconscious people into the basement. Those four unlucky people''s clothes and armor were also pulled off and thrown to the backyard. Once in the basement, the light of the white phosphorus flowers blooming on the piles of corpses next to that shone somewhat eerily in the gloomy basement, and in the midst of this eerie darkness, two crimson eyes suddenly lit up. A low and feral voice came over. Pdin casually put an unconscious woman on the cold floor, fiercely red at the monster in the darkness and shouted: "Aberleigh! Hurry up ande over to help me, don''t you want to fill your stomach!" Sure enough, hearing Pdin''s reprimand, the monster blinked those crimson eyes and its huge body came out from the shadows. It was none other than Aberleigh who had been locked up for a day. By the time Aberleigh carried all twenty-four people to the basement. Pdin looked at the basement full of piles in front of him, casually pointed to a middle-aged woman with a fat body and said to Aberleigh: "Take it to eat. Don''t bring back the bones." Aberleigh immediately let out an excited ooh-ooh sound, he lifted the fat woman onto his shoulders and disappeared into the church in a few steps. Pdin closed the alchemy door very calmly and began to carve the Philosopher''s Stone alchemy formation on the ground once again. Pouring water, spreading soil, lighting fire, blowing wind. When the alchemy door in the basement was opened, Pdin came out once again. In his hand there was an additional Philosopher''s Stone as big as a potato! Correspondingly, there were twenty-three more terrifying dry bodies in the basement. Pdin returned to his room and his own alchemy table. Pdin backhandedly locked the door of the room, took out a scale and ced it on the table. The thumb and index finger of his right hand were pinched together and suddenly opened, and a golden beam of light appeared between the two fingers. Just see Pdin gently slice, the Philosopher''s Stone immediately separated in half. Even be able to see from the cut openings inside the vague emergence of human faces. These are the result of flesh and blood and soul being imprisoned. Ever since, the Pdin at this moment is like a financial manager, who keeps measuring and cutting carefully, so that the two separated Philosopher''s Stone can be bnced on the scale. After this, he cut a thumb-sized Philosopher''s Stone out of it and put it on the other side. Pdin has already made a n, and the fusion of light elements will seriously consume his vitality. Then just divide the Philosopher''s Stone into two pieces to absorb, one increases life, and the other fuses light elements. Wouldn''t it be enough to offset two by two? The extra portion will increase your own life, so you can be prepared. Satisfied, Pdin swallowed the extra Philosopher''s Stone in one gulp. Immediately, the Philosopher''s Stone, which looked as solid as a stone, entered his mouth, as if it had suddenly turned into water, and instantly flowed into his stomach, spreading to his limbs and bones. Indescribablyfortable and carefree. When the sky was bright and the sun was shining into the room, the pain of fused light elements still made Pdin miserable, and finally he shook his head and fainted on the ground again. Still in that dream, Pdin sat in the circle of gluttony, looking at the ck baby in the distance. After touching it, he didn''t feel any pain anymore. The broken arm where the left hand was missing turned out to be empty and chaotic. Pdin was not only surprised by this, he was even more surprised by the ck baby! At this point, babies can no longer be used to describe this thing. As if he had grown up, a pure ck boy sat opposite Pdin, with an intriguing smile on his face, and he kept calling: "Feed me, feed me..." "Do you know me? Why did you eat one of my arms?" What''s your name? Do you have parents?" "Hmm..." To Pdin''s surprise, when he finished these questions with no expected answers, the teenager who kept repeating feed me feed me, suddenly nodded his head. The small hand gradually raised. Pdin''s pupils shrank violently! Because the ck boy raised his finger and pointed at Pdin himself, and squeezed out the boy''s slightly shrill voice: "You..." "Hoo hoo hoo..." Pdin suddenly turned over and sat up. Cold sweat soaked his robe. Every time he saw this ck monster, Pdin was surrounded by the purest fear. That feeling is really hard to say. But at the next moment, something happened that made Pdin see the light of the clouds and smile happily! Taking a closer look, the whole body is surrounded by as many as thousands of golden light elements! However, the smile that had just bloomed on Pdin''s face didn''tst long, and suddenly copsed again. Because he counted carefully, he suddenly found that although the number of golden elements had increased, there were only 1004! "That''s all? This is the Philosopher''s Stone for 11 people! If you count 60 light elements, it''s at least 1,500!" Pdin''s face showed shock and solemnity. Suddenly he realized what he really wanted. Anyone could see the frustration on his face clearly. "The amount of elements for seven people is 420 pieces. And I was six hundred before. It adds up to just over a thousand. But there are still four people left toe with their share. . 1004...." Pdin suddenly sighed deeply, mixed with an undisguised loss and frustration: "After breaking through the elemental amount of one thousand, an ordinary person''s life can only provide one element? It''s too harsh, it''s simply too harsh!" Pdin stood up in annoyance, with the frustration of a long and endless road ahead on his face: "This is not asking me, using thousands of humans to refine the Philosopher''s Stone! At this rate, to be truly strong, a hundred thousand, a million elemental amounts! Not to mention a diocese, even if I eat up all the people in the Principality of Kasmi, it''s not enough!" Chapter 80: Prey Falling Into A Trap

Chapter 80: Prey Falling Into A Trap

Faced with such a result. Only then did Pdin deeply realize what a horrible scene this was! Countless skeletons to pave their own road to the strongest. This is a bloody and cruel fact. But Pdin did not cower. He was merely stunned by the astronomical numbers. "If it takes countless people, then I will ughter countless people! I, Pdin, will kill one person, and will kill ten thousand people!" And just as Pdin regained hisposure and prepared to go downstairs to begin his daily prayers and listen to the penitents tell of their sins. Outside the house, a suddenmotion rang out in the street. Pdin frowned and immediately ttered downstairs to pull open the curtains for a closer look. At once, he saw a man in fine armor, riding a high-headed horse and came running. The civilians on the road gave way one after another, and the man came to the door of the Pdin''s church, and immediately reined in the horse''s rope. The horse immediately neighed, and the man stood up! There was no problem with the man, he just turned over and got off his horse andnded on the ground, stroked the cross sword on his waist, walked directly to the door of the church, raised the armored glove covering his hand, and knocked on the already somewhat dpidated wooden door. Pdin was frowning and cursing inwardly: "Who is this guy? I don''t know him?" But Pdin was about to step forward and teach this man a lesson. The man felt that he hadn''t opened the door for a long time, so he squinted and shouted: "Brother! Let me in quickly! I''m your brother, open the door quickly!" In an instant, the first reaction that shed through Pdin''s mind was extermination! No matter how careful Pdin is, a wise man will make one mistake. He missed the brother of the unjustly dead Pdin! The brother who had not been home for some years as a soldier! Now in full view of everyone, if this guy knows that he is not the real Pdin, then he ispletely finished! All the work he had done was for nothing! And just as Pdin secretly repented and hesitated. The man outside the house, this Pdin''s elder brother Alfred, roared angrily, causing the surrounding civilians and residents in other buildings to poke their heads out to watch: "Pdin! Let me in!" No matter what he said , directly mmed open the wooden door with a flick of his hand, and walked in majestically. Pdin''s hairs stand on end! He saw that Alfred knocked open the door and walked in directly, picked up the water kettle for believers to drink next to him, and poured his head up! He didn''t even look at Pdin at all, and said to himself: "Brother, something happened at home. Do you know? You..." Alfred, who was talking fiercely, put down the kettle, suddenly saw Pdin standing by the window with a mild demeanor, could not help but frown, calmed down the previous excited tone and said, "Where is my brother?" "Your brother? This noble gentleman, who is your brother?" The pretentious Pdin was so dyed, then moved to the door next to. Quickly surveyed the so-called brother in front of him, Alfred. Long red hair cascading over his shoulders. Very handsome face and the wrongful death of Pdin has seven or eight points of resemnce. But the difference is that the eyebrows have a valor that can not be ignored. Looking down, the inner clothes Alfred was wearing were exposed from the neck. Covering the lining is a finely crafted chainmail. Beyond the chain armor there is a set of te armor that protects key areas. Arm armor of the arms, shoulder armor, chest armor, and leg armor. All of them are fine and fine iron refining to build. Each piece of armor is also carved with just the right pattern. Plus ayer of sleeveless robe over the armor. That robe right in the middle of the yellow background ck eagle crest. Alfred the assassin looks extremely like a knight ready to go to war. Pdin looked at Alfred, his eyes faintly showing surprise, slightly inclined his head, and immediately saw the stallion parked in front of the door. It was a snow-white Engend white horse, a breed of horse that specializes in going into battle to kill the enemy, with great weight bearing endurance and impact. Pdin''s pupils instantly froze for a moment, this horse was covered with a robe that enclosed the horse''s body, revealing only four hooves. This robe is the same yellow painted on the ck eagle! And the beautifully crafted saddle, the same carved eagle pattern! Next to the horse''s buttocks also hangs a good knight''s shield. The coat of arms was still ck eagle on yellow! "This guy doesn''t look like a knight, he is a knight!" Pdin muttered with a very bad face. I can''t believe that that stupid Pdin''s brother had the ability to be a knight! To be a knight noble equal to his dead father, or even vaguely superior to him! But when Alfred heard Pdin''s question, he immediately said with some anger: "Pdin, Father Pdin! He''s the priest of this church!" "Oh, you are looking for Father Pdin." Pdin, with a look of realization, closed the wooden door behind his back, shutting out the curious eyesing in from outside, and then with a kind smile on his face, he pointed to the attic and said, "The priest was uptest night reading and is now having breakfast in his room." "Breakfast? This beast is still in the mood for breakfast?" Alfred''s face changed, and in a sh of anger, he drew his sword from his waist and immediately stepped onto the worn stairs, making a clicking sound. While going up the stairs, he shouted angrily at the approaching door: "Our parents and sister are dead! You''re still in the mood for breakfast! Pdin, exin yourself to me!" A deadly cold glint was in Pdin''s eyes, but a frightened look on his face chased Alfred and said, "This knight sir, the priest he is still in the room, you can not." "You go away! It''s none of your business. Step aside." Alfred gave a reprimand and saw Pdin showing fear and cowering before he kicked open the door of the room and rushed in with his sword. "Huh? Where is Pdin?" Alfred entered the room, saw that the expected brother was not there at all. There was not even a figure, and a bad feeling rose in his heart. But at this time, Pdin''s face gradually emerged with a cruel smile, gently locking the door to the room. At once a series of runes shed. This is the Silent Barrier that Pdin had carved down before. Alfred''s face was startled, and he turned around and pointed his sword at the smiling Pdin, asking solemnly, "What are you trying to do by abducting me here! Where''s my brother?" "Hehehe." Pdin suddenly let out a chuckle. His eyes were full of mockery. It was the banter of watching the dying struggles of prey caught in a trap. He raised his hand, pressed it lightly on his chest, and said sarcastically, "I am your younger brother, Pdin, mel." Chapter 81: Two Ones

Chapter 81: Two Ones

"No way, you''re not my brother!" Alfred immediately retorted. But looking at Pdin''s weird smile, he suddenly realized something. His face instantly had a gloomy look and he said: "What did you do to my brother!" "Oh, you meant the original fool called Pdin." After saying that, Pdin began to untie the right glove with his left hand , and his eyes became grim: "He has been buried by me in the forest for months." "Die!" Although Alfred guessed the answer, hearing the murderer of his brother''s admission made him instantly violent. Raising his longsword, he rushed up and tried to behead Pdin. "Humph." Pdin disdainfully looked at this chopping sword, he now has a thousand light elements, his strength is stronger than the same level of great magicians. Not to mention this ordinary warrior without any magical elements and magic ring in front of him? Only the sound of a thump was heard. Alfred was shocked to see that the scum impersonating his brother in front of him had caught his own sword shing down with his right hand alone! And he incredibly felt as if he was not chopping on soft flesh, but on hard metal! "Alfred, you really shouldn''t havee here to seek death by yourself." Pdin teasingly said so, his right hand suddenly emitted a golden light, Alfred was shocked to see that he was holding the sword there and it was slowly turning red, hot! This is subjected to extremely high temperatures to cause the melting phenomenon! Only to see that the sword turned into red iron pulp in a few moments, and immediately spilled to the ground. Alfred has not yet reacted from the shock of what magic this is. Pdin immediately swung his left hand up, grabbed Alfred''s face, and fell to the ground with a bang. Thetter immediately widened his eyes and spat out some blood. Pdin leaned down and casually waved his hand, and immediately golden chains emerged from the air, binding Alfred up and down and making him unable to move. Pdin lowered his head to meet Alfred''s unbelievable gaze, and suddenly smiled and said, "Wait a moment you can reunite with your brother, parents and sister." In an instant, Alfred''s eyes showed iparable hatred, grimacing and staring at Pdin, wanting to eat him in one bite. Pdin looked at this expression, suddenly sneered and continued: "Oh? You do not know? You don''t know that I killed your whole family? What a pathetic person. Hahahahaha." After all, Alfred was silent, just staring at him viciously. Suddenly he felt dull. He took out Lethal Rain from his sleeve, shook the light green liquid medicine in front of him and said, "Do you know what this is? It''s poison, and people who don''t understand dark alchemy will never be able to see the cause of death. You will only be considered to be dead of heart failure. Think about it, my entire Pdin family was killed, the only rtive, my brother, came to visit me. But because of the backlog of hatred and anger, my brother died in the church. Hey, I am the most pathetic person, I believe that after examining the cause of death, no one will suspect me, and even if they do, there is not a shred of evidence. What do you think?" "Ahhhhhhh! I will kill you, kill you! Even if I be a vile undead, I will eat your soul!" Pdin listened to the curse of this guy who couldn''t stand the anger and hatred. Just smiled and opened the bottle cap, seeing him refuse to open his mouth, Pdin twisted his jaw forcefully and dislocated it. Regardless of thetter''s painful expression, he opened Alfred''s jaw and was about to put it in his mouth. When the liquid medicine was poured down. Unexpected things happened suddenly! Hearing only a boom, Pdin suddenly froze to see his right hand wrapped in the sudden appearance of me. The me was not an ordinary red-yellow color, but a blinding gold! But Pdin could not react, the pain from the palm of his hand immediately let his eyes re, and could not bear the pain and let out a painful roar: "Ah ah ah ah! It hurts like hell!" Pdin''s body immediately broke out in cold sweat, soaking through his clothes. Directly throwing away the medicine bottle, subconsciously Pdin raised his left hand in an attempt to p away the me. But what was surprising was that when the left hand pped it, there was no burning sensation at all. On the contrary, it was just an illusion, as if it didn''t exist at all. But when the flesh on the right hand was burnt and falling off, the tendons inside were also burned to root and branch, the taste of pain had an iparably stronger impact on Pdin''s brain. He had no choice but to stand up all of a sudden, and then fell to his knees again with his face flushed, his body trembling desperately clutching his scorched right hand, a burst of hearers sad to see the tears of the screams. Alfred was stunned, what is going on! The guy who was going to poison himself was suddenly set on fire. And depending on the situation, the me can''t be put out, can''t be extinguished! This is simply the protection of the god of light, Enos, in the dark! Thinking so Alfred, suddenly recognized that this is a great opportunity to fight back, and immediately struggled to get up. Sure enough, these golden light chains are strong, but by Alfred''s efforts, the chains are getting darker and darker, more and more fragile. I believe it won''t take long to break the chains and let this family-killing beast go to hell forever! "Ahhhhhhhhh!" Pdin sat on his knees, his eyes listlessly looking at the golden mes that kept burning his arms. He couldn''t figure out what was wrong, what was wrong. He could even feel that the golden light elements around him seemed to be revolting at the moment, constantly rushing towards his arm and attacking his master! "Revolt?" Pdin muttered weakly, he had been so pained that he didn''t even have the strength to scream. At this moment, his eyes emitted an increasingly weakened golden light, while the light of the all-seeing eye that surfaced on his forehead grew stronger and stronger. But Pdin naturally does not know this situation. But Alfred, who was struggling, could see it clearly! "My Enos, what kind of monster are you!" Alfred looked at Pdin''s three shining golden eyes, and a chill rose from his heart. But at this time, Pdin''s vision gradually blurred, and his ears were only buzzing with tinnitus. He could even feel that he was about to step into the pce of death. "Are you willing? How can you be willing? This power is too unstable, and now it''s actually backfiring. Am I going to die here with this me burning my body? What I want has not been obtained yet." Pdin''s heart thought so, eyes gradually mixed with some tears. The depths of the pupil had a piece of despair. But it was this time, the ck boy''s eerie smile suddenly shook in front of his eyes, the sound of a rush like feed me, feed me. "Get out of my mind! You little brat!" Pdin roared angrily, venting his aggrieved heart. The ck boy appeared in front of his eyes again, and his hazy voice prated the space and echoed directly to the depths of Pdin''s soul: "I won''t let you die." A miracle appeared! Only to see the all-seeing eye on Pdin''s forehead suddenly blossomed with a glorious brilliance. Pdin only felt that the weak self just now was gone, and the power of boundless physical strength was replenishing back into his body. The ears were normal, the vision was clear. Pdin opened his mouth and stared nkly at Alfred, who was also open-mouthed and frothing in front of him. Suddenly, the golden me in his hand returned to oblivion. The right hand, which should have been burned to the ground, is now intact. No, it cannot be said intact! At this moment, Alfred and Pdin were both staring at Pdin''s right hand. From the burned sleeve of the elbow exposed to the tips of the fingers. This one elbow, all from the inside out turned blinding gold,pletely and utterly crystallized! Pdin turned his crystallized arm in a daze, tried to move his fingers, and made a fist. He clearly saw that there were no bones, blood vessels and meridians in the crystallized and translucent arm. All of them are golden crystallization, which is as seamless as a golden crystal. Pdin took a deep breath, he could feel the peak power than in its heyday! A smile gradually appeared on the dazed face and he muttered: "So it''s not bacsh, but evolution." Pdin lowered his head, looked at Alfred''s shocked expression, and suddenly walked towards him step by step, grabbed his face, and put his head close to his face. Seeing his desperation, Pdin was suddenly blessed, and covered his cheeks with both hands, and the almighty eye on his forehead immediately stared at Alfred. He only heard Pdin say in a low voice: "Look into my eyes!" "Ahhhhhhhhh!" Suddenly, the all-seeing eye shot out a beam of light and hit straight at Alfred''s forehead. Pdin could clearly feel that five hundred light elements on his body were beginning to destabilize, gradually leaning close to Alfred. Suddenly, as the soul was torn in half alive. Pdin immediately gritted his teeth to bear this pain. Alfred''s scream became louder and louder, and at that moment, Pdin saw the screaming Alfred''s eyes, but gradually as his own eyes emitted golden light! Like the music stopped in shock, Alfred''s screaming suddenly stopped. The room was immediately eerily quiet. Pdin to the all-seeing eye beam extinguished, and immediately let go of his hands, stumbled and sat on the chair and kept panting. Alfred, on the other hand, was on his knees as if he were dead, the golden chains on his body had disappeared, but he closed his eyes without saying a word. Pdin saw that he had lost half, leaving only five hundred light elements. But he didn''t look discouraged in the slightest. Because the other half of my light elements have all be Alfred''s elements at this moment! It is surrounding his body, forming his magic ring! Or to put it another way, the Pdin did not lose 500 elements. At this moment, Pdin closed his eyes very excitedly, and then slowly opened them at that moment. Alfred also opened his eyes at the same time. "Hello" "Hello" At the same time, Pdin and Alfred greeted each other at the same time. Pdin couldn''t helpughing, and the former alsoughed immediately. This feeling is very strange, it is obviously only me, but it seems to control two bodies and share two perspectives! With a thought in his mind, Pdin immediately stood up from another perspective, that is, Alfred''s perspective, and looked at his clone. He looked at his hands and feet and squeezed his face. Bothughed at the same time. That''s right, it''s a clone! The evolved Pdin can not only read other people''s memories with the Almighty One Eye, but can even create a clone, making Alfred a Pdin too! It''s just that the fleshy body on the body is different. Pdin''s mind moved again, and his clone, Alfred, immediately stepped forward to help Pdin. When he was about to go downstairs, he suddenly saw his own burned sleeves and immediately put his hand out, and the moment he did, the doppelganger had taken out the clothes from the cupboard and put them into Pdin''s hand. Two in one. Whether it is Pdin, or Alfred, it is Pdin. The two are actually one person. One person to control two bodies separately. Thinking about this ability, Pdin once again smiled from the bottom of his heart. Perhaps, only the increase in power can make himugh from the heart. Chapter 82: Going To The Front Line

Chapter 82: Going To The Front Line

The crowd wandered outside the church and was suspicious and specting whether the two would fight. Alfred and Pdin came out of the church with a very friendly look. They just sa2 Pdin pat Alfred''s shoulder and said: "Brother, I will leave the important responsibility of the family to you. I am a priest and cannot have any heirs." Alfred on the surface was very sad and he sighed. But at this point he could not be counted as Alfred. Only a part of Pdin was left in this shell. "Brother, take care of yourself." Alfred said goodbye under the control of Pdin, and then in front of the surrounding onlookers straddled that steed, raised the rope and stirred up a cloud of dust, galloping away. The civilians around him did not dare to approach Pdin until then, and one or two girls who were just about to get married said with starry eyes, "Father, who was that handsome and elegant man just now?" "Ah, my brother." "Wow! You really can''t tell it''s a brother at all! If only I could marry him." "Ree stop daydreaming, I''m only worthy of such a knight!" Pdin looked at these trash in front of him with a smile on his face and made a gush of awe and yearning chatter. There was a sense of disgust spreading across his chest. Today, Pdin is going to check the two towns of Qiqr and Fmo that Bishop Andrew handed over to him. Just in time to push away those annoying flies. But at the moment Pdin was controlling Alfred at the same time, not only could he see the church and the noisy crowd in front of him. He could also see the speeding road and the backing woods. After Pdin confirmed that he had a clone, an extremely lucrative and cruel method of making money surfaced. This method can be achieved as long as the main body and the clone cooperate! Thinking of the happy ce, Pdin couldn''t helpughing. However, one thing that made Pdin very speechless suddenly happened at this moment. The clone who was riding the horse at this moment gradually became familiar with and mastered this body. But at this moment, the naked white horse suddenly let out an exmation, suddenly stopped galloping, raised its buttocks high, and the clone didn''t pay attention, whooshing up, with more than twenty pounds of light armor on the body fell hard on the ground five meters away! "Cough cough cough. You beast, how dare you dump me, I am your master!" The clone stood up limping. Pdin felt that the clone was badly injured at the moment. A light touch on the elbow immediately caused him to grimace in pain. The very angry clone immediately turned his head to re at the white horse and screamed. If it weren''t for the fact that he has the five hundred elements of his body at the moment, which can repair the damaged flesh, if it were the original Alfred, he would be on the ground at this moment, unable to stand up from the pain. "Neigh Neigh Neigh!" The white horse saw this suspected master took a step towards himself, immediately panicked and backed up one after another, the horse''s hooves kicked in panic, as if to warn this person, do note near him. The clone immediately stopped in his tracks, he pulled his loose red hair out of the way, frowned and stared at the white horse. He could clearly feel the strangeness, even fear, in the eyes of this white horse. Unlike humans, animals do not just recognize people just by their scent and appearance. The animal''s senses are much stronger than humans. That''s why this warhorse, who was close to the dead Alfred, was able to detect that something was wrong at first. This guy in the guise of the owner wasn''t the owner. The clone obviously noticed the difference in this white horse. Immediately revealed a fake smile, slowly approached the white horse, imitating the memory of Alfred said: "What''s wrong? Dear Adam, have you forgotten me? I''m your friend. Remember the days at the fortress? I went around the fortress with you, and you loved to run to the moat and swim. Every time the squire fed you something to eat, he keptining that you were soaked to the skin." Maybe it was an animal psychic, the white horse heard this guy call out his name, and saw this guy who seemed to be the owner tell his memories with a familiar expression and tone. Suddenly, Adam seemed to see his original master again, the master who fought side by side and crushed the enemy on the battlefield! In this way, the doppelg?nger gradually approached him, and he gently stretched out his hand to caress Adam''s face. Although Adam dodged slightly, he didn''t refuse as much as before. The clone smiled, and gradually stroked its fur. When it saw that the resistance in Adam''s eyes became less and less, its expression suddenly changed, and it jumped onto the horse! "Neigh!" Adam yelled in shock, trying to shake off the clone on his back. But at this time, the avatar''s face no longer had the gentle look it had before. It''s exactly Pdin''s expression. Only to see the clone viciously pped Adam''s back, and regardless of the miserable scream issued by Adam, he almost sat down on his knees. The doppelganger roared and roared: "From now on, I am your master! You stupid white pig!" "Neigh!" Adam wanted to run, but felt that this monster on top of him that emitted the aura of a magical beast was too powerful. His own four horse hooves were as if they were nailed in ce. He couldn''t move at all! Had to let out a pleading chirp. Willing to submit. "Sir! Sir!" But at this moment, a rather immature call came from the front. The clone squinted, but saw a young man wearing leather armor and blond hair who was less than fifteen years old, riding arge chestnut horse, running over in a hurry. The clone was slightly taken aback after seeing the personing. ording to Alfred''s memory, this guy''s name is Snder. It is said that the body has a quarter of the blood of the desert Muram people. So the skin looks slightly darker. But what always bothered Alfred was, how did such a person with heretical blood be his retainer? But in all conscience, Snder''s skill in taking care of horses is really nothing to say. The other knight''s squire came with an open mind to ask for advice. It was enough to give Alfred a long face. "Sir! You suddenly left from Green Fortress, Lord Hank will count the number of people tomorrow, and then follow the Grand Duke and other hundreds of nobles to the front line together! Why are you here at this time,e back with me!" The clone, regardless of the shivering white horse, fell into a deep thought. Hank is Alfred''s allegiance to the baron, with fifty knights under his hand. Plus each knight with about three squires. Also known as trainee knights. There are also two hundred cavalry troops. But what puzzled Pdin was that ording to his memory, the battle with Aixinzhe had just reached a stalemate a while ago. Why is there an all-out attack today? The clone doesn''t understand, and didn''t expect this attendant to understand. He just nodded and said: "Snder, today we will rush back to the fort overnight. Don''t bete." "Sir go quickly, the armor will be carried by me first. You ride light and fast to the fortress. There''s a spare set of armor sitting there." The clone looked at Snder''s nervous expression and knew that he also cared about his career. So without saying anything, he unloaded his armor and handed it over to him, wearing only a robe and instantly sped away. Chapter 83: Green Fortress

Chapter 83: Green Fortress

After a whole night of bumps, it wasn''t until the early morning of the next day, when the sky was just turning white, that the clone barely reached Green Fortress. Even though he had seen the magnificence of this fortress in his memory, when Pdin stood in front of this behemoth in person, he was briefly shocked on the spot. The tall city wall blocked the vision in front of him. . In the small cracks caused by the sword marks that can be seen everywhere on the city wall, growing out of the fragile weeds of small flowers. The proof of how long it has been since this age-old guy has performed his duty. The clone raised his head with his mouth slightly open, but could only see the ant-like guards on top of the city walls patrolling back and forth. The clone stepped back. Hoping to get a full view. But was shocked to see that the tall walls were only the outermost fence! Riding up a small hill, Pdin looked out and saw that the walls were lined with endless buildings and towers towering between them. Clone Pdin knew that the fortress had severalyers. But such a terrifying fortress, he has only seen in the mythical books of legends! He just saw in the outermostyer of these residential areas, vast, at least across a half-circle of five or six miles! But at the end of these houses, there was another city wall! This wall is not much worse than the outermost wall. The clone even saw the densely packed stone throwers ced on the wall! Inside, too, there were no longer private houses, but a stone building, and inteced small aisle walls. Argework of traffic was formed. Inside, there is another wall. Threeyers, fouryers, fiveyers, sixyers! Until the very center of the fortress, there''s a huge fortress towering into the clouds! A multitude of towers and stone throwers adorn the mighty force of this fortress! Plus this fortress itself was built on top of a huge hill. So thisyer uponyer of walls was like huge snakes coiled around the hillside. It took the shape of a gyroscope. So that these sixyers of walls and the numerous stone throwers and archers on the central fortress, can attack the iing enemy with maximum efficiency! Swallowing deeply, Pdin did not enter the fortress. Because no matter how big the fortress is, it cannot fill the soldiers brought by the many lords summoned by the Grand Duke! On the in outside the fortress, endless tents surrounded the fortress. The numerous gs indicate that they belong to different nobles and different lords. ording to the memory, the clone set up the white horse and walked into the tented camp, looking for the camp of the lord he was loyal to, Baron Hank. Baron Hank, although only a baron, is a hereditary nobleman. It is a person who is recognized and epted as his own by the great nobles. The marshal of this war is the Marquis of Carmon who has experienced the battlefield. The younger sister is the Marquis of Carmon, the wife of the Grand Duke. It is easy to get such a marshal position. ording to the order of the Marquis of Carmon, Baron Hank temporarily served as the general, positioning the left army together with the Earl of White Orchid and many barons. Tie down to the left of the fort. When the avatar passed through countless tents and came to the g with the white orchid symbol, it was considered to be the legion to which it belonged. Clone Pdin took a deep breath. Turned down from his horse. The heavy-armed soldiersing and going around immediately subconsciously gave way to ane. Although they''re all soldiers but the identity of the knight is obviously not equal to them. The clone frowned slightly and fanned the strong stench around him. The clone who absorbed Alfred''s memory was puzzled and looked around at the soldiers. A harsh and annoying cacophony emanated from in front of his eyes. The spear sergeant who took off his heavy armor and hung it on a bamboo pole to lie and snore. The archer who sat in front of the ck stone and took the arrow next to him and polished it a little. The middle-aged man with arge beard, wiping his axe with water. The man wearing leather armor,ughing and chatting with another female warrior also wearing leather armor. The flinging hammers that were casually still on the ground, the spears and shields that were leaning side by side against the wall. The frown deepened as the clone watched all this. Because he had never seen these soldiers a few days ago. Moreover, these people''s armor is not uniform, and their weapons are all kinds of strange. Some even carried daggers! Oh, God. Forgive these idiots who have never been in battle. A dagger on a messy battlefield serves no substantial purpose other than to make one more sh. The clone pulled his horse and walked up to therge tent that towered with the white orchid banner. The two soldiers holding spears and wearing helmets and chainmail who were guarding the entrance immediately came forward and respectfully took the reins from the horses'' mouths and said, "Noble Sir Knight, you are?" "I am Alfred, mel, a knight under Baron Hank. Is the Lord Baron in there?" "Yes, he is studying the sandbox." The clone nodded with a condescending look, held open the curtain and walked in. "Lord Baron." Walking into the tent, there were long swords, shields and aplete set of armor hanging beside him. The faintly visible scars fully show that these are by no means for decoration. A man in in clothes with his back to the avatar held a sand table with both hands. Hearing the avatar''s words, he turned around. Showing a serious face with a little mncholy, but decorated with sword wounds. The avatar noticed that his hair was the same red as his own. "Oh, Alfred ah. Come here." The middle-aged man, who looked majestic but mncholy, summoned the clone toe and sit down. "Baron, what happened?" The clone could see very clearly that Baron Hank had tear marks on the corners of his eyes. It was obvious that he had just cried bitterly not long ago. Baron Hank faintly froze. After that, he smiled and shook his hand: "Nothing, just suddenly some unhappy things. Alfred, why are you dressed like this?" The baron smiled through his tears, and briefly mentioned the matter. Seeing that the clone was wearing a robe and no armor at the moment, he couldn''t help asking. "I went to see my younger brother. I found out through my attendants afterwards that today the Grand Duke is going to count the number of people and set off against Aixinzhe again. That''s why i hurried back." "No need." Baron Hank suddenly sat on a chair, Picking up a cup of creamy ck tea and taking a sip, he sighed and said, "Thetest news. Aixinzhe married into the neighboring kingdom of Malta. He received 10,000 reinforcements from Malta. Plus he only has 20,000 left. The 30,000 troops are gradually advancing." "Thirty thousand!?" The clone was shocked! The scale of thirty thousand was too huge. Although there were battles between the Kasmi Principality and the Aixinzhe Kingdom all year round. But at most, thebined strength of both sides was only 10,000. This huge army of 30,000. It can be seen that Aixinzhe this time is under the intention of swallowing Kasmi Principality. And now the army of the Principality of Kasmi, only more than 10,000 people. Facing three times the enemy''s army, the chance of victory was too small. "Lord Baron, this news should be blocked by the Grand Duke''s strict order, right, you told me so." "Don''t worry, if you don''t say it now, you will say it soon." Baron Hank waved his hand with an indifferent face. The mncholy on his face however dispersed and said with an expectant tone: "We are not going to march today and wait for these nobles, Earl Torch, to bring their troops over to defend. Just resist the enemy army for two months, just two months, boil until the onset of winter, the snowy season, humph!" Baron Hank''s face showed an excited look, looked at the shocked clone and with his low voice he said: "At that time, the reinforcements from our sovereign state, the Great Empire of Engend, will arrive. Because the imperial emperor Caesar III is also very dissatisfied with Aixinzhe''s treason. And their battle line is too long, food can''t keep up, under the influence of snowy weather. Their kingdom of Aixinzhe is sure to lose!" Chapter 84: Betrayal

Chapter 84: Betrayal

Rushing back to Edley, what presented itself in front of him was a scene that made Pdin even more shocked. The city gates were open, and all the people of the city were lined up on both sides of the main road, waiting for someone with flowers in their hands. On both sides there are security guards on their positions, soldiers with hook and scythe guns in hand to block the lively crowd. So that the middle of the crowded avenue was empty, a clean and spacious road. Pdin dismounted and pushed his way through the crowd. It didn''t take long to see the Edley Cathedral looming in front of him. "Don''t push, you!" Suddenly, a young man could not stand Pdin''s pushing, turned around and shouted. But when he saw Pdin''s priestly robe, and thevenderce scarf hanging around his neck, symbolizing the vice bishop. Immediately bleated: "Oh, oh, it''s His Excellency Pdin, the auxiliary bishop, look at my eyes..¡­" But Pdin at this time could not care about others, squinting his eyes and looking at the crowded church square in the distance, and asked : "What are you doing here?" "You don''t know?" The young man was ying tricks, but he saw Pdin''s fierce eyes ring at him. Immediately, he was so scared that he said all the words: "It''s like this Your Excellency the auxiliary bishop. Our lord, the Earl of the Torch, was ordered by the Grand Duke to go to war! We are located here in the middle of nowhere. Since the founding of the country, we have never seen what war is. Now it''s a great ce to build a career, as the bards praised. So we send all the young men up to join the army! Maybe we''ll get a knight back!" Pdin simply ignored the idea of ??these ignorant people rushing to die. He nced at it and asked directly, "Why didn''t you go?" "Hehe, I have three brothers. All of them have gone. But who will take care of the elderly after they leave? Hey, count me lucky." Pdin looked at this situation for a while. The regretful young man suddenly said with disdain: "You will be grateful to your brother in the future." After finishing speaking, he ignored the idiot and pushed away the crowd towards Edley Cathedral. As soon as he arrived in front of the church square, he saw Bishop Andrew and Dean and head priest Kanarawa standing in front of the door in extremely formal attire. There were dozens of priests standing behind them. But the difference was that some of them were sad and some were full of joy. Suddenly, Pdin faintly froze. He saw that the choir he had formed in Nurba was now standing on the steps with Edley''s choir, chanting a holy blessing! "What''s going on here? My own choir, why is it here without my approval?" Pdin pressed down the increasingly disturbing thoughts in his mind. Passing through the crowd to Andrew, who was ying with his scepter with his head bowed, he said respectfully, "Your Eminence, I am back." "Oh, you''re back. Come,e, stand next to me." Andrew looked up to see Pdin and immediately weed him with a smile. However, Pdin could see very carefully that Andrew''s smile was not as cheerful as before, but had ayer of disconnection towards him. "It''s a very fake smile." Pdin was so sure in his heart that he took the decorative scepter used for the celebration and came to Andrew''s side. Pdin gradually frowned. He thought he had frowned more today than the previous daysbined. Lifting his head quietly, he saw a burst of cheers suddenly sounded on the road leading to the lord''s castle, and the crowd erupted one by one. Indistinctly, at the end of the front, a group of knights riding tall horses, wearing armor and equipped with swords and spears gradually approached. And just when Pdin was muttering to himself what went wrong. Kanarawa next to him suddenly coughed. Andrew nodded immediately. Pdin looked more and more strange, but did not notice Andrew lowering his head and saying something in a voice that only a few people present could hear: "Pdin, you know that Lord Torch Count is going to lead an army to fight with the Grand Duke to conquer Aixinzhe?" "I know." Pdin also lowered his voice. Listened to Andrew''s speech carefully with his ears. Because he knew that this old thing must have something important to tell himself. But what Andrew said next made Pdin almost growl! "And do you know that whenever a local lord goes out to lead an army, the priest of the parish he belongs to has to go with him?" "What!" Pdin''s eyes opened in anger and he roared out. His eyes were filled with disbelief. "Did you betray me? Andrew! And you, that Kanarawa!" Pdin held back his anger and hissed out in a low voice. Because through Andrew''s words, Pdin instantly understood. The troops going to war should bring along a priest, not only to save the wounded in times of crisis, but also to bless and listen to the prayers of the soldiers who are normally stressed. Even before the battle between the two armies, the priest must perform a blessing. Regardless of the enemy and us, as long as the credibility Enos. At that time, you cannot go to war or take advantage of others. It just doesn''t look bad. You can also meet some dignitaries. But, but! That was on the battlefield, where the sword has no eyes. Although it is expressly stipted that the apanying priests of both parties cannot be attacked in any way. It is above the offense and defense of the country. But the battlefield is ever-changing, and there are many cases of priests being killed by mistake. There were also cases of priests who marched in harsh conditions. It is not umon for frail priests to die in the middle of nowhere. The number of priests who die every year because of the war is more than a hundred in Olosen Continent! You can see how huge the death toll was. That''s why Pdin was angry. Because it was a clear act to send him to his death. Condemning Andrew and Kanarawa for abandoning him. "Watch your words, Pdin. You are not the only priest sent to the battlefield. There are a lot of subordinate priests going along too." Pdin red back, and when he saw Kanarawa''s look of disinterest, his anger immediately rose upward. Angry, heughed: "Then, Kanarawa, it is not possible that it was you who suggested that I should go!" "What''s in it for me?" That Kanarawa''s face showed a sneer, but Pdin immediately retorted: "Iron, armor! Now war, you want to take away those three towns to seek gold!" "Humph!" Kanarawa suddenly became angry and confronted him, tit for tat whispered: "Yes so what? The local lords all went to the battlefield, instead of leaving the gold coins, you should give them to me to renovate the monastery." Pdin could guarantee that if he wasn''t in the square now, he would immediately lock this bastard into his basement and practice the Philosopher''s Stone''s alchemy on him after hundred times torturing him! Pdin, whose eyes were as red as beasts, turned his head and stared at Andrew, who still had his head down, and shook the scepter in his hand and said, "Andrew, are you going to abandon me too? Want to take everything I have?" Andrew did not care about Pdin''s voice, which contained anger, and said: "What do you think? My dear Pdin. You are an auxiliary bishop, this is a fact that is certain and unchangeable." . Although he said so, the anger on Pdin''s face continued to grow. But Andrew went on to say: "However, I don''t know when this war will end. Maybe it will be fought until spring. So things during this period will naturally be handled by others. You are also tired, treat it as a trip. Let¡¯s travel, rx and unwind.¡± If the position for half a year is handed over to someone else, will it still be my position? For a moment, Pdin understood immediately. Although it is possible that bing an apanying priest themselves is not what they proposed. But after knowing the news, not only did they note to report the news, but they added fuel to the mes! "Are you treating me as a worthless abandoned child?" Pdin said in a low voice, but Andrew immediately answered with a strange smile on his face: "I heard that your family was exterminated by a magician not long ago. It''s really a pity." Pdin was slightly taken aback, the destruction of the mel family was nned and executed by him. But put it here, but it is regarded as the fact that it has lost thest trace of use value! Will Andrew and Kanarawapletely abandon him! Self-inflicted evil, can not live. "You will regret it." Pdin was silent for a while. At this time, he was no longer as angry as before, but fell into silence. Andrew and Kanarawa looked back at him subconsciously, but saw Pdin''s silent appearance shing with terrifying and murderous intent: "You will regret it, old pervert and pedophile." Chapter 85: Bunnales, The Torch

Chapter 85: Bunnales, The Torch

At this moment of speaking, Earl Torch''s procession had arrived in front of the square. Pdin immediately stopped talking. He simply ignored Andrew''s direct line of sight and the expression of Kanarawa''s sneer. He just observed the Earl of Torch, whose name he had heard but never seen him. Only to see a man riding a red-d warhorse, walking in the front of the group. The red armor draped on the horse had a distinct torch pattern painted on it. Presumably it was the torch himself. Thick blonde hair with curls shoulder length, spacious forehead and very thick eyebrows give an image of loyalty and kindness. However, the tiny blue pupils and the tightly closed thin lips gave off a mean and sinister taste. There is gorgeous and sturdy armor on the outside of the chain armor inside. Under the sunlight, his expensive armor reflected a cold light. This is a man of contradictions. Even his face contained extreme ambivalence. It made everyone who saw him for the first time wonder what kind of person this Earl of Torch, who was rumored to have never been on a battlefield, was like. Some of the upper-ss nobles of the principality, however, secretly talked about it in private. Each has their own opinion. Gentle and kind, warm and open, big noble. Or the sinister and silent. The stubborn, stone-faced ones who don''t say a word. Bunnales, the torch. Inherited the title of his father, Torch the Hurl. As a great noble, he has been educated in all kinds of manners, literature, poetry, fencing, history, politics and so on. As the only son, he inherited his father''s wealth and territory without any ident. There were no outstanding performances, no special enemies, and no scandals that would concern themoners. It was as if he was a marginal man among the great nobles, without a mistress, and now at the age of thirty-one he had not even married! Many great nobles, including the Marquis of Carmon, have personallye to his door to propose marriage, but have been politely declined one by one. To say that the most mysterious nobleman in the Duchy of Kasmi, it must be him, Bunnales, the Torch. Tak-dak-dak. Listening to the powerful sound of horses'' hooves echoing in front of him and suddenly stopping. The thick and gentle voice immediately filled one with good feelings: "Your Excellency, Bishop Andrew, hahaha. I have kept you waiting for a long time." Only a snap of steel was heard. Earl Torch rolled over and dismounted, and Andrew immediately greeted him with a smile on his face and said respectfully, "My Lord, are you really only thirty-one? It seems like you''re even younger thanst year!" "Hahahahaha." Earl Torchughed cheerfully. Casually waving his hand, the endless procession behind him immediately stopped in its tracks. The knights erected thences with their heraldic banners pinned in their hands. Then the sergeants with spears and the heavily armed soldiers with shields and long swords behind them. One after another, they stopped their heavy footsteps. There was a solemn look in their eyes. Earl Torch stepped forward and said to Andrew: "Old Andrew, you are getting fatter and fatter." As he said so, his eyes were looking at Kanarava and Pdin beside him. Pdin stood up first, crossed his arms in the air respectfully and said, "My lord Earl, you are on this expedition." But before Pdin could finish his sentence, Kanarawa came up to interrupt Pdin and said to himself, "Lord Earl, I am the abbot(Dean) of Edley Abbey and the head priest of Edley Cathedral, Kanarawa. I am honored to meet you. I hope I can get¡­" But this time, before he could finish his turn, the Earl immediately interrupted him, looking slightly displeased although he was smiling: "I am talking to this priest, doesn''t His Excellency the abbot know manners?" Kanarawa was slightly taken aback, and immediately suppressed his anger and apologized: "My lord, this priest is actually..." "You don''t need to say any more." The Earl of Torch directly ignored Kanarava on the side, and looked at him with a smile on the contrary. Pdin said: "Father, what did you just say?" Pdin snickered to himself, but said very calmly: "My lord, my name is Pdin, mel." After saying that, he saluted Earl Torch with the etiquette of a subordinate noble meeting a superior noble. Bowing with one hand floating on the chest above the heart. "Oh!" Earl Torch was a little surprised. He didn''t expect to meet a nobleman. Suddenly he thought of Pdin''s surname. He immediately sighed and said, "Father mel, the tragedy that happened to your family has made us nobles very angry. Don''t worry, we will make the despicable Forest of Hellitte pay the appropriate price!" The cold-eyed Andrew saw Count Torch finish his words and immediately smilingly stepped forward and reminded, "Lord Earl, this Father Pdin is not only our Auxiliary Bishop, but also the priest who will apany you to the army." "Even?" Count Torch let out an exmation. But from the tone of his voice, there was really no exmation. But at that moment, a person resembling a nobleman''s butler suddenly ran over quietly and whispered to Earl of Torch, "My Lord Earl, you have been dyed here for a long time. Let the apanying priests follow and leave the city quickly." Earl Torch nodded silently. Suddenly, he smiled friendly at Pdin and said, "It''s a long journey. If you are not used to military life, Pdin, you cane and sleep in my tent." After inviting Pdin with a smile, the Torch Earl remounted his horse. Andrew also turned around and said to a dozen or so priests with bags standing behind him: "It''s your honor to join the army this time. Go, Bishop Pdin is yourmander. Even with a sword and blood and sweat, you can''t vite the teaching of the true God, Amen." Pdin took a deep look at the dozen or so priests who went with him, some of them had sad faces, while others had resolute faces. Pdin took deep note of the sad-faced man. These people are the most likely to be their own group. When Pdin and a dozen priests with magnificent cross scepters in their hands walked on either side of the procession. While murmuring the Bible in a low voice. The big bell in the tower at the top of the cathedral immediately let out a dong dong dong sound. The procession immediately resumed its march. The civilians around immediately shouted enthusiastically again. Because the bell represented this army, which was favored and blessed by God Enos. May they receive the supreme glory and return home on white horses. Pdin didn''t even look at Andrew. He keenly noticed that many of the army were familiar faces he usually met in Edley. Looking at the civilians on both sides who saw their loved ones in armor with weapons, cheering excitedly and scattering roses and purple orchids. Pdin''s heart sank straight down. That is to say, most of the soldiers in this army are new recruits. Had not experienced real war, nor had they undergone long training. Pdin could even imagine, through the memory of his clone, that these recruits would stand there stunned and trembling after seeing the blood of theirpatriots stained red after encountering vicious enemies on the battlefield. Pdin really wanted to know, how could the Earl of Torch, who could secretly connive with his subordinates to plunder everywhere, and who could collect armor and weapons inrge quantities in vition of thew, make such a mistake? Could it be that this guy has never been on a battlefield before, and doesn''t know the horror of the battlefield? Chapter 86: Tony Carles

Chapter 86: Tony Carles

But what about Earl Torch, Pdin didn''t want to bother worrying about it. What he cared about now was his own money trail. Obviously, Andrew and Kanarawa had thrown themselves away. And just now Pdin also very clearly saw Harvey walking among the army. He smiled maliciously at himself. So Pdin was able to confirm that if he really honestly went to the front as an apanying priest, the six months of effort would be reduced to nothing. Therefore, first of all, you must establish your own party members. With this in mind, Pdin put his eyes on the priests who were traveling with him. Once you think about it, these priests are all ostracized or untrusted by Andrew''s priests. The enemy of an enemy is a friend. Pdin had to choose from among these priests who could be of use to him. For most of these priests were true believers in Enos. Fanatical in their beliefs. And some were suppressed because of conflicts of interest with Andrew. These people are what Pdin needs. Watching the petals flying all over the sky, apanied by warm cheers. This army, which roughly counted at no more than 800 people, left Edley and set out for Green Fortress. As the sun sank in the west, already hanging on the edge of the mountainside. At any moment, it may sink into darkness and usher in the era of ck reign. This army was sorge that the Earl of Torch set up camp in a meadow not far away in order to avoid harassing the vige. Eight hundred men brought out bread, dry bacon and wine. A cluster of campfires were lit by the soldiers. asionally those who had some money on them ran to the vige to buy some fresh vegetables and meat and cooked a pot of gumbo(thick soup) on the campfire. The tents were erected. So that the original open meadow immediately turned into a forest of inteced passages. Pdin came out of his tent and immediately saw the dozen priests around the campfire not far away in a circle, eating bread and wine in their hands. Pdin took a look, took the bacon he had bought from the soldiers earlier, and walked straight to these priests. "Hey, there''s bacon here, who wants some?" Pdin tried to make his expression show kindness, directly found a seat and sat down, waving the bacon in his hand in front of these people. "Humph, Your Eminence, Auxiliary Bishop, as a priest, aren''t you sorry for your position if you openly eat meat?" Pdin raised his eyes and saw three of them showing disgust, and immediately excluded the three of them from his heart: "Don''t call me Auxiliary Bishop, we all know in our hearts that Andrew sent us out, which is a disguised exclusion. I, the auxiliary bishop, is only in name only." But as soon as Pdin finished speaking, one of the priests spoke directly and sneered, "Please address Your Eminence as Bishop, Pdin. You don''t know the rules at all." With that, he and several priests immediately stood up and left the campfire without saying a word. The other priests were silent in response, but Pdin ignored the few who left and continued tough: "Everyone here is rejected by Andrew, that is to say, we are all friends in the same boat ofmon difficulties, so if you have any difficulties, juste to me." "Huh, you and Andrew have the same virtue, they are viins! We don''t bother to be with you!" The remaining seven priests immediately stood up with unhappy faces and turned around and left. Immediately, only Pdin was left alone by the campfire. But Pdin did not show any expression, just broke a piece of bread, cut off a piece of bacon and ate it by himself. But in his heart, hemented: "All a bunch of idiots, not even one really talented person?" Just then, just when Pdin was very disappointed that these priests are not buildable talents. A young priest walking at the end suddenly stopped in his tracks and turned his head to look at Pdin, and then at these fellow priests who left. Suddenly as if he had made up his mind about something, he turned back towards Pdin and sat down next to him. "Tony, where are you doing, quicklye here Tony!" At that moment, the priests suddenly realized that the priest called Tony was not there, but turned back to see him sitting honestly next to this hateful and dirty Pdin. One of the priests who had a better rtionship with him immediately called out. But what chilled them was that Tony did not say a word, nor did he pay any attention to thesepanions, but just sat fixedly in ce, looking at the burning mes in front of him. "Tony!" This priest still tried to call him, but the priest next to him realized Tony''s decision. A look of contempt immediately appeared on his face to stop that priest and said disdainfully, "Don''t call. He is going to be in the same boat as this Pdin!" "This¡­..Tony, you..." Tony kept quiet, still looking steadily at the mes. Those priests used vitriolic hard words on him, and with disappointment, disdainfully turned away . Representing aplete break between the two. Pdin slightly looked at this Tony. Ordinary short brown hair, ordinary face, useless appearance. Pdin smiled vaguely, this Tony is the same as him. So Pdin handed over the bacon and the table knife in his hand and said softly, "Do you want to eat bacon?" "Thank you, Your Eminence." Tony immediately took the bacon very respectfully, cut a slice of sandwich bread and drank wine to start thete dinner. "Your friends are gone, but why do you stay? Do you realize that just now, you lost seven or eight friends." "Yes, Your Excellency." Tony swallowed the bread in his mouth. After taking a hasty sip of wine. Then he turned his head and looked at Pdin and said very seriously: "I have lost many friends. But I have gained a bishop who can change my life. Your Eminence, in fact, my full name is Tony, Carles. My family had fallen and I had to rely on some money to be a priest. But the life of a priest is not a good one, especially for me at the bottom of thedder. Not only do you have a ton of things to do every day, but the opportunities to actually make a profit are almost non-existent." Speaking of this, Pdin was expressionless, but his eyes were shining. And Tony was a little disappointed and continued: "I can''t do anything. I even arranged the funeral of my mother after her death. I couldn''t even afford a decent coffin! Your Excellency, I heard that you are also a nobleman. And unlike me who has been a priest for three years, and you have changed from a priest to an auxiliary bishop in less than half a year! And I heard that you have a great rtionship with you in the business of ironware in Nurba." Tony tried to choose nice wording, hoping not to disgust Pdin. But Pdin''s face not only did not recoil at the risqu¨¦ words, but revealed a heavy smile. "Tony, Carles. You are a nobleman, just as I am. You thirst for wealth and fame, glory and position. Because you are a nobleman, you want to be worthy of the Carles name. If only you will help me." "I will! I will do anything you want me to do!" Tony immediately lowered his voice and said eagerly. But Pdin could not yet put this man, who he had met for less than half an hour, in the list of trust. He just smiled faintly, stood up and patted the dust, said leisurely: "Come on, it''s not good to talk here. Let''s go into the tent and talk." Tony nodded yes, but at that moment, a middle-aged man with a beard standing on his faceing from the front, holding wine, made Pdin''s eyes ze over! Chapter 87: Conspiracy

