by Zhuang Bifan
Smells like trouble is brewing…
Lin Li could really feel a strong headache. He saw the three men and one woman stand up, and their gazes were all on Norfeller. Lin Li was incredibly clear that their gazes were filled with hatred and disdain—it absolutely was not any special method of socializing…
At the same time, Norfeller's red eyes were fixed on the four people too, murderous and foreboding. Underlying his heavy breathing were growls, just as though he was a helpless beast that had been forced to the edge of death.
"Calm down, Norfeller…" In order to ensure that the gathering proceeded normally, Lin Li tried to pat Norfeller's shoulders.
Lin Li's attempt to comfort Norfeller managed to hold him back a little, but Norfeller's body was still stiff, and his hands were still gripping the Heaven's Wrath.
Then, he saw the four people walking towards them.
Goddammit, why did they really walk here…?
Lin Li's heart skipped a beat. He stood up from his chair smilingly and blocked Norfeller with his body casually. The Pyroblast spell was completed very quickly. He was ready to cast it on anyone if they were to confront Norfeller violently. As for whom the Pyroblast would harm or what it would destroy, Lin Li was not concerned at all.
After he readied himself with the Pyroblast, the four people with divine occupation had gotten in front of them too.
"Darn Undead creature! How dare you show yourself at Castellan Arathor's banquet? Do you think you can escape being purified by the Holy Light?" A cold but clear voice left the scarlet lips of the s.e.xy female Paladin. That was supposed to be a beautiful scene, but Lin Li did not have the time to appreciate it. The only thing he felt was headache. A true headache…
Sh*t, these devotees were really risking their lives…
While Lin Li was cussing internally, he was all smiles on his face. "Hello there, I'm wondering if there is any misunderstanding?"
"Yucks!" Who knew that his face full of friendly smiles would be faced with a face filled with disgust. It belonged to that pretty female Paladin. It was as though she was not interacting with a living human, but dirty trash fished out from the drain.
"As a human being, are you not ashamed to align yourself with Undead creatures?"
Lin Li was not enraged by how harshly those people scolded him. He rubbed his chin casually and smiled at them. "What's wrong with that?"
The surroundings became quiet at once. The female Paladin stood there in shock, not knowing how to react. Being one of the strongest believers of the Brilliance Shrine, she had slaughtered countless Undead creatures in the 20-plus years of her life. She had also encountered many Necromancers who wallowed in degeneration. But, it was her first time seeing such a prideful Necromancer, who portrayed himself as a righteous man…
H-how could there be such a person in this world?
"Y-You… you…" At that moment, the gaze of the female Paladin became very uncertain.
"What are you trying to say…?" Lin Li asked as he rubbed his nose. He moved a step forward to close the distance between him and the s.e.xy Paladin. He then lowered his voice teasingly as he asked, "I heard that this pretty lady wants to purify us?"
"T-that's right!" The female Paladin stuttered as she took a step back subconsciously. Although she was a true follower of the Brilliance Shrine, she could not help but be intimidated when that stranger closed up on her.
"Is that so? Then that's great! But, I'm unsure of a thing…
"Can this beautiful lady enlighten us about the theurgy of the Brilliance Shrine? I'm so curious to know if it's really powerful enough to purify any high-ranking Undead creature without alarming anyone around them?"
Lin Li took a pause before he shamelessly continued, "I'm dying to know how many innocent lives would the righteous and holy theurgy implicate when you are purifying me and my friend! Would it be one life, or two…? Hmm, I think that's too little, isn't it? Since there are at least a hundred people at this banquet, it will be lucky if half of them can survive that righteous and holy theurgy.
"I wonder how lucky would Castellan Arathor be? If his luck is bad, it is going to be troublesome…"
As Lin Li finished his speech, the other three Priests looked at their surroundings uneasily. All of the guests were immersed in joyous exchanges. Glasses of wine were clinked politely, and no one had noticed the tension brewing between the light and the dark in that corner.
When they turned back to look at Lin Li, their gazes were all filled with hesitation. Then, a senior-looking Priest spoke something to the ear of the female Paladin in a low voice.
Before she left, the female Paladin told Lin Li angrily, "You won't be laughing for long."
"Phew…" After seeing the four people return to their seats, Lin Li took a long deep sigh in relief…
Eek, that was close.
Brave fronts were not to be put on recklessly.
The three Priests could easily have the ability of Archbishops. If a battle were to break out, they should be no weaker than Archmages of around level-17 or level-18. On top of that, with a Paladin whose ability he could not decipher, Lin Li did not have the confidence to match them even though his ability was at the peak of level-17.
Furthermore, the Brilliance Shrine was an outpost in the Felan Kingdom. Hence, they had many believers living in Roland City. If they were to know that he was on good terms with the Undead, what mattered was not all the gossip, but the possibility of him losing his food worth a million gold coins…!