Chapter 87: Conspiracy

"Kaleqi! Why are you here!" When Pdin saw the visitor, he lost his voice and blurted out. The surprise on his face was obviously not a disguise. This person who came face to face was none other than Kaleqi, who was supposed to be in Nurba! Kaleiqi was also stunned when he heard someone call him. When he got a good look at Pdin''s surprised face, his shock was no less than the former''s: "Pdin! Why are you here too!" Pdin''s face was a little ugly, suddenly stern, and went forward and took Kaleqi''s arm and pulled it hard into a nearby tent. That Tony saw so, so smartly stood outside the tent, patrolling for people who might approach. "Kaleqi, say it. What did Harvey give you?" In the tent, Pdin stared at Kaleiqi with narrowed eyes. The look was one that would make him regret it if he couldn''t give Pdin a satisfactory exnation. Kaleqi blinked his eyes and suddenly asked suspiciously, "Harvey? What does this have to do with Harvey?" As soon as the words left his mouth, Pdin suddenly flung his hand and with one hand he grabbed Kaleiqi''s neck in one go! The powerful force came from the right hand, Kaleiqi could not resist, and was lifted up by Pdin''s grip on his neck like a chicken. No matter how much the former struggled, it was useless. Seeing that Kaleqi''s face was already purple, the pupils full of fear were filled with blood. Just when Kaleqi was about to be strangled to death by the expressionless Pdin. He let go of his hand and watched Kaleqi fall to the ground, coughing in pain. Self-consciously, he picked up a folding chair next to him and sat down, and handed a pot of clear water in the tent to Kaleqi, whose voice became hoarse and knelt on the ground in pain. As soon as thetter took the clear water, he raised his head and poured it immediately. Pdin waited until Kaleiqi felt better and then suddenly asked: "What benefits did Harvey give you?" "No, no benefit." Kaleqi panted, but suddenly saw Pdin''s gloomy face again, and immediately argued: "There is really no benefit! My identity is the Earl''s mercenary, now he wants to go to war, as long as I take his money, I must go with the expedition!" Pdin looked at Kaleqi who did not seem to be faking. Suddenly frowned and said: "No, if you go out with the army and I also go out with the army. Then Nurba''s estate will be unattended. Humph! Harvey, this bastard''s greed is beyond my imagination. It''s not good to say that even Andrew and the others are involved." Pdin talked to himself, only to leave Kaleqi confused. Pdin rolled his eyes to look at Kaleqi''s thick beard and suddenly asked, "You''re off to war, what about your wife and my godson?" "They naturally live in Nurba. Although they are very much against my going out to war, they can''t help it. If I release my employment to the Earl, all these properties that I have gained will go up in smoke." Listening to such words, Pdin nodded in silence. Suddenly slightly increased his voice and said, "Tony,e in." Tony smiled and immediately got into the tent. Pdin immediately introduced him to Kaleqi: "This is my subordinate, sitting priest Tony, Carles. Tony, this is my partner and dear friend, the mercenary Kaleqi." Speaking of this, Pdin also added meaningfully, "Of course, Kaleqi also operates some ironware." "Oh! Nice to meet you!" Tony suddenly heard, and immediately to curry favor with the middle-aged man who is more than ten years older than himself. Kaleqi smiled perfunctorily, but saw Pdin suddenly said to Kaleqi: "Do you know why I am here? It''s because of your buddy Harvey!" "Him? That can''t be right. He''s not¡­." Kaleqi faintly froze and was about to fight for his best friend when Pdin stopped Kaleqi''s words with a wave of his hand and said with a face full of resentment and cruelty, "Harvey must die. I will not tolerate a man who has hurt my interests, and is still alive under my nose! I want all his wife and children to be buried with him, and I want all the heads of his family to be hung in the treetops and eaten by birds!" Later on, Pdin''s eyes were glowing with fierceness. Kaleqi, who was about to persuade him, trembled and swallowed his words. And Tony lowered his head in fear. Because Pdin''s eyes at this time made him have a trace of fear. "What are you going to do?" Kaleqi said with a sigh. Between Harvey and Pdin, Kaleqi is very wise to choose thetter. Regardless of strength, momentum and means. Harvey, an old guy, is far from being a match for this young priest. Pdin shook his hand, and said with a mysterious expression: "You don''t have to worry about it. Just know one thing, if you survive this war by luck, then you will gain far more wealth and power than this." Looking over at Tony, he said, "You too." Seeing the two show excited eyes, but Pdin turned his head to Kaleqi and instructed, "After everyone goes to bed, you go find Harvey and tell him that there is something important to talk about, and bring him inside the adjacent dense forest. Then." Saying this Pdin then turned his head to Tony and said, "Wait aside and call me when you see Kaleqi and Harvey go out." "Is this really okay?" Tony said with great uncertainty. He hoped that Pdin could tell him in more detail. Pdin, however, no longer had the slightest desire to reveal the n. "Don''t worry, as long as you guys don''t betray me. Things will work." The men were given a tranquilizer. Pdin let them disperse, who were puzzled. As night fell, the soldiers, the earl, and the knights all fell asleep. The mes of the bonfire were also extinguished quite a bit. Only soldiers in twos and threes guarded the surrounding area, standing guard with drowsy torches. Crouching by the tent, Tony, who was devouring his spirit with sleepiness, suddenly saw that Kaleqi and Harvey, who was still wearing armor and had time to take off, came out of the tent, carrying torches, and went straight to the nearby woods. Tony was about to raise the tent immediately and wake up Pdin. Suddenly, he saw Pdin looking at him with a full face and no sleepiness. "Uh, you didn''t sleep, Bishop?" "Hmm." Pdin, incontestably enthused, then stood up and looked at the fire in the distance gradually into the forest and said: "Loyalty or not, Kaleqi, do not let me down." Pdin, who muttered to himself, followed directly. Tony looked left and right, but it was hard to make a sound on such a quiet night. He had no choice but to pick up a dagger and put it in his sleeve, and followed Pdin''s pace. They walked for more than ten minutes. Pdin saw Kaleqi standing in front of Harvey and didn''t know what he was talking about. Obviously Harvey is not in a good mood. It doesn''t hurt to be woken up while sleeping. But Pdin walked towards the two of them grandly. There was no intention of hiding himself. Tony behind him was shocked! Afraid of being seen by Harvey, when he was about to warn Pdin. Harvey''s mocking voice sounded in the distance: "Pdin, do you still want toe and kill me?" Chapter 88: Massacre

Chapter 88: Massacre

Only to see Harvey suddenly turn his head and look at the approaching Pdin and let out a sardonicugh. Tony behind him was so frightened that he immediately stopped his body. A pale look of despair. But on the other hand, Pdin looked calm and calm. "Hmph, you want to kill me?" Harvey took the helmet off his head. He looked at Pdin with great disdain. But beside him, Kaleqi immediately roared, stepped forward and grabbed Harvey''s shoulder armor and roared, "Harvey! You used me!" "Used you? Bah!" Harvey flung his hand and mmed Kaleqi to the ground. With a turn, he pulled out the crossed sword from his waist, and the sharp tip of the sword pointed straight at Kaleqi''s neck. "Used you? Don''t you want to kill me? It''s a waste of our friendship for so many years! And you want to kill me along with this priest!" Harvey angrily said so, suddenly turned his head and shouted: "Still noting out, it''s fun to hide there, isn''t it!" As soon as the words fell, Tony, who was shivering, and Kaleqi, who fell to the ground, were shocked to see that from around the tree trunks, which were silent in the darkness, one after another with a bow and arrow and people with daggers came out. Roughly speaking, a dozen people surrounded Pdin and the two others with him. It was already a situation of catching fish in a jar. "Kaleqi, you betrayed me?" Pdin¡¯s face was indifferent, expressionless head turned to look at the Kaleqi sprawled on the ground. As soon as thetter¡¯s eyes came in contact with Pdin''s gaze, he immediately turned red and exined, "No! It''s not like that! I didn''t know he saw through our n either! "After that, he immediately stared at Harvey and said, "Assassinating a priest and a lord''s mercenary sent by the Holy See, you''remitting treason! Harvey." "Snap!" Harvey didn''t even bother to exin anything to him, and directly pped Kaleq''s face with his sword¡¯s de fiercely, and thetter immediately spurted out blood and turned his head. Half of his face was puffed up. A trace of blood flowed down from the corner of his mouth. "You, your name is Tony, right. Now the situation is obvious, as long as you promise to announce when, Pdin this bastard has evil intentions and has connections with foreign countries. And he tipped off Aixinzhe''s spy! I''ve been killed on the spot! It will not only not let you be hanged, but can also be promoted and be rich!" Harvey directly skipped a bemused Pdin, and began to persuade Tony, who was dead white behind him, to surrender. Tony was taken aback for a moment, and looked worriedly at Pdin who never looked back. Looking at the dozen or so killers who were covering their faces and holding sharp knives and bows and arrows around them, he suddenly asked Harvey with someck of confidence: "What makes you guarantee my future?" This question is already equivalent to apromise. Kaleqi''s face turned pale when he heard these words, and he naturally understood who the so-called spy in Harvey''s words was. It is himself! When Harvey heard this sentence, heughed with joy on his face. The satisfied gully on his face made him silent in a kind of pleasure of ying with the enemy and pping his hands and then surrendering under his feet. But before Harvey had time to exin, Pdin said nkly: "It seems that Kanarava and Andrew are indeed rted to this matter." He looked at his side, and saw the daggers shing a lurid green aura. A smile appeared on his face: "Yes, there is a good poison, Motakawin, and the poison is fully used on the de of the dagger with the fire method. Staying vignt anytime and anywhere, with a posture of rushing down. Such a professional assassin killer, not you a district of the mercenary small captain can hire." "These are the bishop''s people?" Tony heard so, how could he still not understand? Thinking of his career and future, he nodded without any hesitation at this time: "Yes! As long as I kill Pdin and Kaleqi, I will definitely serve the captain and the bishop properly!" After saying this, the body looking at Pdin showed a fierce light. Pdin smiled faintly, but ignored Tony''s rebellion, but raised his head to stare at the toadying Harvey, who looked like he was winning, and said, "I''ve been tricked, and fallenpletely into your shoddy and unpleasant trap. Looks like you''re having fun, Harvey. But did you make sure that the prey that fell into the trap was no longer a threat? You made sure of that¡­." Speaking of this, Pdin eyes gradually shing gold: "Are you sure that what you hunted is only a weed wolf, not an angry dragon?" Having said that, Pdin suddenly opened his hands, and his eyes zed! Bursting out a blinding golden light in the dark woond! The voice is no longer Pdin''s voice, but a hazy voice of a man and a woman speaking at the same time: "What can you do to me? What can you do to me?" Just when Kaleqi and Harvey were shocked by Pdin''s amazing and shocking performance. A dozen or so assassins with a wealth of experience at this moment immediately felt an unprecedented sense of threat and feare over them! The pupils of a dozen pairs of eyes immediately contracted, and the leader of an assassin immediately felt a cold sweat rising from his forehead. Taking two daggers out, he shouted with difficulty, "Let''s go together, leave no one alive!" Seven ck shadows holding daggers and short knives immediately rushed towards Pdin like a gust of wind, and the other assassins behind them immediately bent their bows and set their arrows, and the poisoned arrows began to aim at Pdin with a smile and two eyes bursting with golden light. Seeing that the sharp de was about to pierce Pdin''s body under the extremely fast sprint. But seeing the golden light in Pdin''s eyes, the stabbing de suddenly hit some barrier! Can''t get in one meter in front of Pdin! It''s like arge invisible shield covering the whole body! The leading assassin and otherpanions were shocked to find that the de he stabbed was blocked by a barrier, and circles of golden light spread around the sword. But unable to prate the target. In a sh, the leader saw the targeted priest reveal a cold smile, the sense of fear suddenly flourished, immediately shouted "Retreat!" The assassins did not hesitate and immediately drew back. The strange magic of Pdin took them by surprise. "Want to leave?" Pdin has long activated the magic shield, Seeing that the assassins missed a hit, they seemed to pull away. How could he be willing? Stretching out both hands, they quickly covered the faces of the two assassins before him who had no time to get away. Before the two of them started to resist Pdin under the crisis, they let out a miserable howl. The assassin leader who had just retreated ten meters suddenly heard a scream and looked back. But he was shocked to see the golden mes burning all over the bodies of the two coveredpatriots! But in an instant, it was burned to pieces! "Where are the bows and arrows!" Seeing his subordinates being burned to ashes, the leader roared with eyes wide open. The archer who was waiting next to him immediately let go, and the poisoned arrows made a series of piercing sounds, directly hitting Pdin''s forehead! "Stop!" Pdin was naturally fearless. The magic shield that he uses his own light elements to gather can not only block magic attacks, but also resist physical attacks. The arrow was powerful, but it was not under his threat. But at this moment, Tony, who had been standing stupidly before, let out a roar like a pig, jumped up, and threw down an archer next to him. Take out the dagger from the cuff and stab! Chapter 89: Fatal Weakness

Chapter 89: Fatal Weakness

"Pdin, run!" Tony, who was trembling and throwing down the dagger in his hand, threw down the dead body with a dead face, and shouted at Pdin, whose back was turned to him. Pdin gave a light snort and turned his head away. But just in time, he saw an assassin with a short knife rushing towards Tony, and the sharp de was about to cut Tony''s neck! Gently raising his hand, Pdin''s outstretched index finger immediately crackled. He pointed his finger at the assassin who rushed towards Tony. Just listen to the bang! A blinding golden light shed, and a thunderbolt of golden thunder burst out from the finger extremely swiftly, hitting the dazed assassin. "Boom!" The dirt and grass on the ground was immediately blown up. Along with broken bones and blood flew up into the air, and then hung down weakly. A huge crater of dirt appeared right next to Tony, who could stuff two eggs in his mouth. Turning his head slightly, Tony''s dazed gaze saw Pdin, who had turned around, with eyes bursting with blinding golden light! Suddenly, Tony actually had a feeling of gratitude, or rather a sense of survival after the catastrophe. "Duh duh duh duh!" One arrow struck on the magic shield of Pdin. Circle after circle of golden light appeared. But the ripples scattered faster than the arrows. Disappearing. The leader of the assassins standing on the trunk of the tree could even feel his calves sweating, shivering! He had been killing people for more than ten years. What kind of people have he not seen? Tall orcs, short dwarves, conceited elves, even human nobles and mages. Women and children. He has killed them all! But this canpletely resist physical attacks, arrows and sharp des can not break the shield, the golden eyes, he has never seen before! "Retreat! The information is wrong!" The chief shouted. He didn''t have any intelligence that indicated that the target would be so terrifying. Apparently more than ten elites here did not even hurt the target''s hair. Instead, three lives were taken! What tasks andmitments are now gone. Keeping your life alive is thest word. "Huh? Want to leave?" Pdin looked away from the silly Tony. With his Pdin''s character, he absolutely can not let go of even one of these people. "Annoying flies, go to hell!" Pdin cursed and watched as the eight assassins who immediately gave up their attacks ran away wildly. When they were about to disappear into the darkness of the woods. Pdin waved his hand violently, and three golden balls of light flew together in mid-air in front of him. Only to hear a buzzing ear. Three balls of light on the burst of eye-catching golden beams of light, extremely fast to catch up with the fleeing assassin, the golden three beams of light immediately staggered and waved! "Ahhhhhh!" A gruesome scream that made people''s scalps tingle rang out. These eight assassins in ck were actually immediately cut into countless irregr pieces of flesh under the cutting of these three beams of light. Bringing up the scorching odor released by the charred ck body because of the heat. Unanimously, they all fell to the ground from mid-air. "Be careful!" Suddenly at this point, Tony in front of him and behind the Kaleqi let out a cry of rm in unison. Pdin only felt a touch behind him. Eyes immediately emerged with a disappointed look. At this moment, behind him stood Harvey, who was just nowhere to be found! He held the crossed swords in both hands, full of incredulity and despair looking at everything that happened in front of him! At the time of the fight, Harvey was hiding on the side waiting for an opportunity to move. Although Pdin''s terrifying magic did make Harvey sway. But he was confident in his own five-star warrior strength. He did not believe that a mage could be unharmed under a sneak attack in close quarters. So he waited until Pdin strangled all the assassins with his bizarre magic, and he knew it was time. Even the stealthy assassin approached behind Pdin in shame and silence, and suddenly burst forward with all his strength, raised the sharp cross sword, and was about to chop off the bastard''s head with one sword! He could even see the desperate eyes and the red and white brains sttering everywhere! Even the yelling of Tony and Kaleqi he ignored. Victory is his! However, when the cross sword is about to cut over this Pdin. A ripple of despair emerged, no matter how hard he tried, this infused with the full force of the five-star warrior''s sword, but could not advance a millimeter. Despair, boundless despair enveloped Harvey. And at this moment, Pdin did not look back and muttered: "You can have many ways to go. Run away with these fools, or run deeper into the forest. You could have even ckmailed me with Kaleqi''s life. But you didn''t." Turning his head slightly, Pdin had a strong look of contempt in those eyes, in addition to disappointment. This look made Harvey instantly angry. But inside Pdin said despicably: "And you used one of the most stupid and idiotic methods to deal with me. You disappoint me, Harvey. What''s the difference between you and those flies that hover over cesspools and corpses? Even the carrion eating vultures are more noble than you." Harvey, who had been desperate, was roused to anger by Pdin''s words! With red eyes, Harvey roared, raised his crossed swords again and roared, "Shut up, you filthy, vile nobleman! You have no right to lecture me!" "By what right?" Pdinughed scornfully and with a flick of his right hand, a beam of light appeared out of nowhere in front of him and shed downward, severing Harvey''s iron-armor-equipped hands along with the cross-sword! "Ahhhhhhh!" Harvey let out a scream, but Pdin''s left hand flew to follow, and at once covered his face whole, and with iparable force he lifted Harvey up! "What else can you humans do but cry out in pain and shed tears!" Pdin cursed at Harvey in disgust. But he didn''t realize that he was no longer standing in the perspective of a human being, but looking at people from a perspective other than human. Pdin disdainfully held down the despair-filled Harvey with both hands. Under the shocked gaze of Tony and Kaleqi, he bent his head down. "Look into my eyes!" Pdin wanted to release the power of the all-seeing eye and read all of Harvey''s memories. But yet at that moment, something that shocked Pdin greatly and deeply worried him about many yearster just happened! "Hmm! What''s going on here!" Suddenly, Pdin looked at Harvey who was in despair and said in a low voice. With a flick of his hand, Harvey was still on the ground. Standing alone with squinted eyes. "Pdin, what''s wrong with you?" Tony and Kaleqi stepped forward in surprise. Not sure what happened to this guy. In fact, Pdin is in a state of boundless fear at this moment! "I can''t release the all-seeing eye!" Pdin muttered in his heart. The power of the all-seeing eye, which he used to be able to use with ease, could not be invoked halfway at this moment! There was some trepidation in the eyes of the panicked Pdin. That all-round perspective, all-pervasive ability.The pinnacle of power that overrides all beings. At this moment suddenly can not use, let Pdin feel a wave of unprecedented fear! Once the sea was too difficult for water. He who had gained power suddenly lost it, it was a kind of loss and fear that could not be spoken! Pdin did not think of a fact that he ignored. Did he control the power, or did the power control him. Chapter 90: The Price of Betrayal

Chapter 90: The Price of Betrayal

Looking carefully at the elements around him. Pdin ignored the tense Tony and Kaleqi, and Harvey, who was lying on the ground, hurriedly stopping the bleeding. He had to admit a fact that he didn''t want to admit it even in death. The all-seeing eye could not be activated. There were only fifty elements left around him. Because there was no sunlight at the moment and the All Seeing Eye could not be opened, there was no replenishment at all. Wait! Pdin suddenly had an understanding. He suddenly raised his head to look at the sky, the bright moon hanging high in the sky in the darkness. "Yes, there is no sunlight, it''ste at night!" Pdin muttered. But did not rejoice over finding the truth, but fell into a more profound worry. That''s right, without sunlight at night, the all-seeing eye could not be activated at all. And the elements used could not be replenished in any way! In other words, the darkness of thete night is when Pdin is most vulnerable, most powerless! Darkness is his weakness! "Ahh" Pdin sighed in dismay. Lowering his head, he muttered, "It''s ironic that the power I gained by dark means and ways is afraid of the darkness." "Pdin, are you okay?" Suddenly regaining consciousness, Pdin looked at the worried Tony and Kaleqi. Suddenly there was an indescribable gap between them. "Yes, they simply can''t heed my feelings, can''t appreciate the power I experience. Just as the tiny ants do not understand the soaring of the birds." Pdin shook his head in annoyance and looked at Tony and said, "You were just fine. Betrayal followed by betrayal." Tony immediately shivered, but immediately exined, "My father once taught me that giving bread to the scribbler is always more affordable than a wreath around the neck of a nobleman." Pdin immediately understood that this was because Tony thought that his strength was far inferior to that of Bishop Andrew. But what he got by fawning on the bishop''s words was far less than what he, who is now down and out, got. This is the truth of giving charcoal in a timely manner. "Well, it''s okay. I don''t me you either. Now go back and pretend to go back as if nothing had happened." Saying so, Pdin suddenly asked Kaleqi, who was kneeling on the ground wiping Harvey''s injuries, "Does this guy have a family?" Kaleqi nodded subconsciously: "Yes, in Edley. Beautiful wife and three children. Wait, Pdin, what do you want!" The reactive Kaleqi immediately asked a follow-up question. His somewhat twisted expression vaguely guessed the young priest''s thoughts. "To cut off the roots." Pdin waved his hand very inly and said so. Just as easy as talking to someone about afternoon tea. But the meaning of the words made Kaleqi, Tony, and even Harvey, who was deathly pale from severe pain! "Pdin, I was wrong, I''ll do whatever you want! I should not have been hostile to you, should not have told the Count that you should apany the army, and should not have joined forces with Bishop Andrew to deal with you!" At this moment, Harvey did not care about the severe pain in the arm, dead white face full of pleading in the mud ground while moving over. Humbly kissed Pdin''s shoes, with a pleading gaze said: "Please, don''t kill my family. Everything is my fault, they are all innocent, all innocent ah!" But as soon as the words fell, Pdin suddenly stepped on Harvey''s face with a nk expression, and rubbed the soil from the sole of the shoe vigorously on his head. Seeing Harvey''s humiliating expression, he couldn''t help chuckling and said, "I won''t do anything to women and children. Who do you think I am?" Hearing this, Harvey''s desperate eyes suddenly showed some hope , but Kaleqi, who knew Pdin very well, turned even paler. He still remembered the fact that Pdin brought Nurba''s Prad family mother and son into his church and they never came out. But he did not dare, nor did he want to plead for mercy for this once old friend. Not only because this friend betrayed him, but more importantly, Harvey''s doings will ruin his good life today! Thinking of this, Kaleqi''s face returned to calmness. Kaleqi himself did not expect that he waspletely different from the man he was a few months ago. At this time, Pdin suddenly moved his feet away in disgust, and said with a sense of revenge: "Edley has many ces. They are all ces for grown men to have fun. I believe a mercenary wife whose legs have been cut off must be very happy. Loved by those ruffians." "Pdin! I''ll bite you to death!" In an instant, Harvey''s eyes were red, and his mind was filled with rage and hatred. Opening his mouth violently, he was about to bite off a piece of meat from Pdin''s leg. But he was kicked by Pdin with a very disdainful kick. Five or six teeth flowed out of the corner of the mouth with blood. Harvey rolled to the ground screaming in pain. "However, I am also very merciful." Pdin''s cold face had not the slightest hint of mercy. "I will reunite you with your three children as soon as possible." "Huh?" Harvey snapped out of the excruciating pain, but he didn''t believe this beast could be that kind. Sure enough, only to see Pdin''s eyes ze over and suddenly shout softly, "Aberleigh!" Only to hear a boom overhead, an iparably huge two-meter-tall giant descended from the sky,nding in front of Pdin, kneeling on the ground, like a hound dog showing the hideous teeth in his mouth. Waiting for the master''smand. Pdin naturally knew that Aberleigh had been following over. Fortunately, he kept in mind the order that he could not be seen by others to hide. Saved a lot of effort. Obviously, this horrible monster made Kaleqi and Tony startled. But after seeing Pdin was very subdued, only to find out that this is Pdin''s person. But it added a veil of secrecy to this Pdin, who was mysterious in his methods and abilities. "Aberleigh, all the bodies here you have to clean up. I don''t care if you can eat it or not. But you have to remember this guy with the broken hand." Seeing Pdin pointing in front of him and seeing someone kneeling on the ground is taller than Pdin Aberleigh called the shots. But he suddenly pointed at Harvey and said with a smirk: "This guy, you must not let even a hair or a fingernail stay. When it''s done, you will have your favorite child to eat!" After that, looking at the magnified fear in Harvey''s eyes, a grim smile finally appeared on his face: "And there are three!" "No!" Harvey let out a miserable scream, but Aberleigh was excited. All of a sudden He grabbed Harvey''s head and feet with both hands and lifted them up. Tearing with all his might! tter, blood and internal organs immediately poured out from the rag-like torn Harvey''s body. Aberleigh immediately opened his huge mouth and waited, just like when eating peanuts, he raised his head and let the peanuts fall into his mouth. Kaleqi, whose face turned pale with fright, turned his head away, not wanting to see the cruel scene of his friend being torn apart like a doll by this monster. Because the young Tony he saw had already turned around andy on the tree trunk, vomiting in extreme pain. Seeing that Kaleqi came to the indifferent Pdin, his hands and feet would tremble when he approached this young man for the first time: "Pa, Pdin. What is this thing?" "Huh?" Pdin with a reproachful twist of the head to look at this Kaleqi: "First of all, pay attention to your wording. I am Auxiliary Bishop Pdin, and furthermore, don''t ask what you shouldn''t ask, and don''t know what you don''t want to know." "Hm..." Kaleqi immediately hummed, he can''t stand the kind of chilling aura coiled around this Pdin and immediately moved away from his body. At this time, only Pdin expressionlessly looked at Aberleigh having his meal, not forgetting to point out to Aberleigh from time to time that the corpses of the assassins he strangled would also be eaten up. Chapter 91: Negotiation

Chapter 91: Negotiation

By the time Aberleigh had eaten for the first time in a real sense. There were no more bodies in this forest except for the blood all over the ground. Pdin looked at Tony, who was still vomiting, and Kaleqi, who was sitting on a tree trunk on one side to calm his mind. He was no longer in the mood to pay attention to these people. He walked out of the forest and went back to the tent to lie on the quilt. Some people say that sleep can give people calm and rxation. But Pdin could not sleep when he was most irritable. He has not slept for more than two months. Usually it was fine, but now he had just killed a man and found a fatal weakness under this extreme power. But he can not sleep! He couldn''t even eat! A grievance has nowhere to vent, Pdin even had an impulse to get up and roast the entire camp! So Pdiny with his eyes open until dawn. When the first sunlight in the early morning shot into the tent, Pdin immediately squinted. The familiar all-seeing eye on the forehead immediately emerged. Fleetingly, the famous Pdin sat up disheveled. "Oh, you''re awake early, Father!" At that moment, a soldier with a spear in his hand wearing chain armor lifted open the tent, saw Pdin who had woken up, and could not help but ask unexpectedly. Pdin immediately revealed a smile, put the cross on his body, took the scepter, said very piously: "As a servant of God, every morning pray to the true God, calling the name of the true God Enos. It is the most basic." This sergeant was surprised and gradually showed respect in his eyes and said, "Your Excellency, Auxiliary Bishop, please change your clothes ande out. Our lord, Lord Count Torch, would like to invite you to breakfast." Hearing this, Pdin was also stunned. Although he was puzzled by what such a great nobleman wanted him for, he said politely on the surface, "Please wait a moment, I wille after I change my clothes." He immediately changed into a new,cy and gorgeous robe. Put away the purely decorative scepter. With an effort to put on a mild expression, he walked out of the tent. "Your Excellency the Bishop, where are you going?" Just out of the tent, apparently Tony also just woke up and saw Pdin in a formal dress, could not help but ask. "Oh, the Count''s invitation. You do your morning homework first." He said and gave the former a look, Pdin smilingly followed the soldier to go to that distant tall tent. But his heart is very unhappy. What he is most afraid of now is that people invited him to eat. Because he could not eat anything at all. If it''s just clear water, he can barely drink a little bit. But any food once eaten, he will certainly be extremely nauseous and would vomit it out. Under the soldiers'' respectful escort, Pdin walked into the gorgeous tent. At first nce, he saw the long table set up inside, Bunnales, Count Torch was cutting a piece of smoked pork on a te. Next to it were fresh fruit and white bread. "Lord Count, you called me?" Pdin very respectfully met the Count with the etiquette of a nobleman. But the count did not look up, just stretched out his hand in the side as a shake and said: "Pdin ah,e over here. You have not eaten breakfast, right." Pdin smiled and sat down, and said in an apologetic voice, "Don''t misunderstand, I never eat breakfast. At this time, I am praying to the true God Enos." Hearing these apparently excusing words, the earl unquestionably hmmed. After chewing the pork in his mouth and swallowing it, he put down his knife and fork. Picked up the napkin on his chest and wiped his mouth. Turned his head to look at Pdin. At this moment, the shoulder-length golden hair can''t hide the count''s pair of divine and far-reaching eyes. But under such gaze, Pdin still smiled. Not impressed at all. Until half a sound, the Count suddenly humming a smile, continued to pick up the knife and fork to eat when, self-consciously said: "Auxiliary Bishop His Excellency, you know a mercenary called Harvey?" Speaking of this, he also deliberately added: "A face beard, bad temper. A mercenary who loves to y smart and wears iron armor most of all." Pdin pupils quickly contracted, but kept a smile on his face and shook his head: "Harvey? I''m sorry, honorable count. I do not know this man." "Don''t be so quick to jump to conclusions. Things don''t develop only by the eyes, but also by the mind." Earl Torch immediately shook his hand and said something profound, while Pdin still smiled and shook his head to deny knowing Harvey. Seeing that Pdin deadly denied, the count who apparently had some information but did not get angry, but instead showed an appreciative smile and asked an inexplicable sentence: "His Excellency the auxiliary bishop, do you know how much it costs to lead this army of eight hundred men of mine to fight the war?" Pdin faintly froze, then frowned in thought. "An army of eight hundred men, food, daily necessities, military pay, armor, weapons, etc.. It should cost eight thousand gold coins." Pdin came up with an ambiguous answer. After all, he had nevere into contact with these things and did not understand them at all. Only to see Count Torch nodding, very mncholy whispered: "My army of eight hundred people, before and after, in two months cost me ten thousand gold coins!" Pdin was a little surprised, not only at this huge number, but also at why the Count was telling himself these things. But he heard the Count continue helplessly: "I am the Count of the Principality, but the territory I inherited from my father is muchrger than this title. I own arge city, a dozen towns, and more than thirty viges. Half of these territories are divided into the nobles under my hand. Half of the taxes they submit are taken every month, and the other half is turned over to the Grand Duke." Speaking of this, as if a rare grievance, the count took a sip of water and said with a sigh, "In a month, with just taxes. I was able to get seven hundred gold coins. Plus the profits obtained by the merchants under my hand, the foreign trade of the important iron ore mines in the territory. There is also the trade and taxes from the border magical beast forest to and fro. I can also share a little, a month also has a thousand nine hundred gold coins. But I also want to spend, also want to decorate the facade, more to pay the officials underneath. What I really get in my hand every month is only five hundred gold coins." Pdin seemed to understand the Count''s meaning. Just see the count continued: "Although I am a count. But my torch n has not been on the battlefield for generations. Always been ced in the back waiting for the battle report from the front. I don''t know how to fight a war, and I don''t know how to handle a war. More than that, I have never seen a war. That''s right, you will die in battle, but as a nobleman, isn''t the battlefield a ce to make achievements for the glory and reputation of the family? Look at the Marquis of Carmon, the territory is just a castle and a big city. The wealth you can have is even more shabby! But they have three thousand private soldiers under their hands! It''s one of the main battle forces of our duchy." The Count''s frown was deep, perhaps because this problem has bothered him for a long time: "The Carmon n has been on the battlefield for generations, although from time to time there are sons killed in action. But because of years of training and experience, repeated from generation to generation, he has under his hands in the battlefield to kill the enemy to gain gold and skills of mature soldiers! Most of his soldiers'' equipment are self-contained. It doesn''t cost his marquis a penny at all! I have not been in battle and want glory and status. I also have no allegiance to elite soldiers and primus inter pares. So, O Pdin. Do you recognize Harvey now?" Chapter 92: Collusion

Chapter 92: Collusion

Pdinughed heartily and surprisingly nodded and said, "Harvey has been killed by me." But apparently, this news did not surprise the Count, but instead nodded with great relief. Suddenly, he knocked on the table with the table knife. A Kaleqi, wearing a gorgeous carved with exuberant flower pattern armor, walked out from the back with an embarrassed face. Upon seeing Kareech, the Count immediately stared at Pdin, hoping to see something in his expression. But to his disappointment, Pdin remained expressionless, as if the one who walked out was not his beloved and aplice, but just an irrelevant passerby. "Your Excellency the Bishop, you know Kaleqi, right?" Pdin nodded slightly and looked at Kaleqi, who had his head bowed, and suddenly smiled: "This armor suits you well." This indicated the confession of not ming, which made Kaleqi sigh with relief. He had seen the terrifying power of Pdin. Now that he could not me himself for the arm-twisting, he was also relieved. The Count, with a smile on his face, saw the demeanor of Pdin and Kaleqi and suddenly stood up and walked around the table, pulling out the thin sword without the tip from his waist. Kaleqi immediately fell to one knee on the ground. The Count tapped his sword on both sides of his shoulders and said with an air of solemnity: "In view of your talent and ability, outstanding leadership andmand. I, in the name of my Bunnales, Earl of Torch, ennoble you to be knight in my name and lord of Nurba!" "I will apany you with my sword, with my glory." Kaleqi''s very obvious excited look showed how excited he was at this moment. Pdin''s eyes were wide open! He could not imagine that for the sake of gold coins, this Torch Count could be so generous as this! This is to give up the child to find the wolf? "Get up, lord of Nurba. The formal rituals will be held back at the castle after the war is over." The Count sheathed his sword and watched Kaleqi stand up. Pdin immediately rose from his position without missing a beat and congratted, "Kaleqi, now, you have be a nobleman too." "Heh, heh." Happiness came so fast that Kaleqi couldn''te back to his senses for a moment. Even at this moment, he still looks as if in a dream of demented look, inadvertently issuing a series of sillyughter. Pdinughed, but looked at the Count. Although the face is respectful, but his eyes have a different meaning. Torch Count saw this, immediately made a yful smile: "Do not look at me like this, sit down sit down." When the Count and Kaleqi and Pdin sat down separately, he said leisurely: "These days, people oftene to my castle to report. They say that you, Auxiliary Bishop, and lord of Nurba, have taken Nurba''s ironworks for themselves. Just when the duchy and Aixinzhe are at war, you guys have made a serious fortune." Although the count''s face was smiling, Kaleqi felt condemned and immediately confessed, "Lord Count, that was Bishop Andrew and the head priest Kanarawa both together." Who knows that the Count did not wait for Kaleqi to finish, but indifferently shook his hand. Looking at the silent smiling Pdin said: "I am very short of money, in myck of money, two thieves stole my home, and then ckmailed me to give them money to buy back, His Excellency the auxiliary bishop, what do you think?" Kaleqi''s face changed drastically, but Pdin was very calm, with a little joy in his eyes and said softly: "If I were your Excellency, I would catch these two thieves and would have hired them as my own servants. Thief, get more benefits for me." "But those two thieves have a leader, and they won''t leave so easily." The earl was still smiling, but Pdin immediately spoke up: "Then just destroy the leaderpletely. Because not only will the leader not submit to you, but he will also try to steal your things. If there are two less thieves, sooner orter there will be two more thieves, or even more." Listening to this conversation, Kaleqi seemed to have some rity. The original nervous face also regainedposure. The Count suddenlyughed, the tone was full of joy, and Pdin and Kaleqi looked at each other andughed heartily at the same time. Pdin knew in his heart that the Earl was very upset by the benefits he and Kaleqi obtained from the ironworks. This is why he agreed to Harvey''s request and pulled the Pdin into the ranks of the priests apanying the army. But now that Harvey died, the earl saw Pdin''s means and courage. Moreover, the Earl believed that these things were caused by Andrew and Kanarawa, and Pdin was only following orders. It was the diocesan Bishop Andrew and the aplice Abbot Kanarawa who really kept hurting his interests and gold coins and hated them like blood-sucking insects. He thinks this is a poisonous tumor. Therefore, he pulled in Kaleqi and Pdin to use these two pawns to deal with Andrew and Kanarawa who scraped his gold. To make money for him. But the Earl would never find out, even if he found out, he would not agree that the real ck hand was actually Pdin, and once such a person gained more power, one day the sharp sword would definitely hurt him. And when Pdin secretly yed a good calction, on the other side of the camp, Pdin''s doppelganger Alfred received Baron Hank''s order to go to the northeast of the bush to wear the scout team to scout the situation. The original scout in such a position, is not going to fall on the doppelganger. How can one be a knight, how can one go scouting with those civilians? But Baron Hank had a bitterness. Because the Countess of White Orchid, who belongs to the legion, was molested by the drunken Baron Hank at a banquet not long ago. After sobering up, Hank was very remorseful, and as a result, in a few days, the entire left army''s scouting task was given to Baron Hank toplete. He still remembers the White Orchid Countess holding a whip and looking at Baron Hank with a disgusted face and saying: "It is a great honor to give you such an important task. As a nobleman of the duchy, are you able to molest me at a banquet, without even a scouting party?" The result was that the baron, who had only two hundred men, had to send out all his knights and retainers plus a scouting party of civilians to barely find the terrain. It was a miserable situation that he couldn''t say. At this moment, the doppelganger who had just put on the coat of arms of the coat of arms of the light chain armor under the service of Snder''s attendant had just put a cross sword on his waist and stepped on the horse that was not covered with any armor. A man who is also a knight, with dazzling blond hair, a square face, and a curvy beard, rode a horse to the side of the doppelganger. He said in a low voice, "Oh, Enos is on. I don''t know what kind of bad luck has befallen me. Alfred, you and I are noblemen, but both are knights! These tasks are obviously cannon fodder, but we have to do it ourselves! You don''t know, Baron Madsen''s knights evenughed at usst night, saying , ¡°Thepatriots under Hank¡¯s hands are miserable. Such a foolish lord!'' Aren''t you angry!" The avatar took over the light clip-rim helmet and put it on his head, and said calmly: "Dear Bob, the man you are talking about is Baron Hank, our loyal lord. Be careful with your words on such asions. As the avatar said so, his attendant Snder also put on leather armor and rode up with a longsword in his hand. And when Bob saw the soldiers with hooked sickle gunsing and going, the soldiers wearing pot helmets immediately kept silent. When the soldier walked away and the wooden gate of the camp opened with a bang, Bob immediatelyined: "Our allegiance is to the Grand Duke, to honor and justice! Instead of running into the bushes foolishly, waiting for Aixinzhe''s death The scouts shot us dead with bows and arrows! I''ll tell you¡­" "Alright, alright, my dear Bob. Hurry up and go out to assemble. If it''ster, not only the other knights will have objections, but even our lord Hank will be dissatisfied." Interrupting the idiot''s nagging, the doppelganger kicked the horse in the stomach, apanied by the sound of the horse''s roar, bringing up a cloud of dust and galloping away. . Chapter 93: Attack

Chapter 93: Attack

On the weed-grown in, a group of more than twenty cavalrymen were running, aiming at the distant shrubbery looming on the horizon. This is none other than the doppelgangers and others who are temporarily serving as scouts. At this moment, Bob, whose blond hair was blowing in the wind, breathed in the rare fragrance of earth in the air and said to the doppelganger who was running fast at his side, "It''s just a bush forest, but it takes four knights to bring twenty or so retainers. It is simply an insult to our status." Listening to Bob''s incessant whining, the doppelganger frowned slightly, but did not say anything to rebuke. On the contrary, a knight on the other side, nced at Bob andughed: "Buddy Bob, if you encounter Ai Xinzhe''s scoutster, don''t be so happy that you rush up alone to take the credit." "Hahahahahahaha!" Seeing the blush on Bob''s face, several knights immediately burst outughing. This Bob was notoriously aggressive. As a knight, he was more like those barbarians in the north. Only not as tall. Low shrubs, the asional tung tree erected on the edge, and hungry rabbits scurrying out of the shrubs. Except for some undting hillsides that block the view, the ce is simply a sight to behold. Bob took a sip of water from his valet and continued toin, "A shitty ce. Not even rabbits dare toe out. How can there be enemies?" Another knight directly ignored Bob''s whining, took out the map scroll from his war horse''s pocket and said helplessly, "Take a stroll, and first check the nearby terrain against the map without error. Let''s get it done." The doppelganger nodded irrefutably. This kind of task itself is not much nutrition. But at that moment, the sky suddenly resounded with the call of a vulture. "Hmm?" The doppelganger frowned at the vultures circling in the sky. Roughly counted that there were more than ten of them! Bob followed and looked up to see this scene, immediately disgusted, and said: " We''re really unlucky. So many vultures are spinning overhead. I hate to shoot them with an arrow." But the doppelganger was silent for a moment and suddenly pulled out the crossed swords at his waist and shouted, "Stand by, there may be enemies nearby!" "Well, what did you say?" Bob looked at the doppelganger with a bewildered face, but the other two knights immediately understood the cause and effect, and decisively drew their weapons. At once the whole team was immediately in a saber-rattling atmosphere. The doppelganger understood that the vulture, a corpse-eating beast, would not havee here in a group if it had not sensed that there would probably be food to eat! Because of the premonition of death, these stupid animals are more keen than humans. But things happened much faster than the body expected. Not waiting for him to exin to Bob, suddenly from not far away on the hillside sounded a cracking sound, followed by a squire next to the immediate scream, nted on the ground. At a closer look, a short but thick crossbow bullet passed through the squire''s helmet and straight through the head. The blood flowed freely from under the armor, and it was clear that he was dead. "Enemy attack!" The Jailer Bob was the first to react. He drew out the cross sword, kicked the horse''s belly with excitement, and immediately galloped towards the opposite hillside. "This idiot, he will die if he goes alone! Follow him!" the clone still calmly said to the two knights and his servants beside him. Everyone nodded immediately, and galloped on their horses to catch up with theughing Bob. Only then did the doppelganger have time to look up at the hillside. Only to see the bare hillside, a soldier wearing leather armor over part of the iron armor, is riding on a horse, to the hand of the loaded crossbow. Bob, who was the first to bear the brunt, immediately shouted excitedly, waving his crossbow sword: "Little one! Send you to Enos!" Seeing that the team went up the hill, seeing that this enemy who did not know the sky was still not alert, just pulling the crossbow strings on the bullet. But at that moment, the doppelganger''s eyes closed, and all the knights and squires saw that from behind that hill, that unseen behind. Suddenly emerged forty or so heads, bodies, then axes and swords in their hands, and brown war horses! "O my Enos!" Bob, who was running at the front, immediately fell all over backwards and strangled his horse hard. The war horse was almost tumbled to the ground by Bob this time, and the man stood up and chirped. The knights and squires, including the doppelganger, all turned pale! This is a trap arranged by the enemy! "Back up, back up, back up!" The knight with the map immediately shouted at the top of his voice! He immediately turned his panicked war horse and ran backwards. Doppelganger and Bob, the knights and squires, immediately turned their horses around. The distance between them was too short tounch an effective charge. They had to pull back to settle their minds before they could make an effective attack. But the doppelganger who hurriedly carried the shield hanging on his war horse would not think that these enemies would be so kind. Turning his head to look, he saw more than forty enemy troops on the hillside, led by a bald man with a thick beard, wearing a full-body piece of armor. Very obviously, he could see the unconcealed expression of surprise on his face. Because he could see that there were four knights in the scouting party of the Principality of Kasmi! The different patterns of the coat of arms made him happy. If these knights were captured, they could be exchanged for arge amount of ransom and military merit! Naturally, this thick-browed and bearded leader immediately overlooked the reason why there were four knights in a scouting party. The doppelganger''s eyes narrowed and immediately saw with unparalleled rity that this big man was also a nobleman, not to say that he was a knight like them. And the chest armor tattooed with the head of a bear with its mouth open and roaring, made the doppelganger''s expression immediately gloomy. This is the Kingdom of Malta, that is, the reinforcements invited by Ai Xinzhe. The Kingdom of Malta worships giant bears. Armor is also decorated with the totem of a giant bear. And ording to the information Baron Hank got, these reinforcements from the enemy kingdom should not have arrived here at the border so soon. Just as the doppelganger was secretly pondering, but a moment passed. The big man immediately shouted and raised the crossbow in his hand and shouted, "Shoot all the horses and try to leave them alive! They have four riders!" Said the more than forty cavalry immediately raised the crossbow, to run back to the doppelganger and other people on the war horses, immediately pressed the trigger. "Stop the horses. There are crossbows, use shields!" Doppelganger immediately shouted. Bob and those knight squires are also trained elite. Hearing the bilocation yell immediately unified and strangled the running war horse, skillfully turned back to the enemy''s head. The shield with the coat of arms was quickly taken off from the side and back. The whole man stuck to the horse''s back, and then swept the shield over the horse''s head to protect himself and the horse''s head together. "Duh duh duh duh!" Immediately, the cracking sound of sticking to the shield echoed in the ears of the crowd. The doppelganger could even feel the tremendous force that kept hammering the shield, nearly sending it flying. Two or three more crossbow bolts even broke through the oak shield, revealing sharp arrows in front of the doppelganger''s eyes. At best, there were only about forty arrows, which were shot in the blink of an eye. Apanied by the asional wailing and falling of the few war horses that were hit by arrows nearby. The doppelganger was at the moment when the crowd was in a state of confusion and immediately stepped forward to be their backbone: "War horses hit by arrows hide at a distance!" The doppelganger straightened up and cut the arrows off the shield with one sword, then set up the horses and yelled up to the few retainers whose war horses were hit by arrows. Pointing his sword at his own squire Snder, the doppelganger, who was full of heavenly wariness, then yelled, "Snder, get on your horse''s back to the city and say that a massive Maltese scouting party has been spotted! Go!" Snder was just about to say something about being a knight''s squire and not being able to leave a knight alone. But he was not pedantic and knew that this situation was for the greater good. The military situation is always more important than the lives of soldiers. Immediately bellowed a driving horse galloped away and rushed to the distant Green fortress Mercedes that vaguely towered on the horizon. Chapter 94: Captives

Chapter 94: Captives

"Ahhhhhhh!" Hearing only a miserable cry, two Maltese soldiers pulled a squire off his horse, and the sharpnces in their hands just kept stabbing into the squire''s body. The two red-eyed soldiers took a deep breath, and after seeing that the squire waspletely dead, they turned their heads and found the doppelganger standing under the tree. Immediately, they shouted, picked up theirnces and rushed towards the doppelganger. The doppelganger frowned, and suddenly the smell of blood around this stimted the killing intent boiling. He squinted his eyes, and the surface of the one-handed ax in his hand was immediately covered with golden veins. With a sharp kick! A footprint two centimeters deep was immediately dented on the ground! The whole person swished to the side of these two soldiers, and the one-handed ax in his hand immediately turned around and shed! Snapped, the two soldiers were immediately cut off at the waist with their clothes and armor! But not only that, his free hand immediately grabbed the dead soldier''snce, turned back again, and threw it at the Maltese cavalryman rushing behind him with a whoosh, thence made a cracking sound in the air and nailed the Shih soldier in the chest, passing through his body. Thence went through the soldier''s back, knocking him off his horse and nailing him alive to the ground. The doppelganger''s face sunk like water, a hand again grabbed anothernce, watched his master shoot a dead war horse running over, immediately took a light leap, rolled over onto the horse. Rushing towards the two sides of the battlefield that were mixing not far away. Bob roared, covered in blood, he raised his shield and blocked the hammer head of the enemy soldier in front of him, who was also stained with blood, and the longsword in his right hand immediately swept through from below and sliced the stomach. "Ahhhhhh!" Another roar, Bob looked back, only to see an enemy soldier who was already close to him jumping up, his raised scimitaring straight for Bob''s head! This can no longer be dodged. Bob even sighed in his heart. He was going to stop here, for the glory of the knight. Whoosh! But at that moment, a swift cracking sound came from the rear, and Bob only saw a sh before his eyes, and a one-handed axe struck the soldier in mid-air, sending him flying out in his entirety and hitting the ground with a ssh of blood. Bob blinked and looked back, just to see the doppelganger rushing over on a ck horse with ance: "Bob! Try to save our squire, I''ll go find the other knights!" Doppelganger said, seeing Bob immediately nodded gratefully, immediately spurred the horse to bend down, a hand will be stuck in the ground next to thence pick up. With bothnces in hand, he rushed towards the melee in the distance. "Ah!" "Wow!" One shot at a time, the doppelganger rides on the horse like a whirlwind, once encountering an enemy in battle, the long spear in his hand will immediately stab to rescue thepatriots who are still fighting. Turning over and dismounting, the two long spears in the hands of the avatar were already covered with blood, slippery without holding back. He threw it away casually, picked up the long sword on the ground, and behind him was a soldier who fell on the ground with a big hole in his chest, covering the grass. With just one sword, the doppelganger split the armor of the soldier who was fighting with the knight with a flick of his hand. Regardless of the blood sttered all over his body, he walked towards the knight who survived the catastrophe. "Alfred, thank you for saving me..." But the knight just cracked a smile, and before he finished speaking, the avatar cut off the knight''s head with a sword. The head with the helmet that fell to the ground still had a smile on its face before death. So far, the doppelganger is still as sinking as water. Hearing a sound of cutting in front of him, the Maltese knight split open the body of a servant with an axe. His blood-stained eyes were red, and he turned his head to see the clone who was also covered in blood-stained red armor. Unexpectedly, this knight did not have the chivalry spirit of the past at this time. Apparently he discovered the miraculous record of the doppelganger before. Immediately his expression changed, he dropped the one-handed ax in his hand, and turned a passing horse over to get on it. Riding on the belly of the horse hastily, trying to escape as if flying. "Run? Coward." The doppelganger murmured so disdainfully, raised the longsword in his hand and flung it violently! The longsword immediately spun around and flew towards the big man on the horse! But at this time, the big man seems to expect the doppelganger will have this move, immediately hastily dive down to avoid this fatal blow. But the longsword crossed the big man and stabbed into the head of the horse in front of him! "Ming Ming Ming! The war horse let out a wail and tumbled to the grass, spilling a cloud of dust. This knight man is agile. Immediately a roll over to avoid the fate of being pinned down by the horse. The perfect onended and continued to run away. Doppelganger''s steel teeth clenched, is already angry in the heart. But then the big man suddenly turned back, from the waist to take out the refilled crossbow, to the distant doppelganger on the trigger. A whoosh, the crossbow shot straight at the doppelganger''s armor. But he was disgusted to casually open the crossbow at hand, slightly bending his feet. A fierce power. A whoosh of extremely fast rushed out! Even the twenty pounds of light armor on his body could not give him any hindrance. The sand flew leaving a row of deep footprints, the doppelganger rushed towards the fleeing big man like the wind. The dead horse was right in front of him, the doppelganger leapt up, pulled the long sword out of the horse''s head in the air, andnded on the ground with a loud bang, stirring up the dust to fall, the doppelganger once again rushed towards the big man not far away with great speed. Only to hear a ttering sound, followed by a scream. The doppelganger went after the man''s shoulder armor and arm and chopped it off alive with a sword! Lying on the weed-covered sand, the big knight man looked at the doppelganger holding the blood-dripping longsword and immediately covered his broken arm in pain and exined in panic: "Don''t kill me! I am Dredd Nawehar of the Kingdom of Malta. A noble knight! I im the rights of a noble and request my family to pay the ransom!" "Of course I won''t kill you." The doppelganger shrugged off the blood on the sword in his hand with a calm face and spoke inly, "But what about my military exploits Mr. Dredd." "Good! Hahahahaha, Alfred. You''re really our savior!" Bob rushed over with five squires. Wiping the blood from his face, he looked at Dredd on the ground and said to the squires behind him, "Go help him with his wounds." For most of his life, the squire who was saved by the doppelganger looked at the doppelganger very gratefully, and immediately tore off his clothes to bandage the prisoner''s wound. The doppelganger smiled slightly, looked at Bob and asked suspiciously: "Where were you two?" Upon hearing this sentence, Bob''s expression immediately turned pale. The attendants were also silent. Immediately, the doppelganger stuck the long sword in his hand on the ground with emotion, and said solemnly: "They fought for their homnd and glory on the battlefield, and they died well. May their heroic spirits return to the embrace of Enos. Rest in peace and eternity. " Those around him also prayed heavily. As soon as the doppelganger drew his longsword, he spoke, "Find some horses and carry their bones back to the fortress." Those attendants who were bandaged Dredd immediately nodded their heads, but their faces were not very good. Because at this moment their master was dead, and they themselves had be ordinary people again from a squire, a trainee knight. They don''t know what the future holds. But the doppelganger''s next words made them smile: "In their memory, you will be my squires from now on. Come along with me on my quest." "Ah! May Enos bless you forever, Lord mel!" Several attendants knelt down excitedly on one knee to express their loyalty. In the current situation, not only did he survive the mortal battle, but he won it. He even captured a noble knight from the enemy country. Maybe he could get some military information from him. This credit must have greatly increased the value of Alfred mel, and they have also risen with the tide. Better than before! Can they not be excited? The sorrow of his master''s death was instantly thrown into the depths of the boundless sea. The doppelganger who said so was staring at Bob. There was a strange taste in his eyes. Bob suddenly felt ufortable and turned his head away, not daring to meet this gaze. Suddenly, he was a little strange. Alfred just went home to look for his younger brother for a few days, and after returning, he couldn''t help but improve hisbat skills by leaps and bounds, and even the feeling he gave people changedpletely. It''s like another person wearing Alfred''s skin. Chapter 95: Deaths Dinner Plate

Chapter 95: Death''s Dinner te

"Don''t let that one get away! Go after him!" That big man saw Snder get on his horse and gallop away, and immediately yelled out. But the doppelganger took a look at these enemy troops and immediately drove his horse forward, putting the crossed sword in his hand high and straight in the sky. He looked back at the cowardly, frightened, raising these squires behind him. And fellow knights with indecisive faces. Suddenly the righteous shouted: "Tell me who you are!" Including Bob and two outside the two knights, immediately tilted his head subconsciously drunk: "We are knights! The brave warriors!" The doppelganger was unmoved, but then shouted, "Do you want to die?" "No! I still have family at home!" This time, it was the squires who were afraid that death woulde. The doppelganger suddenly smiled with relief, and his voice cut through the sky, almost reaching the distant Greene Fortress: "I don''t want to die either. But we took a vow! Our virtue and justice, bravery and fearlessness! Have you forgotten the sword that rests on your shoulders! Never give your backs to the enemy! For we are knights!" As soon as the words left his mouth, Bob waved his crossed swords with a face full of exhration. Yelling, "Our glory!" The doppelganger nodded and swept his gaze over the gradually steadfast fellow knights and those squires. With a loud hiss, he said, "For our glory!" Before the words were out of his mouth, the doppelganger took the lead without looking back and drove his warhorse up the hill to meet the big man! Bob and the other knights, as well as all the squires, immediately followed, raising their long swords and shouting, "Glory!" As soon as the big man saw that the Kasmis, who were twice as numerous as himself, dared to take the lead in the attack, he heard the word "Glory" resounding all around him, and the big man, who was also a knight, put on the ck domed helmet on his horse''s pouch, took out the blood-stained one-handed axe from his back, and shouted to his squires and the ordinary scouts around him, "Attack! With our swords, grant them glory!" "Kill!!!" Both sides rode their horses and charged against each other. The Kingdom of Malta upied the high ground and swooped downward. The doppelganger side was located below and climbed upwards. Anyone who is not an idiot can see that this is very unfavorable for them, who are outnumbered. But the doppelganger at this time looked at the front of a scout, gray leather armor over iron armor, holding a pointed gun aimed at the doppelganger, his face was full of bloodthirsty killing intent! He knew that as long as the few rushing in front were blocked, the impact ofter troops would be substantially thwarted. The premise was that he himself was not killed. "Ahhhhhhh! '' The doppelganger made a decision, immediately shouted a loud momentum, those eyes vaguely shing golden light, the crossed sword in his hand can be seen with golden veins instantly all over the sword. Seeing that the sharp tip of the gun is about to pierce in the chest of the doppelganger, the doppelganger immediately flew a deflection, that ride and driven by the very strong speed, holding the hand of the sword immediately hanging down, upward swiftly upward! Swish! Only to see a sh of golden light! Bob and others who were following closely behind immediately saw with excitement that the scout did not even have time to wail, shattered with a crash, a straight bloody trace on the chest, head, spear and horse head in a straight line! With a boom, even the man with the horse tumbled down, spewing out ten feet of blood! But that''s all, Pdin didn''t stop there, he picked up a chop at the same time, the left hand immediately flung down, fixed in the arm shield immediately slipped into the palm of the hand. As soon as he was done, another soldier came up on a fast horse, and the longsword in his hand cut into the doppelganger''s head! But all of this was expected by the doppelganger, who took the handle of the shield in his left hand and flung it violently at the oing soldier without stopping in the slightest! A loud ng, mixed with the sound of cracking bones. The soldier screamed with blood all over his face and flew backwards. But in the moment of throwing the shield, another soldier night rode down, thence stabbed to the chest. And at this time the doppelganger is the old power just go, the new power for the state of life, if this hits, will be alive through the body hanging on thence! But this close call, but the doppelganger then threw out the shield force, so that they stick to the back of the horse. The sharp tip of thence grazed the back and stabbed a nk! Such a good time doppelganger, how will let him slip away? A swift and iparable hand grabbed the barrel of the gun, and with the force of rising up snatched thence. The right hand immediately followed, twisting the sword swinging at his waist! The soldier''s head was chopped off! This instant, the doppelganger''s afterimage immediately saw another soldier on the right wielding a nail-head hammer riding in. Very decisive to use the momentum to throw away the longsword, the empty right hand immediately grabbed thence. Once again turned around and roared, thence was thrown bent and whipped hard on the soldier! The snap shattered the chain armor of that, and fell off the horse with a miserable cry. Looking at the many strokes, but in reality, it was only an instant. The clone killed four soldiers. Let Bob and the other two knights, who had always thought they knew Alfred very well, were more shocked than pleasantly surprised! Good martial arts, good skills! This is the word that instantly popped into everyone''s mind. But at this time, the avatar has not recovered from the high-intensitybat and responsiveness. The only knight in Malta was riding a horse and rushed down quickly. The one-handed ax in his hand hit the legs of his naked horse with a thunderbolt! The war horse immediately let out a howl, fell to its knees, but rolled over due to the powerful impact. The clone with a pale face was thrown out with a whoosh! Boom! The clone hit a lonely fir tree. Now he is used to the mental pain caused by the fusion of light elements, and he tasted the unimaginable physical pain for the first time! "Ahhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhh!" the avatar let out a scream, andy down in the bushes. Although the armor on the back was not broken, the avatar could feel that the back had received a very serious injury! As long as the force is stronger, it is uncertain whether his spine will be broken! "Wow..." With trembling hands supporting the sandy ground, the avatar opened its mouth and a pool of thick blood spurted out. He suddenly found that there was a haze in front of him, and Venus was shining. It''s hard to see what''s in front of you. The ears kept buzzing, and the hazy sound of shing and screams entered the ears, but it seemed very unreal. Knowing in his heart that this body was seriously injured, he immediately called five hundred elements to repair the injured muscles and bones with all his strength. Soon, the avatar sitting slumped next to the tree trunk gradually regained its vision. The ck shadow that was originally hazy and gradually getting bigger in front of my eyes became more and more clear at this moment. After seeing things clearly, the originally blurred eyes instantly became sharp! "Ahhh! Die!" A scout, wearing cheap cotton armor, came up to him wielding a one-handed axe, and chopped off his head! The clone could even see the tiny cracks and ck bloodstains on the axe. Extremely fast, the clone immediately disconnected the elements repairing the back, and quickly lowered its head to take the fatal blow. The ax immediately cut deeply into the trunk! The opportunity never came again, the avatar immediately threw his hands away, grabbing the throat of the soldier who was not protected by armor. Twist very decisively! Card wipe. The young man immediately fell to the ground with lost eyesight. The clone naturally pulled out the one-handed ax and stood up unsteadily. Look at this little battlefield. He was deeply shocked at the moment. On the hillside, a dozen horses fell in a pool of blood. There were some with only saddles left on their backs, scattered away from this human battlefield. The original grass-green shrubs from, but it was dyed some blinding red. On this scarlet red, in addition to the horse''s corpse, there are soldiers in different clothes with severed limbs. One can even see, in the distance, there are two sides of soldiers, or riding horses, or on foot. With weapons in their hands, or with their mouths and teeth. Fighting for their lives. The air was filled with the pungent smell of blood and stench. In addition to the asional screams and shouts in the ears. It is very clear, as in the ears jumping with a very fast heartbeat. This is the battlefield, just less than a hundred people on the battlefield. Although the Pdin doppelganger read Alfred''s entire memory, he also saw the memory of the brutal fight. But now control the shock brought by this personal experience, was far from being able topare. At this moment, at the Green Fortress. Kaleqi looked at Pdin with his mouth open and his eyes out of focus with a strange expression. Because he had tears flowing from his eyes. There was no sadness, nor joy. It was purely a catharsis of emotions intense to the extreme. Only to hear Pdin suddenlye back to his senses and sighed. Stroking the Bible on the table, but his face returned to the silence, murmuring: "This is the bright red pulp soup, death''s dinner te." Chapter 96: Start Arranging

Chapter 96: Start Arranging

The doppelganger took a dozen horses and carried the corpses and the captive Dredd. Walked towards the Green Fortress. Bob proposed to wipe off the blood on his body in order to go in and behave in a polished manner. But this suggestion was rejected by the doppelganger without hesitation. This blood is not only a symbol of merit, but also a treasure that can win sympathy! How could it be wiped off? Seeing the towering fortress, and the endlessly rolling camp right in front of him, Bob, who deliberately slowed the doppelganger by a beat andnded behind him, nced at the crossbows held by his horses. ¡°The kingdom of Malta is really rich, a scout team is able to allocate one crossbow each. It''s really wealthy." The doppelganger slightly inclined his head and nced at Bob. This apparently brisk, simple knight deliberately fell behind himself, the intention of which he was naturally very clear. It seems that being able to be a knight is not really a fool.Knowing the time, know who can bring glory to whom, or status. "Open the door! It''s the mel knights who have returned! They''re not dead!" The gates of the camp rumbled open at the sound of this impassioned shout. The doppelganger recognized the voice, the voice of his squire Snder. He gave everyone behind him a wink, and immediately put on a solemn and tired look and walked to the door. The wooden gate opened and Baron Hank rode out first with an excited look on his face, followed by Snder and the other knights belonging to him. Baron Hank saw the doppelganger and Bob and the corpse held behind him, the original excited expression immediately heaved. The baron rode up and looked up and down at the doppelganger and Bob and nodded in relief: "Good, it''s good to be back alive. Come on, let''s go in!" At this moment, Baron Hank is not like a boss, but more like a loving father watching the return of his children. The doppelganger nodded and waved his hand to shut up the excited Snder. The group walked through the camp''s gates with the pungent smell of blood on their noses. Like a wee triumphal army, the mercenaries and soldiers in the camp who were chaotic everywhere doing their own thing are now divided into two sides, along with the tents on both sides, an invisible solemn atmosphere spread. These soldiers nced at the blood-red doppelganger, Bob and five retainers immediately attracted them. Together with the corpse held by the horses behind, and Dredd, who was still tied with twine on the back of the horse, immediately stood in awe. "These knight lords are arrogant, but they are really warriors when ites to fighting and killing!" This idea spread in an instant to the nearby soldiers, and also expanded even more from the whispers at a very fast pace. . "Hahahaha, our warrior has returned from defeating the enemy!" In the front, the white orchid (the Countess Banhua) countess in chain armor and heraldic robes, as soon as she saw the doppelganger and the others, immediately led the nobles and knights behind her toe forward. Until this moment, the doppelganger had no chance to be able to catch a glimpse of this femalemander-in-chief. In a word, if she did not open her mouth, he would never think that this is a woman. The long hair was scattered behind her back, but it didn''t have the luster of an ordinarydy, but it was a little more dry. That is the color of marching and fighting, eroded by wind and frost. Square face, bronze skin. big mouth. Thick eyebrows. Very imposing eyes. If it weren''t for the fact that she didn''t grow a beard, she would definitely have the demeanor of an old general in the battlefield with her throw and stomp. Seeing this, the doppelganger immediately understood why the 40-year-old countess is still unmarried, not only because she has not met a suitable spouse, but also because of this style, this honor, which really makes many people look at her. The aristocrats who are used to the beauty ofdies are daunting. This is a strong woman. The doppelganger defined itself. And Bob, squire, and Baron Hank and other attachments of all the people with titles immediately turned over and dismounted, took off their helmets and gathered them to their chests, and knelt down on one knee: "Lord Count, fortunately, we are back." "Well, everyone has worked hard. Hurry up and go to Lord Archbishop Lorne and ask him to arrange for someone to treat you. Then rest well tonight." The countess immediately bent down and returned the salute, grinning broadly as she said. The doppelganger knelt down on one knee, and seeing Baron Hank next to him looking like he wanted to say something, he simply stood up and spoke very respectfully, "Countess, won''t you invite us to have a sip of wine in the tent?" "Hahahahaha, you are very interesting. What is your name?" "Alfred, mel. Your Excellency the Count. Please also forgive me for being presumptuous, I have emptied my water in the fight." The doppelganger spoke so boldly that it only dazzled the nobles such as Baron Hank and Bob next to him. But the Count''s reaction made them guess even more. "Okay, lets go, boys." The countess waved her hand with a big grin, and with a d nod of appeasement from the doppelganger, Baron Hank, Bob and the other squires followed in with trepidation. Into the tent they burrowed. As soon as the crowd left, these mercenaries and soldiers immediately exploded into a frenzy of disbelief, discussing: "My Enos ah, could it be that this Alfred Knight lord has taken a fancy to this lioness!" "Hard to say, people have special tastes?" An old mercenary with some connotation immediately interjected, thinking that the profound exnation: "I think this knight lord wants to climb the high branch. The aristocrats, right, what dirty things they can not do? This Alfred looks fair and tender, maybe it suits the earl''s taste. Hehe~" The first time he said that, he immediately got an approval sound from therge number of people around. And just when the doppelganger was about to enter the tent, far away at the other end of the camp, hiding in the tent to copy the Bible, Pdin suddenly put down the quill with one hand. Carefully changed the ink bottle, stood up and changed into a ceremonial robe, that was the scepter, and put on his hat. Smiling at Kaleqi, who was struggling to learn to write and recognize words beside him, he said, "Come,e along. Let''s go see the other Earl." Kaleiqi had just escaped from the chaotic sea of ??words, and looked at Pdin with a ignorant face, but was lifted up by Pdin''s arms, handed the sharp sword and light armor on the shelf to Kaleqi and said: "Don''t be dazed, remember the aristocratic etiquette that I taught you before. Just don''t be stage fright. Remember that you are the lord of Nurba, Sir Nurba." Kaleqi shook his beard and looked confused. Wearing chain armor, he inserted the scabbard on the table into his belt, and asked in a very puzzled manner: "Pdin, what are you talking about? What earl? What stage fright? You..." But before he could finish, Pdin suddenly turned around, took the scepter in his hand and pointed at his chest, and said with a yful tone, "I am helping you, my dear Kaleqi. War ising, either today or tomorrow. You don''t want to be left with nothing in case Earl Of Torch dies. This is for you to save your back." "Eh eh eh, I still don''t understand it. Pdin, exin it to me." "There is no time to exin, time never waits for others, because it is relentless." The smile on Pdin''s face became more and more bizarre, and when he saw Kaleqi dressed, he walked out of the tent and he pulled his arm. In front of the confused Kaleqi behind him, Pdin had an increasingly mysterious smile on his face. It is impossible to guess. Chapter 97: Orinna, White Orchid

Chapter 97: Orinna, White Orchid

Once inside the tent, Countess White Orchid immediately waved her hand, and the five guards standing around immediately retreated. Only Baron Hank and the doppelganger, Bob and five attendants were left in the field. There were no outsiders at the moment, the original bright smile of the countess disappeared immediately. She sat down on the table, and said to the smiling doppelganger in front of her with a sullen face: "Well say, what must be avoiding everyone to speak?" Under the astonished eyes of Bob and Baron Hank, the doppelganger waved his hand to the five attendants behind him, who immediately nodded, and the two of them went out for a while and carried in the captive Dredd, who was dead white and only half alive because of excessive blood loss. "Who is this? Your (attendant)squire?" The Countess saw a seriously wounded soldier carried in, and the smell of blood, if any, instantly made the Countess frown. But it is good that that cultured maintained the attitude, only the tone of voice still carried dissatisfaction. Doppelganger ignored the count''s gaze, squatted down and turned the slightly gasping almost dead Dredd over, revealing the chest armor, pointing to the roaring bear head carved on the chest, and said with a smile: "Lord Count has been fighting for years, you should recognize what this is." The countess sitting on the chair heard the sound and looked, and immediately her eyes stared. When she saw clearly that it was a roaring bear head, she stood up with a loud bang and raised her thick arm with a face of disbelief, pointing at Dredd who was lying on the ground and questioning: "The Kingdom of Malta. Why is the bear''s head crest of Malta appearing here!" Doppelganger and Bob and the others immediately fell silent. Although Baron Hank was shocked for just a moment, it was very clear that this was not a question at all, but he already knew the answer. The answer was that Ai Xinzhe''s reinforcements, the army of the Kingdom of Malta, had arrived at the front line much earlier than they had expected. To put it badly, fifty miles away, Malta''s army was already aligned and ready. At this moment, the Countess''s brow was deeply furrowed. She naturally knew what this enemy meant. Very decisively, the count drew out her sword and walked up to Dredd, the sharp tip of her sword pointed at his forehead, and the countess, as fierce as a lioness, red at Dredd and questioned, "Give me your name, before I lose my patience and kill you." Dredd, breathless, looked at this fierce white orchid that he had heard of in the Kingdom of Malta. Immediately, he said in a trembling voice: "I am a knight under the Lord Baron Genov of the Kingdom of Malta. Dredd, Nawehar. This time, I received an order toe and investigate the situation at Green Fortress." Who knew, Dredd told the whole story, but made the countess more angry, shended a fierce kick on Dredd''s stomach, and regardless of thetter immediately spurting blood, she said very disgustedly: "There is no chivalry, You have no honor. You actually told all the facts. Killing you is just ndering the sword in my hand!" As soon as the Count withdrew her sword, she stared at Dredd and said, "Where are Baron Genov''s troops? What are the ns of your army? Tell me, I can let the bishop treat your wound, and I can also treat you well with food and drink. When the war is over, I will let your family pay the ransom and send you back." "I¡¯ll say, I¡¯ll say!" Dredd immediately eagerly braced himself, and regardless of the growing disgust on the countess''s face, he directly stated, "All I know is that the kingdom''s army is being unified with Ai Xinche''s army, and is still several hundred miles away at Ai Xinche''s Shield Fortress. But Baron Genov, following the orders of Marquis Javier of Havel, is leading three thousand light horsemen to a ce fifty miles away to wait for orders. This is used to spy out the reality of your side. Only a few dayster, when the army arrives and the food suffixes are delivered and ced, let usunch a general attack. And¡­¡­." "That''s enough!" The countess suddenly roared, causing Dredd to be interrupted when he was talking happily, but saw the countess crouching down and grabbing Dredd''s hair with a face of hatred, ignoring thetter''s screams of pain, and said contemptuously: " I''m so d that mel endured his murderous intent and brought you here. I''m also d that people like you didn''t appear among our knights. With such an important secret, your Baron Denov must have instructed a thousand times not to be caught. And not to try to get close to us. But you did it, and you betrayed them. Oh! God, the most shameful betrayal!" Saying this, the countess stood up and roared to the guards at the door, "Take this honorless trash down and lock him up!" After saying that, he hesitated, and in the tradition of the nobility, he still added ufortably, "Serve Good food and drink for him." Seeing Dredd seemed relieved, he was carried out by the guards. The countess''s expression eased, and she looked at the doppelganger with a kind smile and said, "Alfred, mel. It is said that your team encountered an enemy twice as many as that scum. Surprisingly, you were able to wipe them out and bring back important information. Your steadfast chivalry and high honor won the battle for you. What''s more, you have gained supreme glory for your family." The doppelganger who was standing immediately fell to his knees again and said very respectfully: "All of this rely on the brave and fearless squires and knights. Especially Bob, he was brave in this battle and proved himself to be a noble knight with his sword and shield." The countess raised her eyebrows and immediately looked at Bob behind the doppelganger, but saw that this Bob had a fierce face and also looked foolish. At once the interest threw eight points. But still with a smile said: "You are an excellent knight." Bob, however, was full of excitement and knelt on one knee, with his head lowered to shrink into his arms: "Lord Count! I am Bob Nachvelt. Since I was a child, I have always admired your gantry, and today I finally got what I wanted!" The countess nodded perfunctorily. But before she could say anything, Baron Hank, who was standing next to her, spoke out in a low tone with a question: "Count, these brave and fearless knights were all assigned by you to force me. Remember, there are still two brave knights who are buried by soldiers in the cemetery outside the fortress at this moment." The countess faintly froze, but saw Baron Hank looking at her with a sorrowful face. It is also true that if this baron had not teased her, she would not have made this decision in a fit of anger. But you can''t just admit your mistake. Not only do you lose face, but you can''t step down. But in this scene, the doppelganger saw it all in his eyes. And he immediately seized the opportunity to say: "Lord Baron you can not me the Countess. If it wasn''t for the Countess, you wouldn''t have let us patrol that bush. We wouldn''t have caught this Dredd, and you wouldn''t have known about this important information. Lord Baron, don''t you understand? This is Enos''s arrangement, and victory already stands over our Principality of Kasmi. For Enos he blesses us at every moment." "You¡­." His own knight actually helped others to talk back. Baron Hank was dismayed for a while. But the countess nodded in a very receptive manner, looking at the doppelganger kneeling on one knee, and the more she looked at it, the more she liked it. The long bright red hair looks elegant and passionate. The face as white as a knife is not as soft as that of a nobleman. Instead, it looks particrly brave against the backdrop of the armor on his body. Oh, praise Enos. The pale blue eyes are like small talking hands that caress the heart of the count who has been in battle for years. Such a beautiful man on the battlefield, a knight of valor, integrity, kindness and thoughtfulness. Isn''t it the heroic knights in those biographies? The count thought so, with a slightly ambiguous smile on her face. What an insult to have such a great knight in the hands of an idiot like Hank! Suddenly, a selfish decision emerged in the hearts of the Countess, Orinna, and White Orchid, and quickly suppressed various thoughts and prevailed. Chapter 98: Double Act

Chapter 98: Double Act

"Alfred, mel. Bob, Nachvelt. I am very touched and delighted by your outstandingbat ability and determined chivalry." Countess Orinna suddenly put on a very formal and solemn look. This gesture made Baron Hank on one side feel extremely ufortable at once. Just to hear Orinna open her mouth and say, "Two noble knights, are you willing to protect my side and be a member of the Order of the Aries Knights?" The baron''s face suddenly changed dramatically! Just as he was about to roar to stop this farce, the doppelganger on one knee took a keen look at the baron and said, preemptively, "I, Alfred, mel am willing to bless my lord and protect her side and be a part of the Order!" The Baron''s words were swallowed back as he looked incredulously at the smiling doppelganger and muttered with an expression of utter disappointment, "Alfred, you." The doppelganger poked Bob behind him unnoticeably. Thetter immediately woke up and followed and agreed: "I, Bob, Nachvelt. Willing to be a part of the Aries Knights." "You two..." There was already anger on the Baron''s face. These two guys had sworn that they were already irrevocable. Compared to which Dredd is nothing? This is a naked betrayal! Count Orinna, however, was very happy, especially seeing Baron Hank''s look of daring to speak out in anger. Looking down, she saw the doppelganger kneeling on one knee in front of her, with the soft red hair and the rigid face. Suddenly she saw him raise his head and his eyes straightened to meet her own! For a moment, this battle-tested countess, surprisingly shyly turned her head away. Pretending to be calm, she took the ceremonial longsword from the table and drew it, and a smile appeared on that fierce face. Longsword point on the shoulder of the doppelganger three times. Suddenly said solemnly:"Now, in the name of Orinna, the first-ss Countess of the Principality of Kasmi, the head of the Aries Knights, and the heir of the White Orchid n, I bestow on you the fourth captain of the Aries Knights, Sindep Baronship!" "I protest!" As soon as the exasperated Baron Hank heard that he had even enthroned his doppelganger as a baron, he immediately couldn''t bear the anger to voice out his protest. But Countess Orinna immediately interrupted the baron''s protest with a wave of her hand and stated with a lofty look, "I am an Countess, and I am also the head of the Order of the Aries Knights! It is my right to ennoble a baron, and even the Grand Duke himself cannot stop it!" After finishing speaking, she red at the baron who had nothing to say, put the ceremonial sword back in her hand and said, "Alfred, don''t take offense. Now it is war time is so simple. When the war is over, a real ceremony will be held in my castle. By then many nobles will have returned to observe the ceremony." The doppelganger immediately bent, suddenly once again one knee on the ground to kiss the count''s rough hand back. It made Orinna blush. But heard the doppelganger say: "Lord Count, your beauty enchants me. Unlike those vulgar noblewomen. You are a rose that blooms on the battlefield. The sharp thorns make me afraid to touch you! Oh, praise Enos, you are so beautiful!" When the baron on the side heard these words, he was so frightened that he opened his mouth and couldn''t react. But the Countess''s performanceter made him feel that he had misjudged Alfred. He saw that the countess, known for her sternness and coldness, was miraculously blushing at this moment. She couldn''t even speak in a row: "Ah...uh, please, please get up." The doppelganger stood up as instructed, and the flickering love in his eyes made the count immediately tremble, and the blush on her face deepened. Associated with those myths and biographies, the heroic knight adored the mistress, the romantic feelings. At once, Orinna''s heart and liver fluttered and jumped up and down. Becausepared to those noblewomen who spend all day with men, Orinna never had this experience. Don''t believe it? Just look at her fierce face. But for the sake of the future, and the value of this doppelganger. Even if it is an old sow, Pdin can only endure. And at this time, the eyes of the five squires behind that are not all unbearable excitement! The Knights of the Aries! One of the three most powerful knightly orders in the Principality. Now Alfred has be one of the captains of the Order, and even got the status of a baron, so as long as you follow this nobleman, it may not be long before they can realize their dream and be a knight! So they didn''t hear a word of the conversation between the doppelganger and the count. Completely silent in the beautiful fantasy of the future. And Bob, who stood up, although at the moment there was a smile on his face, but if you look closely, the smile is very forced. Yes, Alfred saved him and saved the team. It was also by his bravery that he was able to enter the Order of the Aries Knights. But vaguely, a voice in his heart told him: "You are a knight, he is also a knight. Now he has be a baron, and you have be a knight who takes orders from him! Is it fair? Is it fair? Are you willing!" Yes, Bob''s steel teeth were clenched and he was ufortable. Thinking he hadn''t been paid what he deserved. Perhaps that barcy should have been his! Count Orinna shouldn''t like such a thin-skinned little white boy. He himself is the knight who really does great things and can do his duty! At this moment, Bob''s eyes narrowed slightly, and a beast called jealousy raged in his chest, tearing his heart and liver, eating his soul. But at that moment, the curtain of the tent was suddenly lifted, and a priest in a gorgeous robe came in sharply, calling out nervously under his breath, "Brother, brother how are you!" The crowd subconsciously raised their eyes to look, but saw a young priest with ck, somewhat disheveled hair rushing in. As soon as he saw Alfred, who was kneeling on one knee, he immediately squatted down with great tension. This person is Pdin who came through the bilocation. "You, howe you came in! Get out!" The two guards outside the door immediately trailed in, under the sight of the countess, forehead immediately emerged cold sweat. He was clearly guarding the door, but just felt a sh before his eyes, this priest went in. The count should not me him. Slightly dissatisfied Count Orinna nced at Pdin, and then nced at the doppelganger and said, "Baron Sindep, this is your brother?" The doppelganger bent down to the Count with an apologetic face: "Lord Count forgive him. This is my brother, Pdin, mel. Now he is the auxiliary bishop of the Church." After saying this, he looked at the body of the Pdin and chided: "Brother, this is the Count''s tent, shouldn''t you be in Count Torch''s camp? Why did you run in?" "I heard that something happened to you." Pdin said so with a tense face, and looked up and down the ckened blood on the doppelganger''s armor. Tears were immediately rolling in his eyes: "Look at the blood all over your body! You said it''s okay!" After all, ignoring the baron and count who were present at the moment, he took off the shoulder armor of the doppelganger''s shoulder, revealing a big hole. Although the blood has dried up and the wounds are scarred. But he thought there must be a big problem with the operation of the arm. Pdin was pursing his mouth, like a very innocent younger brother who only worried about his elder brother''s injury, gently stroking his hand on the wound. Immediately, a very soft golden light flickered in the palm of his hand. In just a few seconds, Pdin took the palm as if nothing had happened, and the wound on the shoulder disappearedpletely like a dream! It''s just that the blood on the side of the armor proves that this is not a fantasy, but a real superb healing technique! Chapter 99: Valuing

Chapter 99: Valuing

"Oh! O my Enos. This is simply impossible!" After seeing Alfred for only a few seconds, the wound on Alfred''s shoulder immediately healed as good as new. Countess Orinna jumped up in shock as if seeing the real body of Enos descend. Not only that, even Baron Hank and Bob next to him, also looked at the skin as good as new in disbelief. All of the people sitting here are nobles. Especially Orinna, as a count and head of the battlefield, there were countless small andrge wounds she got. So She naturally understood very well how high the healing technique that a priest could perform could reach. An ordinary priest, who has been taught systematically and has several years of experience in using healing arts for a long time. Then, like the big gash on Alfred''s shoulder, it would take half of the magic power, and it would take an hour to heal. Among them are the outstanding ones of the Holy See. Archbishop Sarriel,Toronto who came to the front line of the fortress to serve as the chief priest of wartime medical care. His attainments in healing techniques were beyond the reach of the other six archbishops in the Principality of Kasmi. Although such a wound does not consume much mana for him, it is impossible to heal itpletely with a wave of his hand! It is conceivable that this little-known Alfred''s younger brother has such a powerful talent, but he has not been discovered! Just when Orinna was silent and shocked at the high level of Pdin''s healing art. Instead, Pdin stood up like a family man, turned back to look at the other few dumbfounded squires with his face as usual, once again showed a harmless smile and crouched down and said, "Mr. Trainee Knight, your leg is injured." "Huh?" A young squire suddenly came back to his senses. He did not know that his leg was injured. But when Pdin removed the leg armor, arge purple-ck color spread under the skin represented that a very serious injury had been sustained inside. "Look, it must have been hit by the nail head hammer(mace). Although the skin is not broken, it has hurt the bones and muscles. If you don''t treat it quickly, your leg will be ruined." Pdin said, gently Pressing the purple-ck area, the attendant who was still suspicious immediately turned pale and screamed in pain. In disguise, it proves that what Pdin said is correct. These wounds are a bit strange to Pdin, but it''s not hard for him to recognize. He couldn''t sleep every night, and all kinds of books were opened by him to pass the time. Not only alchemy, but also various history, mathematics, art, medicine and so on are more or less exposed. This too obvious internal injuries can be seen at a nce. On the contrary, it seems that Pdin is a very experienced healer. At this moment, the countess whose eyes were wide open immediately opened her mouth to see that such internal injuries, Pdin still gently touched it, a sh of golden light burst after. The squire immediatelyfortably cried out. And the original purple and ck injury has disappeared. As good as before. "Oh! Baron Sindep, is this really your brother?" The countess looked at the two brothers with the eyes of looking at rare animals. One fought great battles, brave and upright. Rich in chivalry. The other brother, though ordinary in appearance, had a kind heart and a high attainment in healing that surprised her who had seen so much! She, Orinna, secretly made up her mind, when the matter would be over she will talk to Archbishop Sarrir to talk about how such an outstanding priest can be buried in the battlefield! You know, cases of manughtering priests on the battlefield are not umon. The doppelganger stood up and nodded slightly, but suddenly looked back at the busy Pdin and chided: "Brother, this is the Count''s tent, you burst in abruptly, and you still haven''t apologized to the Count!" Pdin was shaken, immediately embarrassed to look back at the Countess, and was about to rush down on one knee to make atonement, the countess was very magnanimous and excused, with a curious look she asked: "mel. A very familiar surname, where are your parents?" As soon as these words came out, the look of the doppelganger and Pdin''s main body immediately darkened. The doppelganger who was clearly the older brother immediately said with some sadness: "Father and mother. Not long ago, they were ughtered by the mysterious ouws in Fenrir." "Ah! Please forgive me for being presumptuous." The countess was immediately startled. It was only at this moment that she remembered why this surname sounded so familiar, the matter of the magicians attacking the nobles that had be so much of a fuss some time ago. Isn''t it exactly this mel''s surname! I still remember that time, a furious Marquis and Grand Duke of Carmon, aggressively pointed at the head of the Forest of Helitte in the Principality of Kasmi and cursed aggressively. The person in charge had no choice but to dere that Nashura was a heretic and no longer belonged to Helitte, but he was ordered to kill him. Thinking of this, the countess''s eyes suddenly became pitiful, looking at the pair of brothers ying. Especially looking at Alfred, that under the red hair cover, revealing the kind of mncholy beauty. Immediately, a wave of motherly love welled up spontaneously, and the urge to hug Alfred and love him in her arms became more and more intense. But just then, another person broke into the tent, interrupting the Count''s fantasy. The crowd looked up, but saw a tired-looking Kaleqi walking in wearing fancy clothes. Raising his head, as soon as he saw the Countess and everyone else gazing at him, Kaleqi immediately had a wake-up call, and under the gaze of Pdin, who was cast covertly, immediately knelt down on one knee with an expression of deep emotion, and said: "Please forgive me for my presumption, Lord Count. I am Sir Kaleqi of Nurba, captain of the infantry regiment to which Count Torch belongs." Seeing an outsider, the countess immediately returned to that cold and hard expression. But seeing Pdin immediately exined: "Kaleqi is my good friend, he rushed over here worrying about my brother''s current situation. He is a very chivalrous nobleman. With his help, my life in the diocese has been settled. He is not only my benefactor, but also my elder, my best friend." Hearing Pdin''s words, the countess'' expression gradually softened. But Kaleqi looked at Pdin very strangely. When such nasty words came out of this kid''s mouth, out of his understanding of him, he would not be happy at all, and would only feel that there was a conspiracy in it. The countess, who was about to say something, suddenly realized that the dy was too long, and immediately picked up the sword and put it on her waist, and said to everyone: "I can''t tell you what happened just now, I will go to see the Grand Duke and ask him to give orders. Everyone After going through a tough battle, those who can survive are all warriors, and everyone will be rewarded with a gold coin, so go back and have a good rest." After saying that, the countess walked away immediately with her head held high, but when she passed Alfred, she took a very careful look. Hope to keep this true knight firmly in her heart. When the Countess left, the doppelganger and Pdin, as well as the squires and Bob also left. The doppelganger suddenly noticed that Bob did not look right and turned his head away without saying a word. When he was about to ask him if he was ufortable, Baron Hank, who had been standing coldly on the sidelines, suddenly approached him and muttered in a small voice with anger and sarcasm: "You gave up your vows for the sake of this old woman for your future. O Alfred, you have not only tarnished the coat of arms on your chest, the honor of your knighthood. You have also tarnished your surname mel!" But such meannguage did not make the doppelganger, or Pdin, angry. He simply inclined his head with a smile and said with a victorious gesture, "Please call me Baron Sindep." Chapter 100: Infiltrating The Church

Chapter 100: Infiltrating The Church

And at this time, hundreds of miles away in Nurba. This church, which had closed its doors for many days, weed an uninvited guest. Under the in ck robe and hood, revealing a hint of long aqua blue hair. Although the face could not be seen because of the hood, but the aura that emanated was an inexplicable wisdom. Behind this ck-robed man was a young girl, reflecting the luster of the leather armor covering the key parts. A dagger was wrapped around that white and tender waist. At first nce, she is just an ordinary woman. Unfortunately, if you look closely patiently, you will find that she is full of coquettishness when she smiles. That''s right, these are the great ice magicians Nashura and Adele. At the beginning, they escaped from prison in order to rify O''Neill who was killed by Pdin. Not long after the single incident, when the head of Helitte''s Principality of Kasmi announced that O''Neill was a traitor to the Mages Association. This strengthened Nasura''s determination to clean up the grievances of his friends. After inquiring from many sources, he and Adele sneaked into the archive room to investigate and found out that there are still two sons left by the exterminated mel n. Among them, the eldest son was a knight in the army, and the second son was a priest in Nurba. Nashura, who doesn''t like to deal with nobles very much, traveled day and night to Nurba, looking for the Pdin priest. Hope to get some favorable evidence. When the two stood in front of the locked door, Nashura wondered why it was noon and still not open, Adele immediately went up to the door and knocked: "Father! Are you there, Father? We are devout believers and would like to receive your teachings!" Adele said these kinds of words heartlessly. It only made the old wooden door shake. But at that moment, a passing peasant woman carrying a basket of fruits and vegetables looked at the two and said impatiently, "Father Pdin is out and not here. You''d better go back." Nashura faintly froze, then took the hood off his head, revealing that handsome face and long watery blue hair. Thedy took a look at such a handsome man, suddenly her eyes went gold and her face turned red. Only to see Nasura smiled very politely and said: "Can I ask thisdy, where did Father Pdin go?" The older woman immediatelyughed out of embarrassment, the young man in front of her could be her own son, and she fell in love just now. She simply said: "Young man, I see that you are very polite, so I will tell you." After saying this, the aunt directly ignored the sad Adele behind her, took Nashura''s hand and said with a smile: "Recently for the battle, the lord recruited all the middle-aged men in the town. The priest is a good person, so he went with him." "Battle..." Nasura muttered to himself. But the expression was all gloomy. He exchanged nces with Adele, and both knew what the news meant. The priest who apanied the army died nine times out of ten. Nasura thanked the aunt, took Adele away from Nurba, and made a detour to the cemetery in the backyard of the church. Nasura looked at the tombstones of different sizes and shapes in front of him, sighed and said to Adele who had just climbed in: "This Pdin is a nobleman. How could he be sent to be a priest with the army?" "You mean, someone is trying to secretly add to it?" "That''s right." Nashura nodded his head. With a look as if he could see through it, he whispered: "Someone doesn''t want the mel n to survive, and now that such a big thing has happened, this guy who secretly framed O''Neill must not dare to make a big show of his wrongdoing. As you can imagine, this is a very powerful and able to influence the lesiastical figure. He let Pdin, who is a nobleman, go forward to apany the army, so naturally there will be many opportunities to be able to silence him." Adele nodded with a look of agreement and added: "And don''t forget, this Pdin''s brother is also at the front line, fighting as a knight." "Hey, these two brothers are in danger. I don''t know what this guy in the dark is trying to exterminate the mel n for. Because what threat can a mere family of a knight create?" Adele pulled the thinking Nashura intimately and reminded, "Go inside, maybe we can find something valuable from the house." Nashura also had to nod, opened the backyard window and tumbled in. This dpidated, perennially disrepaired and in church came into view. Adele looked at everything around her with some surprise, and touched the cracks left by the years on the dining table, and the obvious signs of repair. In a tone of admiration: "Hard to believe that this Father Pdin is a nobleman. I have never really seen any nobleman willing to stay here in such an environment. It''s simply too humble." Nashura waved his sleeve, rolled away the cobwebs in the corner of the stairs, and said in an uncertain tone, "It seems that this priest does not like luxurious and opulent churches. I have never heard of a priest who does this, except for some true ascetics. If I didn''t know better, I would have thought this was the home of some refugee." Myriad eyes looked at Nashura, Adele immediately smiled delicately and said, "Listening to your tone, you very much like this Pdin. Hasn''t your Mage Society always had no good feelings towards the Holy See?" "That''s different." As Nasura said, he picked up the only decorative vase next to him and looked at it: "The Holy See and the Mages Association are both spell casters. However, many priests just use the name of Enos, but for their own profit and to do nasty things. In the eyes of the mage, this is an extreme insult to the name of the caster. But this does not mean that we will not give corresponding respect to noble and pious priests." Ad lifted her shoulders indifferently, she was not the least bit interested in the conflict between the mages and the church. Looking at the stairs leading up to the attic, she immediately went up and grabbed Nashura''s hand and walked up the clicking stairs and said, "Go up and have a look, maybe you can see the unknown side of this priest and make youpletely change your mind." Nashura also let her hold his hand. As soon as he stepped on the attic, pushed open the wooden door, the image of a messy bedroom appeared in front of his eyes. Nashura looked up and down at everything and said with a little frown, "It seems that this priest doesn''t like neat living environments." Saying so, Nashura nced at the crucifix nailed to the wall and bent slightly. Turning his hand, he found a huge pile of books piled into a mountainside. Even the bookshelves inside could only show a foot. "Huh, this priest likes to read books?" It seems that they have found amon interest. As a schr who specializes in all kinds of knowledge and is proud of it, mage. He picked up the top book with a slight smile. After reading the title of the book, He blurted out in surprise: "Comprehensive theory of alchemy?" He flipped through it casually, and it was full of very professional terms and various very esoteric graphics. Recalling that Adele was originally a mentor lurking in the Freemasons'' Association, he immediately called out, "Adele, take a look at what this is?" Thetter moved her body in boredom, nced at the contents of the book, the casual eyes immediately disappeared, and took the book, like a tutor assessing a student, she kept flipping through the contents of the book and its contents. Notes and outlines annotated with a pen. Gradually, Nasura was surprised to find that the smile of admiration appeared on Ad''s face more and more. He couldn''t help but say: "I have to say, if the priest is the one who wrote the notes in this book, then he is really a genius in alchemy! Hermes distilled and refined can be contrasted and stimted by Carter''s circle, He scolded Vilov''s magic crystal formation theory to pieces. Hehe! He even modified the foundation of the magic circle by himself, and regarded the masterpieces that many previous masters were proud of as superfluous. I have to say, this guy is either a genius, or downright crazy. If these notes were seen by the Federation''s old pedants, they would certainly be angry to death alive." Chapter 101: The Origin of the Illuminati

Chapter 101: The Origin of the Illuminati

Nashura nonchntly waved his hand and interrupted Adele''s academic research. Although he had studied alchemy, he only slightly understood it, and was not proficient. And he didn''t understand a single thing that Adele had just said. After interrupting Adele''s self-talk, Nashura pointed to the massive pile of books and said, "Look again, is there anything you can learn from." Adele, who was naturally idle, panicked and simply picked a few books at random to open. Although there were asional exmations of amazement, they were full of excitement and were getting more and more intense. And just when Nashura straight up rolled his eyes, thinking that how this guy would forget the business, Adele suddenly let out a cry of surprise! Nasura immediately turned his head and walked over and asked: "What? Did you find something?" But he saw that Adele looked at the ticked and drawn ces on the red book in her hand with a dignified and dotted expression and with a serious and a little rmed tone, said: "Adele''s constant element exchange theory. This is the research paper I published in the Federation of Freemasons! Why is it here!" Eyes narrowed, Nashura immediately stepped forward and took the book, looked at Adele''s signature on it, and immediately asked, "Is this really something you published in the FreeMasons Federation?" "Absolutely right! I can''t mix into the Federation without this thing." Adele, with a grave face, turned back to the alchemical table, looking at the various ss tools and test tubes on the table, with a confirming tone whispered: "Looking at the arrangement of the tools and the opening of the test tube, it is very obvious that it is the style of the Federation. This guy, could it be a student of the Federation, or even a tutor!" Nasura put down the book in his hand, came to Ad''s side, put his one hand on the chin and pondered: "Let''s not say for the moment whether these things are this Father Pdin''s. Assuming that they are his, then he must have a rtionship with the Federation of Freemasons, and perhaps even met you, and you have met him." Seeing Adele sitting down with approval, Nashura continued to reason: "Someone wants to harm his n, or one of the mel n has something or information that makes that guy in the dark must silence them. ording to the people that day, a person covered in ck robes was seen entering the manor house of the mel n. And O''Neill and the others were inside. Soon after, as we saw, no one was there, and this guy who ughtered everyone in cold blood also framed O''Neill and destroyed the gates with O''Neill''s Scroll of Cold Winter Grip." Hearing this, Ad said in frustration: ''If you guessed right. Then this friend of yours, O¡¯Neill, is more than likely dead." "So I will clear his name." There was no sadness in Nashura''s eyes, but a firmness. He continued, "What did the mel n do to be taken out by that man, or a group, at the risk of being wanted by both Hellite and the Principality? Even the heirs who are living outside will not be spared? " Saying so Nashura saw that Adele wanted to say something, immediately continued, "And, from now on, it seems that the one most likely to have some sort of leverage would be this Father Pdin. In addition, he has an ambiguous rtionship with the Freemasons'' Association. Could all this be the work of the hostile forces of the Freemasons'' Association? Adele, you have stayed in the Federation for some time, do you know what hostile organizations there are in the Federation?" Nashura suddenly asked Adele a question. Because he was also at a loss. You should know that the Freemasons¡¯ Association is not only a big organization, but there are also not a few organizations that oppose it. Among them, the Holy See was the most famous. But the Holy See would not do such a degrading and inefficient method. It must be someone else. Who knew that under the expectant gaze of Nashura Ad hesitated for half a second before slowly nodding her head. Hesitantly, she said, "I heard President Kahn warn us about this matter. You must not say anything about it." "Don''t worry, do you still not know who I am?" After seeing Nashura''s face of assurance, Adele said a secret in her heart: "The biggest enemy of the Federation is not the Holy See or any other kingdom. Rather, it is the ancestors." "Huh?" Nashura was a little confused. What does this mean? But then he heard Adele exin, "You are the Great Magician of Hellite, you must have heard of it, the organization that is privately called the Illuminati." "Illuminati!" Nashura stared up in shock, and immediately fell into shock at the confirming look from Adele. Illuminati, this was simply a taboo word for the Holy See. The predecessor of this organization was nothing more than a monastic order of the Holy See. In the beginning, it was only a few monks and priests of simr wills who participated. It was used to chat privately, express their feelings, and discuss the existence of the Holy See. Everyone wore a mask and was covered in ck. No one knew anyone. But gradually, one can rx and vent their grievance, without the need to estimate the identity of one''s status, one after another they weed a number of clergy in high positions. From the original bishop, to the archbishop. Even half of the thirteen cardinals who lead the Holy See have joined this organization. Although it¡¯s getting more and more powerful, but because this clubhouse does not have strict rules, and does not need other people to obey orders, then Pope Prisci III in consideration of the feelings of the cardinals, also turned a blind eye. Thus, the club grew wildly under the indulgence. At that time, no matter what kingdom or empire, there would be a ce under some shady corner. That is the local members get together to drink tea and brag, without regard to each other''s identity. However, when this clubhouse weed its first leader, the nature changedpletely. It was the presence of the one who was obscurely called the Listener in the canon. Almost no one has ever seen him, nor do they know whether he is male or female, tall or short, fat or thin. Even the name is not known. He could only be called by a nickname. Legend has it that he was a fallen monk, and no one knows what methods he used to be the leader of the club. Because the club does not limit the topic, he went so far as to propagate to the members that the Pope Prisci III was a true heretic, who came to scourge all beings in the name of God. Headed by the listeners, arge number of priests and monks dered that the Pope is a heretic, and they wanted to cleanse the church and return it to purity and piety. Thus began a great rebellion that had been censored from the myths and history books. Priests and monks everywhere took up arms, put on armor, and an incalcble number of believersunched attacks throughout the continent. Priests defending the pope were burned at the stake by the mob, and churches were sacked. The entire mob of 200,000 people covered the holy city of Cassily like a ck curtain. It was directed at the Pope. Seeing such turmoil, the countries that supported the rebellion, and those that supported the Pope, because of their different interests and the opportunity to take revenge, immediately raised their troops. The whole continent was immediately plunged into unimaginable warfare. Finally, when the pope was at the end of his rope, he united the remaining cardinals and elite Temrs, looked at the 200,000 mobs that besieged Cassily, and used his own flesh and blood and soul as a sacrifice to summon the one eye of the high God, Enos, to the sky of Cassily city! When the eye of God looked at these human beings coldly and mercilessly, and turned all 200,000 mobs into ashes with iparably powerful power. The man who was named the listener was utterly disappointed. At the end of the war, because of theing of God, those stupid people everywhere who were about to move immediately repented in pain and knelt down on the ground to repent of their sins. A divine white light hovered over Cassily for months. The new pope immediately took advantage of this to preach inrge numbers, and countless people rushed to repent, once making the prestige of the Holy See unprecedentedly inted! After seeing the existence of God and his unparalleled power, the nations immediately stopped and made peace, and embraced the legitimacy of the pope. The Pope also took advantage of the situation and dered the Illuminati to be the greatest heretics, and worked tirelessly to destroy them. From then on, the Illuminati hid in the shadows and became a mysterious organization unknown to the public. Even today, many yearster, this party can only be found in the strictly guarded documents of a long-established organization. At that time, after witnessing the destruction of the people by the gods of faith with unmerciful power, the faith of the listener copsed and disintegrated. When the god that he had been using as a guiding light disappeared, it dawned on him that this so-called god looked at these believers as nothing more than an ant''s existence. Since then, the Illuminati has be a reverse god organization. For thousands of years, they left no stone unturned to eradicate the very and control brought by the gods. They want to destroy this conceited fellow and bring true liberation to life. Chapter 102: Approaching the Truth

Chapter 102: Approaching the Truth

Thinking of such a tremendous origin, Nashura nodded heavily and asked, "The Illuminati, the greatest heresy, the madness against the gods. But what does this have to do with your Freemasons Federation?" Adele sighed, her gaze gradually deepened: "The Federation of Freemasons, ims that the gods cannot be trusted, what can really be trusted is the truth. It is the unchangingw that runs between all things." "Does it mean?" Nashura seemed toprehend something, and a look of astonishment gradually appeared on his face. But Adele said with certainty, "Yes, the Illuminati is the ancestor of the Federation. The Federation is a separate organization from the Illuminati!" Looking at the shocked look of Nashura, but Adele said in a low voice: "But, although separated from the Illuminati, the two organizations are not getting along very well. One wants to kill God. One, however, does not believe in God, believing in the nebulous truth." Saying that, Ad also maliciously added: "Not long ago, there was a turmoil in the FreeMasons Association, and it is said that spies from the Illuminati sneaked in. It is not so much that the Illuminati want to kill God, but Looking at their relentless pursuit of Ripley''s scroll, maybe they want to be gods themselves!" Nashura sighed and muttered, "Obsessed with power and can''t see the way ahead? How foolish to presume to rebel against the gods." Nashura, who sighed, did not see the nervous eyes of Adele, who was next to him. She did not say that she was one of the Illuminati spies who had infiltrated the Federation. It seems that she did not want to be known by Nashura. Seeing Nasura''s emotional expression, Adele decided that it was best never to tell her lover about her identity. "That''s getting too far, we should focus on the matter of mel''s genocide." Nashura interrupted the conversation with a wave of his hand. But Adele on one side immediately reminded, "We can actually narrow down the scope. There is someone who can drive a church priest to be a military priest and go to the battlefield. And this person also has other potential entanglements with Pdin." As soon as the words left their mouths, Nashura and Adele immediately looked at each other and waved their fingers in unison and said in unison, "The diocesan bishop!" "Hehe." The two immediatelyughed merrily. Then Nashura immediately suggested, "The diocesan bishop here was heard to be called Andrew. Edley is not too far from here. Let''s go there. Let''s see what this bishop says first, and then decide whether we should rush to the front to find Father Pdin." "Hmm." Adele agreed with a lively voice and was about to go downstairs with Nashura to leave the ce when she suddenly stopped and said with a roll of her eyes, "It''s almost over, we have to return these things that have been moved to their original ces." Nashura turned around and saw with amazement that Adele was swimmingly putting the papers and messy books scattered on the floor in a regr stack, and couldn''t help but ask curiously, "It was so messy just now, you remembered how to put it all together?" Adele pped her hands, looking intact, as if no one hade in to search, she couldn''t help pouting like a little woman and said coquettishly: "Do not underestimate me! I am also a member of the H-asassin Alliance. Assassin with the title of Hound! These are just basic skills!" Speaking of this, Adele suddenly poofed out augh. Shaking her head, she said, "Speaking of this Father Pdin, I remembered my days in the Freemasons'' Union." "What''s wrong?" Nashura questioned, but heard Adele say with an indifferent tone, "Nothing, there was also one called Pdin in the Federation. But a handyman, and an idiot at that." With a smile on her face, her mind shed back to the castle of the Federation, the poorly dressed gray linen, holding a broom with a demented face of Pdin. It''s just that the memory of the face is no longer clear, only a cloud of fuzziness covers the face. After all, he is an insignificant little person, and it is normal not to remember his face. Nashura dotted and said yes, and with Adele, who raised her chest proudly, left the church and headed for Bishop Andrew of Edley. Unfortunately, as the founders of the H-assassin Union left a famous saying. An assassin who is too immersed in love and lust is no longer a qualified assassin. Adele returned things to their original ce, but made an extremely stupid and fatal mistake. The vase that had been pulled by Nasura at the top of the stairs was now has a clean mark on the edge of the dusty handrail. The next morning, in Edley''s cathedral. Andrew was wrapping around a napkin and enjoying the bacon and bread in front of him. Just as he was about to feast, a cold and sharp dagger suddenly appeared on his neck. The familiar scent of a woman floated in the air, and a sweet but murderous voice came from behind: "Your Excellency, Bishop Andrew, I hope I didn''t disturb your breakfast." For a moment, cold sweat broke out on Andrew''s forehead. Anyway, he is also a person who has been here before, and he was held hostage by someone sneaking into the house with a knife. Although he was very scared, he didn''t show any ugly appearance. Seeing that Andrew''s face gradually returned to normal, he put down the knife and fork in his hand, and said in a very polite tone: "Do you want money? I only have holy statues and silver candlesticks here. You can take them, although they are not as good as Gold coins, but it can also let you enjoy yourself for a while." As soon as the words left his mouth, the sweet voice behind him immediately let out a poof ofughter and said sarcastically, "What kind of people do you take us for? Your Eminence, I believe your gold coins are definitely much bigger than the holy statue." Behind him, Adele snickered at Andrew for mistaking them for robbers. But Andrew was very keenly aware of that ''we'' in the words. Immediately frowned and said, "You, who else? Come out." At this moment shrouded in ck robes, Nasura suddenly emerged from the ck shadow in the corner. The short wand in his hand emitted a little blue light, and Andrew could feel the chill even across the dining table. This time, Andrew was surprised! Only to see him with an incredulous eye staring at the hidden face of the Nashura, uncertainly said: "What''s wrong with the world now! Even noble magicians havee out to be robbers!" But hearing Adele sneer again, Nashura walked to Andrew''s side, pulled out the seat and sat down. The wand in his hand said to Andrew intentionally or unintentionally: "Your Excellency, we are not robbers, just want to ask you a few questions. As soon as we finish asking, we will leave." Andrew was silent. He was waiting for the mage to speak, but he heard Nasura continue: "In the parish under your jurisdiction, is there a priest named Pdin, mel?" "That''s right." At this time, the old pervert was unexpectedly calm. "Then I would like to ask you, do you know the recent furore about the destruction of the mel n?" "Hmm." Andrew at this moment directly omitted, but Nashura did not care at all, then threw the next question: "Why did you send Pdin to be a military priest?" Andrew''s heart had sunk, he could not understand what these people came from, and what Pdin''s affair had to do with them. He said, "Father Pdin is pious and holy, and he volunteered to go to the front line to provide medical treatment for the injured soldiers." As soon as the words fell, Nasura and Adele were speechless, but the dagger on the neck pressed in again, and a bloodstain immediately appeared on the neck. Knowing suddenly that his clumsy lies could not deceive the mage and the woman behind him, Andrew immediately said, "I don''t know what kind of rtionship you have with that fellow Pdin, but I want to tell you, don''t look at how much he evaluates among themon people. Well, in fact, he is a very despicable and dirty guy! In my opinion, he is more suitable to be burned on the stake than a heretic!" "Tell me what''s going on." Nasura lowered his tone, as if the matter was not as imagined. "Hmph, he killed innocent civilians for gold coins, even children. In order to tter me, he took the ironworks in Nurba by bloody means. For his own benefit, even the most basic bottom line of being human can be abandoned! Simply scum! You say that don''t try to make him die, maybe one day I will be killed by him!¡± After finishing in one breath, Andrew was still a bit impatient. Suddenly he had some epiphany, it turned out that in addition to the fundamental issue of interest, he had such a strong disgust and hatred for this Pdin. In an instant, the mage in front of him and the woman behind him disappeared. Standing up suddenly, thinking it was an illusion, Andrew touched his neck, but the dazzling blood red told him that what happened just now was not a dream. And at this time, outside the church in Edly, Nashura and Adele walked calmly on the road. Adele said quietly to Nashura with her head down, "I can''t see that this Father Pdin is such a person." "Don''t be so quick to jump to conclusions, you can''t look at just one side of things." Nashura taught Adele as if nothing had happened, and suddenly stopped to add: "You go and gather information, we need to get from the ordinary nobles andmoners about Pdin." Chapter 103: The Potential Crisis

Chapter 103: The Potential Crisis

After a long time, while sitting in the tavern sipping cider, he saw Adelee over with a heavy face. "Don''t say anything about it yet, find a secluded ce." Nashura waved his hand to stop Adele''s instructions and immediately led Adele to the back corner of the tavern. Seeing that no one was around, the wand in his hand gently clicked the air. shing runes immediately emerged around him and Adele. Soon it quickly returned to calm, and the noise from the noisy tavern unexpectedly calmed down the moment the rune disappeared. even see the mercenaries still eating and drinking and the bards ying the organ in the tavern. But the two could no longer hear these voices, and neither could they. Seeing that the magic worked, Adele immediately spoke in an incredulous tone: "You''ll never guess what I''ve found." After finishing speaking, she took out a few pieces of parchment from her bosom and handed it to Nashura. Thetter took a closer look and immediately eximed: "This is thend deed?" "It''s not a real deed, it''s just a copy I made by sneaking into the castle." Adele added, which let Nashura found that thend deed did not have the count''s seal on it. The ink on the leather was still a little dry, so Adele should have rushed over after copying it in a hurry. As a result, Nashura shook his head and looked at it, then frowned and said: "Thesend deeds are all from the ironworks in Nurba. But they are all named to Kaleqi. Who is this Kaleqi?" ?¡± Who knew that Adele was really capable, so she immediately took out another contract and handed it to Nasura, saying, "This is a mercenary contract, the contract that Count Torch signed with this Kaleqi four or five years ago. To help him manage Nurba and to be responsible for thew and order of Nurba." Nashura scanned the deed quickly and interfaced with his mouth, "That means this Kaleqi is the magistrate of Nurba, and the seal on it is indeed the Count''s crest, it is the real thing." After saying that, Nashura put the deed away and raised a question: "Why did all the ironworks in Nurba be the property under the name of this magistrate? And where is this Kaleqi now?" "This Kaleqi went out with Count Torch, and as for these ironworks, hehe, guess when all these ironworks became properties under his name?" As soon as the words fell, Nash/1ura, who seemed to understand something after seeing Adele''s smirk, dug out thend deeds again, and saw that the dates marked on these several ironworks were almost a few days apart. He couldn''t help blurting out: "A month ago! These ironworks became his property a month ago! Could it be that it is Pdin..." "That''s right." Ad immediately smugly looked at Nashura''s astonished gaze and exined: "Just less than a month after this Pdin took office as priest of Nurba, the merchants of these industries either went to the stake for the crime of heresy or hanged themselves in the dead of night. And after all these industries became Kaleqi''s, and after the temporary management of the title, Pdin suddenly received a donation of sixty gold coins. If he hadn¡¯t been recruited suddenly to be a priest with the army, I think it would not take long, that dpidated church would have been refreshed, as extravagant and magnificent." Nasura nodded in agreement, and habitually rested his chin on his hands and said, "That is to say, Andrew''s intention to harm Pdin was nothing more than pure jealousy and greed for money. I can''t understand how a priest who has just taken office has so much wealth, right?¡± Seeing Nasura¡¯s enlightened face, Adele suddenly shook her jade-like fingers and threw a bombshell: ¡°There¡¯s more. Pay attention that the day Pdin took office, and the day of the Freemasons Union unrest, before and after the interval is of less than ten days. Two days before the destruction of the mel n, his mother sent a letter to Pdin, saying that she was looking forward to her son''s return home to see his parents. And!" Seeing that Nasura was shocked again, Adele immediately added: "Besides, when Pdin took office, he was escorted by a mercenary. There was a mage in this mercenary, and that was O''Neill! "He knows O''Neill! O''Neill knows him too. That''s right, otherwise why would he be hired by Pdin''s father." Adele became more and morecent, listening to her chest and said: "I am now 80% sure that this Father Pdin is from the Freemasons Union, and he must know me, and I may know him too." Butpared to Adele''s excitement, Nasura was surprisingly heavy. He said with difficulty: "Now all the clues point to this Pdin, do you think that this Pdin is a fake?" Seeing the heaviness of Nasura, Adele also followed the seriousness and nodded and said: "For the time being, regardless of whether the mel n was killed by him, and regardless of whether he had the strength to exterminate the noble family in full view of the Fenrir. He''s just pretending to be Pdin, mel''s identity, I have a lot of confidence." Nasura waved his hand a little, the silent boundary immediately disappeared, the tidal wave of noise came again, his eyes were shing with hatred and he whispered: "Let''s not talk about who is right. The most important thing we need to do now is to rush to Green Fortress and see this Pdin with our own eyes. See who he really is. It would be fine if it was purely a misunderstanding and coincidence. But if he really framed O''Neill and killed him... I must avenge my friend! " Looking at Nasura''s hateful gaze, Adele suddenly felt that the Nasura in front of her was a bit strange. She suddenly had a hunch that it was better not to go looking for this Pdin this time. Lest something regrettable happen. But there was no telling what the potential danger was. It only made her tangled up and unable to say anything.
And just as Nasura and Adele rode fast horses to Green Fortress, Pdin was sitting extremelyfortably in the tent. Naturally, he didn''t know that the two bastards were guessing what they really wanted to guess. At this moment, Pdin was Looking at the only book on marching andbat that can relieve boredom. Pdin has never fought a war, and his avatar was only in a small fight before, and he has never seen arge-scale battle. For future money and future. He decided to start cramming knowledge in a short period of time. Fortunately, there is a doppelganger, one person has the learning efficiency of two people. The two of them read different books about marching into battle at the same time, and the Pdin on the main body didn''t need to sleep at night, so they had plenty of time to digest this huge amount of knowledge. The avatar was doing well, although suddenly bing a baron of the Aries Knights made many Aries knights feel jealous and ufortable. However, with the help of gold coins and goodwill, many knights have gradually epted the identity of the doppelganger, the captain and baron. It''s just that Earl White Orchid''s gaze in the morning was too terrifying, it was a gaze of hunger and need. Pdin knew that sooner orter, he would control his avatar and have fun with this ugly and famous earl. Sooner orter, it''s just a matter of time. One can imagine the fate of an ugly woman who is useless when the power is monopolized. Thinking of theing glory and wealth, Pdin could not help but put down his book to reveal a joyful gaze. But at that moment, outside the door, Tony came in and said urgently, "His Eminence, Auxiliary Bishop, go! Archbishop Sarrier has summoned all the clergy to the tent in the east camp!" Chapter 104: Emergency Call

Chapter 104: Emergency Call

Pdin, who hurried out, immediately followed Tony through the vast camp. Along the way, no matter whether it was mercenaries with various equipment, spear sergeants in standard armor, or people wearingmoner clothes and holding iron forks, there was no human color. The militiamen put on their armor one after another, took up their weapons, and ran around the camp, creating a mess. "Tony, what''s happening!" Coming to the disorganized crowd barely advancing, Pdin asked Tony, who was almost pushed to the ground, with a puzzled face. Thetter waved his hand to push an archer in front of him away and said with a gasp, "A short while ago the Grand Duke gave an order for the three major knightly orders and soldiers with horses to move out together to attack the small Maltese advance nted fifty miles away!" When Pdin heard this, he was taken aback for a moment. Tony beside him immediately grabbed his sleeve and pulled him over. A cavalryman on horseback immediately rushed towards the gate of the camp through the dust that was stirred up. Tony immediately looked at Pdin in a hurry, and seeing that he was not injured, he yelled at the soldier, "Walk to see people! This is a camp! How can you ride a horse!" "Excuse me, Father!" The cavalry only had time to yell, Then galloped to the outside. At this point, Pdin suddenly showed a smile and urged Tony: "Don''t dy, let''s go." Tony nodded in response and hurriedly led the way. Pdin, however, was secretly happy in his heart. Now that the Archduke has made the decision to raid because of the information from the doppelganger, then he, the priest with the army, can finally show his skills. And at this time, far away in the camp of the Count of White Orchid, lying in the bed to rest, but not sleepy, suddenly jumped up. He shouted directly to the outside: "Snder,e in and help me put on armor!" As soon as the words fell, Snder, who had just dressed, came in from outside the tent. When he was about to follow the doppelganger''s instructions and take off the light armor that was neatly ced on the shelf next to him, he was red at by the doppelganger and said: "Not that, I want the armor of the Knights of the Aries." "But, Mr. Alfred, wearing such heavy armor so early is really..." "You heard me. Just do it. " Snder nodded helplessly in response and opened the chest ced next to him, inside was the beautifully heldplete set of armor of the Knights of the Aries. When Snder lifted the shiny silver arm and hand armor with a pattern, the doppelganger had already put on the inner lining and put a good locket armor on his body. There was also a cap made of lockets on the head, which at once covered half of the long red hair. The doppelganger looked straight ahead and stretched his hands parallel to each other, and Snder immediately and very skillfully helped the doppelganger tie on the armor, hand armor, leg armor, knee armor. Thest buckle on the chest armor, the chest that is tattooed with a tilted head of the ram, now in the general armor of white silver, looks very majestic. When everything is ready, the shoulder armor is also put on. Snder carefully picked up the helmet and handed it to the doppelganger. He looked at the helmet, which was an ordinary helmet with a fine silver iron te affixed to the cheek. But there is a sheep''s head on the top of the helmet, and the two sharp horns are coiled downward and attached to the helmet. It is easy to be mistaken for the demon of the abyss in mythology. It''s just white. The doppelganger took the helmet and put it gently on his head. A few strands of red hair leaked from the edge of the helmet, and only a pair of eyes and a little mouth could be seen through the gap of the helmet. When the equipment was ready, Snder was about to ask the newly promoted Lord Baron why he got up so early in the morning and had to put on such heavy armor. The doppelganger suddenly said: "Go and help the horse put on the heavy armor." "But." "Hmm? Are you a baron or am I a baron?" Snder helplessly answered again, ran out of the tent, went to the nearby stables, put the robe painted with white sheep on the war horse after, there put the heavy saddle on, a piece of iron armor draped on the horse, even the horse''s head with a silver and white sheep''s head mask put on. The eyes of the warhorse were revealed in the eyes of the sheep''s head. But just after such a heavy work was done, Snder did not have time to take a breath. Only to hear outside the camp of the Knights of the Aries, suddenly there was a sound of horses'' hooves. Snder poked his head out, but immediately saw people in other tents were also looking. After all, this is a camp, and it is still the camp of the Knights of the Aries. Usually no one would dare to ride in on horseback. But when he looked up, he saw that their leader, Lord Count White Orchid, was already wearing full body Aries armor. That symbol of the leader of the head sheep helmet, the two coiled horns to the sides. It looks more prestigious than the ordinary knight! The Countess rode into the camp on a fitted warhorse, and the squires and knights were about to kneel down on one knee when they saw the leader arrive! "The Grand Duke called urgently, and all the Knights of the Aries are ready to go! Look at you, you are still eating breakfast!" These knights trembled all over, but there was excitement in their eyes. The Grand Duke summoned urgently, that is to fight. They waited so many days at the Bird Fortress, and finally ushered in the battle to gain honor and prestige! As soon as the countess finished speaking, the knights jumped up excitedly, and shouted while pulling off their underwear: "Servant! Put on the armor quickly! Hurry up!" . The Countess looked at these knights who were loyal to her with some hatred and was about to turn her horse around and leave when the doppelganger came out in full armor and took the reins of the horses handed over by Snder. The two eyes revealed under that sheep''s head helmet looked right at Orinna on the horse. Obviously, Countess Orinna is very surprised because the doppelganger is so quickly equipped. Then with a touch of relief nodded. The hand armor covered with silver metal hooked to the doppelganger. Then a flip of the whip, galloping away. The doppelganger also immediately rolled onto his horse and took the sword and shield handed over by Snder. Low said to Snder: "Put on your armor as soon as possible to keep up with me. I don''t want my impression in the eyes of the Countess to bepromised because of you." Snder immediately nodded with understanding, but saw the doppelganger sitting up straight, looking at the army gradually approaching outside the camp in the distance, and said: "Remember to bring my nailhead hammer and riding rifle." He said he did not care about Snder, the horse beneath him immediately chirped and galloped towards the Countess who was just far away. Snder took a silent look, suddenly sighed and went back to his tent to start equipping his armor and weapons. The squires of the Order of the Aries are equipped with gray armor, used to distinguish the regr Aries knights. Just after Snder entered the tent, Bob walked out from another nearby tent. At this moment, he let his attendants put on the armor for him with a gloomy face. Looking at the doppelganger that gradually disappeared into the distance, the jealousy in his eyes grew stronger and stronger. Chapter 105: Citations

Chapter 105: Citations

On the other hand, the main body Pdin had just arrived at an extremelyrge tent. What unfolded in front of his eyes was surprisingly hundreds of priests of different shapes and sizes, short and tall, fat and thin. And in front of every seven or eight priests, there was a slightly more ornately dressed priest standing in front of the followers. I guess these people are the people assigned to be in charge of each parish. Turning his eyes, the seven or eight priests who hated him were now standing to one side with an excited and extremely patient face. Pdin patted Tony''s shoulders, which were shaking with fear, and went forward to cross the crowd to stand in the first row. He simply ignored the disgusted nces cast by those priests behind him, and looked straight at an old, old priest standing at the front of the line. As soon as he saw this old priest, Pdin''s pupils immediately contracted sharply! This old man had so much white beard on his chin that he could have braided it, and the wrinkled face and the corners of his couching eyes made him look as if he might die a sudden death at any moment. But these are not the things that Pdin cares about, what he cares about is the purple brimless cap on the old man''s head, the gorgeous purple robe embroidered with a hot gold cross. The neck is surrounded by a purple embroidered scarf. The hand with an onyx ring clutched a very long scepter. It looks as if the old man has to put his whole body''s gravity on this scepter in order not to fall down. The purple priest''s robe can only be worn by a bishop, while the purple scarf around his neck indicates that this old man is not a bishop, but an archbishop! He is the Archbishop Sarrier, the Archbishop of Toronto, who gathered all the priests with the army! No wonder, this group of idiots behind him was so excited. Pdin''s heart settled down and stood motionless in a disciplined manner. But at this time, this Sarrier who seemed to be dying suddenly moved, and the corners of the eyes that were droopy were slightly raised, revealing the wise eyes shining inside. Only to see him lightly scanning the hundreds of priests in front of him, and when he nced at Pdin, he paused for a while and then moved away. Then there was silence, a breathless silence. Just when several priests were twisting their stiff necks in difort, Sarrier finally opened his mouth to speak. His voice was different from this old picture, showing a spirit: "Among you are devout priests, and there are viins who collude in the name of God to make money. But I don''t care about these. It''s great. Enos sent you to me." After saying this, the old man coughed slightly, but no one dared to move. Everyone could feel that this dying archbishop was having an inexplicable sense of shock at the moment. Half a secondter, the noise of the soldiers outside the tent grew louder and louder, only to see that Sarrier only slightly struck the scepter in his hand on the ground. The noisy murmur immediately disappeared! "Magic!" This word appeared in everyone''s mind in an instant. They all looked at the archbishop in shock. It''s just magic, they were priests and also a spell caster. But to be able to cast a silent magic with such a simple and casual action! It really made the priests'' hearts astonished with reverence. Some priests who thought they had high attainments in sacred magic immediately subconsciously bowed their heads to express their own respect. "You havee to be priests with the army, that is the word on the surface. In reality you are now doctors. Doctors of the soul and the body." The old Sarrier raised that shaking finger and pointed to his chest, and after sweeping the faces of the people again, he said, "The Archduke gave the order that war is about to start. It means the arrival of a period of war that does not know how long it will take. There will be many, many wounded in the process, and your duty is to try your best to save their lives taken by Marcus, the god of war." Having said that, Sarrier paused slightly and went to the seat behind him and sat down. ying with the jewel on his scepter in his hand, he moved his trembling lips and continued, "The fortress is stocked with a beaten amount of medicine and bandages. And the healing arts you are so proud of, cast them on the nobles as much as possible. Understood?" "Understood." Most of the priests, including Pdin, answered immediately, but there were still so many who gripped their fists without uttering a word, as if they were holding back their anger. Seeing this in his eyes, Sarrier said breathlessly, "Raise your grievances, I am not a grand duke. What are you all afraid of one by one?" "Your Eminence, Archbishop, I respect you. But why can''t the healing technique be used on ordinary wounded soldiers! They are also human beings. It is written in the Bible that the true God Enos admonished us that all beings are equal. But you¡­." "The true God Enos said that all beings are equal. But the first man he created also dominated all the animals." Sarrier spoke slowly, but the angry youth in front of him perked up: "Are youparing animals to people? We are human beings, and soldiers are also human beings. Are you saying that soldiers are only animals and nobles are human beings?" "Then what do you want? Want soldiers to lead soldiers to war?" Pdin, however, suddenly stepped forward at this time and looked disdainfully at this priest and lectured nonchntly, "This is war, not those poor and defenseless civilians in the parish." The priest turned his head to look at Pdin angrily, and seeing his cassock, which marked the rank of auxiliary bishop, not only did not move, but added fire: "As an auxiliary bishop, you say such things! Yes, this is a war. It is the domain of Marcus, the god of war! It is sinful and against the grace of God! Do you mean to let us watch this heretical god plunder the souls of the believers who died in battle in the midst of the tolerance of the true God, Enos, like no one else? If you say yes, you are a true heretic who has sinned greatly! A stake will be erected for you in front of the gates of the fortress." The priests around looked at the priest who stood at the highest point of morality and religion, with a pointing face. Secretly squeezed a cold sweat. Fortunately, they didn''t stand up for the archbishop''s favor like this fool bishop, otherwise wouldn''t be able to step down like this, and if he didn''t do it, he would really end up at the stake, but it would be a pity. However, Pdin looked calm, and nced at the priests who were either regretful or mocking. Seeing that Archbishop Sarrier was still expressionless, he immediately waved the scepter in his hand very calmly and said, "Of course not!" He said the scepter hit the ground hard, his face immediately showed the devotion of the saint''s righteousness, and then said: "This priest is right. The battlefield is the domain of the heretic god Marcus. But we are not those orcs and barbarians in the north. We are all followers of the great true god Enos. When the soldiers who received injuries and faced death rest in peace with our efforts and prayers, they can be released from the clutches of Marcus and truly returned to the embrace of Enos! This is what we priests are supposed to do, and this is the best ce for them to return to!" . Having said this, Pdin paused for a while. Immediately saw those priests nodding their heads in understanding. And the tit-for-tat priest who didn''t know any better also looked dumbfounded. As for Sarrier, who was silent, he looked at himself with a smile on his face at the moment. So, seeing the results received, Pdin immediately continued: "The true God Enos said in the Bible ''those who believe in me can enter heaven after death and enjoy supreme glory and tranquility.'' They are all believers, even if they die in battle, they will return to the embrace of Enos! You are so treacherously biased in favor of the heretical god Marcus. Is it questioning the piety of those noble knights whoid down their lives to fight for faith and honor, the piety of the Grand Duke and all the nobles of the Principality. Or is it questioning the legitimacy and sacred status of the Kassiri Bible! You are the one who should be on the stake!" Chapter 106: The Head Sheep

Chapter 106: The Head Sheep

As soon as Pdin''s words fell, those priests who had listened with fervor immediately apuded with excitement. Some wise priests, who seemed to see clearly which way the scales of victory were tipped, also apuded. Pdin made the cross on his chest with great devotion, and bowed his head with his hands over his scepter and said, "May the great and true God, Enos, forgive this lostmb. May your divine grace envelop us all the time." At this point, the priest''s face was white and his mouth was open, not knowing what to say. He squeaked and whimpered incessantly. And Sarrier suddenly stood up and waved the scepter in his hand. The sound that was blocked by magic came again from the tent. But Sarrier''s thick voice reached everyone''s ears: "Go on, don''t be confused. Get on your horses and follow the group. As a servant of God, a shepherd, you must fulfill your duties. " Such an opportunity to step down, that priest that was still not willing? With a humble apology, he hurriedly left the tent with a group of priests who looked at Pdin in a different light. And Pdin did not move a step, he just signaled Tony to prepare his horse, and stood quietly in ce. Looking at the floor at his feet, he and Sarrier remained motionless and silent until only the two of them were left in the tent. "You are Pdin, aren''t you? More powerful than I expected." Sarrier walked over with his scepter and looked Pdin up and down. He couldn''t help but praise. Pdin was about to say somethingplimentary, but was stopped by Sarrier, and said slowly: "It''s just you and me here, and I don''t like those polite ones. Because I find that you are not stupid, at least smarter than those people." Pdin immediately shut his mouth, he knew the old thing still had something to say, and sure enough, Sarrier continued: "I''ve heard about your case. The tragedy of the mel n, I am sincerely sorry. I heard that you are good at healing?" Halfway through, this old thing finally revealed its tail. Pdin immediately nodded humbly and said, "Slightly proficient, because it is white magic that can help others. So I often use it." Who knows that as soon as Pdin''s words fell, Sarrier immediately shook his hand impatiently and said, "I''ve said don''t be polite. Are you still telling me these things?" Ignoring Pdin''s reaction after finishing speaking, he directly opened the sleeve of his right hand, revealing a wrinkled, dead branch-like hand on his arm, a white light shed from the fingers of his left hand, and there was a sound of brushing, and the arm was cut open immediately. A 20 cm big hole. Muddy thick blood flowed out from the mouth immediately. Sarrier raised his head slightly, seeing that Pdin did not show the slightest surprise or doubt, but was as calm as before, and immediately said with a pale face and said with a smile: "I was cut, dear Pdin. Can you stop the bleeding? If I hesitate, I will die here." . Pdin expected such a y, but did not expect this Sarrier would cut himself open so decisively. He originally thought he would test it on himself. You can imagine how confident this old man was in his own healing art. Confident to the point that even if the attainment of his own healing art in front of him is very low, he can easily handle this huge wound. He saw Pdin smiled slightly and whispered an offense. Very calmly raised his left hand, the palm of his hand covered the wound on his arm, and stroked lightly. The wound healed quickly like a dream. In a short time even the traces of the wound could not be seen, only a piece of still dry skin. A momentter! Pdin keenly saw. In a moment of wound healing, the old man, who had been very calm, instantly rounded his eyes. He touched his arm in disbelief. And with a shocked look at the young man in front of him who could be his grandson. Finally let out a breath of air. But bizarrely did not say a word, just patted Pdin''s shoulder, suddenly shouted: "Macedonia,e in." As soon as the voice fell, a warrior in chain armor, a white sleeveless robe, a cross helmet, and a shield walked in. Pdin immediately became keenly aware of this person, despite his appearance, but between the eyebrows had a strong calm andposure. Pdin will not feel caring just because the other party has ck hair like himself. On the contrary, after he took a closer look, he found that this warrior''s chest and shield had symbols of the coat of arms of the Holy See. The one with two keys intersecting and a triple crown coat of arms ced in the middle. In his heart he could not help but whisper: "Holy Church warrior!" That''s right, this man is the Temr, the imperial army dedicated to defending the important people of the Holy See and the order of the Holy City of Kassiri. Just to see this warrior walk up to Archbishop Sarrier immediately reverently kneeled down on one knee. But Sarrier smiled at Ptine and said: "He is called Macedonia. As you can see, is a knight of the Holy Church. You went out with the army, I will not ask what grudges and entanglements there are. Anyway, the safety of the priests with the army is very worrying. This Macedonia will guard your right and left. And will Keep you safe." "This ... .Your Eminence, I''m just a priest apanying the army, this is a knight of the Holy Church who is guarding your safety, how can hee to protect me? Your safety and security is the most important thing!" As soon as Pdin heard Sarrier''s words, he immediately felt that something big was wrong. The mouth said pretty words of excuse, but his heart was very annoyed. "This old immortal bastard, I''ve already proved my worth, but still don''t trust me. Put a spy on my side to spy, so suspicious for what!" "Pdin was worried, not that he would be afraid of a temr with less than two hundred magic ring elements. And Sarrier just has just reached 1,500 white light elements. Pdin is naturally not afraid of them in terms of strength. But in this situation, the difference in power and status determines that strength has little effect. It is impossible for him to kill Sarrier directly. Not only would he not be the archbishop, but he would also make it easier for the person who will rece Sarrier, and he would end up fleeing. That''s why Pdin is very annoyed that he has many secrets that cannot be known by outsiders. The refinement of the Philosopher''s stone, the all-seeing eye and the power of the golden element. All these things cannot be exposed. Putting a monitor by his side now is really annoying him! Even Pdin also secretly intended to find a time to secretly exterminate this Macedonia. But after thinking about it, Pdin gave up again. He can''t kill all the temrs if he dies andes back with another pair. For now, the only thing to do is to find the right time. Hearing Pdin''s excuses, Sarrier immediately red and said, "What, you don''t believe me?" Not waiting for Pdin cursed, he leaned down and whispered in Pdin''s ear: "Young people do not do things impetuous. The position of diocesan bishop is not so easy to get. You know, a flock is also divided into several head sheep." Pdin frowned slightly and knelt on one knee and kissed the ring in Sarrier''s hand. Pondering thest words with deep meaning, Sarrier pushed Pdin out of the tent. When Pdin took Tony''s horse, which was waiting at the door, and rolled onto it. A nce at Macedonia, who also mounted his horse and followed closely behind, and Sarrier, who once again sat back in his seat and scowled. In his heart, he said: "A few head sheep? It seems that the bishops are not united in this diocese of Kasmi. It''s better this way, there is strife, then there is opportunity." Gradually, Pdin showed a little smile of expectation. Not so annoying to the Macedonia warrior behind him. Raising the leather whip in his hand, he snapped and ran to the group outside that camp. At this time, sitting in the tent Sarrier only slowly opened his eyes, with that usual heavy tone said: "Smart, sensible, and able to behave. The important thing is patience and propriety...This is a pawn that can be used." Chapter 107: Battlefield Negotiations

Chapter 107: Battlefield Negotiations

Heads surged, interspersed with the scraping sound of iron and gentle panting, driving this huge army. The doppelganger rode on a warhorse and had the honor of being at the forefront of the Aries Knights on this side. For others, it was an honor to be at the head of the line, but for the doppelganger, it didn''t mean much of anything substantial except to increase the discipline of sending death. This huge army was marching at a slow pace. Slightly straightening his back and looking behind himself, one can understand the magnitude of this army. The ins and bushes confused thisnd, if you look around, you can''t see the weeds and soil that you stepped on not long ago. What unfolded in front of eyes was an ocean of iron wearing various helmets. An army that covers almost the horizon as far as the eye can see, this is the huge military strength of 20,000 that the Principality of Kasmi is proud of. Turning his head sideways, he could see that those lined up at the forefront of the army were all cavalrymen, nicely called knight lords. Including himself, The Aries Knights, the three major orders of the Principality of Kasmi were all lined up at the forefront, side by side with the heavy infantry and archers andncers behind them. The attack was made towards the Maltese vanguard fifty miles away. On the far left of the line was naturally The Aries Knights, where the doppelganger was located, while on the far right was the ming Lion Knights led by the Marquis of Carmon. In the center is the King''s Knights led by the Grand Duke himself. When I think about it, I feel funny, the doppelganger shook his head helplessly. This Kasmi Principality''s ruler actually named the knight order under his ownmand king. Is he crazy for wanting to be a king? He has already had enough of the oppression of the sovereign state, the Enn empire. The doppelgangerughed in his heart, but his gaze went to the back of the group. There was an endless stream of infantry, archers, spear sergeants and heavy infantry. Only too far away, even if the doppelganger''s eyes are good, they can only see the armor that keeps shining. Turning back, listening to the tense gasps and iron shes from these 20,000 people, the doppelganger looked at Countess Orinna of White Orchid, who was walking in front of the knight group and was iparably powerful in white sheep armor. I couldn''t help but think to myself, if I wear this armor on my body, it must be more powerful than this ugly woman. Just when the doppelganger was secretly thinking, the huge army crossed thest hill, and with the passage of time, finally saw the Maltese camp in the distance that was cooking with smoke and fire. Time seemed to stop at this moment, the doppelganger and the other side of the body on horseback Pdin were able to feel that the camp was suddenly briefly quiet. But in the next second, the sharp honking and panicked shouting immediately let them know that the enemy was frightened. Think about it, it''s a beautiful morning, you and yourrades are gambling and chatting as usual, about to have a nice lunch when suddenly the army pops up on the horizon in the distance! When the army keeps popping up from the other side of the hill and the g of the Principality of Kasmi is disyed, the physical feeling of death is definitely not a good memory. In contrast, Pdin, who was closer to the Grand Duke, could feel the excitement and bloodthirsty desire of the soldiers around him. He raised his head and carefully looked at the Grand Duke in the distance. A middle-aged fat man with a fat head wearing bloated armor. Although the raised beard under the nose added a little majesty, but the small eyes made it impossible to feel the bearing that amander should have. At this time, the Count Torch who was beside him immediately turned his head and suggested something. Thanks to his sensitive facial features and being rtively close to the Grand Duke, Pdin could still hear him. Hearing the Count Torch excitedly suggested: "My lord! It''s the blessing of Enos, they are eating lunch now, if you give the order, throw the troops to charge and you will win!" Compared to Count Torch''s excitement, Archduke Victoria, Stirk, however, yed with his cocked beard and acted very calmly. He said in a thick voice: "My dear Bunnales, my lovely cousin, you are a nobleman and enjoy the title of knight, how can you propose such an unchivalrous and dishonorable thing as a sneak attack?" Count Torch was instantly dumbfounded, but in a moment proposed again: "Since we are afraid of degrading the reputation of knights, let those mercenaries go up! In this way¡­.." But before Torch could finish his words, the Archduke frowned very unpleasantly and said, "Are you insulting me? Bunnales." "No. Please forgive my presumption." Count Torch''s heart sank and he immediately made an apologetic face. Seeing the Archduke turn back very dissatisfied, but in his heart, he sighed very much: "Blinded by the so-called spirit and reputation? Cousin. The honor on the battlefield belongs only to the victor. Even I, who have never been on the battlefield, understand the truth, how can you not understand it? Although 20,000 against 3,000 is definitely winning the battle, but for no reason to increase the death and injury to our precious soldiers, when the timees, how will we deal with the main force of the Kingdom of Malta and Aixinzhe? ah!" Count Torchmented in his heart, while watching all this Pdin after finding that the team did not have any intention to attack, but stood dead in ce watching the Maltese army put on their armor and line up to attack. The hearts of both sides of the bilocation and the body sank violently. At the same time the heart of this archduke immediately hit on a paragraph evaluation: "20,000 to fight three thousand, what a great achievement. Waiting and not sending out is foolish." But quite unexpectedly, the three major knight groups, and many lords and nobles, except for Count Torch, who had not been on the battlefield with the grand duke, all the other nobles ignored this foolish scene. Perhaps they agree with the Grand Duke''s approach, or perhaps once protested like the Torch, but was sshed with dirty lessons and chose to be silent. These nobles all watched numbly as the enemy troops gradually recovered from their state of panic and took up positions in front of the camp. Through the gaze of the doppelganger standing in the front row, the body Pdin was able to clearly see that the three thousand enemies, in addition to the one thousand light cavalry, were about five hundred archers and fifteen hundred light infantry. To put it bluntly, using these well-equipped 20,000 troops to deal with these 3,000 poorly-equipped troops is easier than crushing an ant. It was not until the opposing army had lined up that Grand Duke Victoria waved. A knight behind him immediately carried the lion banner of the Duchy of Kasmi and rode with the Grand Duke towards the opposite side. At this instant, all the leading nobles standing at the forefront immediately took a knight with them and rode after them to follow the Archduke. The Countess White Orchid turned her head and nced at the doppelganger. The meaning is clear. It is to him to escort herself. The avatar was naturally willing to have this decent job without danger, so he rode his horse and followed. Ever since, including the Grand Duke, all the first-ss nobles in the Principality of Kasmi followed. Very leisurely, they walked to the center of the open space between the two teams. As if to talk. In view of the rules of the nobility, this form of negotiation cannot use any assassination or surprise, otherwise it will not only cause a great loss of reputation, but also the nobles on the ground will leave because of such despicable behavior. So the leader of the Maltese enemy army sighed, and a knight carried the Angry Bear g of the Kingdom of Malta, and walked towards the seven or eight members of the core nobles who held the power of the Principality of Kasmi in front of him. Chapter 108: Despicable Conspiracy

Chapter 108: Despicable Conspiracy

Like a statue, he stood quietly behind the Countess of White Orchid, looking just like a faithful and dutiful knight. The doppelganger looked at the enemy army in the distance, and he could even feel the asional panic of these soldiers. When faced with an enemy ten times higher than their own, this is no longer a war, but a one-sided massacre. . They came to this strangend with their dreams and wealth, and naturally did note here to be cut down. The army''s heart was already in turmoil, and the opposing general knew that as ast resort, they must not fight. Negotiation is the best oue. But when this enemy''s general came to the body, after seeing this honor, the doppelganger was helplesslymenting, he finally knew why such a thankless task would fall on this unlucky person. This person was hit in the face with a hammer during a fight before, and the nose that should have been straight had copsed distortedly. In addition, it is not attractive in the first ce, so it can be said that the impression of the Grand Duke and other nobles is terrible. If you think about it, such a person is not very popr in the aristocratic circle of the Kingdom of Malta. The general came to a halt five meters in front of the grand duke, took off his helmet and hugged it to his chest, and performed a noble meeting ritual before speaking: "Your Excellency, the noble and brave grand duke, the Marquis Javier of the Kingdom of Malta, striker Commander-in-Chief. What do you want to do by leading such arge number of troops here?" The Grand Duke looked at Javier who had taken off his helmet. With that ugly face, sunken nose, and distorted eyes, the little patience quickly dissipated in the Grand Duke''s heart. His eyes were very ufortable and he said: "Is it necessary to ask? His Excellency the Marquis of Javier. Although I do not know why your country should give this death-delivery task to a marquis, yet I know one thing." Speaking of this, the Grand Duke really couldn''t stand the other party''s honor, and turned his head rudely and said: "If you resist, you will face the crushing of my three knight orders and the greetings of countless soldiers with swords in their hands. Hope for your family''s sake, don''t take this risk." Including the Grand Duke, Count Torch, the cold-faced Marquis of Carmon and the other great nobles, even Countess White Orchid, all frowned and tried to avert their eyes. But with such a rude action, this ugly-looking Marquis of Javier turned a blind eye. Is it simply not seen, or already numb? The doppelganger standing behind the white orchid countess could feel that the general, who bore the name of marquis but was rejected everywhere, had an unspeakable sense of inferiority and frustration at the moment. In Pdin''s own words. The people who judge people by their appearance are the most stupid and ignorant. Because Pdin''s own appearance is ordinary, and his childhood was almost all spent pretending to be stupid. Other people''s cynicism and disdain also left him once sad and angry. But when he found himself no worse than others, and even above others, the perennial inferiority and sadness will be turned into crazy revenge and violence. Driven by this negative energy, ordinary people have perseverance and endurance that others cannot imagine. So Pdin never judges others by first impressions. Just like this Grand Duke, although he looks ordinary, he is bloated. But his status as grand duke is unquestionable, and he was able to secure his status as grand duke for so many years, and it was definitely not due to the credit of his ancestors. Must have his own shining point. That''s why Pdinughed at these self-righteous nobles in his heart. He even secretly looked forward to what kind of power this Marquis Javier hides under that ugly appearance. At this time, when he heard the grand duke''s naked threat, Marquis Javier''s face immediately darkened, as if holding back his anger, he roared: "Your Excellency, are you telling me to surrender? Surrendering without a fight is the ultimate punishment for my family. What an insult!" Hearing this, the Grand Duke''s expression sank, he turned his head to stare at the ugly Marquis Javier and said bluntly, "So, are you going to war! Is this your answer?" It can be seen that Marquis Javier is forcibly enduring the outburst of anger, and the armor on his chest is heaving. Suddenly, he silently turned his head and looked at the three thousand soldiers behind him. Panic, fear and dread were written all over the faces of these soldiers. But clearly, Javier also knew that once a fight broke out, these frightened soldiers would be defeated in less than half an hour. By then, how many of these 3,000 people will be left? three hundred? Fifty? Not one left? In front of the three major heavy knights of the Principality of Kasmi, thetter is now the most appropriate. At this moment, he thought in his mind, is the reputation of his nobleman important, or the private soldiers of the Javier family? Without reputation, he can still endure, but even thest reliance, these three thousand private soldiers are gone. Then his title of marquis is already vacant. Even if the Kingdom of Malta wins this battle, his title will be removed by the king with various excuses. He will be amoner, an uglymoner! After being careful, the Marquis finally sighed and said, "Dear Grand Duke, I am willing to ept your proposal." At this moment, the doppelganger who was guarding behind Countess White Orchid nodded slightly. This person was able to judge the situation and knew that the reputation of the nobility was too illusory, so he didn''t foolishly go to war with his blood. This alone is much better than many pampered nobles who are full of family reputation and glory. But this is not what the doppelganger wants. When he saw that the Marquis endured it and was about to ept the Grand Duke''s surrender, his heart moved. Maybe you can use this opportunity to get a lot of credit for yourself! Thinking this way,, just at the moment when the Marquis was ready to finish his words. The doppelganger standing at the end, the eyes covered under the armor suddenly red round! The pupils sometimes emit a golden glow! And at this moment, the marquis words suddenly stopped, he felt his hands suddenly out of control. Unexpectedly, he pulled out the cross sword at his waist with a swipe, and raised it at an extremely fast speed that he had never used before. The naked horse immediately thumped a few steps forward, hand up the sword, to chop on the head of the Grand Duke! If someone observes carefully at this moment, they should be able to see that there are a few golden light beams faintly attached to the Marquis'' waist and the joints of his hands at this moment. At this moment, the Marquis even felt that there were many invisible hands holding his arms, and he swung this sword! "Be careful, Grand Duke!" "Protect the Grand Duke!" Suddenly, the enemy who was about to surrender drew his sword and wanted to kill the Grand Duke! Including the Marquis of Carmon, the Count Torch and the Countess White Orchid, everyone was taken aback! The rightful lord opened his mouth with a pale face at this moment, staring nkly at the sharp sword de about to hit his head! He seems to bepletely stunned! But at this moment, the doppelganger immediately released the control of the marquis''s hands, and rushed up with a few steps on the horse, and came to the Grand Duke''s side! The Grand Duke only felt a sh of white light in front of his eyes, and an Aries knight wearing a silver sheep helmet suddenly appeared in front of him, and suddenly drew out the cross sword to meet theing sword de, and blocked it with a snap! Originally it wasn¡¯t his own will, after the doppelganger released the control, the backbone of the person was a little ck, his speed was also slowed down.But at this moment, after the Aries knight who suddenly rushed in front of him blocked this weird sword, suddenly the other free hand threw down the shield decisively, and grabbed the mace from the shelf on the horse''s belly. With a twist of the hand and waist, the hammer full of iron nails immediately drew a beautiful line, and mmed it fiercely towards his shoulder! "Ahhhhhhh!" Marquis Javier yelled loudly. He had no time to think about why he suddenly did the stupid thing of assassinating the Grand Duke. As soon as he raised his shield, looking at the hammer that was flung over quickly, he swung hard with the shield in his hand! The doppelganger was surprised that his full force attack was pped away by the Marquis with his shield! But the huge force still went through the shield on the marquis body. However, the Marquis only tilted slightly, but nothing unusual. Instead, he looked at the doppelganger in shock! And the same stunned doppelganger saw that the Marquis of Javier''s shield was now deeply dented by the hammer! That''s right, is dented. Because the wooden shield can only be broken, not dented! This means that this is a shield made of fine iron! The doppelganger is very aware of its own strength. Although the five hundred elements obtained from the main body cannot exert the same terrifying physical strength as the main body, it is not something that an ordinary fighter can resist. And this marquis not only blocked it, but also used an all-iron shield! That must weigh at least thirty pounds! But he chatted for a long time while carrying such a heavy object like a normal person! The doppelganger who was just astonished found that there were nine carved stars on the front of the marquis'' breastte and under the coat of arms. What does that mean? This is a fighter who has been recognized forbat and whose strength has reached nine stars! In other words, if conditions permit, this marquis can even kill a mage with a sneak attack! It seems like many strokes, but in reality it is only an instant. The doppelganger blocked the fatal blow to save the Grand Duke. And the vile and ugly marquis was so shocked that he immediately turned his horse around and ran back. By the time the crowd reacted, the marquis was already more than ten meters away. "Grand Duke! Are you all right!" "Brother, did you hurt anywhere!" The nobles who reacted, regardless of good intentions and bad intentions, all swarmed forward at this moment to support the grand duke who almost fell off his horse, shushing him. The Grand Duke''s dead white face gradually recovered, looking at the Marquis of Javier, who had fled back to the army, could not help but curse in anger: "Damn, despicable swine! May Enos curse his soul forever! How dare you abandon the honor of a noble to assassinate me!" Breathing a sigh of relief, the Grand Duke suddenly turned his head to look at the doppelganger who jumped off his horse and knelt down on one knee, his face gradually eased and asked, "Orinna, is this your knight?" At the side, Orinna immediately answered yes, and did not forget to turn around and show an appreciative gaze at the doppelganger. With so many nobles present, each with a guard, only her own guard could rush up to save the Grand Duke in the first ce, and she herself felt very dignified. At this moment, the Grand Duke ignored the surrounding nobles looking with jealousy at Orinna, and looked at the doppelganger under his horse and said, "Good job, young man. What is your name?" "Honorable Grand Duke, I am Alfred, mel. The current head of the mel n, the fourth captain of the Aries Knights, and the lord of Sindep." "Oh! Already a baron. Wait, yourst name is mel?" The Grand Duke suddenly sat up and asked, and the doppelganger immediately returned yes with restraint, in return for a knowing nod from the Grand Duke, with a look of pity in his eyes in addition to gratitude for the appreciation. "The tragedy of your father is my responsibility. Young man, do not fail your father, you are more courageous and noble than any knight I have ever seen." After finishing speaking, the Grand Duke saw the doppelganger stand up, considering that the other party was already a baron at a young age, it was not good in conferring a higher title, so recovering hisposure he said, "When that vile swine is destroyed, I will grant you three hundred gold coins, a brand new pair of armor of the Aries Knights, plus an estate, and the title of chief captain of the Aries Knights.¡± After saying that, the Grand Duke stole a nce at Orinna, only to see Orinna nodding with an okay look. Let the Grand Duke breathe a sigh of relief. The Aries Knights is Orinna''s army, one should not interfere with the nobleman''s army and reward it at will. This is an act of overstepping authority. But the good thing is that Olinna did not count so much on the line. Seeing the doppelg?nger, he looked ttered. The Grand Duke also let go of the fright that he had just been terrified of. Turning his head to look at the 3,000 soldiers in the distance and Javier at the head, he gritted his teeth and roared: "My fellow citizens, this bastard without any honor pretends to be a nobleman, let''s teach him the virtues that a nobleman should have! " After saying that, he turned his horse''s head and was the first to rush back to the army, while the other nobles, including the doppelganger , also returned to their troops with a hint of excitement. At this moment, the doppelganger who had just been ced in the queue immediately keenly heard the eager whispers of the knights behind him: "Oh, Alfred is simply a model for our knights, he actually saved the Grand Duke!" "I wish it was me who just blocked that attack!" "Hahahaha, I told you that Alfred is a true knight, and you still don''t believe me!" And although the knights around him did not speak, but cast over are goodwill and admiration, although asionally a few mixed with jealous eyes were looking at him, but the doppelganger does not care. He didn''t care if Bob was among those eyes. He who is in a high position, these ignorant and inferior people, the most primitive jealousy will gradually be smoothed out because of the gap between the two sides, and finally be admiration and submission. It''s like a worker who buys candles will be jealous of a mercenary who gets a lot of money, but he will never be jealous of a knight. Because the gap between the two parties is toorge, to a height that cannot be reached by oneself, then jealousy will turn into admiration. And this is exactly what the doppelganger, or Pdin, wants. The road to sess is apanied by the inevitable endless attacks. This is the baptism that the top will surely receive. Chapter 109: Suppression

Chapter 109: Suppression

Back at the front of the army, Grand Duke Victoria turned his horse''s head to look back and forth, pulled out the saber from his waist with a m, and shouted loudly: "Warriors! Did you all see it? Just now this despicable bastard tried to kill Me! Kill your grand duke!" At this point, the sword in the grand duke''s hand drew a circle, his round eyes stared at the enemy in front of him and shouted: "This is an insult, a great insult to our homnd, the Principality of Kasmi! Look, my fellow countrymen, they are only three thousand in number, we have a good chance to win!" The Grand Duke''s voice shook like heavenly thunder, shaking the empty in with rumbles! "Take up your des and shields, and put these selfless vile people to sleep on this in forever!" "Raise your arms and howl!" As soon as the Grand Duke''s words fell, these 20,000 scale soldiers immediately raised their weapons and howled in excitement! That hooks and scythes,nces, spears, and longswords formed a stern forest of steel, causing the three thousand soldiers watching this scene on the opposite side to instantly get chilled. At this moment, Marquis Javier looked at the private soldiers behind him who looked at each other and flinched, and suddenly drew his sword. Although the voice was low, it spread strangely throughout the entire battlefield: "Will you die with me?" These soldiers stared nkly at the Marquis who had made countless achievements in killing the enemy but was excluded by the royal family. But they couldn''t say a word. Of course, no one wants to die, especially the way of dying in a foreignnd with no bones left. But the next sentence made everyone stunned. But the Marquis turned his head, leaving only his back, looking at the enemy in front of him, and said: "There is no king here, and there are no Maltese nobles. There is only you and me, fighting to the death like a soldier." In an instant! The eyes of these private soldiers were immediately moistened. They were the private soldiers of the Marquis of Javier, who did not follow the orders of the king and other nobles in the territory, but only the orders of their lord, the Javier line, and who from time to time recited the motto of the Havel family: "To die as a warrior, not as a knight." To boast of themselves, and proud of it. In this situation, the lord they follow, in front of such a desperate situation, said such words to them. Just as the ancestors of Javier in the history books, leading a group of foreign mercenaries, roared on the battlefield when facing the army of the Kingdom of Nubia! For these words, for this faith! These soldiers instantly shed their previous panic, exuded a parting murderous aura, and raised their weapons as if they were fighting against the Principality of Kasmi, and roared, "We are willing to go to the abyss of hell with Javier!" Javier heaved a sigh of relief when he heard the roar that shook the world, and nodded in relief. Fortunately, there are still a group of soldiers who did not abandon him. Even if he died, he would have the face to go back to see his ancestors. At this moment, the Grand Duke saw that the other party was not overwhelmed by the momentum here, not only became angry from embarrassment, but shouted: "Archers!" As soon as the words fell, a knight behind the grand duke immediately put down the blue banner in his hand. The three major knight groups arranged in front, in addition to the grand duke''s king''s knight group. Marquis Camon''s ming Lion Knights and White Orchid''s Aries Knights immediately moved to the left and right and ran to the two nks of the army to wait for an opportunity to move. As soon as the two orders moved away, the number of at least two thousand, wearing leather armor, holding small round shields and recurve bow archers came out slowly. Seeing the vast number of archers of this size, the marquis'' heart continued to sink. Immediately and decisively, he waved his sword and shouted: "Heavy cavalry range on both nks, spearmen in front of the shield! Archers at the back!" Following the Marquis'' order, the three thousand soldiers immediately turned around in an orderly manner. When the archers on the Grand Duke''s side walked a certain distance, as themander of the archers waved their hands, these archers immediately pulled out their arrows and strung them up, shooting t in the front row and back in the back row, releasing their hands with a whoosh! Like dark clouds covering the sun, this shower of arrows immediately brought up a violent cracking sound and flew towards the Marquis'' army! "Line up the shields!" The Marquis on his horse shouted, and the beat of spearmen who had just arrived in front of the group immediately raised their round shields and dropped their bodies on one knee as far as possible to avoid the flying arrows. "Duh duh duh duh!" A sound of arrows piercing into the shield was heard one after another, and asionally some unlucky people around could be heard to be pierced by arrows and were wailing. The Marquis with a face full of anger had just put down his shield, but then he saw that the vast archers had drawn up their bows again, and on either side of the archers there was arge pile of armor with all kinds of weapons in hand and wearing all kinds of armor, obviously a group of mercenaries recruited from all over the world, were roaring and raising their weapons, rushing down the hill and pounding straight into the Marquis'' position! "Bastards!" Just as the Marquis was cursing the shamelessness of his opponent, the next wave of arrows came again, and the helpless soldiers raised their shields to resist, but by the time the wave of arrows was survived, therge group of mercenaries with murderous intent was already very close! "Attack!" The Marquis roared, and the swordsmen and spear sergeants who had been waiting for a long time immediately roared in unison at this moment, blocking the shield in front of them, and the spears protruded from the edge of the shield, stepping forward in unison. Moving those armored legs, it turned into a whirlwind and rushed over! With a bang, the soldiers of the two sides came into contact with each other at this moment, and were immediately sent flying against each other by their respective strong momentum. A bearded mercenary just took advantage of a colleague in front of him being pushed over, and when the enemy showed a little gap, Immediately rushed up with a strong momentum, the shield hit the spear sergeant''s body! With a p, the enemy flew out before even howling, but before the big man could show a chuckle, three icy spears pierced through his thin iron te, breaking through his back. But before he could pull out the spear, the two-handed ax in another mercenary greeted him. This is a meat grinder. No matter how good your martial arts and how agile you are, in such an extremely chaotic and dangerous ce, the only oue is to be hacked to death by the enemy. Pdin, who was hiding behind the team at this moment, was very frightened. The battlefield was not as glorious and beautiful as the bards and biographers described it. There is only killing and being killed here, only red blood and ck swords. It is simply the abyss hell in the mythology! "Let''s go, Pdin. Hurry up and set up tents nearby, and so people can be saved." Suddenly, Pdin was tapped on the shoulder, turned around, only to see Archbishop Sarrier say such a cruel thing in the casual tone of going to the garden. Pdin was stunned for a while before he could react, bowed his head expressionlessly and said, "Yes, Your Excellency the Archbishop, let''s prepare now." Contrary to Sarrier''s expectation, Pdin, who was born in a noble family, because this was the first time he saw this kind of cruel war, he burst into tears and vomited non-stop. At least he was in a stupid state like losing his soul. But now Pdin''s expression made Sarrier smile a little. He didn''t even look at the other priests around him who had fallen from their horses and vomited on the ground, or the other priests with dead white faces in a daze, with a very curious expression. He asked in a calm tone: "When you see a dead person for the first time, you will always react. Auxiliary Bishop Pdin, it seems that you have seen a lot of dead people." "There are no dead people, and they all returned to the embrace of the god Enos. It''s a real relief." Casually snorting, Pdin felt overwhelmed for the first time. On one hand, he had to deal with the doppelganger who was about to join the war battle, and on the other hand, he had to take care of this Sarrier so as not to be seen in anything. For the first time, he had an unprecedented feeling of fatigue. Chapter 110: Complete Defeat

Chapter 110: Complete Defeat

"Where are the infantry!" Seeing that the mercenaries who were purely used as sacrifices were decreasing inrge numbers and had begun to appear to run back in a routing trend, the grand duke immediately shouted, the g behind him immediately waved, and behind him rows of heavy infantry armed with long swords and shields, dressed in fine armor and domed helmets immediately stepped neatly, like a block of squares of three thousand men, crossing the Grand Duke at a tight pace, and walked towards the not-too-distant distance with arrogance and fled. battlefield. When the Marquis finally killed the mercenary in front of him with his sword, he saw the enemy army that was already close at hand. Especially the sophisticated equipment of these soldiers made him turn pale instantly, and shouted: "Defense!" Unfortunately, it was already toote, as the official heavy-armed swordsmen of the Principality of Kasmi were naturally well-trained. When the marquis roared the first sound, they immediately crossed their legs, lowered their bodies, carried their shields up against their bodies, and squeezed the long swords in their hands. Just hearing a loud trumpet from the Archduke, these swordsmen immediately roared in unison, neatly nned like a row of waves, rushing towards the enemy army who had no time to re-form a defensive formation! But at this moment, the swords in their hands were raised high at the same time, and they rushed forward to the enemy who had just turned back in front of them, and chopped off with one sword! With a bang, the heavily armored swordsman who was like a sea wave pierced into the dispersed team very quickly like a sharp knife, and scattered the soldiers who had just been attacked by the mercenaries and their formation was disordered. "The time hase." At this moment, the grand duke standing at the front suddenly had his eyes brightened, and he lowered his raised hand abruptly. The banner with the knight painted behind it turned immediately. And at this moment, the White Orchid Countess who had been paying attention immediately lifted the riding rifle hanging on the harness after seeing the bannermand, and the banner of the Aries Knights tied to the top of that riding rifle fluttered in the wind. As soon as they saw the leader''s action, all the Aries knights immediately raised their riding rifles, and even the squire knights in the back of the line, wearing gray armor, also moved in unison. The Countess White Orchid roared, "Three way wave formation, left nk! For victory!" "For victory!" The five hundred knights of the White Orchid shouted in unison. The Countess was the first to take the lead and darted away. Behind them, like a white wave, the knights stirred up a cloud of smoke and dust, and went straight to the enemy''s left nk, which was now in chaos and without any formation! At this moment, the Marquis of Carmon''s ming Lion Knights, who were standing on the far right, also moved. Their red and yellow armor brought up a storm of me towards the enemy''s right nk! "Cavalry, hold them back!" When the Marquis saw the Aries Knights and the ming Lion Knights move out at the same time, he immediately felt that something was wrong. His own soldiers were already in disarray at the moment, and the effect that the original encouragement had had faded away. If this group of the most elite knights of the Principality of Kasmi nked, it would really be aplete defeat! The Marquis'' order went quickly, and the cavalry that had been waiting for a long time on both sides immediately rushed forward, determined to block this thunderous attack. It''s a pity that one is a cavalry recruited among soldiers, and the other is a knight who has been strictly taught and trained since childhood. No matter the gap in equipment or skills, it cannot be matched. Seeing the opponent''s cavalry rushing up to try to block the charge, the Aries Knights obeyed the Countess''s order and immediately divided into three wave-shaped charge teams while running wildly. The wave of servant knights in gray armor came from behind, and the two waves of the Countess and the Doppelganger immediately diverged in the middle, and the squire knights and local cavalry immediately collided fiercely! Seeing that the knights were blocking the wave, the Countess immediately turned her horse''s head and raised her arms and shouted: "Charge! Crush them!" The heavily armored Aries Knight, who even put on chain armor on his horse, immediately turned the corner, immediately turned the corner and charged straight into the chaotic situation where the enemy was straining against the spear sergeants with the gates wide open before them! "Ahhhhhhhhhh!" The Countess let out a loud roar, and the mounted spears in the hands of the five hundred Aries Knights immediately slid down, slightly angled to the front, and mped down dead with their armpits. Suddenly, those enemy soldiers turned their heads and a sense of foreboding surfaced. But they saw a snow-white rider was stepping on the sttered dust, and the sharp ridingnce was already close at hand. "Boom!" These enemy troops didn''t even have time to scream, and were immediately covered by this white wave in a destructive manner! Even some broken limbs crushed by the huge force could be seen, tossed up with blood. "Kill kill kill!" The doppelganger roared with a face full of fierce fury, thence in his hand already had two enemies skewered on it, while some enemies who were directly hit by the horrible impact of the horses also became mush under the heavy hooves of thetter namely. Only to hear a popping sound, thence in the doppelganger''s hand was finally unable to bear the weight and snapped off. He did not hesitate to throw away thence, pulled out the cross sword from his waist and began to sh frantically! And in the distance, on the opposite side, the ming Lion Knights under Marquis Camon also crashed headlong into the right nk, those enemy troops were as weak as a scarecrow in front of the heavily armored knights. "Run, run!" When the remaining soldiers saw such a miserable situation, the little fighting spirit left immediately dissipated. Wailing, they threw down their weapons and turned to flee. The Archduke, who saw the situation, immediately took up hisnce and shouted, "King''s Knights, charge, and exterminate the enemy on the in!" "Ahhhhhhh!" The Marquis of Javier, who was covered in blood, looked at the situation and the King''s Knights who were already charging towards the central army. At once, his face was deathly white as he threw away his longsword and muttered in a disoriented manner, "It''s over."
On this t in, there were only broken limbs and various weapons and armor left. The soldiers of the Principality of Kasmi were busy picking up the loot and checking the prisoners who may be alive. Another group of people was carrying some wounded soldiers to the rear of the battlefield, seeking treatment from the Holy See personnel. And the Grand Duke, who was staring at all these masterpieces, frowned at the moment and listened to the Count Torch''s reply: "My Grand Duke, I have searched everything, and I did not find Javier''s body." "Find it, this despicable bastard who tarnished the honor of the nobility, must be found!" The Grand Duke scolded very angrily. Suddenly, he saw that Count Torch¡¯s face was not looking very good. His heart tightened suddenly, he knew that this cousin must not feelfortable taking his soldiers as victims in the first wave of attack just now. In order to appease the other party, he immediately said in a low voice with regret on his face: "Brother, don''t take what happened just now to your heart... How about it, when the war is over, I''ll give you three towns and a vige, as well as a thousand gold coins. Count it as my apology." "Thanks a lot brother." . Count Torch replied with a half smile. The soldiers have been arranged to leave as an excuse. Looking at the sulking cousin, the Grand Duke sighed helplessly. This is also impossible. This time, too few mercenaries were recruited, and the time was too tight, so there was no time to recruit foreign mercenaries.He had no choice but to sacrifice his younger brother¡¯s recruits who had never been on the battlefield. It''s impossible for the Grand Duke to take the elite soldiers to death. This is also impossible. But at this moment, in a forest that was rare on the in in the distance, the Marquis Javier in underwear was holding his bleeding arm and walking in the grass in the forest with difficulty. He was reluctant! The private army is gone, and the territory will definitely be privatized by the cold-blooded king. Even if he returned, he would only be aughing stock. The nobles who stand on their side are all bastards who follow the trend. Instead of going back to humiliate yourself, it is better to kill yourself on the spot! However, he was not reconciled. He is from the Javier family, and has been one of the best military nobles in the Kingdom of Malta for generations. Is the most powerful marquis in Malta. But since his grandfather''s generation, he has always been feared by the king. Over the past few decades, Javier, who was originally a family of famous generals, has gradually declined under endless attacks. All kinds of troubles and grievances followed one after another. Could it be that his Javier family, who have resisted foreign enemies for hundreds of years, will perish in his generation? He is not willing to say anything, not reconciled to anything! Apanied by extreme unwillingness, Javier''s vision gradually blurred, and suddenly he vaguely saw the distant fortress through the woods, and finally his knees softened, and Javier who had lost too much blood copsed in the woond of the woods. Chapter 111: Idiot

Chapter 111: Idiot

In the spacious tent, Pdin and behind him Tony and the other priests, frowned at the wounded who kept being carried in by the soldiers. What does it mean to be in a cocoon, this is called a cocoon. Pdin controlled the doppelganger and led the Aries Knights to rush into the enemy''s line and strangle them. Not only was it enjoyable, but also let the Countess more appreciation of the doppelganger''s talent and courage. He justmented that the Grand Duke gave him a chance to do something by letting the Knights attack. But now these men are missing arms and legs, and they''re just prisoners and identally wounded soldiers. And some hapless people who were hit by horses and had their chests broken. Pdin was speechless immediately. Not only that, even the priests who didn''t see eye to eye with each other were afraid at the moment. The scale of the wounded and the extent of the injuries. If you don''t want to die of exhaustion, you can''t do it here! Pdin looked at a soldier with his right arm cut off that was casually thrown on the ground by the soldier. Just now he let out a few faint screams, his eyes were immediately lost, and he bled to death. There were also some soldiers, although they were still shouting vigorously, but looking at the huge wounds and the bones that pierced the flesh, they knew that his time was numbered. Seeing that the wounded were dead, the soldiers who moved in silently lifted them up and moved them out. Those priests and Tony deeply felt the horror and cruelty of war. One by one stood there with pale faces, listening to the continuous wailing echoed in the tent. Pdin squatted down calmly, picked up the basin and washed his hands, and said to the dozen or so priests behind him, "Treat your palms, the treatment is about to start." He said he ignored the frothing priests and went straight to the nearest soldier whose stomach had been cut open, with a small section of his intestines showing outside. Because Archbishop Sarrier reminded that the healing technique should be used on nobles, although Pdin didn''t need to care about his infinite magic power in the morning, he didn''t want to attract too much attention at this time. He simply took out the needle and thread from the box next to him, looked at the painful, deathly white, breathless soldier and asked, "Where are you from?" "I...my home is in Kennd." Pdin nodded incredulously, and took advantage of the distraction to stab the needle with the thread attached viciously! "Ahhhhh!" The wounded man let out a scream, but Pdin turned a blind eye to it, and moved his hands and feet very nimbly back and forth, pushing the intestines in and immediately sewing up the wound. Looking at the soldier as if he had almost ascended to heaven, he suddenlyughed and said, "Rest well, at least now you will not die." After saying that, he suddenly turned around and red at the priest behind him who was petrified with his mouth open, and immediately scolded with a stern face: "What are you still doing? Go save the people!" These priests snapped back to consciousness, immediately without any resistance to split up each to save people. Even a few priests who had previously looked at Pdin with displeasure were not unusual. More and more injured people were brought in, and some of them suddenly died after just a short time of treatment. These simple priests who have not experienced the real hell watched a life dissipate in their hands, one has broken down and shed tears. For this kind of performance, Pdin directly ignored it. If he speaks out to stop them, although it can make these wounded feel better and they won''t be infected by grief, they will also be resented by these priests who have just stabilized. Besides, he doesn''t care if the wounded and the priests are dead or alive. Now he is just pretending, and when the real noblemanes, he can get rid of these idiots. The priests'' breakdown became more and more intense, and their bodies were all stained red with the blood of the injured. Finally, someone couldn''t bear it and used the healing technique. It must be said that the effect of the healing technique was remarkable, and the wounded who should have died miraculously came back to life. The greatly encouraged priests began to vite Sarrier''s orders one after another and began to use magic to save people. Tony looked at Pdin with bloody hands, meaning to ask why he didn''t stop them. But in exchange, only Pdin shook his head slightly. Without Pdin''s meaning, Tony didn''t dare to use the healing technique on his own. But when watching the life that should have been alive die because of his selfishness, the still young Tony felt breathless, like a big mountain on his back. What is that? It was guilt. Tony understood very well that Pdin did the right thing. Because the archbishop had explicitly ordered not to use healing on the soldiers. Such a tantly contrary to the Archbishop''s wishes will make the Archbishop''s heart disgusted. For the sake of his career, only an idiot would do such a stupid thing. But Tony is not Pdin, Pdin can indifferently watch life die, but he can not. Several times, Tony could hardly bear to use the healing technique when he looked at the wounded man who was so angry, but he stopped thinking about saving people after he found that Pdin didn''t look at him at all. Because he understood that this was Pdin''s test for him. If even the life and death of a person who has nothing to do with him has to be saved at the expense of his own interests, Pdin naturally doesn''t need such an idiot to help him. Tony understood, and the action of releasing the healing technique in his hand stopped. But for the first time, he had a strong disgust and fear for this Pdin, who was regarded as the future. Such a person, such a guy who doesn''t care about the life and death of his own kind, will really bring him wealth and status. Instead of death and humiliation? Is such a person, or not a person, really trustworthy? Will he one day regard himself as the wounded soldier, abandon him at will and refuse to save him? And in Tony''s heart of dark thoughts, with the soldiers carrying the wounded in behind, an old man dressed in purple robes, purple scarf holding a scepter, quietly walks in, he is Sarrier. At the moment Archbishop Sarrier stood there, quietly looking at the seven or eight priests who were eager and disregarded their low magical power to use healing techniques. Looking at the other side, Pdin and Tony were still treating the soldiers with manual and crude rescue methods. Suddenly nodded. Coughing lightly, he said, "Pdin and Tony, the two priests,e with me." "Ah! Your Excellency the Archbishop!" Until then, these priests did not realize that Archbishop Sarrier was actually present. One by one, they all said as if they were asking for credit: "Master Archbishop, look, I saved many people! We stick to the kindness and justice of Enos! You..." But before these idiots could finish speaking, Sarrier smiled hypocritically and said, "Well, well done. You are servants of God and noble. As the archbishop, I feel extremely gratified." Saying this without looking back, he drilled out of the tent. And at this moment, Pdin shrugged off the blood with a hand, not even looking at the dying wounded underneath, and gently patted Tony who stood up and turned his back in shame. He looked at these stupefied priests with a sarcasm on his face. Then he pinched his lips and said a word with his lips. Tony left the tent with his head bowed and condemned in his heart. At this moment, these priests stood in ce with faces full of anger, because they could all see what Pdin had said: "A group of idiots apanying the dead." Chapter 112: Powerful Healing Technique

Chapter 112: Powerful Healing Technique

After walking out of the tent, what presented itself was a line of tents. Each tent had a dozen or so priests treating the injured. Pdin and Tony saw the Archbishop enter each tent one by one, and when he came out, he would more or less bring one or two priests with him. But most of the time there was no one.Tony, who was standing beside Pdin, saw that just a short distance from the camp, arge hole had been dug in the still-soft ground. And many soldiers whose bodies were drenched in blood numbly carried out the dead bodies from one tent after another, and threw them into the big pit like throwing garbage. Apanied by the mountains piled up in the big pit, more and more dead bodies, as well as the soaring smell of corpses and blood. A flock of hungry vultures hovered from the sky. asionally, a few very hungry ones, regardless of these terrible humans, would fly down and grab a piece of meat with their sharp beaks, and immediately open their wings and fly into the sky to enjoy the food. Looking at such a cruel scene in front of him, Tony felt chills in his limbs. But at this time, Pdin, who hadn''t spoken for a long time, suddenly turned his head and said in a mocking tone: "Vultures. Ignorant people are like this kind of beast. They never hunt and kill prey by themselves, but only search for dead bodies that may exist to live. "Once there is no more killing, these vultures will foolishly perish as well." With that said, Pdin, without looking at Tony''s seemingly enlightened expression, turned toward Sarrier, who was beating a ticket to the priest, and mouthed, "Drop your principles. Because when there are no more dead bodies, your stupidity won''t save you at all." While Tony turned his head sharply, Pdin had walked over to the Archbishop. It was as if the words he had just spoken were nothing more than his own wishful fantasies. . But Pdin, looking at the five priests behind the archbishop, suddenly had a strange feeling. Including himself and Tony, plus these five who were also following the Archbishop''s will of not beingfortable using healing techniques. There were only a mere seven apanying priests sent down from the entire Kasmi Diocese. Only seven who weren''t idiots! When Tony also came over, the archbishop nned to take everyone to a big tent not far away without any introduction. He lowered his voice and said, "I''m not looking for you to tell you how good you are, how talented you are." Speaking of this, Sarrier stood aside, nodded to the guards, opened the curtain of the tent and said: "But because you obey me." As soon as the words fell, seven people including Pdin walked in. Immediately, they saw five luxurious velvet beds, on whichy a nobleman, a great nobleman! At this moment, Pdin understood. Sarrier wanted everyone to refrain from using healing techniques, not only to find out the priests who obeyed him, but also the priests who were fully charged with magic power were still needed to treat the injuries of these powerful nobles! And among them, the one lying down, the one with the most serious injuries and the biggest position, happened to be Marquis Carmon, the leader of the ming Lion Knights and one of the top pirs of the duchy! It was unknown what kind of peril he had gotten into during that charge just now, at this moment, the bone in his right hand was broken out of his elbow, and blood was dripping down. His left foot was still twisted, and his ankle was bent unnaturally! Pdin knew at a nce that this was a very serious injury, not to mention whether or not this Marquis Carmon would spend the rest of his life as a disabled person when he arrived, whether or not he could survive today was a question! Even if surrounded by arge number of clergymen who were busy stopping the bleeding and feeding medicine, all to no avail. Including Tony, the seven people were stunned by the scene in front of them. A bad mood spread out. As expected, they only heard Archbishop Sarrier behind them say grimly, ''''Use all your strength to save the lives of several nobles. Especially Marquis Carmon. If he dies here, not to mention you guys, I myself will be in danger!" Pdin took a slight step forward and suddenly frowned as he looked back at the Archbishop and questioned, "Your Excellency, your magic power¡­¡­" But who knew that before Pdin could finish, Sarrier''s face had already turned pale and bean-sized beads of sweat rolled down. Taking out a small bottle of blue potion from his sleeve he tilted his head and drank it. Only then did his face look a little better. Sarrier nced at the shocked looks of Pdin and the others, and seeing that there were no outsiders around, he immediately smiled bitterly and said, ''''I''ve tried my best. If I hadn''t kept drinking the Kasu Magic Recovery Potion just now. At this moment, I would have died here from mental exhaustion." The pale-faced Sarrier just finished speaking, and seeing these few recruited people all staring nkly at themselves, a wave of anger suddenly came up and cursed offhandedly, "What are you looking at me for! If they have any shorings, all of you run to hang yourselves in front of the fortress!" "Oh! My Enos!" The priests were taken aback immediately, thinking about their own lives, and regardless of Sarrier''s threat, they immediately ran to the side of the blood-stained nobleman, pushed away the priest who was in the way, and tried their best to use the healing technique to treat it. Pdin saw that Tony also ran over to perform the healing technique with a panicked face, but he himself stepped back a few steps and came to Sarrier, who was slumped on the chair and panting, bowed his head and asked, "Is this matter to be kept secret? " "Of course..." Sarrier nodded slightly, Pdin had not seen Sarrier who looked so bad. But he heard Sarrier continue, "The Grand Duke doesn''t know about this. But it can''t be hidden for long. If it still doesn''t work after a while and Marquis Carmon falls into some kind of sickness, or dies here. The Grand Duke definitely won''t mind helping the church get a new archbishop." Pdin nodded and pointed at the breathless Marquis Carmon and said to Sarrier, "Him, I''ll take care of him for you. That Tony is my man. Give him a way out. The others¡­¡­.you don''t want a lot of people to know about this, do you?" "Hmph." Even in his extreme weakness, Sarrier let out a snort and said, "Don''t get too cocky young man. Wait until you''ve healed the Marquis. Otherwise we''ll go see Enos together." Pdin waved his hand very calmly and said very confidently to Sarrier, "Enos can''t see us." Saying that, he walked to Marquis Carmon. Took a look at this top pir of the Principality of Kasmi. He was a bit surprised. Although he had seen him before, he was wearing a helmet and couldn''t see his face. Now that he was up close, although this person had long hair, it was very dry, and his face gave off a very old-fashioned and serious feeling. Even more striking was that the Marquis had a wound on his cheek that had long since scarred. It was thought to be the result of leaving it behind many years ago and not having the time to be treated by the priest. It was no wonder that he was jokingly called Scarface Carmon by the people. Slightly squinting his eyes, Pdin saw Sarrier, who was very weak with a cold sweat, looking at himself with a somewhat expectant gaze. Immediately nodding slightly, he opened his hands to the broken arm. The people in the tent only felt a sh of light before their eyes! Just as shocked, they saw an eye-catching and brilliant golden luster erupt between Pdin''s hands! "O my Enos! Is this a miracle!" Even the weak Sarrier jumped in shock at the burst of golden light shining through. And some of the other priests also opened their mouths in disbelief! That''s right, they all saw it, that violent fracture that couldn''t be healed even with the Archbishop''s full strength. At this moment under this burst of golden light it miraculously gradually shrunk back into the wound, and those bone fragments that had been lodged into the flesh turned into ashes piece by piece, while the ruptured bones rapidly healed and grew! Then there are reconnected blood vessels, meridians, skin and flesh like small worms twisting their bodies gradually crawling all over the wounds. Not a moment''s effort, when the golden light in Pdin''s hand dissipated, the arm was already as good as new. The tent returned to the way it was a moment ago, Pdin''s head was sweating and panting slightly, but the surrounding clerics and priests were all looking at this in a state of dementia. They knew healing magic, but they had never heard of using it to the extent of restoring bones and reorganizing blood vessels! Sarrier stepped forward, meticulously examined the arm that was as good as new, and looked at Pdin with the eyes of a treasure and said: ''''Enos is above, you are simply a saint! To use the healing technique to this level, even the Cardinal Lord who is proficient in this path is just barely able to do so!" Pdin waved his hand, looked at the jealous gazes of those priests across the room, and slightly lowered his head, "Remember your promise." "Don''t worry, other than you, me and Father Tony, the others can only goin to Enos about today''s incident. But I will tell the Grand Duke and Marquis Carmon about this matter. It''s good for both you and me isn''t it?" Hearing these words, Pdin looked at Marquis Carmon who was still in a deep sleep, and nodded undeniably and said, "The injuries of several other nobles, they should be able to take care of it. There''s nothing for me here anymore, and I''m in great need of rest right now." Even with endless magic power, casting spells for that long had made Pdin sweat. He really needed a good rest at the moment. Sarrier nodded his head in agreement, then suddenly licked his smile and said, "The Grand Duke has arranged for a celebration banquet to be held in the fortress tonight, so why don''t youe along too.Don''t worry, you don''t want to be courteous with those nobles, just get to know each other and raise your reputation." "Ah! Your Excellency the Archbishop is so kind to me, it really tters me. But isn''t this favor too easy for you to return?" Pdin said so with some exaggeration, but received a nk stare from Sarrier. Looking at the several priests around him who did not look right, he lowered his head and muttered, "We''ll talk about it at the banquet at night, and then I''ll go find you myself." Chapter 113: Attending the Banquet

Chapter 113: Attending the Banquet

Although it was only an encounter, it was still 20,000 fighting 3,000. However, the Grand Duke returned to the fortress with his army in a triumphant manner. Although this move is said to be an ironic proof of the Grand Duke''s good and great honor, it can also show the necessary doings in order to boost the morale. When Pdin returned to his tent, he was about to give his muscles a good rx. Outside, the sky darkened and the full moon reced the sun hanging in the gray sky. The surviving soldiers, armed with spirits, sat around the campfire, eating shoddily roasted meat and telling third-rate jokes, or talking about a certain supposedly thrilling battle from many years ago. Suddenly, Sarrier turned out of a nearby tent and walked over to Pdin, "Put this on." Pdin nced at the robe that Sarrier handed over. Casually picking it up and spreading it out. However, he was surprised to find that on top of the grayish-white robe, there were patternspiled with gold silk, and the fabric was also extremely expensive raw silk! The price of this raw silk was quite high! Pdin gently sniffed it, and a look of fondness radiated from his eyes. This robe vaguely still had a refreshing grassy fragrance. It should have been cooked with spices. Spice ah, this is spice! A spice whose price was even higher than gold! Seeing Pdin''s loving look, Sarrier handed over another scepter. It was a scepter that was covered in silver and emitted silver light. The scepter had a pattern of carved gold and jade bracelets. And on the top, it was a cross made of all silver. It was not only gorgeous, but also not vulgar. Pdin took the scepter and yed with it back and forth. Very joyfully, he stood up and said, "Thank you, Your Excellency the Archbishop, and please wait for me." Sarrier then saw Pdin put on his robe in one go and fiddled with the silver scepter back and forth. Then solemnly took out a small silver cross pendant and hung it around his neck. At first nce, it really looked as noble and holy as a clergyman! Although he was originally a clergyman. Sarrier was also very satisfied as he looked at Pdin with this solid look. Relievedly, he said, ''''Don''t me me for speaking straight, you are not handsome per se, but there is still so much temperament. Later in the banquet at least you won''t lose face." Pdin smiled without saying anything, then also followed Sarrier to leave the camp and go to the fortress. In reality, Pdin understood in his heart. Sarrier also had some capable people around him, but didn''t bring them along because they weren''t nobles and he himself was a noble. In this power of nobles, being one of them was much more effective in dealing with them. Looking at the gates that were so tall that one could look up to them, Pdin walked into thergest and most powerful fortress of this Kasmi Principality for the first time. The t stone floor, the format of taverns and stores that were opening on both sides, and the magicalmps erected along the streets made Pdin think for a moment that he was back in Edley. If it wasn''t for the well-equipped guards with pot helmets and hooked spears passing back and forth on the road, and some big-bellied merchants driving their wagons intending toe to the fortress to make a fortune in war. Hired mercenaries took the few silver coins they had just been issued and ran off to hang out in the gentlend, as well as the huge bed crossbows and catapults that appeared on the city walls from time to time. It was only then that Pdin broke the illusion. Listening to the very emotional introduction of these stores as well as workshops by Sarrier beside him. Pdin turned his head to inspect the periphery of this fortress. Obviously, theyout of the outermostyer of the fortress was just like a city. But when Pdin and Sarrier passed through one of the inner gates and entered under the respectful gaze of the guards, the town''s aura instantly disappeared. The towering towers and dense soldiers, are densely packed eyelets on both sides. From time to time, catapults as tall as a building can be seen. Above the city wall there is also a wooden wall constructed to defend against bows and arrows. Everything in front of me is different from the soft town just now. It was a stern and cold blue-gray color. Walking in the middle of these soldiers, Pdin and Sarrier also remained silent and did not speak. elerating their pace quickly and they entered the third floor, after passing through the third gate and the fourth gate, they finally went up to the castle in the center. To be honest, if Pdin were toe by himself tonight, even if someone were to show him the way, he would definitely get lost in the castle''s numerous forks. After walking through a long flight of rotating stairs, Sarrier opened the door in front of him. What met his eyes was a wide corridor. At the end of the corridor was the sound ofughter and conversation. Two guards were guarding the doorway, with red raw silk dangling in front of them as a curtain. Pdin looked at this style and once again deeply felt what is called luxury! Inparison, Andrew''s style can be used as garbage! Red silk, with expensive dyes to render such arge piece, and then just used as a curtain! This curtain alone is at least fifty gold coins! And that''s without a price, knowing that dyes can mostly only be purchased from the nine southern Elven(elf) ns, while raw silk can only be traded from the far west, from the Mm dynasty behind the huge Moro Desert. This one curtain would take two extremes of the continent''s produce to produce, yet it could only be used as a curtain! Pdin stood to the side in some shock, and when the guard checked Sarrier''s identity, he immediately bent down with great respect and casually passed through the door curtain to open the heavy wooden door. Pleasant Kasmi noble music floated from within, and Pdin stepped inside. What shed in front of his eyes was a piece of splendor! The extremely spacious hall separated into two floors, with a staircase strung right in the middle. On both sides are good white stones polished and treated with gold edges of the columns. The ground is made of very soft and brightly colored fur of unknown monsters. Near the wall on one side was a dining table covered with a white cloth, on which there were many rare dishes that Pdin had never seen before. Format drinks and desserts were avable. There were also several chefs preparing a cheese-like dessert. Not to mention that the walls on either side were lined with fancy and bizarre murals and heroes and legends. Just the huge zed magic crystal magicmp above his head made Pdin almost lose hisposure and open his mouth! Hundreds of top quality magic crystals were set in grooves of gold. With years of knowledge Pdin can also see the top with an extremelyrge amount of tedious andplex alchemy array constantly urging the magic crystals to emit energy. So that the entire magicmp in the role of hundreds of magic crystals emitted a warm and soft yellow light. As the line of sight moved downward, countless nobles were dressed in fancy clothes, and beautiful noblewomen in corseted floor-length dresses were holding wines in their hands, very elegantly and politely dividing into small groups of three, chatting with each other about their recent sightings and stories. "Well, the people in this hall are the rulers of the Principality." Sarrier jokingly came to Pdin with a proud tone.Pdin nodded slightly, his eyes filled with a madness and quest that Sariel couldn''t have imagined: "It''s so beautiful! This is real life! And..." But before Pdin finished speaking, his expression froze for a moment ! Because at this moment, from his other perspective, an unexpected thing happened to the avatar. Chapter 114: On the Wagon

Chapter 114: On the Wagon

Outside the camp of the fortress, the doppelganger had just removed the armor and helmet from his body and ced them nicely on the rack, ready to replenish this with energy, when an servant in fancy clothes suddenly lifted the tent and handed the doppelganger a gorgeous and cumbersome dress of the aristocrats and said, "The Lord Countess of White Orchid would like you to put on this dress." The thoughtful doppelganger didn''t say anything twice and put the garish and cumbersome clothes with a lot ofce on his body. Blinking, with thece cor,ce trimmed cuffs, and the long red hair unique to the doppelganger, standing like this, it really was like those creamy noble children in the capital! This subordinate seemed to also be very surprised as he looked up and down at the doppelganger, and then waved his hand, but in his tone there was a respect that was not there before and said, "Baron Lord Sindep, please follow me." The doppelganger nodded slightly and followed the man out of the camp. What was very embarrassing was that those passing knights and mercenaries who were preparing to eat, who were originally talking andughing suddenly saw this dressed doppelganger, all of them stared at each other with their eyes and mouths open as if they had been released by a magician who had unleashed petrification spells, and froze in ce. The originally noisy camp was instantly and strangely went quiet. The only thing that was moving was the pair of eyes in the petrification, followed by the handsome captain of the knights, Alfred, Baron Sindep, who looked like a prince. The servant leading him turned back slightly, hoping to see the guy''s embarrassed and rmed expression. But to his disappointment, the doppelganger walked along with a calm face, his pampered performance making the servant''s opinion of the man who had scampered to the baronial title in just a few days rise a tier higher. It wasn''t that the doppelganger was holding back in all of this though, but truly felt no need to be embarrassed. It was an honor, a supreme honor! And these dry-eyed guys only had envy and jealousy. How could this be anything but a secret pleasure, how could there be any embarrassment in it? When the doppelganger and the subordinate left the camp towards the fortress, these knights and squires who were petrified immediately had a lightness in their hands, what with all the cross swords and dinners to be polished falling to the ground, but didn''t take it seriously at all, cajoling and discussing it with a shocked look on their faces. "My Enos ah! Did you just fall under a mage''s spell so that you saw a hallucination!" "New First Captain, what is this guy called Alfred doing in that outfit?" "I''m telling you, that man leading the way is the Countess''s subordinate. Maybe she invited him to dinner!" "Tch, he''s so arrogant just after being bestowed a baron, and the leader doted on him too much." "Isn''t it just a little white boy? Protecting the Grand Duke once is great, look at his smug face!" "Hee hee hee hee, you guys say, the Countess is now in her thirties and still doesn''t have a husband, so it''s okay to ask this little boy to go at such ate hour ..." "Don''t talk nonsense, the baron is usually good. He doesn''t put on a baron''s posture in front of us. It''s always not good to make wild guesses here." So then, these people who can''t eat grapes and say grapes are sour began to think very maliciously in their hearts about this little white man making a fool of himself, or offending whoever was imprisoned. These are the so-called knights, who are bound by the Eight Codes on weekdays, but once that selfishness erupts, it''s much stronger than ordinary people. After all, no matter how noble they were, they were still human beings with needs andpetition. They are also mortals who will hate and envy. But speaking of the doppelganger, he traveled all the way to just leave the camp. The subordinate in front of him immediately stopped. Very respectfully bent down and waved his hand and said, "Please get in the wagon, Lord Countess has been waiting for a long time." The doppelganger sniffed and turned his head to see that a luxurious carriage had stopped next to him. The carriage was alsobeled with a sign of gorgeous white orchids marking the owner of the carriage. The doppelganger then walked to the side of the carriage and boarded it with the help of a servant. Once the curtain was lifted, it was eerily dark inside. Vaguely, one could see a person in a waist-length dress sitting inside. A gust of ethereal fragrance wafted over from time to time. And at this moment, this suspected Countess suddenly raised herce glove-covered hand and gently patted the seat beside her. The meaning was for the doppelganger to sit beside her. Seeing the Countess ying a flirtatious game, the doppelganger simply sat in her seat without saying a word as well. And at this moment, that subordinate also got on the carriage and sat on the seat outside. He unbuttoned the secondyer of the curtain by hand. As the curtain slid down, there was no more light in this carriage except for the window next to it showing a little bit of faint light. Only the snap of a whip was heard. The underling drove the horses. The carriage ttered along. In the dark carriage, other than the window gradually changing due to the change of light, there was only the sound of that breathing of the doppelganger and the female count. The Doppelganger with sensitive hearing could feel that as the silence became more and more persistent, Orinna''s breathing became more and more rapid. Obviously a sign of nervousness. The Doppelganger understood that despite the fact that the countess is in her thirties, she is very sturdy in armor all day long, and she is extremely brave in fighting the enemy. However, she was also a woman. A woman who is in her thirties but doesn''t have a family, and who hasn''t even lost her virginity, to put it mildly. Thinking about her character and selling looks, plus the fact that she was thest family member of the White Orchid family. All the nobles in the principality who had moved their hearts were turned away without mercy. It wasn''t a me on the others, ask those nobles who were burdened with their family''s honor, how could they possibly abandon their family name and change their surname to White Orchid for the sake of a feisty and ugly woman? This was simply a faceless hook! But this was no threat to the doppelganger. The entire mel n was wiped out, and it was only someone else''s name. Now all that''s left is the Pdin with Alfred''s body on it. It could be imagined that such a countess-general who topped the head of the Aries Knights and went into battle to kill the enemy must be very inferior and afraid in matters of men and women. So when facing this kind of character, not only do you have to take the initiative, but you also have to pinpoint the right bnce and be careful not to touch her sensitive heart. So the doppelganger who was thinking like this, suddenly nced at the countess''s hand that was tightly grasping the corner of her skirt, and suddenly reached out and grabbed her hand at once, taking the lead to break the silence: ''''Countess, what''s wrong with you? Are you sick? Why is your body shivering?" "Ah... No." Feeling her hand being touched by the doppelganger, her heartbeat skyrocketed as she hadpletely lost her usual pugnacity and majesty. That womanly heart that was afraid of being hurt was being disyed in front of the doppelganger. The doppelganger smiled faintly, seeing that the countess had no intention of refusing, his hand wrapped around her hand, and his thumb if anything fiddled with the palm of her hand, and asked with a face of innocence, "And may I also ask the countess, where are we going?" ""Huh...huh...to attend the banquet convened by the Grand Duke, you are my dance partner today." At least the countess who hade through the storm had regained someposure at this moment. Exining to the doppelganger to know. But the hand that was holding her hand tightly was subconsciously ignored. Although he had guessed it long ago, hearing the countess say these words still made the doppelganger dumbfounded. This was great, the doppelganger and the main body attending the banquet together. To maneuver around so many nobles. But the smile of the Countess made the doppelgangerugh. But seeing the smile of the Doppelganger in the Countess''s eyes, there was an ufortable sense of grievance: "What are youughing at, it''s just a dance partner, don''t think nonsense!" The doppelganger was startled and immediately exined, "No, you misunderstood Lord Countess." But who knew that the doppelganger hadn''t finished speaking, the countess turned around, and covered the doppelganger''s mouth with the other hand, stopping his words, the big eyes shining in the dark looked shy at the moment, looked at the doppelganger in the dark and said, "Don''t call me countess." The doppelganger froze slightly, then came to a realization. Adjusting his tone, he gently called out in a gentle andpassionate tone, "Orinna¡­.." Seeing Orinna hear the doppelganger call her real name, even as she rxed her guard in the darkness, she shyly drew back her hand. No longer speaking. And the doppelganger also stopped irritating the countess who was just right at the moment, smiling in his heart, "Yes, love me woman. It doesn''t matter even if you want me to change my surname. As long as I am allowed to obtain the family business of the White Orchid family! As long as that is achieved, you will be nothing more than a worn and ugly rag!" The doppelganger, who was secretlyughing in his heart, suddenly heard Orinna, who was silent, let out a bted voice: "Hmm¡­." The doppelganger''s eyes narrowed in the darkness, revealing the quick smile of seeing prey fall into a trap. Everything was going smoother than expected. Chapter 115: The Debut

Chapter 115: The Debut

Upon arriving at the castle inside the fortress and stopping the carriage. The doppelganger stood in front of the door like a true gentleman, holding out his hand to greet Orinna as she got out. Orinna carefully looked at the underlings who pretended not to see anything, and gently ced her hand on the doppelganger''s hand to get out of the carriage. Finally, with so much light, the doppelganger got a good look at Orinna''s appearance. A long round red dress with a corseted waist trailed to the ground, and a decorative hat was ced on her head. The chest swelled out because of the corset, which was quite spectacr. The face was obviously carefully painted with makeup, and a translucent mask made of raw silk blocked the face. So much so that at first nce, there is a hazy beauty, but the rather heroic eyes somewhat destroy this beauty. Orinna smiled very gently at the doppelganger, and it was obvious that the doppelganger''s current dress was also beyond her imagination. A decent dress sets off the handsome appearance and perfect body. The long red hair added a bit of mystery. When Orinna''s heart leapt, she immediately said to the subordinate with a stern face, "Nap, lead the way." This underling immediately jumped off the carriage and very obediently opened the door and walked up the steps. And Orinna immediately resumed her smile, as beautiful as the sunlight that melted the ice. She passed one hand through the doppelganger''s arm and wrapped it tightly in her embrace. Full of affection, she said, "Come along, my knight." When they reached the top floor, when the underling informed the guards, a push opened the heavy door. The hall that looked exactly as it did in the eyes of the main body Pdin reappeared in front of them. Pdin, who was fully aware of the visitor, suddenly turned his head and looked at the doppelganger with a surprised expression and said, "Brother! Why are you here as well?" "Brother, what a coincidence." The doppelganger also greeted him when he saw the main body. And it was at this moment that Pdin pretended to see Countess White Orchid by his side, and immediately bent down with an embarrassed face and said, "So it''s Lord Countess White Orchid. I really didn''t see it for a moment. Please also forgive my presumptuousness." White Orchid smiled faintly, not waiting to return a polite remark. Because Pdin''s words spread, it instantly made the nobles in the hall who were talking eagerly stop their speech instantly. "White Orchid? Is the Countess White Orchid here?" An older nobleman suddenly cruised back and forth in puzzlement, while a clearly much younger nobleman beside him looked at the now-dressed Countess and let out a voice of disbelief, "My Enos, ah! This beautifuldy is Countess White Orchid? Impossible!" Obviously, the nobles present did not even think that Countess White Orchid, who had always been averse to banquets, would attend this banquet. And those young nobles who noticed this Countess White Orchid after dressing up in full costume immediately lowered their voices and let out a hiss, "Impossible! It can''t bepared with that sturdy lion in the influence!" "Illusion, it''s all an illusion! It doesn''t fool me!" A blonde aristocrat mumbled with a dumbfounded face, while another beside him banged his head against a pir, "Give me back my youth! My childhood!" "I must have pulled an all-nighter yesterday, so I must have misjudged it, for sure..." These male nobles let out a burst of pig-killing screams. It was because today''s Orinna waspletely out of ce with her old, brawny, armor-d appearance. What was most difficult for them to ept was that this humongous woman had indeed be beautiful! As the saying goes, people rely on their clothes. When an ugly woman dresses up with care, the effect tends to be worlds apart. At this moment, the White Orchid Countess felt the gazes of these aristocrats and couldn''t help but lower her head in a short breath. However, the next scene made the White Orchid Countess, who was being shy, almost storm out! Unlike the male nobles, those noblewomen who were gathered together, chatting privately with their girlfriends and close friends, after seeing the Countess of White Orchid''s tightly embraced alter ego. Immediately, their eyes were glowing as they discussed: "Look, look, look, who is that red-haired gentleman by her side? He looks very handsome!" "I know I know. He''s the newly promoted Baron Alfred, mel! And a knight under Orinna." "What! Wouldn''t it be a waste to have such a superbmodity fall into the hands of that ugly woman Orinna!" "mel? Is that the noble family who were recently massacred by a mage? Ah, what a pity~~ It seems like I''d love him in my arms!" "Che, this Orinna, she thinks that a change of clothes makes him worthy of such a treasure?" "That''s just it! We''re going to go up and steal her limelight!" These noblewomen with various hairstyles and fans that emitted the scent of flowers immediately walked up to them with small steps. There was no intention of talking to Countess White Orchid, looking straight at the handsome and extraordinary doppelganger with long reddish hair. Immediately covered her face with the fan, revealed her sparkling eyes and said, "This must be Your Excellency the Baron, have you ever been on a battlefield?" The doppelganger picked up a ss of red wine from the table next to it with a smile on its face, said very elegantly: "Battlefield well, the Countess took me to battle together,dies please ask the Lord Countess." But who knew that these words of the doppelganger would not have much effect at all, these as ghosts like noblewomen pulled the doppelganger away from the hands of the dazed Countess white Orchid, seven or eight immediately swarmed around the doppelganger and constantly looked up and down the handsome doppelganger. When he was not paying attention, they touched his body with their hands up and down, exuding wolf-like eyes and kept saying: "Who wants to listen to that shrew, everyone just wants to hear what you say, let''s talk." "Hehehe, that''s amazing. Sir Baron, your face is whiter than mine." "Wow, you have a pretty good figure." The doppelganger kept refusing with a smile on his face, the pestering of these noblewomen gave him a feeling of being at a loss. Suddenly he realized that he really didn''t know how to deal with these upper ss people. And at this moment, just when both the doppelganger and the main body were in a great deal of anxiety, Countess White Orchid, who had been left out to the side, was filled with rage, stared viciously at her doppelganger who was in the pile of women, and then turned around in anger, lifting up the skirts of that wide and swollen round skirt with both hands, and quickly walked into the semi-circr balcony next to the hall and went there. "Crap." Pdin muttered with a frown. Sarrier, who was watching by his side, couldn''t help butugh, "You''re two brothers, howe you don''t look like each other at all? Look at him, how he is attracting women. In fact, when I was young, I was just like your brother, how many noblewomen fell for me¡­.." Pdin simply didn''t have the leisure to listen to Sarrier''s racy history. He immediately made a cruel thought and moved his mind! At this moment, Pdin, who was standing to the side, suddenly stared dead on at the corset of one of the noblewomen that surrounded the doppelganger. Gradually applying the power of the light element to it, he imagined a hand grasping the corset and then pulling it with force! "Ahhhhhhhh!" The corset of that noblewoman suddenly fell off. Frightened, she shouted and covered her chest with both hands. But then, the attention of those noblewomen suddenly shifted, and looking at thispanion''s bad appearance, they unconsciously snickered with their fans covering their mouths. And just when the nobledy was about to cry, an old nobleman suddenly stepped forward, took off his coat and put it on her, pushed her out with a sullen expression and said in a low voice, "I told you not toe here! You just don''t listen..." And at this moment, the doppelganger followed this good opportunity and immediately escaped from the surrounding of thedy in a few steps, took two sses of wine with olives from the table, and walked into the huge semi-circr balcony. And when these nobledies realized that something was wrong, they left the building empty. Immediately scattered without interest: "It''s boring, let''s see if there are any handsome guys." Walking into the quiet balcony, although it was only one step away, the doppelganger felt as if entering another world. It was different from the gorgeous and extravagant hall behind them, full of perfume and noise. This balcony was illuminated by the bright moonlight in the sky. It showed a quiet blue color. Smell the refreshing earthy fragrance in the air. Looking at Orinna who was leaning alone on the railing carved with a lion''s head. The doppelganger smiled slightly and walked over. Chapter 116: Following The Leader

Chapter 116: Following The Leader

Obviously, Orinna who was dressed in bright red, purposely matching the hair color of the doppelganger, also noticed the arrival of the doppelganger. The head she nced over from time to time, the corner of her eye that was vaguely exposed, were all like a timid bird hiding in the treetops, peering at the magnificent peacock in the distance. Seeing the peacock looking over, it once again darted behind the tree trunk as if hiding. The doppelganger smiled and walked over to her, cing the wine ss on the stone railing, looking up at the bright moon in the sky andughing, "You must not be used to a banquet like this either, Orinna." Listening to the gentle tone of the doppelganger, the hands of Orinna, who lowered her head, hung down to the bottom and grabbed the corner of her skirt, cursing like an angry little girl, "Call me Lord Countess!" "Yes, my honorable Miss Orinna." "You¡­.you are bullying me!" The doppelganger looked at the pouting Orinna and suddenly lowered his head and said in a very low tone, "I''m just a knight, and the baron title is too sudden for me. Mypanions don''t like me much either. But all of this was given to me by you. It''s your affirmation and trust in me." At this point, the doppelganger paused slightly and took a sip of the wine in his hand. Noticing Orinna sneaking over with a quizzical look. Immediately, he continued in a low voice, "As a knight, I don''t have much to think about, even though I''m burdened with my family''s great hatred and iparable grief. I only wish to be able to transform into a shield and sword to protect you and the enemies attacking you. And that is all." As soon as the words fell, Orinna''s eyes loosened a bit, and the doppelganger immediately hit the snake with a stick, raising his head to look at the bright moon once again and said, "If there is a bit of selfishness, it''s also just the hope of being able to see the iparable beauty of the White Orchids that blossoms on the battlefield. Those noblewomen who only know how to dress up and have affairs are, at best, wildflowers waiting to rot. Only you, only you, Orinna. Never, never, never fade. You on the battlefield are truly as eye-catching and as mesmerizing as the white orchid that never wilts." Saying that, the doppelganger had moved behind Orinna and found Orinna blushing and lowering her head without saying a word. And saw that there was no one else around, then a great opportunity was not spared, a hand gently embraced Orinna from behind! Bending his head down, his lips whispered to Orinna''s flushed ears, "Do you understand my heart? My princess." At this instant, the doppelganger felt the body of Orinna in his arms immediately stiffen at the sound of his words! It was apanied by a faint tremor! The doppelganger shifted his head slightly and saw that Orinna''s face was as crimson as if it was on fire. Eyes wide open as she looked at the soles of her feet. "You''re trembling¡­." As the doppelganger said so, he saw Orinna suddenly take a deep breath, and her originally stiff body gradually softened, relying on the doppelganger''s embrace. "Don''t¡­..." The flushed-face Orinna murmured softly, only to see the doppelganger looking down at her, holding her chin. The head gradually went lower and lower, and it looked like he was about to kiss her little mouth. Suddenly a grandiose call came from the hall, "Today is a celebration, and I am honored that all of you havee to join us!" The Grand Duke''s voice caused Orinna to snap back to her senses, and immediately pushed the doppelganger away shyly and hurriedly ran into the hall. Only leaving the doppelganger standing in ce with a gloomy face. And at this moment, Pdin, who stood up with Sarrier holding a wine ss, suddenly frowned with great irritation and muttered, "Just a little bit, just a little bit! The great work is done!" Sarrier immediately shook his head in confusion and asked, "What did you just say?" "Nothing, just talking to myself." Pdin casually made a perfunctory remark and controlled the doppelganger to walk into the hall. And yet, at that moment, all the nobles all raised their wine cups high and saluted the grand duke in fancy clothes standing on the stairs, "For the glory of the Principality of Kasmi, for our grand duke!" The crowd tilted their heads and drank from their cups, and the Grand Duke waved his hand with great joy, "Music, everyone, let''s dance!" Saying this, he wrapped his arm around a middle-aged woman in a watery blue Chinese dress beside him, smilingly looking at the excited young nobles underneath. Seeing that the noble men and women present immediately found their dancing partners, Pdin bent down very gentlemanly. With the musicians on both sides holding various instruments ying exciting music, the nobles immediately held the hands and waist of the noblewoman, began to dance with the melody in the field. Pdin looked at this y, his eyes suddenly lit up, and immediately controlled the Doppelganger to go forward, grabbed Orinna standing next to him toe to the field, grabbed her hand, and held that thin waist. Started to step up. "Wait... I won''t." When Orinna saw the surrounding onlooker nobles with long, petrified mouths, her face, which had just regained its calmness, immediately blushed once again, and she couldn''t wait to shake off this knight''s hand and escape from here. But strangely enough, she who was originally so powerful that she could even swing a huge battle axe, at this moment she was helpless against that t and unimpressive pair of hands. "Don''t worry, follow my rhythm, I''ll teach you." The doppelganger immediately and gently calmed Orinna''s panicked mind. Letting Orinna follow the footsteps. After all, it was a great noble family, how could this type of dance not be known? It was just that the perennial war was rusty. At this moment being the doppelganger , Pdin immediately turned over the original memory. Not long after that, the doppelganger had already started dancing better. "Oh! My Grand Duke, is thatdy Orinna?" The woman standing beside the Grand Duke watched this in surprise, covering her mouth with a fan and eximing in shock. But it was only then that she realized that it wasn''t just her, even the grand duke, and the many, many nobles present, as well as those same nobles who were dancing on the field had stopped in their tracks and looked at this in shock. That formidable and ferocious White Orchid Countess, at this moment, was actually dancing with a handsome scion! "Hahahahaha, good! This Orinna fellow, I''ve always looked at her as a sister. Seeing that she hasn''t found a home yet at that age, I felt sorry for her father''s mandate. Now it''s good! Great!" The Grand Duke froze and suddenlyughed with joy. Then he yelled to the nobles under the field, "What are you waiting for, do you want to bepared to our honorable Aries Knights leader!" Those nobles heard and saw that the Grand Duke was very happy, they also didn''t care about it, wrapped their arms around the noblewoman and danced vigorously once again. There were even some old nobles with white heads, pulling on their wives who were the same as him, joining in the joyful dance. . "Heh heh heh." The Grand Dukeughed happily. However, his eyes realized that this person dancing with Orinna was the same knight who had blocked Marquis Javier''s sneak attack in the morning and saved himself. Immediately pretending to smile, he twisted his head and said to one of the scouts drinking underlings beside him, ''''Keep an eye on this Alfred, I want to know all of his daily journeys. Even if it''s to go to the toilet, I need to know." This underling without any characteristics just nodded slightly. Carrying the drink''s quietly went upstairs. And never came down again. The doppelganger raised her hand and made the joy-filled Orinna spin in ce on it. Listening to her let out bursts of happyughter. The doppelganger heart also let go of its heart. Things that were one step closer to sess. And at this moment, Pdin was ying with the wine ss in his hand, with a faint smirk on his face. Suddenly, he saw Marquis Carmon with a cold face, tight lips and a goatee, suddenly emerged from the bustling crowd, walked up to Pdin and sat down. Without waiting for Pdin to stand up and salute in a hurry, he said to himself: "I heard what Sarrier said. Thank you for the morning. I owe you a favor, Father." Marquis Carmon was notoriously cold and reticent, and being able to say that much he was already the limit. It was only a matter of time before he rose to leave once again after speaking, and within a few moments he was already hidden amongst the crowd covered in smiles and joy. Pdin''s ass had just left the stool and he sat down again. Beside him, Sarrier teased with a sarcasticugh, ''''You guys have earned it. Marquis Carmon ces great importance on promises. Even if you tell him that you want a count''s title, he can definitely do it for you." Listening to the words of Sarrier, who was already slightly drunk beside him, Pdin put down the wine that he hadn''t even taken a sip of. With a smile, he said softly, "Speaking of favors, His Eminence the Archbishop. You still owe me a favor." "Oh? And what do you want in return? Greedy little fellow." Seeing Pdin talking about business, Sarrier also put down his wine ss. However, he heard Pdin lean down and whisper in a voice as low as possible, "You said that there is more than one head sheep in this great pasture that is this Kasmi Diocese." Sarrier nodded expressionlessly. Immediately, Pdin''s eyes narrowed slightly and he continued, "Then Andrew, the sheep, is he grazing behind you?" "He? He is grazing after another sheep."s "Then why not let this sheep disappear and give another poor littlemb a share of this fertile grass? Surely he would be very grateful for this giving, following this head sheep." Sarrier''s eyes, which had been somewhat dazed and queasy, opened wide at the sound of these words. There was no intoxication at all, only depth and vignce, "Pdin, do you think it''s that simple? If I could just change it, why would I still need to stay in this ranch? I would have gone to a bigger ce long ago! Young people shouldn''t be too greedy, haste can backfire." "That''s not necessarily true." Pdin shook his head with a smile. But it made Sarrier frown, "Kid, be careful of overying your hand, I won''t be able to help you when the timees. Don''t get carried away." Who knew that Pdin stood up on his own, with a more and more bizarre smile on his face, "I will have my own way, and it''s a way that other people can''t notice. You only need to fully support me when a bishop position is vacant. Of course, if you need gold coins, you can ask me for them." With that, he also took a step and bent a waist and said, "Excuse me." Then he took a step and left the hall. Only Sarrier, who was sitting in his seat, was left with a puzzled and curious gaze. Chapter 117: Infiltrating the Fortress

Chapter 117: Infiltrating the Fortress

Late that night, the ball ended in a lively atmosphere. Because of the long distance from the fortress to the camp, the Grand Duke simply arranged for some nobles to rest in the rooms in the fortress. Naturally, Archbishop Sarrier and Pdin also had a share in getting such a treatment. And in a room in the fortress. Orinna, who had never been so happy and was drunk, was carried into the middle of this room by the doppelganger. Closing the door, he ced the red-faced, giggling Orinna on the high ss velvet bed. He was just about to cover Orinna with the quilt and turn his head to leave. The giddy Orinna suddenly raised her hand and grabbed the doppelganger''s hand, thetter looked back but saw that there was not the slightest hint of drunkenness on Orinna''s face. In a serious manner with a bit of shyness, she said, "I want you to stay with me tonight." The doppelganger smiled faintly and broke Orinna''s hand open, saying very gently, "You''re drunk, go to bed." Who knew that this sentence of the doppelganger made Orinna immediately puff up her mouth in anger and scream, "I am the leader of the group! I order you to stay with me tonight as the Leader!" At this instant, the doppelganger looked at Orinna with a blush on his face and secretly snickered. On his face, however, he solemnly bent down and said, "At yourmand, Captian." Saying so, in front of Orinna''s face, he very calmly took off his clothes, revealing his majestic body. But just now Orinna was strongly drunk and saw the doppelganger¡¯s body and after the split, suddenly blushed and picked up the quilt to cover her face, not daring to look at the doppelganger at this moment. And the doppelganger was slightly smiling. Mentally recited: "White Orchid will be my new starting point." After that, it burrowed into the quilt. Suddenly, a scream came out of the room, followed by a light hum filled with love. At this moment, in the room on the other side, Pdin stood alone on the window sill and looked at the bright moon in the sky. But there was sweat on his face, and his face was already a little red with excitement. However, Pdin frowned, clutching the window sill with both hands and cursing: "It seems that having a clone is not all a good thing. I''m having a hard time here!" Pdiny on the bed ufortably, only feeling very hot all over. The distorted face suddenly shook! Pdin said to himself with an unbelievable tone: "Bleeding? Hehehe, I didn''t expect it to be her first time, hahahaha!" Pdin just smiled, but was immediately suffocated by the endless heat and couldn''t speak. Just lying in bed like a dead body for half an hour. Pdin finally stopped the long torture. He simply got up and began to rummage through the books. As for the doppelganger, this is the most painful time. Just after a big battle, Orinna, who was like a novice, couldn''t bear it, and soon fell asleep. But Pdin''s spirit does not need any dormancy at all, and it is precisely this Alfred''s body that needs dormancy. So there is such a situation. The doppelganger is awake, but the body is not under his control at all, and is in a dormant state. So he had to look at the pitch-ck area with his eyes closed, and wait until dawn. Just when Pdin began to endure the boring night again, Nashura and Adele, dressed in ck robes and hoods, rode ck horses and looked at the fortress not far away, and of course, the densely lit tents around the fortress. With guards patrolling back and forth. Nashura and Adele got off their horses and sneaked into the bushes not far from the camp. When a group of five guards suddenly passed by in front of them chatting idly, Adele saw Nashura nod slightly. Immediately drawing her dagger from under her ck robe, her figure blurred for a while, and in an instant she had already arrived in the middle of these guards. The guards only felt a ck shadow suddenly sh before their eyes, before they could react to what was going on. They saw their vision begin to rotate and watched their headless bodies fall limply into a pool of blood. Darkness was ushered in before their eyes. "As long as you give an honest ount, not only will I not kill you, but I will also give you gold coins so that you can leave here and go home to retire!" In just a split second''s effort, Adele lightning-fast decapitated four guards. With a hand covering the only guard that survived down, Adele kicked away the hook and sickle gun on the ground, and the dagger in her hand pressed against the guard''s neck and asked threateningly. At the moment when the guard was in a cold sweat of fear, not knowing what to do, he suddenly saw a person covered in ck robese out from the bushes on one side. Only to see him gently waving the glowing wand in his hand, immediately shocked to see a bit of mysterious runes shing around him. A horrifying synonym jumped into the guard''s mind, "Wizard!?" Adele lowered her hand after seeing the guard''s fear and shock was overflowing at the sight of Nashura, but the dagger in her hand was still pointing at the guard''s throat, killing him on the spot as soon as there was any movement. When the guard saw Adele lower her hand, he nced fearfully at the masked assassin and the magician beside her, and immediately shivered and said: ''''What do you want to know, I''ll tell you everything! As long as you guys don''t kill me!" The guard was very wise at the moment not to ask for the gold coins that were mentioned before, because he profoundly knew that no amount of gold coins could buy back his life. Seeing the guardpromising, Nashura paused slightly and suddenly opened his mouth to ask, "You have a Priest named Pdin here, do you know where he is?" "No, I don¡¯t know." The guard answered very dryly, but the expression on his face was also very unpleasant. Even he cursed in his heart. This Father Pdin, just how much money does he owe others, and has caused such a big enemy toe to collect the debt! Hearing the guard''s words, Nashura frowned slightly and looked at Adele. And Adele immediately understood, ncing at the endless camps and towering fortresses and said, "Such a big camp, and there are countless ces in it. Although it is possible to find this priest among tens of thousands of people, it will take a lot of time." Just as Nashura''s frown deepened, this guard, for the sake of his own life, immediately proposed, "Although I don''t know where this priest named Pdin is, I do know that all of the apanying priests all live on the west side of the camp. Nah, it''s there in front." The inviting guard immediately pointed to a patch of tents not far away. Adele looked back with surprise, and underneath that veil, a dangerous smile appeared and said, "Thank you, my soldier." When she was about to slice open the guard''s trachea, Nashura took a step forward and patted Adele on the shoulder, preventing the life of the trembling and tearful guard from disappearing. Nashura met Adele''s puzzled eyes and said, "Let him go, he helped us, and we even murdered an innocent ordinary person, I can''t do it." Adele silently nced at the man she loved, and finally couldn''t resist his mncholy eyes, suddenly sighed helplessly, and knocked the guard unconscious with a backhand palm. She stood up and said, "I don''t know if this decision is right or not, I hope you don''t regret it." What responded to her was a very grateful smile from Nashura. When the two of them, Adele and Nashura, left this ce and sneaked into that camp to look for Pdin, who was reading a book in the castle guest room, this guard, who had been knocked unconscious on the ground by Nashura''s one thought, could have been the trigger that led to the tragedy. Chapter 118: Seeking Your Own Death

Chapter 118: Seeking Your Own Death

When Adele and Nashura arrived at the camp, they were about to torture a priest again. Instead, they heard a few priests say in a jealous tone, "This fellow Pdin, what makes him so appreciated by the Archbishop? Isn''t he just of noble birth? With his entire family wiped out, he''s only left with a family name." "Ay, don''t say that. Although this guy is in the limelight these days, it''s just a moment of prestige. Although the archbishop took him to the castle''s banquet and spent the night there. But it''s also a temporary scenery." Adele and Nashura, who were about to make some preparations, immediately froze when they heard this. Following that, they looked at each other and smiled, suddenly blending into the dark shadows, and there was no evidence that the two of them existed. Not long after, the figures of the two appeared in front of the huge gate of the fortress. Adele nced at the ten iron gates that were suspended from the top of the gate, and then nced at the dozen or so guards who were squatting at the gate, drinking a little wine around the campfire and chatting happily. When he was about to sneak in with Nashura behind him, Nashura''s foot was just about to step into the inner gates, just a split second around this corner! He suddenly red with both eyes, darted a hand to pull Adele, looked back at her who was puzzled, and whispered with a grave face, "I just sensed it, an elemental shroud." "What¡¯s that?" Adele immediately asked as she lowered her voice. She looked at Nashura''s grave face and knew that he wouldn''t be aimless. However, she heard Nashura raise his head slightly and point with his chin on the open space of the city gate in front of him. Adele suspiciously turned her head to look at it, and was getting more and more puzzled when she wanted to ask Nashura what was going on. Nashura became more and more serious and lowered his voice and said: "Look carefully at this empty space in front of the city gate. Stare at a grain of sand stone on the ground. Then gently walk back and forth from side to side. Don''t rx your concentration to see." Adele immediately arched her body and stared at the grains of sand on the ground and moved back and forth ording to Nashura''s words, but just after walking twice, those originally puzzled eyes were immediately filled with incredulity! "My god, is this magic?" Adele looked at everything in front of her and whimpered in surprise. Because in front of this city gate that should have only been air, as Adele moved, she actually saw an unsteady center! It was like a twisted refraction, the wooden bar inserted into the water was twisted in a way that was not a straight line in and out of the water. But this is air, such an almost invisible shroud, exactly. Just as Adele was shocked with confusion, Nashura said with resignation, "This is elemental shroud magic. It''s not harmful to people, it''s as harmless as sight. However, unlike the naked eye, it is like a huge spider web, once a caster with the same spell ring touches the field of this magic. It will be sensed by the mage who cast this magic." "You mean..." Adele was a little frightened, but she saw Nasura nodding seriously and said: "That''s right, this elemental shroud covers the entire fortress. There must be a knowledgeable mage sitting in the fortress, guarding the fortress with elemental shrouds, and monitoring all mages with the four elements! Simply put, I can''t go in! Otherwise, I will be discovered by this senior immediately." Adele swallowed deeply, turned her head and looked at Nashura ying with the dagger in her hand, and said helplessly, "In other words, do you want me to go in alone to find Father Pdin?" "There''s no other way, I''ll leave this to you first. You are an assassin, as long as you don''t get discovered by Pdin. And the magic of Elemental Cage can''t do anything to a non-caster without the favor of the four elements." Ad could only roll her eyes and said, "Well, I''ll go. I''lle back and let you know as soon as I get some news from the Science Fiction and Fantasy Novel episodes." After saying that, her figure was blurred for a while, and only a ck shadow shed faintly, followed by Nashura''s concerned soft call of "be careful", and entered the fortress. But Nashura, who looked at Adele who disappeared in the streets of the fortress, felt an ufortable feeling in the fortress. That feeling was not from the fortress, but from something, someone in the fortress. It''s like the strange cold feeling of countless people screaming and crawling on the ground, but unable to stand up. This kind of feeling gave Nashura only worry about Adele. But thinking that no matter how you say it, she is also the assassin who won the title of hound from the H-asassin Alliance, she can be regarded as a master at any rate, even if there are twenty ordinary soldiers, they will be killed. There is no need to worry. And at this moment, Adele, who was darting through the shadows between the buildings and the walls, finally drilled into a window and entered the castle after a long half hour. Slightly poking her head out to see that there were still some guards and maids ambiguously walking into the kitchen to eat their evening meal. Adele then knew it was still early. Intending to find some innocent people to find out where Father Pdin was. And get into action. It went even smoother than expected. After Adele stunned the three threatened maidservants with the power of thunder, Adele finally knew the whereabouts of Father Pdin, and immediately separated herself! Seeing that the room in the information was right in front of him, Pdin, who was reading a book inside, was taken aback for a moment. His hearing, which had been strengthened many times, could vaguely hear a series of footsteps from far to near outside the room! It is so subtle that it has to give people a feeling of lurking! Pdin turned off the light decisively, jumped to bed, covered the quilt tightly and closed his eyes. Immediately, he opened his hands hidden under the quilt, and he grabbed two golden light magic arrows in his hands, waiting for this mysterious person who might be looking for him. Click click click click. With a series of scalp numbing, yet very faint clicking sounds, this wooden door slowly opened, and without making a single footstep, Adele bowed her body and walked in, dagger in her hand. At the first nce, Adele saw Pdin who was shrouded in shadow and covered with a quilt and was sleeping. But it was also because of the shadows that Pdin''s face could not be seen clearly. Ad slowly moved to the front of his bed, although she was a little worried that this Pdin was not a fuel-efficientmp. However, until now, she could still feel that this Pdin''s breathing and heartbeat were very normal and regr through the Breath Convergence Method. There was absolutely none of that nervousness and fear or excitement. Adele didn''t believe that he was awake and could only be truly asleep. Because being able to openly and calmly face the person who walked into her room with a dagger and still not have the slightest mood swing. That wasn''t even human, it should be called undead. "Hmm!" Adele took a slight step back, and a sudden light came on before her eyes, as if an infinite sea of water had sprung up in front of her eyes, a seapiled of thick golden light! Adele''s face changed! The original thought of waking up Pdin for a proper interrogation dissipated! This vision, wasn''t it exactly the one that was felt in Fenrir, the evil man that escaped! In other words, this Pdin was the culprit who framed O¡¯Neill and killed the mel family! She no longer has the intention to stay still, no matter whether it is for the sake of Nashura''s injustice, or this bizarre and horrible illusion, this Pdin will have to die! But at this moment, when Adele embraced the consequences of blood sttering all over her body, she wanted to cut off the head of Pdin who was sleeping soundly with his eyes closed. Pdin''s closed eyes, which were originally very peaceful, suddenly opened! Dazzling golden light burst out from the eye sockets! Chapter 119: Old Acquaintance

Chapter 119: Old Acquaintance

Adele only saw a golden light in front of her eyes! The hairs on her body immediately stood on end! An unspeakable feeling of fear came over her! Subconsciously, her hand returned to protect herself, and her body backed up to the corner of the wall like light smoke! Just as Adele''s body was retreating, the quilt on Pdin''s body was lifted up, and the two light magic arrows grasped in his hand were immediately thrown out! However, this kind of attack was naturally useless to the agile Adele. Although she was surprised that this Pdin was able to instantly fire magic arrows, without the slightest hesitation, she flipped in mid-air and easily avoided this magic. "Boom Boom!" Before Adele could breathe a sigh of relief, two deafening explosions immediately sounded behind her! Slightly ncing through the afterglow, Adele immediately felt her heart vibrate violently! This mediocre magic arrow had actually smashed through two iparably huge holes in the front wall! It even blew the wall of the next room to smithereens! That unlucky guy''s blood dyed the next door red! It was good that Adele was not an idle person, the power of this Pdin''s magic was far beyond her expectations. In the H-assassin Alliance, the saying that taught assassins was, what does one do to face a mage they can''t resist head on? The answer was, kill the mage before he casts a spell. Without any hesitation! Adele''s body that was in mid-air and gentlynded on the ground, her toes just pointing on the floor that was covered with wood shavings, and she immediatelyunched her body, her body brought up a series of residual shadows, and in the blink of an eye, she arrived in front of Pdin, who was retracting his hand and crouching down naked! The dagger in her hand stabbed at Pdin''s vitals in a tricky manner! The de in her hand reflected the light of the moon outside the window and made a fierce cracking sound. Seeing the neck of this Pdin, whose eyes exploded with golden light, close at hand. About to gain the ultimate victory, this Pdin suddenlyughed hideously. Thump!!! The dagger in Adele''s hand suddenly let out a miserable wailing sound. She was shocked to see that just three feet in front of Pdin''s body, a circle of golden ripples suddenly struck the tip of the dagger that had stabbed past him, spreading out in all directions quickly. "A magic shield! How is that possible!" Adele shouted so in her heart. The force of the full force stab was still depleted. Looking at Pdin''s hideous smile, Adele''s intuition told her that leaning on this monster any longer would do absolutely no good! Obviously Adele no longer had time to consider why her own dagger, however, was blocked by a magic shield that could only defend against magic. Driven by a huge sense of crisis at the moment, Adele made a choice that she couldn''t regret. Adele threw down the dagger without hesitation, and took a few steps back to escape. Obviously, this Pdin, who thought he knew everything, was far beyond his imagination. "Idiot!" Just as Adele flew back and wanted to leave, Pdin, who was watching all this, finally couldn''t help but let out a sneer! Before the words were finished, as Pdin opened his hands and flew behind Adele who was retreating, dozens of golden light beams suddenly appeared out of thin air! Standing staggered around like a spider''s web. A prison was formed. As soon as Adele, who was retreating, saw this strange magic, she instinctively took another dagger from her waist and wanted to cut it. But to her dismay, as soon as the dagger forged from fine fine iron touched these golden beams of light, it immediately turned red and melted into molten iron! "What kind of magic is this!" Adele''s heart sank, muttering a shocked word on her lips, and before she could react, ten golden chains suddenly surfaced around her body, instantly tying her up in knots! Under the drastic change in color, Adele felt Pdin''s breath behind her, and subconsciously turned her body for a split second, a powerful hand flew over, and ruthlessly punched her in the abdomen. Adele nced in pain, and knelt down on the ground weakly, with big teardrops slowly falling down. Suddenly, it was dark in front of her body, Adele strained to raise her head, but did not expect Pdin to directly grab a hand over her hair to lift it up, to make her head up. "Ooh, is this an assassin? It''s weaker than expected. Say, who paid to kill me. I''ll pay triple." Listening to the brazen words of this Pdin, Adele''s vision became clear after the severe pain gradually disappeared. The first thing that caught her eye was a cold and yful smiling face. Under a head of ck hair, scornful eyes gleamed. After a moment! Adele looked at this Pdin who she met for the first time, and she felt a sense of d¨¦j¨¤ vu. Looking at the familiar face, she murmured in surprise, "Pdin?" At once, a tidal wave of memories all came flooding back! That Pdin handyman who was scolded as a waste and a fool in the FreeMason Federation. That idiot who looked dumb all day long, with eyes that were devoid of emotion! Such a resemnce, it was practically the same! The only difference was that this person didn''t have the slightest hint of a dumb look at all. The luster contained in that pair of ordinary eyes made Adele shiver unnaturally. That was why Adele suspected that she was recognizing the wrong person. "Hm?" Hearing this assassin call his name. Pdin frowned slightly and reached out his other hand but down Adele''s ck mask. Revealing that delicate and colorful face out. Upon seeing this face, Pdin''s color changed greatly! How could he forget the nearly twenty years of humiliating life of the FreeMason Federation? He also remembered that this woman who clearly served as a mentor in the federation had published her thesis, and he himself had purposely stolen the copy from the library! "Did the FreeMason Federation realize what I did? No, if they really knew that I had gotten the Ripley Scroll, there''s no way they would have sent just such a weakling against me. And no matter how you look at it, she is an assassin who is deeply embedded in assassination! In other words, she''s an assassin who lurked in the Union, and then knew about the scroll and suspected me? To spy on me? Then could it be that there are also herpanions around!" All sorts of thoughts spun rapidly in his mind. Pdin only felt a fog enveloping him. But no matter what, he absolutely can not let this assassin go! "Mentor Adele, why are you here, holding a dagger to kill me?" Pdin said so with eeriness, but it made Adele, who had just been self-doubting, instantly certain that this person whose face was terrifying giving a cold undertone was none other than that idiotic handyman in the Union! "Impossible, impossible!" As if she had seen a ghost, Adele let out an incredulous shout with rounded eyes, "Aren''t you an idiot? How is it possible, how is it possible that you escaped from that turmoil! And became an Auxiliary Bishop, borrowing someone else''s name!" Adele shivered in a paroxysm, and that was due to the disgust and fear of this Pdin. A dumb child had managed to feign madness and spend twenty years in the Union! And now came to steal someone else''s identity to be a priest! The city was extremely deep, and the intentions were extremely poisonous! Pdin''s face gradually put on a fierce smile, reaching out his hand and sping Adele''s delicate neck, lifting her into mid-air: ''''I''ve heard that there''s a kind of assassin that''s the most difficult to deal with. H-assassin Alliance, is this where youe from? Mentor Adele. Or maybe I need to ask why you came to kill me and why you sneaked into the Union. Don''t worry, I''m not interested in you, only in your death. I believe you don''t want to die either." Gradually regaining herposure, Adele red at Pdin with a death re. Not only did she not change color because of Pdin''s threat, but instead recognized that Pdin''s knowledge was limited, and immediately said in a tit-for-tat manner, "I also have to ask, who taught you this magic. It doesn''t belong to the four elemental magic''s Border at all, not to mention that although it looks the same, this kind of power is not something that can be inflicted by the sacred magic possessed by the Holy See!" Adele nced at the golden beam of light around her, not budging an inch. However, as soon as her words fell, Pdin''s hands immediately increased in strength, only causing Adele to immediately turn red and purple and let out a burst of ufortable gasps. One could even hear the wailing clicks of that delicate neck under Pdin''s tremendous force. However, she saw Pdin say with a disdainful face, ''''Haven''t you seen the situation clearly? My honorable assassindy." "Ah. Ah. Ah." Adele''s face became more and more ck and purple, her hands swinging around in a helpless and panicked manner, opening that small mouth and spitting out her tongue. It was only then that Pdin loosened his grip. Only then Adele was able to gasp for air. Only after Adele''s face gradually recovered and tears of pain flowed from the corners of her eyes did Pdin ask with a sullen face, "Answer my question, you damned woman! If this drags on any longer, I won''t be able to keep you alive after the castle guards notice this noise." Chapter 120: Broken Arm

Chapter 120: Broken Arm

"I don''t think you''ll let me go if I tell the truth." Adele, who had endured some pain of suffocating to death, looked at Pdin with hateful eyes, but her words were filled with realization and fearlessness. Pdin listened to these words and gradually revealed a wry smile. At once, the room took on a strange silence, and it wasn''t until half a secondter that Pdin stopped and slowly spoke, "You are an assassin of the H-assassin Alliance. Although I don''t know what you want to kill me for, and you refuse to give an ount of your employer. But I am more or less clear." Speaking here, Pdin''s eyes narrowed, bent his head down to look Adele dead in the eyes and continued, "How can an assassin, alone, intrude into the duchy''srgest fortress to carry out an assassination? Isn''t that looking for death? But now, your life is within my grasp, and I even almost killed you just now. But yourpanion had no intention ofing up to rescue you. My guess is that either, you really are an idiot,ing alone to die. Either that, or your fellow assassins have already treated you as an outcast and don''t need to care about your death. Then again, either that, or your fellow assassin is a mage! Hahahahaha, this fortress is guarded by Hellitte''s head in the duchy, no mage would be stupid enough toe in and send himself to his death." While saying so, Pdin kept staring at Adele''s eyes. But when it was said that herpanion was a mage, it was very obvious, followed by the moonlight outside the window that could clearly see that the pupils in Adele''s eyes, immediately contracted! That''s right, this was a subconscious manifestation of worry! People can lie, but the body doesn''t lie. As expected, this Adele''spanion was really a mage! "Hahaha, looks like I got it right. Your mage friend should be bitterly waiting outside the fortress. In other words, at this time, I just need to kill you and go tell the head of Hellite about the assassin. I believe that this friend of yours will die nothing but a miserable death!" Being told in a single word, a worried look immediately appeared on Adele''s face. The H-assassin Alliance was right, an assassin who was transitionally immersed in love and lust was no longer a qualified assassin. Although Adele''s hands hadn''t regressed, but in terms of mental quality, she had softened greatly. She was no longer the former cold-blooded and obedient killing tool. What was left now was just an ordinary woman whose stance wasparable to that of an assassin. "He won''t be caught, when the time passes and he hasn''t seen mee out yet, he will naturally escape!" Adele, who eagerly wanted to return the favor, did not know that this sentence was revealed to Pdin, but it was another information. Caring so much about thispanion, using so much favoritism towards him. The rtionship between the two must be extraordinary! It seems it''s not a mere employer or employee rtionship. Thinking so, Pdin''s face has a joyful color, revealing a smile that stops the child''s night sobbing and said: "Then, I can strip you naked, so that those guards patrolling in front of the gate of the fortress painstakingly release the pressure properly. Then cut off your tear-stained and blood-stained head and hang it on the city gates. I believe this noble mage will break down and run out by himself." "You are a demon! A demon in human skin!" Hearing these horrifying remarks, Adele''s worry was finally magnified, and tears of humiliation and fear spilled from her eyes. She lost his voice and roared. But Pdin kept smiling. He stretched out his hand, gradually approached Adele''s skirt, and said in a cold tone: "Try it if you don''t believe me. I also want to see that an assassin like you must have a good figure." Seeing Pdin''s hand gradually approaching her cor, her chastity and life were about to disappear here, to put it mildly. The fear in her eyes grew bigger and bigger, and Pdin immediately remembered at the right time, "Say who the person who hired you is. Why do you want to kill me? And this will stop!" But beyond Pdin''s expectations, although these intimidating remarks broke down Adele''s defenses, but under the edge of such despair, Adele''s eyes filled with determination, and she suddenly let out a miserable roar. Dense bright red runes began to sh on her delicate body! Just as Pdin was slightly stunned, before he could draw his hand back. An ident just happened. "Ahhhhhhhh!" Ade let out a miserable scream, and Pdin immediately saw the red runes on her body, immediately all rushing to her left arm. In an instant, it dyed that jade arm red, emitting a blinding red light! When it was toote, Adele''s eyes had be red, and the arm that emitted red light violently swung, not only shattering the Chain of Light, but even turned it into a bloody light, and swung it towards Pdin''s arm that was tightly sping her neck! "Ahhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhh!" Pdin stared at the flying golden crystal shards, and kept backing away in pain, clutching his arm tightly. When he first saw the severed wrist, he couldn''t bear the pain that went deep into his soul and screamed: "Ahhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhh!" I saw that a piece of his right hand was cut off alive! That armpletely fused with light elements couldn''t withstand the cutting of that strange ability! It can even be seen that the broken arm that Pdin is holding on to is a golden crystal full of cracks like a broken stone. Only to see that on his right hand, a section was cut off alive! That arm that waspletely fused with the light element surprisingly couldn''t withstand the cut of that bizarre ability! It was even possible to see that at the severed arm that Pdin was holding on to with a death grip, there were actually golden crystals that were covered in cracks just like broken stones. The hand that had been cut off, on the other hand, was now more like a piece of crystal lying on the ground. There was no blood, no bones or flesh. The red light in her eyes dispersed, her face was deathly white as Adele half-kneeled on the ground, the left arm that emitted the red light had disappeared together with the red light fading at this moment. This bizarre ability was sacrificed part of the limb tounch! Panting and barely standing up, Adele saw Pdin, who was lying on the ground screaming and twisting, and realized that those golden beams of light around her originally did not know when they had already obliterated. Originally, she wanted to go forward and patch up this asshole, eliminating the aftermath. However, that ability that had just been used was the Demon de Ritual Formation that the H-assassin Alliance had enchanted to every elite assassin. When the formation was triggered as ast resort, a part of the limb would be used as a price in exchange for an attack powerful enough to cleave through the protection of an eight-star warrior. So right now, all Adele had to do was to run for her life as quickly as possible, and bandaging her wounds before the blood ran out was the right thing to do. "Ah! What is this!" Adele, who was preparing to flee, suddenly saw the crystallized torso at Pdin''s severed limbs. Then she remembered that when she chopped it earlier, there was not the slightest touch of flesh and blood. It was just like shattering a piece of stone. Looking at this inhuman torso, Adele redefined Pdin: "This is not a selfish scum, but an outright monster!" However, at the moment when Adele was stunned, Pdin forcibly suppressed the boundless pain, slowly raised his head, and his eyes burst into golden light again! The face distorted by the pain roared: "Adele! How dare you hurt me!" As soon as the words fell, four golden light balls suddenly appeared around Pdin''s body. With Pdin''s wave of his hand, the four light balls immediately shot out beams of light and shot at Adele very quickly! Seeing this kind of power, Adele immediately endured the severe pain and rolled over to avoid it. In a sh, she jumped to the balcony of the room and leapt without hesitation! Chapter 121: Meeting Nashura Again

Chapter 121: Meeting Nashura Again

"Trying to run?" Pdin struggled to get up and stumbled onto the stone fence of the balcony, and couldn''t help but stick his head out to look down. But right in the middle of it, he saw that Adele had actually stepped on the surface of the castle''s pouring side with both feet and darted towards the neighborhood below! Where would Pdin tolerate this great humiliation to happen? A woman could not help but injure him, but also ran away? This humiliation, Pdin absolutely could not endure! In a sh of lightning, Pdin mobilized all of his remaining light elements and gathered them into a golden ball of light at his fingertips. The pupils of his eyes contracted, and even in the darkness of the night, he could clearly see Adele, who was running on the castle! Without doing anything, aiming at Adele''s slender thighs, the ball of light in his hand immediately erupted a golden beam of light! "Ah!" The beam of light was like a ray of sunlight in the night, shooting out from the castle and prating Adele''s thighs with unparalleled uracy! Only a scream was heard from Adele, and her figure fell into the darkness of the neighborhood. "Eh?" Pdin took a closer look, and Adele''s figure, which had fallen into the darkness, was long gone. However, he had pierced her thigh, so he thought that she couldn''t go far. It might still be possible to catch up now. Just as Pdin was about to check his own injuries, a sound of iron boots suddenly sounded outside the door, and four guards with hook and sickle rifles burst in. Seeing Pdin standing in front of the balcony, he immediately asked respectfully, ''''Father, we just heard a loud noise. Some of the guests in the neighborhood woke up." But before this leading guard could finish his sentence, several guards behind him immediately poked him with their fingers. This guard turned back with some difort and was about to me thesepanions for interrupting his speech. Suddenly, he saw hispanions pointing ahead with shocked faces. Solely, he turned back, but he also had a shocked look on his face. Broken walls, copsed soft beds, blood on the ground and wool scattered all over the ce. But the priest stood there like nothing happened! "God...Father. What happened? Could it be that there is an assassin!" The guard who suddenly felt that the matter was not simple stepped forward to understand the situation, and suddenly saw the right hand of the priest, not only the robe was torn, but the arm was even broken! It doesn''t look like human flesh and blood at all, just like a broken stone! "Enoss! What is that!" the guard shouted in disbelief, pointing at Pdin''s severed hand. But Pdin waved his hand slightly with a calm expression, and the dagger that Adele threw away earlier flew up from the broken body, and grabbed Pdin''s palm! Broken walls, copsed soft beds, blood stains on the ground and wool scattered all over the ce. And this priest stood as if nothing had happened! "God. Priest. What has happened? Could it be that there are assassins!" The guards who instantly felt that things were not simple had just taken a step forward to find out what was going on when they suddenly took a nce at this priest''s right hand, and not only was his robe torn to shreds, that arm was even shattered! It didn''t look like human flesh and blood at all, it was as if the stone was shattered! "Enos! What is that!" The guards screamed in disbelief as they pointed at Pdin''s severed hand. But Pdin looked calm and gave a slight wave, and the dagger that Adele had thrown away earlier flew up from her broken body and caught Pdin at the palm of his hand at once! Although they didn''t know what was happening, these guards felt extremely bad after seeing Pdin''s action. When they were about to turn around and run, Pdin''s figure approached them quietly like a ghost, leaving two silver rays in the air. After the rays of light faded, these four guards stared at each other without moving, and a red line appeared in their throats at the same time. Vigorous blood then gushed out in an unbridled frenzy! But in an instant, the corpses copsed helplessly in unison in a pool of blood on the ground. Casually throwing the dagger to the ground, Pdin''s face was grim as he slightly raised his broken arm, and the golden crystal fragments on the ground immediately disintegrated into dazzling arcs of golden light, and the swallows returned to their nests and madly merged into the broken arm. Something magical happened! The right arm that should have been broken into pieces gradually grew and solidified under the convergence of these fragments. In the blink of an eye, the crystallized right hand was restored intact! Pdin raised his recovered right hand and slightly twisted his fist, at this moment, he only had less than twenty light elements left in his body. Not to mention chasing and killing, he couldn''t even defend himself! Originally, he could have used his All-Seeing Eye to quickly recover, but the problem was that it waste at night! Pdin gritted his teeth and looked up at the bright moon in the sky, growling lowly in a hateful voice, ''''I hate the night! But Adele, don''t think that you can escape peacefully. I, Pdin. There are more than one person!" Pdin, whose eyes were once again gradually flickering with a golden light, sat down on his butt and smeared the blood on the ground on his clothes, then waited quietly for the guards and nobles toe and check it out. But Pdin wouldn''t just let it go. At this very moment, right after Pdin had taken care of everything and sat peacefully on the ground, in another luxurious room in the distance, the doppelganger lying beside Countess White Orchid suddenly opened his eyes! Those eyes had a golden light shing for a split second! Without question, the doppelganger immediately rolled out of bed, put on his clothes, and took the cross one-handed sword by the table and pinned it to his waist. Just as he was about to go out, the Countess Orinna who had been awakened barely lifted her sleepy face. Taking the quilt to cover her vitals, she shyly and softly called out, ''My dear, where are you going?" "To the restroom." The doppelganger coldly threw down this sentence and went out without looking back to close the door with his backhand. Only a puzzled Orinna was left frozen in confusion for a moment, and continued to nervously lie down and fall asleep soundly. Da da da da da! A series of rapid footsteps sounded in the castle''s empty corridors. The doppelganger who bowed down coldly and ran furiously naturally didn''t notice that his current speed was somewhat terrifying. Like the wind through several corridors to the center of the balcony, the doppelganger jumped without the slightest hesitation, not caring at all about the sound of the wind whistling in his ears and the sense of weightlessness of the rapid descent. With the long red hair swinging wildly in the wind on his head, hended like a bomb on the outer neighborhood! . The doppelganger, who slowly stood up, casually pped away the pieces of debris that had been smashed on his body. Immediately, it ran wildly through the silent streets again with unrivaled speed. Pdin''s main body only had twenty light elements left, but the doppelganger still had five hundred intact! In other words, it was a fifty percent strength Pdin who went after them! It was easy to deal with a severely injured assassin who had lost a lot of blood. The only thing to watch out for was the mage who didn''t know his true colors. Gradually, an unnoticeable series of bloodstains on the block caught the doppelganger''s attention. Looking in that direction, suddenly there were no more bloodstains up ahead. The doppelganger, who stood in silence, suddenly saw a blood-stained footprint by the window of the stone house next to him. Immediately, the split body smiled grimly, a few rolled over and went up to the roof. Immediately saw that a clear bloodstain on the roof guided the direction. The doppelganger not onlyughed, ''''Walking on the roof? Can''t see a little girl being that powerful." Thinking of this, the doppelganger stomped with force, and the figure moved flickeringly on the roof. Seeing that he was getting closer and closer to the north gate of the fortress, the speed of his feet could not help but increase by three points. At this time, Nashura, who was guarding the door, was secretly worried that something might happen to Adele. A delicate body with a somewhat icy body jumped down from the city wall weakly, and threw itself into Nashura''s arms. "Adele! You... you''re hurt!" Nashura was creeped out, and after seeing clearly that the lovely person in his arms was the pale-faced Adele, he immediately realized that his arms were immediately wet. Reaching out his hand as much as he did, it was filled with blinding blood red! Hearing Nashura''s tense inquiry, Adele reluctantly sat up, tearing the material of her arm in one gulp, and firmly tying the huge bloody hole on that slender thigh enduring the severe pain. And it was only at this moment that Nashura could see that Adele was using one hand to tie it. Where the other hand was, only a tattered strand of cloth remained. "Your hand! Who did this!" Nashura saw that Adele did not have a hand, immediately heartbroken, went forward to check the injury, Adele had no intention of exining now, and she firmly grasped Nashura''s shoulders, gasping for breath and said sharply, "Hurry up, quickly take me away! We can''t stay here." "But." "Hurry! I can feel that the sense of crisis with a thorn in my back not only didn''t subside, but instead became more and more urgent! If we don''t leave, you and I will both be in danger!" Listening to Adele''s tense urging, Nashura could only swallow his misgivings, nodded his head and shouldered the light-as-a-hair Adele, and was about to leave this dangerous ce when, before his eyes, a thunderous silver sword light suddenly shed by! Chapter 122: The Truth After the Truth

Chapter 122: The Truth After the Truth

Such a thunderous sword light met his face, illuminating Nashura''s deathly white face! He could even feel the biting cold wind stimting his cheeks, ready to slice through the skin with ease. "Watch out!" Adele, who was on Nashura''s shoulder, was more able to realize what kind of threat this was than this mage! With a pressure on his body, he bent the dazed Nashura over. And Adele swiftly took out two daggers and crossed them in front of her body! Only a loud boom was heard! Adele and Nashura let out a pained cry in unison, and were violently knocked out by this attack! Nashura was not so bad, most of the impact was borne by Adele, and he himself only fell out four or five meters and crawled like a dog.Instructor Adele''s whole body was sent flying like a cannonball, and hit the city wall behind fiercely, stirring up a burst of gravel from the city wall umted over the years. Adele''s originally bleak face was even more miserable, and her entire delicate body was embedded in the pit of the city wall, vomiting out a ball of dirty blood! Adele, whose vision began to blur, barely raised her head, and immediately saw a red-haired man in front of her, wearing a raw silk shirt and holding an ordinary one-handed sword, rushing towards Nashura who had climbed to his feet! It was toote, the doppelganger looked at Nashura, who was close at hand, and backhanded a sword! The silver bright thunderbolt sword light was like a silver snake, swinging in front of Nashura''s body! "Don''t!" Adele let out a miserable scream, her powerless hand trembling as she reached out. Tears of sadness came to her eyes. She didn''t want her beloved to die under the hands of her self-inflicted pursuers! That would be a regret she would pursue for the rest of her life. However, Nashura was no slouch after all. The word "Ice" of the Great Magician of Ice was not something to be taken for granted. Seeing that the sword de was about to slice through his head, Nashura immediately opened his five fingers and ruthlessly pressed on the short wand! Boom! Three huge ice walls suddenly appeared in front of Nashura. The sword light of the doppelganger shed on it in a good way. The sturdy ice walls snapped flush. However, because of this negligence, Nashura was able to take a breather and ran back to Adele, nervously picking her up. Seeing that he couldn''t win with a single blow, the doppelganger simply stood still, blocking Adele''s and the other person''s retreating paths, holding the cross-sword with one hand, the tip of the sword pointing on the ground, ready to attack at any time. And at this moment, while picking up Adele, while alert to the movements of the doppelganger, Nashura, upon seeing Adele with ck blood flowing from the corner of her mouth, immediately said worriedly, "Is it alright, you''re hurt too badly." Adele shook her head slightly, suddenly staring at the indifferent doppelganger with bloodshot eyes, she couldn''t suppress her doubts and asked, "Who are you? We don''t know you at all, why are you attacking us?" The doppelganger''s eyes stared slightly, he clearly saw that this mage beside Adele who was blocking his attack possessed an aquamarine color of more than a thousand water elementals. With such a number of mana rings, it should be a Great Magician. For the Great Magicians, the Mages'' Guild had clear records of them. It was thought that one could find out where this fellow came from just by looking it up. However, immediately after, the doppelganger had a big headache, it was unexpected that this reinforcement was an Archmage, the chances of winning were slim if it was a hard fight. Only by surprise can we win. After confirming such a battle n, the Doppelganger actually still vaguely felt that this mage with more than a thousand water element rings gave him an inexplicable sense of familiarity. Looking at the many strokes of the pen, it was actually just an instant. The doppelganger listened to Adele''s questioning and just looked indifferent, without any intention to exin. And Adele stood up under the assistance of Nashura, looking at the doppelganger and said through clenched teeth, "Such speed, strength, and explosive power. You are at least a seven-star swordsman. I guess it''s not a nameless person. Could it be that you''re ackey who sells out for that Pdin?" Hearing such words, the doppelganger hadn''t said anything yet, but Nashura on the side immediately inclined his head and pursued, "Yes, could it be that Pdin caused this injury of yours?" "Uh-huh." Adele weakly nodded and said, "Everything is clear. This Pdin is a fake. The real Pdin is said to be dead. This impostor is waving his name as Father Pdin and killed the mel family in order to avoid the revtion. And then framed it for the dead O''Neill. It caused a huge conflict between the Mages'' Guild and the Principality! All of this is the work of this impostor!" Adele finished gritting her teeth, and when she saw Nashura''s shocked look, she immediately interjected, "And I know this impostor, and he knows me as well. It''s a handyman who escaped from the Union. Hmph, I can''t imagine that a handyman who is seen as an idiot is higher than me in alchemy attainment." Nashura didn''t care about Adele''s mncholy, after seeing Adele pull out a bottle of medicine from her belt and gently apply it to the broken arm. The wound on the severed arm healed quickly and scarred. Only then did Adele put the medicine bottle back into her belt with a sigh of relief and heartache. As the doppelganger watched this, he suddenlyughed out slightly, "Hundred-leaf grass plus the teeth of three pigs, paired with the bark of the manzanita tree produced by Aixinzhe. It took twelve refining and disintegration spells to refine a high-grade emergency healing potion. Adele, you''re really rich." "You, how did you know that!" Adele blurted out with a change in herplexion. While at this moment, Nashura frowned tightly as she looked at the doppelganger and said, "Red hair, superior sword skills, and the reason why you chased over for Pdin. You, should be Pdin''s brother, Knight Alfred!" "What!" Adele at his side was immediately startled, but Nashura tightly gripped his wand and looked very warily at the doppelganger who narrowed his eyes slightly and continued, "Adele think about it. The current Pdin is an impostor, but this Pdin''s brother appeared together in the fortress, and not only did he not reveal his identity these days, but he even worked together! Do you think that a person would collude with an enemy who killed his entire family?" "You mean¡­¡­." Adele was a bit fuming. And Nashura''s tone became heavy and said, "No one would do anything, provided that this Alfred, too, is a fake!" "Fake? But then all the nobles will know about it, because unlike Pdin, there are too many nobles who have seen Alfred!" "Exactly! Adele, you''ve been in the FreeMason Federation for so long, you should also know that there are medicines that can change your appearance." Nashura, who said so, saw Adele nod her head gravely. Immediately, in a very confirming tone, he fiercely pointed at the doppelganger and said, "So, you''re the impostor who''s pretending to be Pdin! You, who are also from the Union, are even morefortable with the drugs that change your appearance. That''s why you changed your appearance to be that so-called brother after Adele was injured! You were pretending to be two people all by yourself! Hey, the only thing that makes me wonder is how you dealt with the many habits and knowledge of another identity. After all, even if one bes as much like one person as possible, the demeanor would be just as recognizable." . "Hahahahaha, this honorable mage is truly not disgracing the name of a mage who is both a schr. Although it''s only half right." The doppelganger who suddenly went against the norm andughed out loud gently shook the crossed swords in his hand, while the smile on his face grew more and more sinister, "But you are very foolish. Because then while you were talking nonsense, reinforcements have already arrived." As soon as the words fell, the sound of footsteps on the ground with iron boots immediately rang out from the left. Dozens of soldiers with hook and sickle spears and long swords swarmed up. Surrounding the injured Adele and the frozen Nashura. The sharp des of the swords and the tips of the spears pointed straight at the two! At this moment, Nashura knew that it turned out that this disguised Pdin was confirming that his strength couldn''t defeat his Grand Magician''s magic power. So much for stalling for time and letting reinforcementse to surround himself! At this moment, the doppelganger raised his hand with a victor''s smile and eximed, "I am Baron Sindep, Grand Captain of the Aries Knights, Alfred, mel! These two men intended to murder my brother! I order by Article 23 of the Noble Convention of the Principality of Kasmi that all soldiers in service who intend to murder a noble are all at the mercy of the highest noble at this time! And my order is. Kill them!" At this moment, the eyes of the doppelganger were radiating a dangerous light. Chapter 123: A Tough Bitter Fight

Chapter 123: A Tough Bitter Fight

As soon as Pdin''s words fell, these soldiers looked at each other and immediately roared in unison, grasping the weapons in their hands tightly, rushing in a swarm towards Nashura and Adele who were standing in front of the city wall. Looking at these soldiers rushing over, Nashura slightly moved over and stood in front of Adele''s body with his head lowered and said softly, "I hate using magic to kill people. Because magic is not a sword, but knowledge. But you..." Saying this, Nashura raised his head, and those aquamarine eyes unexpectedly emitted a shocking coldness! "But you! You are forcing me to use knowledge to kill people, and hurting people who are important to me¡­.Unforgivable!" Just as soon as he finished speaking, the wand in Nashura''s hand was immediately raised and swung violently at the soldiers who had surrounded him! Only to see an azure luster shing before his eyes, the ground surrounding Nashura immediately formed a semicircle of blue arcs of light! Those soldiers who had never seen the power of magic just stepped on the arc of light, the blue ground immediately shot out a circle of sharp ice spikes! Without any hindrance, they pierced through the armor and body of the soldiers who rushed to the front. Poofs of blood sprayed out, and five or six corpses just hung on top of the ice spikes! "Magic¡­.Magic!" The soldiers at the back saw such an attack, immediately causing their already low military spirit to immediately copse. Magic! This was magic! That most mysterious and dangerous power! It was a powerful weapon that only noble mages could use! In an instant, after recognizing that this ck-robed man was a mage, these soldiers immediately stopped their sprint and began to cower backward. "You guys go, instead of dying under my magic, you should go home and spend some quality time with your families." Nashura obviously sensed the soldiers'' cowering mood and immediately began to persuade. However, the doppelganger standing at the back would never wish to see such a situation and immediately frowned and threatened, "What are you doing! Do you want to escape? If you dare to run away, I will definitely put your entire family on the gallows together for the crime of treason! Now get up there and kill him!" The doppelganger shook the crossed swords in his hand and threatened like this, but although these words did make the soldiers feel some fear, but under the powerful magical might of Nashura, they stopped and hesitantly stood still. The doppelganger''s eyes narrowed, it seems that these trash won''t go to their deaths without some cruelty. No matter what, the doppelganger''s hand exerted force, the cross sword immediately brought up a sliver of bright silver light, and chopped off the heads of three soldiers with a brush! Staring at the vicious eyes, he cursed: "Quickly attack! Do you really want your whole family to die with you!" The soldiers were shocked, nced at theirpanions lying in a pool of blood on the ground, looked at each other, and could only swallow their saliva, grasped the weapons in their hands and looked at the sad-faced Nashura again, roared angrily, and rushed up. "Huh." Nashura sighed as if in mourning, the wand in his hand gently lifted, only to hear a clicking sound rise and fall. Icy blue frost immediately flew on these soldiers wearing armor! In an instant, they were frozen into ice sculptures, posing still charging to freeze to death in ce. "Pdin, you are the person with the lowest moral character I have ever seen. How dare you ask innocent soldiers to die for you." Slowly raising his head, Nashura gently stroked these ice sculptures, the strength of his hands as if he were calming these innocent undead, but his face was a look of anger, ring at the doppelganger with a deadly re. And at this moment, the doppelganger''s heart sank straight down. What threat could these ordinary soldiers pose to a Great Magician? He naturally wouldn''t expect anything. It was only because of his unique vision of seeing the elements that he was able to borrow the lives of these trash to observe the amount consumed by Nashura''s spell casting as a way to set up a n and judge the enemy situation. Unfortunately, just Nashura had released two wide-range magic spells almost instantaneously. Yet his thousand or so number of elements didn''t fall below one thousand! In other words, if there were another five hundred people, as long as there weren''t any archers or powerful professions. It would be effortless for Nashura to eliminate! To put it more simply, the odds of the doppelganger''s current number of five hundred elementals against this powerful Great Magician were really slim. It was simply a case of hitting a stone with an egg and being self-defeating. "Pdin, it''s your turn!" Nashura said with staring eyes, and raised the magic wand in his hand again. And at this moment, the Doppelganger on the opposite side immediately bowed down, exerted strength on its feet, and rushed towards Nashura as swiftly and violently as a bolt of lightning! The Doppelganger knew that if this guy was allowed to sessfully cast the spell, then only he would die. It''s a pity, Nashura had already seen all this, and when he saw the Doppelganger flying towards him, he immediately twirled the magic wand in his hand, and a huge ice wall suddenly erected in front of the Doppelganger! Swish! He saw a sh of sword light, and the ice wall was split open by the sword without any suspense. But at this moment, his heart felt a little cold, because at this moment, he was indeed dyed by half a beat. The broken ice wall in front of his eyes slowly flew away, and the Doppelganger who felt bad at once could not turn back in time before he saw Nashura behind the ice wall holding his hand up and aiming it at him, and that palm was shing with a blinding blue light! "Drink!" Only hearing Nashura roar, the palm of that flickering blue light spread a blue ripple all of a sudden. Driven by a strong sense of crisis, the pupils of the eyes of the doppelganger in mid-air immediately contracted, and he hurriedly swung his sword backhandedly in front of his body! However, right at this moment, it was as if the body of the sword had been struck hard by a heavy object, the gravity crushed the sword, causing the doppelganger to instantly be unable to support it, and the sword was immediately stuck on top of his chest! Boom! This time, it was the sword in front of the Doppelganger that spread a blue ripple. The Doppelganger''s entire body flew back at a speed faster than he had rushed in! It knocked over arge tree with a loud bang and sat down on the ground with a shriveled face. "Ouch¡­." The Doppelganger''s face was unusually deathly white, he felt the bones of this body shivering, as if he had been stabbed by countless needles inserted into his body! The doppelganger who was feeling the damage to his body, his face changed slightly and he violently lowered his head to spit out blood. But what shocked him was that there were broken ice crystals in the blood! Obviously that impact just now, not only the outer damage, even the internal organs were frostbitten! Barely lifting his head, the doppelganger suddenly saw Nashura was also panting slightly. Even more so, he realized that there were already only six hundred elements left in his body! Obviously that impact just now was definitely not any simple magic. Moreover, the Doppelganger was also able to see that the huge andplex magic framework that shed at the moment of the release of that one strike of magic was also not just any ordinary goods that could be cast. It was a high-grade magic that the doppelganger, who only had two hundred elements left in his body, was unable to cast. Overall though, the gap between the two parties today was not that big. Both were in a state of excessive consumption. The doppelganger held on to this thread offort and reluctantly stood up again. Only he ignored the fact that he hadn''t even touched Nashura once, outside of his sneak attack from the very beginning. Obviously the gap between the two sides wasn''t nearly what he thought it was. "What, haven''t you given up yet? That magic just now should have already hurt your internal organs. It''s simply a miracle that you can still stand up." Nashura slightly calmed his panting, looking at the doppelganger who barely stood up and took a step towards him with such a sneer. However, the doppelganger didn''t pay any attention to this, and suddenly let out a low roar, his feet once again exerted force, about to charge up again! "Hmph!" Nashura shouted angrily, and the orbs of his eyes suddenly turned ice-blue, and he could vaguely seeplex magical constructs from within his orbs. Only seeing Nashura''s eyes sh, the advancing doppelganger immediately saw that three hundred water elements separated from Nashura''s mana ring and violently pounced on the doppelganger! But the Doppelganger''s two hundred light elements were no joke. Inherently strongly aggressive and offensive, they immediatelyunched a fierce counterattack as soon as they encountered the invasion of foreign elements! "Eh? What''s going on?" Nashura was slightly stunned, this magic of his, Eye of Gaze, was very powerful, usually when used, the target he gazed at would instantly bepletely frozen from the inside out! But this surprisingly didn''t work on the Doppelganger. Two hundred light elementals resisted, but unfortunately, there were only two hundred of them at the moment, while the other party''s intruders numbered three hundred! Under the extremely weak state of the doppelganger at the moment, the two hundred light elements copsed in no time, and the three hundred water elements broke through the magic ring, bursting straight into the body! An unprecedented pain spread out from the body. The doppelganger violently tilted his head and screamed miserably! "Ah ah ah ah!" Visible to the naked eye, a thickyer of frost quickly formed on the Doppelganger''s body. However, in an instant, the Doppelganger''s screams could no longer be heard, at this moment, he kept his head tilted up and stood in ce, his body was frozen into ice bumps. Even the ground that his feet stepped on was covered in a thickyer of ice! If one was able to see inside, they would find that the doppelganger''s body at the moment, including his heart and bones, were frozen into ice! If those soldiers were frozen to death just now, then now, the Doppelganger is from the inside to the outside, without any bones, all turned into ice cubes! With a click, the sword in the ice sculpture''s Doppelganger''s hand, even under such a powerful cold, cracked and snapped into several sections. After falling to the ground, it quickly melted into water droplets! That''s right, the sword, which was originally made of refined iron, has now melted into water droplets like ice cubes! "Whew." After confirming that the doppelganger waspletely dead, Nashura finally let out a sigh of relief as if he was relieved. The fatigue on his face also gradually showed. Indeed, for the first time in as long as he had be a mage, he had fought a swordsman with so much effort. And at this moment, there was not much magic left that he could release. Silently, he turned around and looked at Adele, who was leaning against the city wall with a pale face. Seeing the warm and soft smile thrown over by thetter. Nashura also couldn''t help butugh bitterly for a while, "I''m exhausted... In short, he is dead. I also avenged O''Neill, hey..." Nashura said so, striding his tired legs towards Adele. Adele also barely braced herself to stand up. With aforting tone, she said, "Don''t worry, about the Mage''s Guild and the Duchy, we can go see your teacher together and exin it to him. Don''t you often mention your teacher? It''s just as well that I can meet this highly respected magic guide as well." As soon as Nashura heard the teacher in Adele''s mouth, he immediately smiled somewhat cheerfully, "Yes, although the teacher spends his days nestled in the mage tower studying magic, he is also a reasonable person. This matter has gone on for a few months without a word to him. I really should go back and apologize to my teacher." Adele smiled slightly and was about to open her mouth to make fun when her eyes suddenly caught behind her and her pupils immediately contracted! A face of shock! At this moment, Pdin, who was sitting in the fortress''s castle, muttered under his breath with a deathly white face, "Don''t think I''ll die like this!" Being sealed by the ice incarnation, at this moment that originally lost the luster of the eyes, suddenly burst out blinding golden light! The golden light immediately pierced through the ice and shot straight out. The ice crystals that covered the whole body immediately melted rapidly! Only to hear a boom, the split head violently exploded, a small ball of light suddenly shot out extremely fast, rushing towards Nashura who had just turned his head! A miracle appeared! That flying ball of light immediately gave off a dazzling light, within the light, one piece of bone after another coalesced and formed, and in the blink of an eye a human skeleton appeared. The ball of light was covered in brains by the stitched skull at once. Instead, the skeleton kept up its flying speed and ran wildly! When it was toote, a full set of internal organs immediately grew out of the ribs, and the heart in the left chest immediately began to beat fiercely. And between the bones immediately have countless blood vessels, nerves, already meridians grow, instantly spread all over the skeleton body! That wasn''t the end of it, as soon as the blood vessels finished spreading out,rge swathes of muscle immediately began to cover the bones! Mouth, eyes, nose, skin, pores, and then long red hair. But in the blink of an eye, another living Alfred appeared! "Look out!" Adele was toote to stop, seeing the other Alfred that was flying towards her. All she could do was hastily alert the frothing Nashura. "Ahhhhhhhhhhhhhhh! '' The doppelganger that rushed over angrily shouted, his eyes bursting with golden light, his hand immediately condensed into a lightsaber, and with a backhanded sword he was about to sh the Nashura in front of him at the waist! But right at this moment, the Adele behind him was like a god possessing her, and under severe injuries, she couldn''t just watch her lover die on the spot. Miraculously stretched out her only hand, and pulled Nashura backward! And that chopped over the lightsaber, only the tip of the sword to cut through Nashura''s robes, sliced through the belly only! "Ah ah ah ah!" Nashura let out a miserable scream and fell to the ground. At the moment, a horizontal line on his stomach was smoking with burnt ck smoke. That cutting wound surprisingly didn''t bleed in the slightest, as it had been roasted alive by the heat! "Ah." After making this strike, the doppelganger saw no sess. This new body that had just been formed was immediately overwhelmed, and the entire person fell to the ground on his knees powerlessly. Arge cold sweat emerged from the new body. And with a deathly white face, thepletely stunned Nashura came back to his senses, looking incredulously at the doppelganger in front of him, and then ncing at the other person who had frozen into an ice sculpture in the distance behind him. An unimaginable thought appeared in his mind, "A miracle? Or necromancy? It''s amazing!" Adele, who was about to deliver another fatal blow to the weakened doppelganger, suddenly heard the sound of arge number of footsteps resounding in the distance. Looking at the vague heads, the number was at least around a hundred! At that moment, no longer hesitating, upholding the spirit of the assassin''s failure to hit immediately disappeared. Adele shook Nashura, who was still in shock, and said, "Quickly, quickly escape!" Thetter''s body shook violently and immediately swallowed his saliva as he looked at the doppelganger who stared at him with ring eyes. Barely standing up and helping up the weak Adele, he looked at the doppelganger who was lying on the ground without movement and threw down a sentence, "You monster." After that, he took Adele and disappeared into the shadows. Chapter 124: Exploitation of Hindsight

Chapter 124: Exploitation of Hindsight

Watching Nashura help Adele leave, the gradually recovering doppelganger barely stood up, instantly condensed into a ball of light in the center of his palm, and with a wave of his hand, he threw it at that previously frozen body. Immediately turning this block of ice into a puddle of ordinary water that couldn''t be ordinary. And at this moment, those rescue soldiers also rushed over with hurried footsteps. "Ah, what''s going on here!" Having just arrived, these soldiers were also shocked by what was in front of them. Corpses hanging on ice spikes, soldiers frozen into ice bumps, a field of rubble and blood, and the doppelganger standing naked in front of them. When the doppelganger saw these soldiers, he immediately waved his hand and said, ''''I am Baron Sindep, Grand Captain of the Aries Knights Alfred, mel. I just encountered an assassin, help me change into a set of clothes." Calm to the point that the doppelganger said so, while on the other side, Pdin, who was sitting in the ruins, weed the people who had heard themotion. Searching for thetest updates about themotion. Out of Pdin''s expectation, it was obvious that this assassination had caused a rtivelyrgemotion. Not only did Orinna, who was hanging up her robe, and the sleepy-eyed Archbishop Sarriere, even the Marquis Carmon, the Count Torch, and arge number of other nobles arrived at the scene. As soon as he entered this door that can''t be called a door, the Archbishop Sarrier, who bore the brunt of the scene, saw a blood-stained Pdin, and immediately stepped forward in fear, and asked while nervously checking Pdin''s injuries, ''''What''s going on here? Could it be that you were just hit by twenty fireballs?" Pdin pushed aside Sarrier, who had a strange look on his face when he realized he was not injured, and looked at Marquis Carmon, who was followed by a group of guards behind him, and said very politely, "Honorable Marquis Carmon, I have encountered an assassin. Moreover, the other party is H-assassin''s assassin." "What!" Pdin calmly said these words, but it made arge group of people around him immediately startled! However, after seeing the blood-stained special dagger on the ground, and the two dead guards whose throats were separated, they naturally believed Pdin''s words. One of them in particr, Sarrier, had a shocked look on his face. It should be known that not long ago, because of the unrest in the Freemasons'' Union, the Holy See had outwardly dered that H-assassin was a heretical organization. It was leaving no stone unturned to eradicate it. Now these heretical assassins had the audacity to sneak into the fortress and assassinate the clergy in front of him, the Archbishop! It was conceivable that he himself would not only receive the condemnation conveyed down from the Holy City, but even His Holiness the Pope would be furious! Because this was simply a vicious p in the face of his pontificate! On the contrary, it was Marquis Carmon, who looked at this chaotic wreckage with a surprised face, and looked at Pdin with a tone that carried curiosity, that face that had always been te-like showing some expression in a rare moment: ''''Father Pdin, I can''t see that you were able to maneuver around H-assassin''s assassin so well. Not only did you not get killed, you even repelled the assassin." Who knew that Sarrier and the others immediately revealed shocked expressions, but Pdin very frankly exined, "It wasn''t me at all. Rather, it was my brother, Alfred who heard the noise and rushed to save me." "Alf¡­.. Lord Baron, he came?" As soon as she heard the mention of her beloved, Orinna immediately stepped forward with nervousness. It was a good thing she had some sensitivity, she almost spat out her heart. In fact, she was also wondering, her beloved had just made merry with herself not long ago when he said he went out to use the restroom. As a result, he was gone for half a day. When she was suspicious and afraid that her lover would regret making love to her, she saw Marquis Carmon rushing towards this ce with arge number of guards. It was unthinkable that her lover had gone to save his brother. Hearing Pdin''s reply, Marquis Carmon frowned and asked, "Then where is Lord Baron Sindep? Where did he go?" Pdin sighed and said with an appropriate show of worry, "After my brother repelled that assassin, he immediately went after him. I don''t know how and where he is now." "What! Lord Baron, he went after the assassin? How can this be! Lord Marquis Carmon, please hurry up and send guards to help the Baron, if something went wrong with him¡­." Upon hearing that her lover rushed off to fight with the assassin, the anxious Orinna immediately ventured to make a request to the Marquis Carmon. Marquis Carmon was about to helplessly stop Orinna from going crazy when a small soldier came running out of breath, half-kneeling on the ground at once, and said urgently, "Lord Marquis! We found Baron Sindep at the north gate of the fortress! I heard the Baron say that he had encountered an assassin. There are dozens of guards present who have been killed in action!" "What!" This woulde to the point where the Marquis Carmon stared back with zed eyes. Looking at the violently panting soldier, he said, "Where is Baron Sindep? If there are no major injuries, please also ask him to hurry and meet us in the conference hall on the fourth floor." The soldier heard the order and immediately rolled over and ran off. Marquis Carmon frowned and said, "Don''t tell the Grand Duke about this beforehand, after all, an assassination by an assassin happened underneath the most powerful fortress in the Principality. It is really degrading to the nation." Everyone nodded in silence when they saw Marquis Carmon saying so with a serious face. Everyone understood in their hearts that the Marquis Carmon was responsible for the fort''s night patrols and guards, and if this matter were to spread out and the Grand Duke knew about it. A scolding would naturally be inevitable, and it would even be circted among the nobles, causing ridicule for nothing. As for the side of Orinna does not care about Carmon''s face. Her heart is all focused on her lover Alfred. Hearing this, she didn''t take it seriously, and eagerly said to Marquis Carmon, "I''ll go along, no matter what, He¡¯s also my subordinate!" Carmon looked at Orinna and nodded very reluctantly. This fellow was notoriously feisty, and even he didn''t want to reject it outright. Otherwise, who knew what kind of mess woulde out. Seeing that Orinna immediately rushed back to change her clothes, Marquis Carmon turned his head to look at Pdin, who had been helped up by Sarrier, and said, ''''The two of you shoulde along as well. After all, this is something that concerns the Holy See." Marquis Carmon who said so, also nodded very kindly at Pdin. Only then did he turn around and leave with his guards. Pdin understood in his heart that this was Marquis Carmon feeling ashamed. After all, the savior who also saved his life before, at night because of his own negligence was almost assassinated at this moment. But Pdin was naturally happy about this development. This thing of favors, the more others owed the better. When Sarrier helped Pdin pass through the broken gate, the Count Torch on one side also scowled at Pdin. It means that you are really good at pretending. Pdin knew that hisck of injuries had already been seen by Count. Seeing that there were no outsiders on the left and right, he simply smiled and said, "Lord Count, let''s go and take a look together, there might be an unexpected surprise." In response, it was Count Torch''s curious smile. Not long afterward, the council hall in the castle was brightly lit. Seven or eight great nobles, including the Marquis Carmon, were currently sitting in the hall in formal attire. In the center of this huge rectangr table, Marquis Carmon looked at the ck tea on the table that was filled with fine baster porcin and fumed, not knowing what he was thinking about. Orinna, on the other hand, kept ying with her fingers, the slightly furrowed brows and the ankles that kept twisting showed how impatient she was at this moment. Archbishop Sarrier was leisurely rxed, no matter what happened, he only needed to report the matter to the Holy City and give it to those high and mighty Cardinals and His Holiness the Pope to deal with. This could be described as a typical example of a broken can. As for Count Torch, his eyes kept surveying all the nobles present. Obviously this unexpected event that had nothing to do with him made him start paying attention to the attitudes of all the nobles as a way to figure out what to say and what not to say. Pdin, on the contrary, just sat quietly. He suddenly smiled when another perspective saw the gate in front of him. Chapter 125: Wizard Bericolando

Chapter 125: Wizard Berdo

The doors opened in full view and the robed doppelganger followed a few guards in. When Marquis Carmon waved his hand to let the guards retreat, Pdin, who was sitting on the chair, stood up violently, with tears of excitement in his eyes, quickly stepped forward, and put his hands on the doppelg?nger''s shoulders, and said with tears in his eyes, "Brother, fortunately, you are fine, otherwise, your younger brother would feel guilty for the rest of my life!" The doppelganger smiled faintly and said warmly, "Brother, everything is fine." Saying so, the doppelganger got down on one knee and saluted all the nobles present, "Baron Sindeep, Alfred, mel." Marquis Carmon waved his hand, allowing the doppelganger to get up. Before pointing to the seat behind him, he said, "Sit down, Lord Baron. There is something we would like to ask you." The doppelganger nodded and sat down separately from Pdin. He also made a point of ncing at Orinna, who gently tapped her chest in relief. Causing thetter''s face to blush again. Search for thetest updates at "Lord Baron, it is rumored that an assassin infiltrated the fortress and tried to assassinate Father Pdin, who is your younger brother. Then you went out of the city in pursuit and tangled with that assassin. Is that right?" Marquis Carmon crossed his arms and calmly voiced his doubt, the doppelganger nodded, but suddenly threw out a weighty bomb, "I was entangled with the assassin, but the assassin who tried to assassinate my brother was already seriously injured, and the one who confronted me was another assassin." "Oh? Is it also H-assassin''s assassin?" The nobles present were immediately startled, and Marquis Carmon''s brows unnaturally furrowed as he asked so. A single assassin was justifiable, someone hired an assassin to assassinate, but more than one assassin, the political rtionship between the H-assassin Alliance and the duchy that was implied in this could be huge. If this matter spreads, people with a heart will have an idea just by thinking about it. The Hassassin Alliance, which was wanted by the Holy See and judged to be a heretic, was helping the Kingdom of Aixinzhe to carry out attacks at every turn. To strike at the Duchy of Kasmi. So is it fair to say that the Aisinzhe Kingdom is actually a gathering ce for heretics? Or maybe the top brass was controlled by heretics? Marquis Carmon didn''t dare to imagine. Although it was said that the Aixinzhe Kingdom would immediately go up in smoke if it angered the Holy See. But for the Duchy of Kasmi, the Holy See''s involvement in the war between the two countries was really not something to be happy about. It was because many of the Holy See''s monastic knights'' and swords men''s orders, as well as the members of the three great knightly orders. Not only were they first-ss elites, but they were also crazy fanatics and despicable bandits! If these assholes were allowed to set foot in the duchy, it was not good to say that once they looked at any point of the duchy, they would be opened up by these madmen looking for some inexplicable reason! This was something Marquis Carmon absolutely did not wish to see. Because to that extent, all the nobles of the duchy, including the Grand Duke, already existed in name only. One''s own territory would be collected and appropriated by the Holy See in a bad way. For these people who valued their family territories more than their lives, this was like a sharp knife thrust into their hearts. But just as Carmon was secretly worried about the subsequent development, considering whether or not to secretly execute Alfred and this Pdin, lest the matter be leaked. Instead, the doppelganger said once again, "But in my opinion, this assassin should not be someone from the Hassassin Alliance. This is because the one who fought me was a mage, and an archmage with high magical attainments who could utilize multiple instantaneous magic!" Everyone, including Marquis Carmon, had their eyes zed over and their feet trembled, all of them were so frightened that they pushed away their chairs and jumped up. But before they could speak, a thick voice suddenly came out from the wall next to them, "Impossible!" The doppelganger and Pdin immediately shuddered and inclined their heads to take a look, only to see a white-haired old man wearing a white robe and holding a white staff, gradually emerging from the wall like a shadow! It is worth mentioning that, unlike the shock of the two Pdins, all the nobles present saw this shadow, but immediately bent over with great respect, his right hand floated in front of his left chest to pay homage, and said in unison, "Master Berdo, good night." This old man with a white body and a wrinkled face was actually the head of the Hellite Mage Guild that was rooted in the Duchy of Kasmi! Wizard Berdo! Moreover, Pdin was able to visualize, through his elemental vision, the huge amount of elements that were spread out like waves! It was running more than just around this Berdo. Roughly counting, there were at least five thousand elements! What a genuine magician! Leaving aside the scruples in Pdin''s heart, and the ghostly thoughts of Marquis Carmon and the others. Berdo only nodded indifferently in the face of these nobles'' greetings. That pair of pointed eyes looked very eerie at the moment. Only to see that his hands didn''t make any movements, he just walked towards that long table, and a chair closest to him even moved by itself, resting on the floor and making a clicking sound to slice it apart. And Berdo also calmly came to the table, just sat down a moment, that chair is as long as the eyes of the same back to the original position again, to this magician to sit down. So customary usual behavior. The Marquis Carmon and the others were already not surprised. However, Pdin was in a great shock! This old man''sprehension of magic had already reached a realm. He had just not sketched out any magical constructs, nor did he have any enlightening aided movements. It was able to make that element listen to his will for magical condensation! Although the one just now couldn''t even be called magic. It was just a crude use of the elements to move an object. However, this operation technique that was even more subtle than instantaneous hair gave Pdin the feeling of being a frog at the bottom of a well. Without any constructs, as well as with the help of movement and magic props, Pdin was also able to instantly cast spells like this Berdo, and was even able to utilize high level spells that were beyond this old man''s reach! But the problem lies in the fact that the one who can master the All-Seeing Eye and possess the Stone of Truth to fuse elemental power is only himself! These mages, all of them were trained by their own hands and feet! For a Hellite branch head to be able to possess such a level, then the true master of Hellite. How about the level of that Grand Magician? Not to mention the two master guilds that were on par with the Forest of HeHelle Towers. What about the Valley of the Helm of Embinyte and the Holy Sword Castle of Mantro? Wouldn''t there be even stronger people? Just as Pdin fell silent in shock, this Berdo let go of his grip on the staff, and the staff that was as tall as a man was suspended in mid-air. However, he saw this old man looking at the seated doppelganger and asked: ''''This Baron Lord, you said that there is a mage who helped the assassin and came to deal with you? Do you know what his identity is and what his name is?" With such a question, the doppelganger was dumbfounded. Because he indeed did not know who this fellow who gave him a sense of familiarity with ice magic was. Seeing that the doppelganger was silent, Berdo''s snow-white eyebrows wrinkled even deeper, "Young man, think about what you say. It''s normal for young people to be impulsive, but speaking out of turn will cause trouble." At the end of his words, Berdo looked at the Marquis Carmon on his left. Looking at thetter, he immediately lowered his head and coughed, pretending to cough to hide his heart. In reality, he really hoped that the mage who helped the assassin was a mage of Hellite. In that case, the anger of the Holy See would only be transferred to Hellite. It had nothing to do with his duchy. He could even use the opportunity to curry favor with the Holy See. Why not? But obviously, he somewhat underestimated theprehension of this magician. When the doppelganger had just said that there was a mage, and was about to speak out to hint if it was Mage of Hellite, this old thing came and stirred the pot. "Ai, just have to take one step at a time. I hope this Alfred doesn''t talk nonsense." The somewhat frustrated Marquis Carmon murmured so. Chapter 126: Unexpected Intelligence

Chapter 126: Unexpected Intelligence

Looking deeply at Marquis Carmon, Magician Berdo turned his head and stared at the doppelganger as he continued, "Besides, the fortress has my elemental shroud magic in effect, it''s impossible for a mage to be able to sneak in without me knowing about it." The doppelganger saw Berdo staring straight at him, and an invisible oppression came over him. However, he was naturally unaffected, and stood up, and under Berdo''s somewhat surprised gaze, pulled back his somewhat disheveled red hair, and said very politely, "Your Excellency must be the honorable Magus, Berdo. In fact, that mage didn''t enter the city at all, but he waited outside the city when I went after him. I think that Your Excellency''s senses have been detected by him first, that''s why he didn''t enter the city to disturb you." Berdo was silent in response, just quietly looking at the doppelganger, waiting for his next words. The doppelganger naturally had more to say, he was able to detect the nervous gaze that Marquis Carmon threw at him, and with a refined and gentle smile, he continued, "Mages'' guilds are numerous on the continent. There are seven or eight small mages'' guilds within the duchy alone. We have reason to believe that the mage who attacked me was not a mage from the Forest of Hellite." Saying this, Berdo revealed a faintly undetectable smile slowly nodding his head and said, "That''s natural, how can the mages in these fragmented mage guilds bepared to us, Hellite?" The Marquis of Carmon who heard these words, on the other hand, had a somewhat ugly face. After all, such a good opportunity to push away the trouble was about to be wasted by this fellow. However, he heard the doppelganger continue, "However, this mage is the one who has the best grasp of magic before I met your honorable magician. I would also like to ask Master Berdo to appraise how high his magical attainment has to be for someone who can instantly send out magic without incantations and directly use hand gestures to immediately freeze to death more than twenty armor-d soldiers?" "Eh... At the very least, a Grand Magician." Berdo''s face turned ugly. Because such attainment''s were indeed a Great Magician. And he couldn''t say that the attainment wasn''t good. Because that would simply be hitting his own mouth. He had just said that those small mages'' guilds couldn''t produce any talent. The doppelganger bent his waist gratefully, looked at the circle of all the nobles who had cast their eyes on him, and idly opened his mouth to say: ''''However, as far as I understand, there is no magician who has reached the level of a Grand Magician within the Duchy''s Mage''s Guild. Of course it cannot be ruled out that he is an outsider, yet it cannot be denied that he might also be from the Forest of Hellite." "Snap!" As soon as the doppelganger''s words fell, he saw an angry look immediately on the face of Berdo who red over! Because he knew that this kid was teasing him! But before he couldsh out, the Marquis Carmon on the side immediately held back his glee and pped the tabletop to interrupt the potentially stormy master and stood up to relieve himself, "Lord Baron, this is Master Berdo. How can you be so rude? Still not quick enough to apologize to the master!" Being so preempted by Marquis Carmon, it was really not good for Berdo to snap. He could only look at the doppelganger who bent down to apologize with a smile on his face, and said with an unspoken voice: "Young man, huh." However, at this moment, the door was suddenly pushed open, and several guards walked in carrying a pale-faced guard. Marquis Carmon frowned slightly and immediately asked, "What''s going on here?" "My Lord Marquis, this dude fainted outside of the northern camp and was rescued by the patrolling guards who saw him. There are still three dead brothers lying around him!" "Oh, what happened?" Marquis Carmon suddenly had a premonition, a premonition of surprise. Only to see this guard looking at the great nobles present, he took a very nervous breath. Taking off the iron helmet on his head he cupped his hands together and stood in ce very ufortably. Marquis Camon immediately waved his hand, and those guards who had sent him up immediately dispersed. When the gate was closed, Marquis Carmon asked rather curiously, ''''You must have something important to say, that''s why you''vee to see me, right? Say it, there are no outsiders here." This guard immediately shivered with fear, once again nced at the nobles who were all casting their gazes at him, and said in a hesitant tone, "I am a soldier who was ordered to patrol the back of the camp this night. However, I encountered two mysterious people. They killed everyone else and left me alive to ask me about a¡­..Father Pdin''s trail." "Hmm!" The crowd immediately looked at each other, all sensing something out of the ordinary. Marquis Camon even stood up and urged, "Go on, there are gold coins for when you finish." At the mention of gold coins, this guard immediately swallowed his saliva. With a longing gaze, his mouth was much more fluent, "Naturally, I don''t know where any Father Pdin is. Only told them where the clergy lived. And they knocked me out." "And then?" Carmon nced at the contemtive Pdin and pursued the question with his hands propped up on the tabletop. Instead, he got a frosty shake of the guard''s head, "Nothing more." Marquis Camon rolled his eyes and was about to sit down in a bummer when the doppelganger sitting in the tail seat immediately asked, "This soldier, was there a magician among those two mysterious people?" "There is! There was! What a powerful magic, it scared me to death back then!" The guard who suddenly remembered what he had missed immediately chimed in. He also didn''t forget toin about his fear at that time. When these words came out, the crowd immediately showed a vaguely uplifted expression, but it was Berdo on the side who had a face as heavy as water. However, the doppelganger turned his head to look at the guard, revealing a gentle smile and said, "Are there any other more obvious characteristics?" "Hmm." The guard scratched his head in careful thought, his mind recalling the wizard shrouded in dark shadows, the wand in his hand that glowed blue, and the. And the hand that held the wand, the ring on his index finger! "I remember!" The guard immediately came to a realization, and his fear of these nobles was temporarily thrown away as he waved his hands and said, "There is a ring on his hand that is silver-gray. There are three ck mountain shapes on the ring." As soon as the guard''s words fell, Orinna, who was sitting in her seat and had been silent, immediately inclined her head with a sneer and looked at Berdo and said, "Those are three towers. Don''t you think so, Master Berdo. Oh, I forgot, you are wearing one on your hand as well." At this moment, Berdo''s face was as ugly as it could be. Because on the index finger of his right hand, which was lying on the table, he was also wearing a ring. Aside from being gold in color, the three towers had the exact same totems as the guards had described. "That''s right, the ring is a status symbol that only a mage of Hellite can wear. But it doesn''t mean that this mage is a Hellite, won''t it be snatched up by some evil mage?" The doppelganger saw Berdo arguing extremely hard, and also saw the Marquis of Carmon showing some rxation, and knew that this was the moment that had been waiting for a long time. The fire between the two parties had already been fought. Immediately, he threw out his bottom card violently, ''''In fact, when I was fighting with that mage, I had already seen his face. To be honest, such a face is really easy to confirm. A shoulder-length aquamarine hair, and a very handsome face. Honorable Master, does this person ring a bell for you?" After the doppelganger''s treacherous smile with triumph finished, he saw Berdo''s face suddenly sink. Perhaps that person who used ice magic was someone he really did recognize! And on the side, Marquis Carmon immediately waved his hand and said, ''''Guard you can go out. Tell the reserve officer that I''m the one who said so and give you ten gold coins." The guard immediately excitedly thanked him repeatedly and hurriedly left this hall. These people with great power in their hands gave him an invisible pressure, and he was already a bit breathless. Chapter 127: Planting Evidence

Chapter 127: nting Evidence

When the hall was once again left with these nobles, Marquis Carmon wore a victorious smile, but pretended to have just remembered and said, ''''Speaking of which, not too long ago, during the mel extermination, there was an arrest of a great mage named Nashura. It was exactly the same as the description of the mage who attacked Alfred, with water and ice magic and long aquamarine hair. At that time, I even made a special trip to you to discuss it. But unfortunately not long after that, this Grand Magician of your Mage''s Guild, surprisingly, escaped from prison and hasn''t been heard from for some time. I thought he ran to seek your assistance, don''t you think so Master?" Berdo looked at Marquis Carmon''s look of bitchiness in his smile. He was immediately furious. However, in his heart, he already understood that this Nashura, whom he had tutored for a while, had really done such a thing out. No matter if it was a half teacher-student rtionship, or if it was the same Hellite Mage Guild. All of them were no match for the safety and interests of the Mage Guild. He, Berdo, heart understood, to this point, already can''t have half a bit of harboring Nashura''s words. It is necessary to draw a line between him and the Hellite Mages Guild. Otherwise, it is to give the Holy See, which is not happy with Hellite, a reason toe to the door to look for trouble! Berdo, who was thinking this way, could only let out a slight sigh and nodded his head, ''''That''s right, Nashura, this great mage I also know. I can''t imagine that he would do such a thing. To be in league with the evil H-assassin assassin. It really calls me as a senior to chill my heart." Hearing Berdo''s words, Marquis Carmon finally felt relieved. Great, the matter had all been pushed onto that unlucky bastard mage. There was nothing left for them either. However, in order to be on the safe side, Marquis Carmon immediately said: ''''Last time I asked you, Master, to issue a warrant for Nashura, but I declined due tock of evidence. This time, the matter of Nashura and H-assassin''s assassins colluding to assassinate a priest of the Holy See is very clear. As you know, Grandmaster, the H-assassin Alliance went so far as to rely on the demonic power of the Abyss during the turmoil of the Freemasons'' Union, and has already been designated as a heretic by the Holy See, Grandmaster, with your character, you would never consider such a person to be a qualified mage." Berdo''s eyes narrowed, this was Marquis Carmon forcing himself to push Nashura to his death! But Archbishop Sarrier of the Holy See was present. It was impossible for him to say anything bad. But if one of the Mages'' Guild''s own people were to be informed of the wanted notice, his own good friend, Nashura''s mentor, would definitely turn against him! Just as the two guys were secretly fighting with each other, Pdin''s mind was flooded with shocking waves! "There''s unrest in the FreeMason Federation? Is it because of the Ripley Scroll? That Nashura, who almost killed his doppelganger, should know O¡¯Neill, who was killed by himself. Plus, he also appeared in the FreeMason Federation. And also appeared together with that Adele. This guy shouldn''t be looking for me because of the Ripley Scroll! No way, I already destroyed the scroll and there were no outsiders at that time. There''s no way they could have known about the scroll. Wait a minute! Long aquamarine hair, ice magic. How could I be so stupid!" Pdin, who had a thousand thoughts turning through his mind, suddenly remembered that in the depths of that memory, he had indeed met with this Nashura! It was the time when he was going to escape from the Union. Nashura, who was pretending to be a mentor of the Federation, and himself, who had just gained power, met at the door! "It''s him. Surprisingly, it''s him!" Pdin felt a wonderful smile. But immediately afterward a sense of crisis filled his mind. "Let''s not talk about whether the scroll will be known by others. The two people who escaped from the Union alone should also be in possession of the scroll! This is a pustule that doesn''t know when something will go wrong. Keeping it is always a scourge! It should be eradicated as soon as possible!" Thinking of this, the doppelganger on the other side, under Pdin''s control, immediately made a puzzled expression, "Freemason Federation? Lord Marquis, what kind of organization is this? Why haven''t I heard of it?" Marquis Carmon, who suddenly realized that he had spoken out of turn, immediately snorted and said, "It''s not that big of a deal. It''s nothing." However, as soon as Marquis Carmon finished speaking, he saw Pdin stand up with a sad face, tears flowing out of his eyes as he questioned with a sobbing voice, "Lord Marquis, what did you just say? This Nashura who intends to assassinate me is actually rted to the death of my family! Could it be that my parents and sister were all caused by this Nashura!" "Eh¡­." Marquis Carmon and Berdo froze as they looked at the grief-stricken Pdin. But before they coulde back to their senses, the doppelganger on the side also had a look of shock amidst sadness, and clenched his fists tightly and said, "Master Berdo, please forgive my brother''s presumptuousness. But if I can''t give an exnation to my family members who died in vain, I will propose a duel to you here today for the sake of the family''s honor!" "Brother! Wooooooo." Pdin jumped into the Doppelganger''s arms at once, whimpering and crying bitterly. And the eyes of the doppelganger were also shining with a little bit of tears. "Master Berdo, you are a highly respected person, and you are the oldest person present. I believe that you are not a person who harbors murderers either." Seeing her doppelganger''s grief-stricken appearance, Orinna herself felt her heart being cut by a knife, and immediately stood up to argue on her lover''s behalf. Marquis Carmon froze and looked at the two brothers'' appearance, although things were a bit beyond his expectations, but saw Berdo''s very helpless expression. He immediately felt that this was a good sign. Only to see Berdo sigh and say, ''''When tomorrow dawns, I will report it to the Forest of Towers. Request their permission to issue a wanted notice." At these words, Pdin secretly sighed in relief. In this way, Nashura, who was wanted by the Mages'' Guild, had beenpletely caught in a passive situation. Even if they really had information about any scrolls or threatened themselves. This advantage would also bring them great convenience. "Well, it''s time for me to meditate. That''s all." Very reluctantly Berdo stood up. Taking the staff that was hovering next to him. Pdin immediately replied with a grateful face, "Thank you Master, you are a just man." The doppelganger also bent down apologetically, "Please forgive me for being rude to you before, I hope you won''t be hung up on it." "Ai, I should be the one apologizing." Berdo helplessly nced at these two brothers, and like a homing door drilled headfirst into the wall and disappeared once again. Marquis Carmon''s face also regained its calmness, but the joy between his brows could not be concealed. Only to see him stand up, walk over to Pdin and the doppelganger, and say with a smile, "Don''t be sad, we are also deeply saddened by the destruction of your family." Pdin nced at Count Torch, who was doing absolutely nothing behind him, and suddenly suggested, "The battle during the day left Lord Count Torch''smanders with too many deaths and injuries. By reason, I am also a subject of the Count. I can''t bear to watch those neighbors die in his country. Let''s hope that the Marquis can help the Count, in the name of the benevolent Enos, save some unnecessary casualties." Marquis Carmon raised his eyebrows slightly and nced at the fuming Count Torch behind him, and now that he was in the right mood, it was not good to return the favor. Plus Pdin did save his life. At that moment, he returned a favor and said: ''''Bunales, it''s true that you lost a lot of people in the battle during the day. Let''s do it this way, I''ll give you five hundred of my reserve soldiers, what do you think?" "This¡­.Oh! Dear Lord Marquis, I won''t forget this favor!" Suddenly hearing that he was given five hundred elite soldiers, Count Torch was overjoyed. Although he knew that he owed both Pdin and Carmon a favor instead. But now that his embarrassing situation of not having enough soldiers had finally been rescued, how could he not be happy? Now he finally knew what the surprise Pdin said to himself before he left was. Chapter 128: The Wanted Order Is Issued

Chapter 128: The Wanted Order Is Issued

So the matter was settled, and the crowd dispersed. The Marquis Carmon had specially arranged for him a new room. It made sense that this would be the case. However, when Pdin passed by a dark corner, he saw that the guard who had originallye to report the information and had been rewarded with ten gold coins from Marquis Carmon, was currently lying in a pool of blood, dead beyond repair. The blood-stained hand was still holding those ten gold coins. At that moment, it also let Pdin know deep down that Marquis Carmon was not a kind person either. However, Archbishop Sarrier, who had watched himself acting from beginning to end, apanied himself all the way without saying a word but was surprised. Pdin couldn''t endure this feeling and stopped in the corridor and said helplessly, "My honorable Archbishop, what is the meaning of this smile?" "It''s hard to see, it''s really hard to see. You''re so hypocritical that you can''t see a bit of hypocrisy." . Sarrier uttered such words that he didn''t know whether it was apliment or praise. It only made Pdin roll his eyes and be speechless. But right at this moment, the sound of throwing iron boots suddenly echoed in the corridor. Pdin turned around to look, but he saw that the personal guard who hadn''t seen anyone for a whole day, Macedonia, wasing to the two of them with a silent face as if he was treating Pdin as air, bending down and saying to Sarrier, "Your Excellency the Archbishop, the matter has beenpleted." Pdin frowned and whispered with some annoyance, "The Temrs responsible for protecting me, ah. Macedonia, do you know that someone tried to assassinate me not long ago?" Macedonia, who had his head bowed, was silent, and to Sarrier''s ears, it sounded like he was ming him. Solely smiling and snorting, he patted Pdin''s shoulder in a very friendly manner and said, "This matter is my fault. How about this, I''ll treat you to a good meal tomorrow to apologize to you." Saying that, he immediately pushed Macedonia in front of him, and thetter immediately confessed and led the joyful Sarrier to turn into the corridor, out of sight. As for Pdin, who was standing in the same ce, his face was somewhat calm, but he secretly kept an eye out. The next morning, when the Doppelganger put on the clothes, looked at Orinna blushing face with a sweet look, re-change that light armor. Immediately pulling Orinna full of love, went forward tost night''s meeting hall to go. Along the way, Marquis Carmon and Count Torch also walked out. When they saw the two of them, the doppelganger and Orinna, who were glued together like newlyweds. Count Torch was shocked beyond words, straightening his open mouth as he looked at the birdlike Orinna. It was as if the worldview was instantly shattered. Marquis Carmon, on the other hand, was calm. Just looked deeply at the doppelganger and didn''t say anything. Straight away, he walked into the conference hall as if he hadn''t seen anything. Waiting for a few moments, he saw that the people had basically arrived. Marquis Carmon curiously asked Archbishop Sarrier, "Where is Father Pdin? Howe I haven''t seen him?" "Oh, brother, he was shockedst night and is still in deep sleep. Thought it would be the same for me, the brother, toe. So I didn''t report it to the Marquis, so please forgive me." This was the doppelganger speaking. Although this excuse was crude, but these noble lords didn''t care about the stay or go of a small priest, and Marquis Carmon was merely asking politely. Suddenly, the wall next to him twisted, and Berdo stepped out of the wall with his staff and a crystal ball in hand. He raised his head full of long snow-white hair, nced at the nobles present, and ced the crystal ball on the tabletop. Speaking softly, he said, "Keeping the promise, everyone please remain quiet." Saying so, he slowly and methodically took out a wand from his sleeve that was only about a foot long and dark. It gently tapped on the surface of the crystal ball. Suddenly! The crystal ball emitted a gentle silver light! It disappeared in the blink of an eye. The originally crystal clear crystal ball suddenly became pitch ck. And to the shock of the Marquis Carmon and others present, the crystal ball slowly flew up, and a dead thing full of darkness emitted a sense of oppression like breathing! As if this crystal ball is living like magic! But at this moment, one side of the standing Berdo suddenly bent down with his staff across his chest, acting in a very respectful manner. And that ck crystal ball floating in mid-air suddenly issued a hoarse voice: "All of you Kasmi Duchy nobles. This is my first meeting. I am the magical guide of the Forest of Hellite''s title, Sequoia Tree, Nasimodo." Creepy! Marquis Carmon, Count Torch and even Orinna as well as the Archbishop and the others, including the doppelganger, stood up with a thump of fright! Hellite''s magic guide! This was a magic guide! It was said that the only currently known Archmage Masters were the presidents of the three Masters'' Guilds. And none of these three stood at the pinnacle of humanity. Although they never walk around the continent and don''t participate in any resolution of things. But even the emperor of the Enn Empire, Lurban III had to lower his voice and be careful when he saw them. And the magician who was only under these three was tantamount to being the true maniptor of the Mage''s Guild! The true head of the continent''s magic field! Marquis Carmon, who deeply knew what kind of weighty figure this was, had a very tense face, as dry as a Naked virgin, hurriedly bent down and said with a hundred and twenty-thousand points of respect: ''''The great, all-powerful, noble and wise Lord Nasimodo! Your presence adds countless glory to even this humble house!" While the nobles such as the Divergent and Count Torch were kneeling on the ground, not daring to utter a single breath. Marquis Carmon''s greeting with the title of Marquis was already considered a bit of an arrogance. Where else would they, the nobles, dare to speak? But out of the crowd''s expectation, this Nasimodo, one of Hellite''s magical instructors. However, he was surprisingly amiable: ''''Hey, don''t be so polite as soon as you meet. That''s why I hate you nobles, wasting time endlessly." Saying that and ignoring the frozen Marquis Carmon, that hoarse voice cast straight to the side of the respectful Berdo: "The things you submitted upst night, I''ve already discussed with a few other old guys. Have you brought the things?" Berdo very respectfully took out a small delicate wooden box from his sleeve. Gently opening it, he said, "Teacher, this is the remnants of magic left behind." The doppelganger''s eyes were sharp and immediately saw that in that small wooden box, there was actually a small fragment of ice crystal! It must have been the product that remained that Nashura released his magicst night. However, he couldn''t figure it out, even if it was condensed by magic, but it was still an ice crystal, how was it preserved until today? At this time, that crystal ball had no sound and fell into silence. Until after half a sound, that hoarse voice only once again rushed the crystal ball out: "Indeed it is Nashura''s magic wreckage. Ai, that student of mine must be trying to quarrel with me." "Teacher¡­.." Berdo immediately remembered that there were still outsiders here, and thetterughed indifferently, "Your kid is just too serious. Never mind, the wanted notice we have already authorized to be issued. It''ll spread all over the continent within a month. That''s it." As soon as the words fell, a red leaf suddenly emerged from the crystal ball, with magic runes faintly flowing on it. Berdo caught the falling leaf in one go, but that crystal ball once again emitted a hoarse voice: "That young man over there, it''s Archbishop Sarrier, isn''t it. This time the matter is really hurtful. Nashura no longer belongs to our Hellite Mage Association. I still hope that you, Archbishop, will discuss this with Gregory." The half-kneeling archbishop shivered, the Gregory that Nasimodo spoke of was their pope nowadays! Gregory III! Such a significant matter Sarrier certainly could not agree to it himself, nor could he recognize such a disrespectful title, "Master your request will be reported to the Holy See exclusively. As for the oue it is not for me to decide. It is also up to His Holiness the Supreme Pontiff to decide." Hearing the Archbishop''s iparably formic reply, Nasimodo in the crystal ball immediately grunted in a very uninterested manner and said to Berdo in front of him, "Yo, remember to make a trip to the Forest of Towers sometime. It''s time to meet your friends and ssmates as well." As soon as the words fell, the dark interior of the crystal ball gradually disappeared, and in the blink of an eye it had lost its original aura like an ordinary crystal ball. Powerless, it was about to fall to the ground. Berdo silently took the crystal ball with one hand. Holding the piece of red leaf in his hand, he handed it to Marquis Carmon who stood up and said: "This is the magic seal. You guys can issue the wanted notice." Carmon froze as he took the leaf. Berdo also took his staff and crystal ball without a word, turned his head and entered the wall again with a turn of his head and disappeared. Only the nobles present remained, wide-eyed and silent. It wasn''t until half a dozen timester that the Count Torch on one side couldn''t hold his tongue and opened his mouth, "rming the Magician, this matter has to be told to the Grand Duke, right?" "Yes, he should be told." Marquis Carmon helplessly nodded in agreement. Chapter 129: Bad Taste

Chapter 129: Bad Taste

And right at this moment, in a corridor inside the castle. Pdin, who had excused himself from the meeting in the conference room for various reasons, was hiding in front of the door of Archbishop Sarrier''s room, peeking into the doorway and looking at the Templer Macedonia who was busy with his work. Upon seeing the scene inside with his own eyes, Pdin suddenly and bizarrely revealed a chilling smile. As if there was something about everything inside that aroused his great interest. Unable to make people believe that this archbishop who usually takes magnanimous and happy to help the weak. Surprisingly, he would like this kind of hook behind his back! Only to see that within this room was decorated with all kinds of floral patterns and gaudy clothes. On top of the top-quality velvet covered with red raw silk, a girl who looked like she couldn''t be older than fifteen and had a very thin body was lying there motionless! Pdin''s eyes narrowed to a slit. He saw very clearly that this girl''s body had just just been developed, looking very petite. And underneath that long, soft brown hair, was a cute childish face that attracted people''s love. At a closer look, this girl''s eyes were round and wide, her mouth was open and blood was flowing out. Dyeing the originally red bed even more blindingly bright red. The body that was covered in wounds and bruises exuded the same mauve color, and the muscles of her body were also very abnormally taut. In light of this, Pdin concluded from his long experience in healing people that the girl had been dead for at least more than six hours. What was particrly noteworthy was that the girl''s lower body was bleeding red, as if it had been torn apart by some sharp and hard object. Thinking about the excited look on the face of the archbishop when he learned about Macedonian''s reportst night, how could Pdin not guess what Sarrier did to this girlst night? Looking at Macedonia in the room, he calmly took out his gloves, and skillfully cleaned the blood on the ground and his body with a special potion. Not only did Pdin have no sense of hatred, but he also had nopassion. Because in his opinion, the innocent death of the little girl has nothing to do with him. Instead, he learned what his boss liked. He could throw his favorite. It was something that he should be happy and snickering at. And the Macedonian in the room at this time, just quietly rolled up the blood-stained cloth in his hand. Then looked at this little girl who was captured by himselfte at night, innocently suffered a night of toying and humiliation, and then died tragically. Looking at this girl''s big eyes that contained despair, as well as the tear stains that remained in the corners of her eyes. He suddenly sighed with great emotion. He was originally an orphan who was abducted from childhood. Once again, he was caught by the shop owner while stealing something, and identally killed someone. Being wanted, he fled in despair into the church of Sarrier, the bishop of the parish at that time. Got help from this kind and amiable priest. Not only helped him get rid of the crime, but also changed his name, and asked someone to teach him martial arts and fighting. Then he sent himself to take the exam and became an expatriate temr. From a humble thief to a temr with status. Macedonia''s heart was grateful for Sarrier''s selfless care and cultivation. Growing up without two parents, he regarded Sarrier as his parents. No matter what Sarrier asked for, he would carry it out without hesitation. Even though many of these tasks were against his conscience and morals. But in order to repay this Sarrier who had given him a good life, Macedonia didn''t care that much. But so many years had passed, and Macedonia was now a middle-aged man. He had not formed a family, nor did he have a wife or children, when every time he sent an innocent girl into Sarrier''s hands. Every night, when he listened to the gurgling screams of destion and despairing from the house, he could feel his heart twisting like a knife. True, as he grew older, he began to find that this Sarrier, whom he had loved half his life, was not so tall and amiable as he had been influenced to be. He himself, while doing Sarrier''s dirty work for him, endured inner torment. The agony was so great that he even decided that he would find an opportunity to have a good talk with Sarrier. Persuade him to give up something so impure and evil. Sighing once more, Macedonia stopped thinking about it. He took onest look at the girl who had died in vain, took out arge sack from his backpack and spread it out, very gently carried the body of this skinny girl and gently put it into the sack as if he was coaxing his own daughter to sleep as gently as he could. At this moment, watching all this Pdin smiled more and more bizarrely. Suddenly gently pushed open the wooden door, straightened up and leaned on the edge of the door, his eyes flickered with a shivering light like an abyssal demon, and he gently skimmed his mouth, "Tsk tsk tsk tsk tsk tsk tsk tsk tsk." Upon hearing this voice, Macedonia, who was squatting, stared suddenly, and quickly took the two daggers from his waist with his hands, without even looking at them, twisted his hands and threw the two daggers out! That''s not to mention, Macedonia kept moving his hands, and immediately followed the force of twisting his waist just now, spun to stand up, and drew out his sword as smoothly as a cloud and flowing water. He raised his head, looked at the ck figure leaning against the door in front of the door, and was about to rush to cut this ignorant person to death on the spot! When it was toote, Pdin who was leaning against the door saw the two daggers flying towards him with a violent cracking sound, his eyes just shed with disdain, gently inclined his head, and the two daggers thumped and nailed into Pdin''s side. It seemed so easy to maneuver! Brush! Suddenly a sh of silver light shed in front of his eyes, Macedonia stepped on a vigorous pace and rushed up, and a sword went straight for Pdin''s throat! But Pdin frowned slightly, although he was a nominal subordinate, but a guard attacking himself, that was really not something to be happy about. Pdin quickly raised his hand, and urately and iparably gripped the iing sword! That charging Macedonia was immediately forced to stop in his tracks! The shock in his eyes was a full expression of disbelief. Because he saw that an ordinary hand had actually gripped his sword with all his might, and the huge force on that palm even prevented him from advancing half an inch! It was as if what was in front of him was not a person, but a wall, a very huge wall! "It''s time to stop, if you give an inch, don''t me me for removing your limbs." Such a familiar voice was conveyed with tiresome emotion, when Macedonia saw that the person in front of him was Pdin. The shock that came over him in that instant scared him so much that he let go of his grip on his sword and froze back, pointing at Pdin''s disdainful face with his mouth open, unable to utter a single word. But Pdin didn''t have the time to pay attention to this idiot. He just slightly nced at the girl''s corpse in the sack, and suddenly revealed a teasing smile and said, ''''I can''t see that a noble Temr would even do such a thing. Does our honorable Archbishop Sarrier enjoy this tone? Then don''t you help him with the aftermath every time?" Macedonia, whose shock quickly calmed down, took a deep look at Pdin, and suddenly stepped forward to pass him, closing the door tightly with one hand. Then he turned back to the sack and squatted down in front of it, strangling it with one hand and carrying it over his body. On one side, Pdin walked to himself and sat down on a nearby chair carved withce and fine fabrics, and looked good-naturedly at Macedonia, who was carrying the body, and said, "Where are you throwing it? The cemetery? The jungle? Or the crypt? None of these are safe, my dear warrior Mr. Macedonia. Personally, I suggest you either feed it to the pigs that eat everything, or chop it up beyond recognition and take it to the kitchens for the cooks to roast. But remember you can''t eat at the fort tonight!" Pdin was very rare to open a joke. But the joke was limited to thest sentence, the previous ones were all true thoughts. "You are a beast! A beast in divine robes!" Macedonia, who had just taken a few steps, suddenly stopped, with a never-told-before anger rolling around in his face, and looked at the very leisurely Pdin to scold him. But Pdin could not make any difference, just stood up and said, "Lord Archbishop has this hobby. As a subordinate, I naturally have to look out for it as well. After all, His Excellency the Archbishop is the savior who is tasked with teaching believers about faith, mercy, and forgiveness." "You are a viin." Macedonia turned back and said with great contempt. But he was rewarded with Pdin''s smile with a sneer, "I am a beast and a viin, what about you? What about His Eminence the Archbishop? Listening to the orders of others and sending innocent people into the arms of despair. Hahaha, poor Macedonia, you are not nobler than me, rather, you and I are just same all the way." Chapter 130: Evil Qingshui Town

Chapter 130: Evil Qingshui Town

"No! It isn''t! I''m not like you!" As if Macedonia was stung by the words, his face was a bit grim as he growled at Pdin. Pdin''s face was expressionless and tit-for-tat: "Then say it, name what makes me different from you? You hypocrite." "Me. Me." Seeing Macedonia dumbfounded, the sneer on Pdin''s face became more and more obvious. However, at that moment, his five senses, which had improved due to the fusion of the light element, caused his ears to suddenly twitch slightly, and it was very obvious that he heard the sound of footsteps ringing out in the corridor outside. The smile on his face gradually hid, and he closed his eyes to listen carefully. It was able to clearly hear that the footsteps were vapid and feeble, and the feet were ratherrge. It should be an older male. Coupled with that very slight coughing sound, it made Pdin open his eyes at once and looked at the indignant Macedonia with a smile and said, "Look, our honorable Archbishop has returned." Saying this, he also ignored Macedonia and walked straight to the door, bending down very respectfully. And at that very moment, the door was pushed open and a helpless Archbishop Sarrier walked in. Sarrier, who was originally very bitter because of the overbearing nature of the Magister Nasimodo, and the possible attitude of the lesiastical side, as soon as he raised his eyes, he saw Macedonia, who was standing across the room, frothing, and carrying a sack of corpses. Instantly, he did not have the good sense to use, ''''It''s been half a day and you still have not disposed it of! I don''t want to see the dead body left in the house, go!" After saying this, he saw Pdin who was bending over in front of him, immediately slightly back a step, some surprised, "Pdin? How do you. You saw it all?" Pdin very calmly straightened up, nced at the sac containing the corpse, and then turned back to look at the somewhat wary Sarrier, revealing a very sunny smile and said, "The Archbishop''s great wish to be able to have such a great desire to educate the believers, makes me as a subordinate deeply ashamed. I hope that you, Archbishop, will allow me to save these lostmbs together as well!" Sarrier was slightly stunned, and it took a moment before heprehended what Pdin meant. The first reaction was that this Pdin was too hypocritical! Bowing to his superiors to abduct girls, he could even say that it was saving the lostmb! But next, Sarrier''s heart lit up! Recently, the goods that Macedonia found were either resisting too fiercely, or had a bad figure, or just looked ugly. All in all not much fun to y with. If this Pdin from the noble family can help himself, maybe he can find some high-quality goods with his vision! Thinking like this, Sarrier was a bit moved, he had heard about the rotten life of the nobles for a long time! Looking at Pdin''s smile, Sarrier also put down his worries. After all, this kid was nowpletely dependent on himself. He was his backer. Naturally, he had to do his best to tter him. Solely putting on a look of sadness crossed himself and sighed, ''''It''s rare that His Excellency Auxiliary Bishop Pdin also has such benevolence. Well, I will have Macedonia assist you. I hope you won''t let me down." Pdin looked at Sarrier, who had a kind face but evil thoughts blossoming in his eyes. Very respectfully, he bent down again and said, "At your demolition, my Archbishop." Naturally, Pdin would not care about the Macedonia behind him who was holding back his anger. For a man with a bottom line in his conscience will not win over him. Yes, Macedonia had a bottom line, as evidenced by the fact that he had just been angered by Pdin''s own words. A guy like that, who had been doing dirty things for so long, still hadn''t abandoned his moral boundaries. But that meant nothing to Pdin. Something like a moral bottom line was nothing more than a mind shackle imposed on mediocre people. Not only would it not bring you wealth or status. It would even kill you at a critical time. So the moral bottom line, Pdin was abandoned in the lush forest as early as the moment he left the Freemasons Union. That real Pdin went to a long sleep. And so it was, following Sarrier''s expectant orders. Macedonia begrudgingly took Pdin on horseback and hurried to where Macedonia had recently patrolled for game. After crossing over the entire camp, through a small patch of woods and a small stream, the town in front of him with peopleing and going and the asional merchant hawking truly shocked Pdin. This town of simple stone houses would not have shocked Pdin, but the problem was, where was this ce. This was where the border between the Kingdom of Aixinzhe and the Duchy of Kasmi met! Moreover, it was located in the ins, and most of the wars between the two countries took ce in this area! How could a small town be built near a battlefield and look rtively prosperous! Macedonia riding on a high horse and holding a crossed g obviously saw Pdin''s disbelief, and although he disliked getting along with this scum, but due to Sarrier''s request, he could only suppress his distaste and helplessly exin, ''''This town is called Qingshui Town. It neither belongs to Aixinzhe nor the Duchy of Kasmi. It is a town without a government to manage it. Instead, the administrators are some notorious bandits." Saying this, Macedonia saw Pdin''s still iprehensible gaze and had to continue exining, "Originally, a hundred years ago, this ce was deserted. However, with the escting war between the two countries, the number of bandits and deserters also increased. There were even some bandits who directly settled down and used this ce as a base. In the beginning, since this ce didn''t belong to any country, they often took the things they robbed here and traded them with other mercenaries, assassins and thieves. Then over time, this ce was a lot saferpared to the country, and there wouldn''t be any well-fed guard captainsing up to pick a fight. More and more robbers and ouws came here. Either for refuge or for rest. In the end, it became a big ce to sell stolen goods. The robbers sold the stolen goods for profit, which attracted many thieves, assassins, and mercenaries. This attracted many thieves, assassins and mercenaries, as they bought mostly rare items that were not avable on the market. After that, merchants saw this ce and paid a lot of money to cooperate with the robbers, opening taverns, stores, and craftsmen''s workshops. Manufacturingrge quantities of substances to provide to those who came to spend money." Speaking of this, Macedonia pointed to the pedestrians on the street. It was either mercenaries in armor who ran to the smithy to look at weapons. It was assassins in ck cloaks or someone else with an ulterior motive. asionally, some bandits with big swords cruised back and forth, checking to see if there were any fat sheep worth knocking over. Watching all of this, Macedonia continued, "As you can see, after a hundred years of development, this ce has turned into a veryrge crime den. Murderers, thieves, spies, assassins, robbers, and female traffickers. And factories, stores, cksmith stores, taverns and inns. Developing this ce into thergest ck market of them all. Most of the duchy''s unseen underground transactions are done here. But be warned, none of the people in this ce are good. The town is also a sin city filled with mayhem as well as murder." Pdin nodded indifferently. The original shocked look had gradually been concealed. Simply put, this Qingshui Town was the city of criminals. Everything illegal was justified here, filled with people eating people. And it made sense that both countries were not going to bother with this ce. Who wouldn''t want criminals from their own country living some other ce? If this town was gone, these homeless criminals were a brainstorm to flood into their own country and destroy everywhere! With some understanding Pdin tilted his head to watch from side to side. He even noticed that a few bandits had been staring at Pdin andughing evilly, but only after seeing Macedonia in the armor of a Temr next to him, and the cross g he was holding, did they gurgle and whisper, and shed away into the shadowy alleyway. Taking a deep breath, Pdin suddenly looked forward to this ce a little. A town with such naked primitivews, no one would care if a group of people turned into dryads, right? Pdin smiled very subtly at the thought. It had been a long time since he had tasted the deliciousness of the Stone of Truth, and that thrill of fusing light elements. Chapter 131: Artwork

Chapter 131: Artwork

"Father, this isn''t the ce for you," just as Pdin and Macedonia hadn''t walked far, a group of burly men approached them. The leader, a bare-chested giant standing at least two meters tall, blocked Pdin and Macedonia''s path, casting a shadow over them, and warned them from a higher vantage point. Macedonia, being a trained Holy See warrior, possessed the strength of a five-star fighter, and the giant in front of him, although intimidating, was no match for Macedonia. Macedonia swiftly ced his hand on the hilt of his sword, and with the silver armor emitting a bright light, an invisible aura of threat filled the air. He stepped forward, positioning himself in front of Pdin, and said, "We have no intention of disturbing the stability of Clearwater Town. We''re just here to purchase some necessary supplies and then leave." Perhaps it was the shining silver armor of Macedonia that made the giant hesitate, or maybe he didn''t want any unpleasant confrontation with the Holy See. Adding to this, there were thousands of soldiers waiting just a few miles away. Under such intimidation, the giant nodded slightly, took a step back, and said to Macedonia, "I hope you''re smart. If anything unpleasant happens here, it won''t be good for either of us. You see, the town isn''t safe right now." In response, Macedonia remained silent, ignoring him. The giant didn''t want to bother with these soldiers of the Holy See and, with a casual shout, left with his fierce-looking followers. He intended to meet some friends and instruct them not to touch these two agents of the Holy See. However, at this moment, Pdin paid no attention to these ordinary men. His keen hearing allowed him to overhear all the conversations on the street, even whispers. To his surprise, in the discussions about tonight''s activities and ns for mischief, he heard a murmured conversation between two local bandits: "Did you hear? Old man Mante and his family disappeared this morning! Their remains were found in the nearby woods. The bodies were horribly mutted. Even their organs were devoured!" "Do you think it could be some kind of monster that got in? Otherwise, with Mante''s skills, ordinary beasts wouldn''t stand a chance." "You''re right, that''s what I think too! There have been over a dozen people missing in the past few days! I heard the bosses had a meetingst night, and they n to seal off the town tonight, not allowing anyone in or out!" Hearing this information, Pdin raised an eyebrow slightly. He quietly moved behind Macedonia and, with a sly smile, suddenly asked, "Have you heard that people have been disappearing frequently in this towntely?" Macedonia was surprised and turned to look at Pdin. Although he didn''t say a word, his expression clearly conveyed the question of how did you know? Pdin took a step back, nced around, and asked in a hushed voice, "So, those people who disappeared, did you have anything to do with it? Just for a girl? Hahaha, it seems you''re even more formidable than I imagined." "Don''t talk nonsense!" Macedonia frowned and responded somewhat angrily. Seeing that no one around was paying attention to them, he lowered his voice and replied, "It wasn''t me." "Not you?" Pdin nodded slightly. He knew Macedonia had no reason to lie to him about such matters. It seemed that Macedonia came to Clearwater Town because he knew there was a monster eating people, and having a monster as a shield was an excellent choice. "So, you don''t trust me?" "Enough of this," Macedonia said with annoyance. He looked back, and to his surprise, he only saw an unattended brown horse behind him. Pdin''s figure had disappeared. His expression changed from surprise to anger. Macedonia angrily struck his armored leg and growled, "Damn it, he ran off by himself! I must report this to the Archbishop tonight!" Putting aside the infuriated Macedonia, Pdin walked through the dimly lit alley. After confirming there were no other people around, the all-seeing eye on his forehead reappeared. He could see everything within a hundred meters that was touched by sunlight. The old stone houses, pots with soil on the second-floor balconies, the eyes of little birds perched on rooftops in the distance, and the bustling crowd on the street not far away, including the cursing Macedonia - all were crystal clear. Quietly walking, feeling for potential clues, as he neared the edge of the forest, a sudden image shed before his eyes. A giant beast, almost like a giant, was crouching in the grass, tearing into its prey on the ground with a gaping mouth. The prey wasn''t anything special, just a mercenary in armor. It was impossible to tell if it was a man or a woman anymore, just a pile of broken flesh and blood staining the ground. Pdin smiled faintly, and the all-seeing eye on his forehead immediately disappeared. He hastened his steps into the forest. When Pdin suddenly entered the forest and stood behind the humanoid beast, the beast felt someone behind it and turned around abruptly, revealing a ferocious and terrifying appearance. It was about to swat this approaching meal with one hand when Pdin''s voice rang out, "Aberleigh ! That''s enough!" The creature before him was none other than Aberleigh , the monster that had been following Pdin. Upon realizing that the person behind him was his master, and with Pdin''s cold gaze, Aberleigh ''s ferocity instantly dissipated. Aberleigh , who stood nearly three meters tall, with arms as thick as a person''s waist, immediately prostrated on the ground. He whimpered pitifully and emitted sounds disproportionate to his size, like a scolded puppy. Pdin kicked Aberleigh ''s head, causing him pain. Aberleigh immediately cowered behind a tree trunk, looking at his master with fear. Pdin ignored the creature, circled around him, and sighed, "Little Aberleigh , you''ve grown quite an appetite in these past few days. Look at this mess, you can''t even eat cleanly." Pdin scolded Aberleigh as if he were instructing a child. He pointed and gestured toward the scattered remains on the ground. In this densely wooded area, there were two bodies that had been mutted beyond recognition. The once-refreshing scent of earth had been overwhelmed by the pungent smell of blood and decay. Pdin could even see bite marks on some of the bodies, suggesting that they were devoured. It was obvious that Aberleigh was indiscriminate in his hunger. Unexpectedly, when he looked up, Pdin saw something odd - a cave entrance hidden behind a clump of weeds. Clearly, it was Aberleigh ''s dwelling ce. However, the issue wasn''t the cave itself; it was the row of wooden stakes disyed in front of it. Each stake held a severed head, and some heads still looked fresh, in stark contrast to the others that had started to rot and emit a foul odor. Pdin could see that some of the heads had had their eyes and tongues removed. It was evident that these heads were not meant for Aberleigh ''s consumption; rather, it was some form of his personal hobby or artistic expression. Pdin took a few steps closer, carefully observing the heads. Upon closer inspection, he noticed that all the heads, despite their tortured expressions, had their eyes and tongues removed. Pdin couldn''t believe that this was Aberleigh ''s food preparation; it was impractical as the heads would rot within a day, causing stomach issues if consumed. Instead, he interpreted it as Aberleigh ''s personal preference or perhaps an art form. Pdin walked up a few more steps, examining the gruesome disy, only to notice one head that seemed fresher than the rest, with blood still dripping from the severed neck. He knew he had found something significant. Chapter 132: The Second Doppelganger

Chapter 132: The Second Doppelganger

"Good job, Abberleigh. You know how to decorate your home," Pdin teased with a yful tone towards Abberleigh, who was nearby. Suddenly, a drop of bloodnded on his nose. He looked up and saw a multitude of half-eaten corpses suspended from the treetops, transforming the once serene forest into a hellish nightmare. As a gentle breeze from the ins wafted by, the hanging corpses swayed slightly. However, none of this seemed to affect Pdin. He nonchntly dipped his finger into the blood on his nose and tasted it without hesitation. Abberleigh, seeing his master''s actions, picked up a severed hand from the ground and offered it to him, trying to please him. Pdin gently pushed the offering aside, showing his disinterest in consuming such a thing. He surveyed the horrifying surroundings and remarked, devoid of any emotion, "It seems like you need to find a new ce to live, my child. This ce won''t do. Sooner orter, humans will discover you, and that will bring trouble." Pdin turned away, paying little attention to Abberleigh''s evident disappointment. He reached out and patted Abberleigh''s head, revealing a sinister smile. "Before moving, I''ll treat you to a meal. Eat without worry." Pdin had changed over time, and he no longer viewed things from a human perspective. A few months ago, when he first arrived in Nurba, he would have been repulsed by Abberleigh''s actions, but now he realized the vast gap between himself and humanity. In his mind, he had risen above humanity, bing their ruler and transcending their limitations. Humans couldn''t go without sleep, food, or experience the world''s elements as he did, gradually recing their flesh and blood bodies. Pdin no longer considered himself part of humanity. Seeing Abberleigh''s actions was akin to watching a hungry dog catch and eat a few mice. It was a trivial matter that didn''t concern him. Suddenly, a voice murmured weakly from a disfigured corpse buried under a pile of bodies. A bloodied hand extended from the mass of flesh, desperate to escape the oppressive space. Pdin and Aberleigh both turned to look, and Pdin finally heard the faint heartbeat beneath the mangled bodies. "Someone is not dead." Muttering to himself, Pdin approached the body. Aberleigh howled in response, as a living being not dying when it should was a great affront to him. Violently, Aberleigh moved his massive body, reaching the pile of corpses and tossing them aside. He then picked up the nearly lifeless figure hidden among them and ced him on the ground. Pdin noticed that this man was far from death. If he didn''t administer a powerful healing spell immediately, the man would surely die. Pdin recognized him: it was Count Javier , the Maltese noble who had escaped after being defeated by Duchess Victoria. He was severely wounded, and Pdin could tell that without urgent treatment, he wouldn''tst long. "You... Father, save me," Count Javier murmured as he regained consciousness, lying helpless in Pdin''s arms. Realizing the dire situation he was in, Count Javier instinctively begged for help. Pdin contemted for a moment and then spoke, "Save you? Ah, yes, I will save you." Pdin''s eyes glowed with a golden radiance, and his forehead revealed a golden eye that emitted a strange, captivating power. Count Javier felt that he couldn''t look away from the eye, as if countless hands were reaching into his mind, pulling and tearing at his thoughts. He screamed in agony, as an excruciating pain enveloped him, but he was unable to move or resist. A blinding pain coursed through Count Javier ''s body, but then, unexpectedly, it subsided. His vision cleared, and he found himself in a different world. It was as if he had fallen into an endless ocean of shimmering golden light, surrounded by warmth andfort, like a mother''s embrace. His body rxed, the previous pain vanishingpletely. He gradually sank into this ocean, forgetting time, memories, and even his own identity. Finally, he merged with this radiant sea. Exhaling, Pdin released his grip on Count Javier , who now stood up as if nothing had happened. As Pdin looked at him, he realized that his vision now included not only himself and his other avatar, Alfred, in the fortress but also this new avatar, Javier . Yes, Pdin had sessfully created a second avatar using Javier ''s body as a vessel. Though he had reunited with the experience, Pdin knew he had reached his limit. Trying to create another avatar now would lead to unforeseen and potentially catastrophic consequences, such as the copse of his soul. Seated on the ground, Pdin tried to catch his breath, his forehead still bearing the strain of his recent actions. He was aware that he could not create another avatar at this moment. It was a full feeling, one he hadn''t experienced in a long time. He knew he had pushed his abilities to the limit. Pdin controlled the new avatar, Javier , who had started healing his damaged body, while an expression of satisfaction and anticipation appeared on Pdin''s face. "Donald, Javier ... Perhaps this pawn will have an unexpected role to y in the future." Chapter 133: Plunder!

Chapter 133: Plunder!

Under Pdin''s control, after the avatar Javier had recovered, he needed a good meal to replenish his strength. Although avatars could eat, Pdin, in control, couldn''t taste anything at all. Eating delicious food was no different from chewing on gravel for him. Once everything was settled for the avatar Javier, including robbing a pair of mercenaries, and after changing into suitable clothing and acquiring horses based on Javier''s memories, they set off towards the Maltese and Aixinzhe, which was a hundred miles away. As for Pdin''s main body, he still had important matters to attend to, but finding Aberleigh was surprisingly easypared to his initial expectations. Gradually, the deep night descended like the dark visage of the god Belial, shrouding the entire continent. The bright eye still hung in the sky, watching over the activities of the insignificant ants below. At this moment, Pdin, dressed in a ck robe, stood atop the roof of an inn in Qingshui Town, overlooking the town that was slowly falling into slumber. He carried a sack on his shoulder, inside of which was a petite and lovely girl. It took Pdin several hours to find the right candidate. In a town mostly inhabited by bandits, the quality of women was quite low. Finding a suitable young girl was challenging. However, for Pdin, who had no regard for morality, it was no difficulty at all. The unconscious young girl on his shoulder was the daughter of a wealthy merchant who had allied with the bandit leader. It was beyondprehension why this man had brought his entire family to this godforsaken ce. After incapacitating them all, Pdin discovered that they were carrying a considerable amount of luggage. It seemed they were aware of the impending war and had decided not to involve innocent civilians, nning to escape the duchy by staying in this ce for a night. This situation proved convenient for Pdin. The girl, a pampered young miss, was sure to satisfy Sarrier. Who knew what had possessed this man to bring his family to this forsaken ce? After knocking them all unconscious, Pdin found that they were carrying a significant amount of luggage. They seemed to be aware of the impending war and didn''t want to involve innocent people, opting to stay in this ce for a night on their way out of the duchy. This turned out to be advantageous for Pdin. This pampered youngdy was certain to please Sarrier. Suddenly, a massive humanoid figure emerged from the window on the second floor of the building below. With agile movements, it climbed the wall and leaped down to Pdin''s side. The enormous shadow obediently crouched down. It was Aberleigh! Aberleigh''s hands and mouth were covered in fresh blood, and one could faintly see an uneaten eyeball still in his mouth. Inside the inn, the scene was like a hellish abyss. Dozens of people, including the innkeeper, thugs, servants, and guests,y in unrecognizable states, their bodies scattered across the floor. The inn had been dyed a dark red with blood, and clear bite marks could be seen on the bodies. Old people, children, women, and strong men - under Aberleigh''s insatiable appetite, none had escaped death. Listening to Aberleigh''s satisfied panting and the scent of blood wafting from him, Pdin frowned slightly. He was about to reprimand Aberleigh for taking so long to eat when, thanks to his vantage point, he spotted another figure in a ck robe emerging from a distant alleyway. This figure was none other than Macedonia, and he, too, carried a sack as he opened a dpidated door. Having taken a quick nce around the street, Macedonia immediately started running, turning left and right. "Well, this ipetent one," Pdin muttered disdainfully upon seeing Macedonia leave the area. He had heard about that location; it was a ve market in Qingshui Town, specializing in various kinds of ves. In other words, the toys that Sarrier had been enjoyingtely were merely these lowly ves? With a growing smile on his face, Pdin pointed in the direction where Macedonia had disappeared and uttered a few sinister words under his breath, "Eat thoroughly, don''t leave a drop of blood for me." At his words, Aberleigh immediately emitted an excited growl. With a powerful leap, his massive body soared through the air and bounded toward Macedonia, who was darting through the narrow alleys. Pdin paid no further attention and, with a few jumps, disappeared into the town. After an effortless return to the fortress, he hired a carriage to avoid drawing attention and entered Sarrier''s room with the unconscious young girl. He gently ced her on a luxurious bed, then produced an iron chain to secure her hands firmly to the bedpost. From his pocket, he took out a small pink bottle, opened it, and administered a drop to the girl. This elixir was the result of dark alchemy, a wicked concoction with a notorious recipe passed down from the distant sands of Muram. It was produced through four purification processes using the saliva of a three-tailed lizard and the bark of the Springflower tree. Although its effects were potent, it also caused significant harm and exhaustion to the consumer, thus earning its reputation as dark alchemy. For a girl like this, a single drop was already at the limit of her tolerance. With the bottle safely stowed away, Pdin, who was secretly watching the scene unfold, was filled with a sense of amusement. Sarrier, appearing somewhat intoxicated, opened the door and entered the room. "Oh? Pdin, what are you doing here?" Seeing Pdin standing silently in his room, Sarrier''s drunkenness receded slightly. However, when he noticed Pdin bowing respectfully and revealing the petite and beautiful girl, his eyes sparkled with interest. "Oh, oh, not bad." Upon seeing such a girl, Sarrier, stimted by alcohol, immediately had his desires reignited. His reddened eyes turned greedy as he took a few steps forward, examining the girl who was bound by iron chains, wearing an adorable yet noble princess gown. Her appearance surpassed that of the previous girls in both cuteness and beauty. A sense of freshness washed over Sarrier, and his trembling hands reached out to touch the girl''s body, exploring everywhere. "Grandpa... Grandpa, what are you doing? No, please don''t!" The little girl who gradually recovered her senses saw an old man defiled herself, and immediately resisted fiercely. But who would have thought that when the old man saw that this girl was more vigorous than before, and then heard the little girl call: "Grandpa," Instantly, his primal instincts surged, and heughed heartily, saying, "You''re calling me Grandpa? Yes, that''s right! Call me that, my dear granddaughter!" Meanwhile, outside the room, Pdin wore a mocking smile as he listened to the cries from within, which had the potential to bring disgrace to the Church. He couldn''t help but chuckle softly. Chapter 134: The Return of Macedonia

Chapter 134: The Return of Macedonia

The potion made from forbidden materials had undeniable effects, even though it wasn''t without its side effects. Even when diluted, how could an elderly man, teetering on the brink of death, withstand it? Pdin understood this very well. While taking Archbishop Sarrier several times wouldn''t show immediate effects, when the umted toxins reached a certain point, it could make one''s life worse than death. And ironically, the only way to alleviate this excruciating pain caused by Archbishop Sarrier was to take more medicine, creating a vicious cycle. This was just Pdin''s first step. In this world, everything was tradable, including Archbishop Sarrier. By adding appropriate other substances to the potion to alter its properties, Pdin could dy Sarrier''s side effects for months or even years. However, once Pdin stopped adding theseplementary substances, the body, ustomed to the drug, would immediately deteriorate. Yes, Pdin aimed to control this old lecher. It was true now, and it would be the same when he became an Archbishop after the war. He would use Sarrier as a valuable bargaining chip to get what he needed even more. While Pdin was secretly nning his moves, he suddenly heard a series of intense footstepsing from the left corridor. He tilted his head slightly, and with the light from the corridor and moonlight outside, he could vaguely see a person covered in blood, armor in tatters, stumbling and leaning against the wall. "Macedonia!" Pdin widened his eyes in disbelief. It was clear that Macedonia, heavily wounded as he was, had somehow made it back alive. But what about Aberleigh? How could the massive Aberleigh, whose abilities rivaled those of a Seven-Star Warrior, lose to Macedonia, or even die by his sword? However, Pdin noticed something crucial: Macedonia had no weapons on him. In that moment, an overwhelming sense of anger surged in Pdin. Macedonia, too, saw Pdin standing at the entrance to Sarrier''s room. Aside from a brief moment of surprise in his eyes, the rest was fury. "You..." For an instant, Pdin''s eyes red with anger, his body covered in blood. He quickly considered numerous options. However, in the blink of an eye, he had made up his mind and his face showed a mix of shock and concern. He rushed to Macedonia''s side, carefully supporting him, and anxiously asked, "Macedonia, what happened to you? What''s with your injuries?" p! Unexpectedly, as Pdin finished speaking, Macedonia, with injuries all over his body, delivered a resounding p to Pdin. "In the morning, why did you leave?" Macedonia questioned like this, but despite the burning sensation on his cheek, Pdin showed no signs of anger. Instead, he wore a concerned expression, and nervously held onto Macedonia''s shoulder, saying, "Now is not the time to discuss that. You should treat your wounds quickly; once they worsen, healing won''t be so simple!" With these words, Pdin immediately assisted Macedonia towards the stairs. However, Macedonia pushed Pdin''s hand away once more, delivering another loud p to him. Gritting his teeth and enduring the pain, he murmured, "I need to see the Archbishop; get out of my way." Pdin, unyielding, grabbed Macedonia''s bloody hand and urged, "Don''t disturb the Archbishop now. He''s busy enjoying himself. You should attend to your injuries first!" "What did you say!" Macedonia''s eyes widened, and he turned to re at Pdin, an expression of disdain and anger on his face. In the background, faintly audible were the cries of a girl from Sarrier''s room. It meant that he had arrived a step toote, allowing this scoundrel to deliver the girl into Sarrier''s room! Wait a moment! He had been ambushed by a monster, and although he had luckily defeated it and gotten injured, this guy had somehow given the girl he had bought back to Sarrier? Suddenly, Macedonia sensed that this series of events was not merely coincidental but part of a premeditated n. Filled with suspicion, he red at Pdin and demanded, "Was that monster your doing? Is all of this your idea?" "What are you talking about? I can''t understand you at all. Were you attacked by a monster?" "Stop pretending! You cunning little man!" Furious, Macedonia shoved Pdin forcefully and pointed at him with trembling fingers. His eyes carried an intense anger that made it seem like he wanted to swallow this detestable guy alive. Vaguely, the sounds of a girl''s cries could be heard from Sarrier''s room. In other words, he had arrived a step toote, allowing this scoundrel to send the girl into Sarrier''s room! Wait a minute! He had been ambushed by a monster, and although he had luckily defeated it and gotten injured, this guy had somehow given the girl he had bought back to Sarrier? Suddenly, Macedonia sensed that this series of events was not merely coincidental but part of a premeditated n. Filled with suspicion, he red at Pdin and demanded, "Was that monster your doing? Is all of this your idea?" Macedonia wanted to say more, but before he could, Pdin shot a quick nce at the approaching guards in the corridor. His eyes immediately gleamed with a golden light. He swiftly covered Macedonia''s mouth with one hand while using the other to maliciously tear open Macedonia''s armor. He mped onto Macedonia''s injured rib and pulled without hesitation. "Wuwuwu!" Unprecedented agony coursed through his entire body. Macedonia was pinned down by Pdin''s powerful hand covering his mouth, too weak to resist. Tears welled in his eyes, and he let out wailing cries. In the next moment, the excruciating pain overwhelmed him, and he copsed unconscious into Pdin''s arms. Holding the unconscious Macedonia, Pdin lifted him up. A sinister smile spread across his face. This was perfect; by eliminating this troublesome guy, his career path would undoubtedly be much smoother. Chapter 135: War Is Coming

Chapter 135: War Is Coming

At the same time, the doppelganger Alfred immediately emerged from his room. He changed into a ck robe and quietly left the fortress, heading straight for Qingshui Town. He needed to confirm whether the foolish yet obedient Aberleigh had truly died. Thus, when the doppelganger used all his strength to reach Qingshui Town, what met his eyes were copsed stone houses and wooden fences. A crowd of onlookers and armed bandits formed a circle. Within the circley Aberleigh, a colossal figure covered in four long spears, twelve arrows, over twenty sword wounds, and blood pooling around him like a web of threads. Aberleigh''s massive form had been mercilessly pinned to the stone wall, and the blood, tainted with a metallic scent, continuously flowed from his wounds. The bandits and thieves surrounding him stared in endless amazement at this gigantic humanoid monster. These armed bandits, though currently in the advantageous position, were still nervously encircling Aberleigh, not daring to step forward. Human fear stemmed from the unknown, and there were countless ferocious beasts in the world. However, these people were unafraid because they were familiar with such creatures. They knew their habits and origins, which dispelled their fear. But the Aberleigh before them was neither fully human nor beast; he was like a true monster, instilling them with an unsettling sense of the unknown and thus, fear. In the background, wearing a ck robe, the doppelganger could faintly hear the bandits'' hushed discussions. "Heavens, what kind of monster is this? I''ve never seen anything like it!" "Actually, I saw a guy fighting this monster earlier. By Enos, there''s someone in the world who had the courage to battle this creature without being at a disadvantage!" "What do we do now? Should we all attack and kill him?" "Wait for now; the boss said he wants to see the monster with his own eyes. We should keep watch." "Keep watch? Easy for you to say. When he roared at me earlier, I nearly wet myself!" "Useless wimp, your only way of showing strength is with women." . Listening to the bandits'' conversation, the doppelganger roughly understood the situation. Perhaps when Macedonia and Aberleigh were locked in a fierce battle, themotion drew the attention of the bandits. Aberleigh, besieged and attacked, fell victim to these lower beings. The doppelganger thought for a moment, then lowered himself to avoid the torchlight shining in his direction, lifted the ck cloth covering his face, and unsheathed his cross-shaped sword from his waist. Swish, swish, swish! Without a single cry of agony, three shining sword strikes shed across the scene. The bandits who had been enthusiastically discussing just seconds ago immediately stopped, ceasing all movements as their bodies were marked with bloody gashes. Blood gushed out like fountains in a noble''s estate, and they fell to the ground one by one in silence. Roar... Hearing the sudden silence, Aberleigh, who was barely conscious and gasping for breath, managed to lift his head. He saw a masked figure holding a bloodied sword, stepping over the corpses strewn around. Aberleigh instinctively wrinkled his nose, immediately sensing the unmistakable aura of a Pdin. He let out a pitiful yet joyful cry. However, the doppelgangerpletely ignored him, moving forward to swiftly remove the deeply embedded spears and arrows from Aberleigh''s body. Aberleigh, despite his intense pain, obediently refrained from groaning aloud. He watched as the doppelganger discarded the bloodied spears and retrieved his arrows. The doppelganger then re-sheathed his cross-shaped sword at his waist, raised both hands, and a gentle golden light emanated from them, casting upon Aberleigh''s battered wounds. As expected, under the effect of healing magic, the massive and numerous wounds covering Aberleigh''s body miraculously healed at an astonishing speed. In just a few breaths'' time, apart from the still-present blood, there wasn''t a trace of any wounds left, not even a scratch. "Hide, don''t let anyone see you," the doppelgangermanded in a cold tone as he finished. Aberleigh, in fullpliance, immediately whimpered, using both hands and feet to jump and vanish into the nearby dense forest, leaving no trace behind. The next day. The gentle morning breeze swept across the open in, causing the bushes to sway. Against the backdrop of the fortress behind them, Pdin and the other priests stood solemnly in ce, watching as several servants carefully ced coffins marked with the cross into the dug-out graves. As the coffins reached the bottom of the pit, the Archbishop held up the Cassily Holy Bible, his voice low as he began to recite the eulogy: "May the great Heavenly Father, Enos, watch over your departed soul. Lead you out of the dark path and into the supreme heaven. May your passing be the redemption of light and hope. Justice and goodness shall be your shield and sword to apany you in the impending darkness..." Meanwhile, the priests each took out white flowers, filled with grief, and cast them onto the coffins. Two gravediggers picked up shovels and began filling the pit with soil, covering the pitch-ck coffins. Finally, when the coffins werepletely concealed and the earth had reimed the pit, with a solemn "Amen" from Sarrier, all the priests bowed their heads and chanted in unison, making the sign of the cross on their chests, saying, "Amen." Pdin, standing by the graveside, watched as the earth was heaped upon the coffins and the cross-shaped sword that was stuck into the burial mound. His expression showed no sadness, only a hidden sense of joy. Yes, the one who had died was Macedonia. With the testimony of the two guards, Pdin had managed to cover up the murder of Macedonia. Despite having treated Macedonia''s life-threatening injuries, the venom from a deadly raindrop had caused Sarrier, inexperienced in dark alchemy, to misjudge the situation. The true murderer remained atrge. As the priests gradually dispersed and put away the holy scriptures, Sarrier shook his white beard. His once cloudy, aged eyes emitted a sharpness akin to an eagle''s gaze, staring directly at Pdin, who appeared to be mourning but had an expression of anticipation. After a long silence, Sarrier spoke first, "They say he died at the hands of a monster." Pdin nodded slightly, his response heavy, "They say he appeared in Qingshui Town that night but was targeted by a creature that had been harassing the town. After a deadly battle, he returned, but due to severe injuries, he sumbed to illness." "Did he say anything before he died?" Sarrier inquired further. "No, his severe injuries had clouded his mind, and he couldn''t speak clearly." In silence for a while longer, neither of them spoke again. Finally, Sarrier sighed and, without looking back, waved his hand at the grave, saying, "Let''s go back. War will break out soon. Go organize everyone and assign tasks." Pdin responded with a simple "Yes" and offered a few words of constion to Sarrier. Seeing that Sarrier paid no attention to his attempts, he turned away, wearing a mournful expression. However, Pdin failed to notice that Sarrier subtly turned his head and fixed his gaze on Pdin''s retreating figure, his eyes revealing a mixture of emotions. As Pdin returned to the fortress, he observed numerous civilians and merchants,den with bundles and wagon boxes, forming a massive procession streaming out of the fortress gates in all directions. Pdin was well aware that this morning, a scout had reported that a coalition army from the Kingdom of Malta and the Duchy of Aesintha, over a hundred miles away, had been sighted, advancing toward the fortress. It was unclear how such crucial information had been leaked. Regardless of how Count Carmon and the Duke tried to exin it, the people who were convinced that war was imminent had no doubts. They took their families and wealth without hesitation and fled from the fortress where they had lived for many years. In response to this situation, the Duke decided to withdraw the bulk of his army to defend the fortress. Trebuchets and crossbow carts were pushed back onto the city walls, and stones were sent into the fortress in long lines. Pdin looked at the already deste tents and the shops in the fortress, now only upied by soldiers, as well as the crows and vultures circling overhead. The scent of gunpowder wafted through the air. A look of anticipation spread across Pdin''s face as he murmured, "War, ising." Chapter 136: A Tense Confrontation

Chapter 136: A Tense Confrontation

At this moment, over a hundred miles away from the fortress, thebined forces of two nations loomed like dark clouds, obscuring the horizon. Dressed primarily in blue for Aixinzhe and ck and gray for Malta, they presented a unique and ominous presence on the in. With an army of 50,000 soldiers, it was nearly the full might of Malta and Aixinzhe. King Lex of the recently usurped Aixinzhe throne was determined to annihte their century-long rival, the Kasmi Principality, with the help of Lord Apa Gang. King Philip of Malta, along with Lord Longbit, also sought to im their share and use it as a stepping stone to expand their dominion into the realm of these three kingdoms. Both sides took this opportunity tounch an all-out assault, aiming to breach the seemingly impregnable fortress of Kasmi, which had remained unscathed for over a century. This conquest would open the gates to the Kasmi Principality, granting them ess to its wealth and resources. Philip, adorned in magnificent armor and wearing the crown of a king, rode atop his armored steed. He grinned as he addressed Lex, who shared a simr attire. "Today, we''ll reach the walls of the Kasmi Fortress, my good friend. While they may have 20,000 defenders, my years of siege warfare experience and the loyalty of my lords ensure that we can trample this self-proimed impregnable fortress in less than two months." Lex, with his purple hair slightly visible beneath his helmet, turned his head and looked at Philip, whose face bore wrinkles and hints of silver in his hair. Lex calmly offered a reminder, "King Longbit, remember that our vanguard has been wiped out. The element of surprise is no longer on our side. They''re well-prepared for our attack... I hope that Inos will bless our endeavor." Philip''s face contorted in concealed disdain, but he quickly resumed his jovial demeanor. "My dear friend, haven''t all the fortresses I conquered in the past imed to be impervious? And yet, didn''t they crumble like fragile parchment before my armies? The Kasmi Fortress will be no different, even if it''s the Shield Fortress." Ignoring this taunt and pointless banter, Lex smiled faintly and chose not to engage in Philip''s arrogance. The Shield Fortress was the most formidable and heavily fortified of all. Lex, well aware of the defensive strength of the fortress, saw no value in entertaining Philip''s hubris. He simply offered a reminder, "In two more months, winter will be upon us, and we''ll be at a severe disadvantage. Moreover, I''ve heard that the Holy See has taken an unusual proactive stance in this matter, dispatching the Hospitaller Knights to mediate. Are you willing to face the challenge of a direct confrontation between your army and the three major knightly orders when that timees?" Clearly, both kings were well aware of the Holy See''s involvement in the war. However, Philip remained unfazed and even somewhat smug as he remarked, "Rest assured, the Hospitaller Knights won''t arrive so soon. You must understand that I, too, have influence within the Holy See. They won''t appear on this soon-to-be blood-soaked battlefield before winter ends. Once they arrive and witness theplete destruction of the Kasmi Fortress, their stance will likely change. After all, a nearly defeated principality holds little value to the Holy See." "But, the principality''s suzerain state, the Empire of Enn, has sent reinforcements. This..." Lex started to say. "Hmph!" Philip interrupted Lex, speaking in a tone of contempt. "Enn? The Empire is no longer what it used to be. They''ve been embroiled in endless conflicts with the Mu''ram people from the desert and dealing with barbarians raiding from the north. Why would they bother with their internal strife? Sending five thousand men at most is merely a show of face to maintain the dignity of their empire." Hearing this, Lex chose to remain silent. He and Philip both knew that Enn would never send just five thousand men. Facing the mighty armies of Enn, which had an undefeated reputation in battles, would be a daunting challenge. Philip''s words were nothing more than a facade. Meanwhile, Philip was secretly contemting that if things didn''t go well, he could simply surrender and return home. He cared little about the fate of Aixinzhe. Furthermore, he was unaware that Donald Javier was already dead, and the Pdin now inhabiting his body was merely wearing the skin of Donald. At this moment, the Pdin was silently riding on his horse, observing the approaching army thaty ahead. But let''s turn our attention to the other side. The fortress was on high alert, with numerous spearmen and swordsmen d in sturdy armor positioned on the walls. Large bags of stones and barrels of oil were ced at their feet, ready for use. Ballistae and crossbows were mounted on every tower and bastion. Archers were divided into three groups. The first group positioned themselves on the outer walls, nking both sides of the city gate. The second group carried quivers of arrows to the concealed openings within the inner walls, where they loaded arrows into the slots. The third group, thergest in number, upied the streets near the walls and rooftops. They formed a circr perimeter around the walls like a noose, prepared to fire their arrows in unison. As for the knights, they had no ce in this siege. They reluctantly dismounted from their beloved warhorses, bearing shields and swords, and joined the nobles whomanded various sections. Only a small portion of the knights served asmanders for their respective regions. After all, withoutmanders, the soldiers'' morale might quickly deteriorate, leading to their own copse. Because the forces under hismand were primarilyposed of mercenaries, Count Torch, responsible for logistics, led a team to transport supplies from the fortress''s north and west gates. This was where the enemy''s attacks were most intense, and it was essential to ensure a timely delivery of medical supplies, food, clean water, and arrows. The approaching winter had brought cooler weather, which was ideal for soldiers d in armor. However, all these preparations would be in vain once winter arrived. Pdin, carrying a backpack, worked alongside a group of priests to set up numerous beds in vacant rooms. While fatalities were inevitable in warfare, the number of wounded was often higher. Now was the time for these apanying priests to truly showcase their value, though it was a value they wished they didn''t have to fulfill. Wearing full te armor and with his hand on the hilt of his sword, Alfred patrolled his assigned toon. Perhaps ming the doppelganger for his sudden disappearancest night, Orinna, who had remained in the empty chamber, experiencing the pleasures of love for the first time, was furious. When news of the war arrived today, fueled by her insecurities, she suspected that the doppelganger had gone astray. As a result, Alfred found himself among the few officers and knights appointed asmanders. Alfred wasn''t bothered by this; he had experienced firsthand the capricious nature of women''s emotions from Alfred''s memories. What he did care about was the gloating smile on Bob''s face after being given thismand. "That brat, if he were a bit smarter, he''d try to please me. To dare to oppose me... he truly knows no boundaries," the doppelganger muttered as he gazed at the endless ins before him. He wore a mocking smile. Bob must have whispered some malicious words to Orinna, leading her to recklessly send her belovedpanion into the fray. However, the doppelganger was well aware that with the power of five hundred elemental forces, he could endure even being pierced by dozens of arrows. After this battle, Bob, who had acted foolishly, would undoubtedly regret his actions. Suddenly, the doppelganger heard a thunderous vibration, as if the earth were shaking. A soldier on the lookout tower frantically rang the bell and shouted, "Enemy! Enemy is approaching!" Then, on the horizon, an army appeared, apanied by countless banners, spreading across the horizon. The soldiers by his side looked pale with anxiety. The doppelganger murmured softly, "Bire was partying on the battlefield, and Enos was dancing beside him. This is a real meat grinder." Chapter 137: A Tentative Attack

Chapter 137: A Tentative Attack

Standing atop the castle walls in full armor, Grand Duke observed the vast in before him, filled with an overwhelming force of fifty thousand enemy soldiers. Cold sweat trickled down his forehead as he gazed at the sheer numbers. While he was confident that the fortress could hold out for at least half a year, facing an enemy force twice their size made him uneasy. Among the armored masses, a sea of banners disyed various insignias. As the g bearing a bear''s head at its forefront swayed, the entire fifty thousand-strong army came to a halt, leaving only three miles between them and the fortress. Faintly visible at the front were King Philip of Malta and King Lex of Aixinzhe, both assessing the heavily fortified stronghold. Philip, with his ck and white beard quivering, examined the towering walls that reached twenty meters in height. He looked at the fortress that would soon be under attack, his eyes scanning the enemy forces assembled to face him. Meanwhile, Lex, with his distinctive purple hair, approached eagerly. He scrutinized the colossal walls before him, standing at a staggering twenty meters in height, his voice tinged with anticipation as he said, "It''s gettingte. Let''s give Victoria a wee gift." Philip nodded in agreement. The two of them exchanged nces and simultaneously raised their hands, bringing them down with a forceful motion. Beside them, the standard-bearers received themand and began to wave their gs vigorously. The vast army quickly scattered, and some militia, dressed in in attire resemblingmoners, pushed numerous wagons filled with various wooden pieces and ropes to the front. They then proficiently began assembling and constructing the pieces. /p>Upon witnessing this scene, the doppelganger standing on the city wall and the soldiers couldn''t help but wear troubled expressions. These were clearly massive trebuchets being constructed! In no time, colossal trebuchets, each towering seven meters in height, were assembled. They were disyed in front of the army in a neat formation, resembling rows of stone statues. Seven-meter trebuchets were already among thergest avable, and due to their immense weight and the enormous space required for their operation, it was impossible to install them on the city wall. Instead, the attacking side could employ these trebuchets to gain a strategic advantage. As they witnessed around fifty of these gigantic trebuchets, the soldiers on the city wall became increasingly anxious. Unconsciously, they raised their shields to protect themselves and alleviate their unease. With the sun on the castle''s edge gradually sinking, casting a dusky light over the battlefield, an indistinctmand was heard from the opposite side, apanied by a cacophony. Arge group of militiaboriously piled massive stone blocks, loading them onto the trebuchet''s throwing pouches. The war began with the gs in the hands of the standard bearers swaying. Fifty colossal trebuchets, one after another, started swinging their enormous arms,unching terrifying boulders that soared through the air, heading straight toward the fortress! "Dodge!" Upon seeing the erging boulders in mid-air, including the doppelganger, all themanders immediately shouted at the top of their lungs. The soldiers swiftly crouched down, seeking refuge behind the parapets, trying to shield themselves from the stone barrage. However, against boulders asrge as a person, their armor and the parapets proved woefully inadequate. "Boom! Boom! Boom!" The boulders pounded the castle walls, sending a shower of debris flying. They even left faint, nearly invisible cracks on the walls. Worse yet, some of the boulders sailed over the walls, rolling down the uneven stone surface. They shattered the parapets, swallowing five or six spearmen hiding behind them in the shadow of the stones. Not a single scream was heard as only bloodstains and armor fragments remained. The boulders that crossed the walls crashed down onto the stone-paved road below, pounding a residential building, reducing it to rubble. "Ah!! Help!" "Ahhh!" Short, frantic screams echoed as the archers waiting on the streets and rooftops and the soldiers on the city walls were indiscriminately crushed by the boulders. Some even ttened entire houses! A haze of dust enveloped the area. Soldiers cried out for help everywhere. Quick-thinking veterans immediately worked together to lift and carry the wounded but still living soldiers lying in pools of blood to the nearest gathering of priests for treatment. The once blue-gray walls now bore streaks of red, like a mischievous child wielding a red paintbrush. Some good friends who had been talking about their future just moments ago now stared nkly at the bloodstained spots where their friends had been. Fear, the fear of their lives being threatened, shrouded these new recruits. However, they remained silent, as this was a reality they had prepared for. Before each of them departed for this campaign, they had imagined death and the cruelty and despair of war. But when war truly came, it was sudden and cold, catching them off guard. However, war never waited for anyone. Just as these soldiers were still reeling from the first wave of attacks, the enemy militia once again pulled back their wooden poles, and massive boulders were ced on top of them. Apanied by the creaking of the wooden poles and the setting sun in the west, another wave of stones filled with death''s cries hurtled toward the city walls! Boom! Another torrent of stones was catapulted into the air, and a cloud of dust rose as they impacted the city walls. At this moment, Count Carmon, d in full armor, ascended the city gate. Drawing his sword, he shouted in anger, "Ballistae, ready, aim skyward!" The soldiers who received themand immediately busied themselves, rotating the winsses on one ballista after another. They adjusted the aim to the sky and ced long, beam-like bolts, each as thick as a roof beam, into the ballistae. Soldiers were ready, eagerly and filled with the desire to kill, all looking towards the city gate, where Count Carmon stood like a war god. "Don''t hesitate! Fire! Let these scoundrels witness the power of Kasmi!" With Count Carmon''s thunderousmand, his sword pointed directly at the enemy trebuchets. The soldiers, having suffered two rounds of attacks, immediately released the tension in the winss. The massive ballistae drew the long strings tight andunched a barrage of bolts into the sky. In mid-air, the bolt swarm descended like a massive hand, heading towards the arrayed trebuchets! Boom! Boom! Boom! With tremendous force, the bolts pounded the trebuchets, which had been weakened by the previous attacks. These war machines, originally deemed invincible, now appeared frail and powerless against such an assault. "Retreat! That''s it for today." Seeing their trebuchets being shattered after just one round of ballista fire, King Philip immediately issued the order to pull back. On the side, King Lex, who had been observing from a distance, couldn''t help but chuckle and said, "It seems like Victoria has turned the tables with that one." "Rest assured, in a siege, there won''t be a quiet few months. This is just the beginning. They''ll bask in the short-lived joy of victory and then face ruthless defeat," Philip dered as he retreated with arge portion of his forces, setting up camp ten miles away. The enemy was retreating, and this brought immense relief to all the soldiers. It meant they had sessfully defended against the first wave. Everyone rejoiced and exchanged heartyughter, releasing the fear that had gripped them just moments before. Chapter 138: The First Day

Chapter 138: The First Day

As night fell, Archbishop Sarrier led the exhausted priests to dine in the cathedral. Although Philip''s trebuchets in the afternoon had been just a probing attack, the casualties they caused left the hundreds of priests nearly crippled with fatigue. Inside the cathedral, one by one, the priests ate their ham and white bread with glum expressions. Their concern was whether they could endure the grueling days of war ahead without sumbing to exhaustion. The grim reality of whaty ahead weighed heavily on their minds, and their appetites waned. Forks and knives wereid down one after another as they reached for wine to ease their difort. However, Pdin, who had feigned fatigue, only took a small bite of ham before making a show of expressing his weariness, excusing himself from the meal. He ignored the curious nces of those around him and, once he left the cathedral''s doors, promptly spat out the ham he had tried to eat. Eating in public was what he feared the most. Whenever he attempted to consume food, his unparalleled nausea and disgust would inevitably manifest, leading to an uncontroble vomiting. He had no intention of being regarded as a monster by these priests, and besides, wasting food could lead to usations of viting church regtions. Leaving the troubled original behind, the doppelganger had managed to escape the meal by pretending to be gravely injured. With bandages wrapped around his knee and arm, he refused Orinna''s invitation to dine after their reunion, iming exhaustion. Hey silently on his bed, waiting for Orinna to arrive. As expected, not long after, a worried Orinna walked in. She expressed her concerns, and with a flushed face, she embraced the doppelganger from behind, fulfilling her wish. The doppelganger, in turn, made Orinna experience her desires to her heart''s content. Outside the city, a massive enemy camp, located more than ten miles from the fortress, disyed an unusual calmness. Donald Javier, appearing serene despite his typical demeanor, was quietly drinking with a group of generals and nobles at the same table. Philip, on one hand, discussed tomorrow''s battle n with the generals while secretly observing Donald. He couldn''t help but be surprised by Donald''s unusual behavior. "What''s wrong with this guy? He used to decline such gatherings! Today, he actually attended, and even when some nobles covertly ridiculed him, he remained unshaken with a calm demeanor!" Philip thought, puzzled. What Philip didn''t know was that the doppelganger, Donald Javier, was contemting a coup. Although his status was despised by the major nobles, and King Philip held no affection for him, what if the generals and officers under hismand were to die one after another, leaving his forces devoid of capable leaders? Wouldn''t military authority have to fall into hisp? The doppelganger, Donald, firmly believed that King Philip would never personally lead the troops into battle, as it would be a matter of pride. The same applied to King Lex of the neighboring kingdom. The two monarchs would not want to concede to each other. This rivalry afforded him significant convenience given his current identity. So, that night passed quietly, with a blend of serenity and intrigue. The following morning, the soldiers took their positions, ready for the day. However, when these soldiers, who had already prepared themselves for the brutal war, were suddenly faced with massive siege towers that had sprung up overnight on the opposite side, it nearly frightened them out of their wits. The doppelganger, d in full armor, watched this unfold with a calm expression, showing no surprise. He had known beforehand, thanks to the position of Donald Javier, that Philip and Lex had cooperated the previous night, ordering all the militia to abandon their tasks and vigorously cut down nearby forests. In just one night, they had built four towers taller than the city walls! These towers are hollow inside with three levels of stairs. The front of the tower is protected by a tower body to shield against arrows and rolling stones, deliberately adorned with iron sheets to withstand fire. Inside, three levels of stairs lead directly to the top of the tower. At the top, there''s a part that can be lowered close to the city wall, allowing prepared soldiers to charge onto the city wall for closebat. The base of the tower consists of the thickest wooden nks, supported by four massive wheels, used to push the tower forward. These towers are formidable; they have special tforms on both sides for archers to attack the defenders on the city wall while advancing. Moreover, they are impervious to arrows and fire. Once these towers are hoisted onto the city wall, unless they are miraculously hit by trebuchets or bed crossbows, it is terrible news for the defending side. Of course, magicians are not considered for such situations. ording to the Magician Covenant, magicians are not allowed to participate in battles involving more than five hundred people. To avoid public outrage, even in the face of national destruction, magicians stand aside. At this moment, seeing the four towers erected overnight on the opposite side, Count Carmon, in full armor, immediately shouted, "All bed crossbows and trebuchets, get ready!" The soldiers, having gone through realbat the day before, quickly adjusted the angles of the trebuchets and bed crossbows. Due to the presence of the towers, the archers also took out torches, lit them, and ced them in the ground in front. Then they reced their quivers with another bag of arrows wrapped in oil-soaked cloth, ready to fire incendiary arrows. /p>At this moment, seeing the four towers suddenly rising overnight, Count Carmon''s expression became serious, and he shouted, "All bed crossbows and trebuchets, get ready!" Hismand was swiftly obeyed by the new recruits who had gained experience from the previous day''s battle. They skillfully adjusted the angles of the trebuchets and bed crossbows. To ount for the towers, archers pulled out torches, lit them, and nted them in the ground in front of them. They then reced their quivers with bags of arrows tipped with oil-soaked cloth, ready to fire incendiary arrows. Seeing these preparations, Philip and Lex locked eyes and, in unison, dismounted from their horses. They knelt down, followed by all the noble generals, knights, and the endless sea of fifty thousand soldiers. At this moment, a group of priests threaded their way through the ranks to the front. Leading them was an obvious Archbishop, who sighed deeply as he nced at the fortress. With a solemn and devout tone, he raised the Holy Bible and the cross, saying, "Pray, pray to the mighty Father, in the name of Enos. He will bless you to return safely, to be delivered from sin and vengeance, to be shielded from bloodshed and death. May your sword and soul find redemption in this war and ascend to the supreme kingdom of the gods." Over a hundred priests, standing at a considerable distance, were positioned at the forefront of the fifty thousand-strong army. As Philip and Lex, along with the nobles and generals behind them, dropped to their knees, they drew their swords from their belts and nted them in front of them. With both hands gripping the sword hilts, they listened to the priests recite from the Holy Bible. When the priests finished their recitation and said, "Amen," the subdued murmurs of "Amen" echoed softly. The kings then kissed their own sword hilts, brimming with the intention to kill, as they stood up. At the same time, Pdin and Sarrier, among others, ascended to the city wall, and all the soldiers, including the doppelganger, knelt down to listen to the priests recite from the Holy Bible. When the priests reached the final "Amen," they withdrew, and the soldiers were filled with determination. This custom originated long ago. When a warmenced and themanders of both sides held equivalent statuses, it was necessary for the priests apanying the army to recite a requiem. Firstly, it assured the soldiers that they would ascend to the divine realm even in such a glorious battle, saving them from being captured by the darkness of Bir. Secondly, it acknowledged that this was an honorable and legitimate war, and the church epted the consequences that would result from it. Over time, it evolved into a mere formality, offering some selffort. Nevertheless, the most significant significance was that it marked the official beginning of the war under the watchful gaze of Father Enos. The Novel will be updated first on this website. Come back and continue reading tomorrow, everyone!