Lin Li could only gamble. He still remembered what Englos said to him when he was in Alanna. He said that the devotees of the Holy Light would not leave anyone at his peril, or harm the innocent due to their own interest. At that moment, Lin Li could've only bet that they were indeed firm believers. It was a lucky and wise decision. Otherwise, the banquet would really be turned upside down.
Yet, the fact that there was no trouble now did not mean that there would not be issues happening later. In fact, Lin Li could expect those fellas to find trouble with him after the banquet. Hence, while they were seated, Lin Li was already devising ways to overcome the potential threat…
He indeed had zero chance against a group of three level-17 or level-18 Priests and a Paladin. But, if he could launch a sneak attack against one of them, the rest would be less threatening. Now that Norfeller had the Heaven's Wrath with him, he was definitely stronger than he'd been in the ruins of Syer Town.
To Lin Li, the easiest target to launch a sneak attack had to be that s.e.xy female Paladin. As compared to the three other wily old foxes, the little girl should be the most innocent one, and thus the most likely to step into his trap.
Lin Li had neither morals nor tenderness toward women. Chivalry, compassion, and righteousness were traits that were definitely missing in his dictionary.
However, what trap should I set? It might be too obvious if I try to lure the tiger away from its lair. If they are not tricked by me, I will be exposing myself! Should I just use poison? I still have half of the Manticore's tail in my Ring of Endless Storm…
Time passed very quickly; when that fella was still harboring ill intentions, the banquet officially started. The first person who raised his cup to everyone was the castellan of Roland, Arathor.
"A toast to my all of my distinguished guests!"
Chapter 341 - Emerald Dream Gem
Lin Li was not listening to the castellan's speech at all. He could not help it. That type of speech was meant to be polite and friendly, but without any meaning. Instead of getting bored with the castellan's speech, Lin Li would rather use the same time to observe the four guests from the Brilliance Shrine…
Then, Lin Li realized that the four guests were actually no different from himself. None paid attention to the castellan. After returning to their seats, they had been talking among themselves softly. Then, it seemed like they had some disagreement among them. Lin Li clearly saw how the female Paladin got agitated!
Is that an internal strife? Lo
oks like heaven's on my side!
Lin Li laughed at their misfortune. But, the female Paladin saw his smile as soon as it appeared on his face.
"What a hideous laughter. Watch out later…" the female Paladin exclaimed angrily through her gritted teeth. At that moment, she really felt like using the sword in her hand to purify Lin Li. She had never seen such an egoistic Necromancer. How could he be so arrogant with that dirty magic and evil religion?
Unfortunately, the banquet had not ended…
In fact, it was this matter that created a conflict between Bishop Loren and herself. The former firmly thought that they should prioritize the interests of the Brilliance Shrine before the purification of any darn Undead creature.
To think about it carefully, Bishop Loren was being reasonable too. The fact that the Brilliance Shrine had the chance to bring their teachings to the people of Roland City was all thanks to Castellan Arathor. The change of the castellan would mean a threat to the Brilliance Shrine's influence. Who knew if the next castellan would be in support of their teachings?
Although the ability of that Necromancer was not outstanding, the Undead creature by his side was definitely a true opponent. When Rina stood in front of him just now, she could feel a very dangerous tension. Although she had three Bishops with her, she did not have the confidence to defeat them with ease.
That was what Bishop Loren was concerned about. He feared that the two darn fellas would escape when the situation got uncontrollable, or in the process implicate Castellan Arathor or other guests.
Hence, Rina could only be patient…
The castellan ended his speech very quickly. Melodious music resumed, and the guests soaked in a joyous atmosphere once more. No one noticed anything unusual with the two tables of guests. Arathor had a tall crystal glass with him as he greeted the other guests while he made his way over to Lin Li's table.
"Apologies, everyone, please pardon me any lack of cordiality due to the large number of guests…" The castellan addressed his guests. Then, he put his gaze on Sienna.
"Captain Sienna, can I have some of your time to introduce you to some people?"
"Oh, of course…!" Sienna replied. His eyes lit up instantly as he put down his goblet and followed behind Arathor immediately.
It seems like this castellan is rather interested in grooming Sienna… Lin Li smiled. The castellan would not take the trouble to introduce Sienna to the others, or even invite him to the banquet if he simply wanted to reward him.
It was good news to Lin Li. When he decided to give Sienna this opportunity to claim credit, he was already planning how to make use of Sienna's mercenary team in time to come. Lin Li did not need a team of 30 men with the stronger ones being only level-10. Now that Sienna could gain the support of the castellan, the ruler of Roland City, the weak foundation of the team would definitely be strengthened and developed for the better…
Just when Lin Li was still immersed in his delight, a disgusting voice reversed his pleasant feelings entirely. "Haha, isn't this Mage Felic? I didn't expect you to be here at the castellan's banquet! Oh, yes. Do you mind telling me whom you stole the invitation card from? Haha…" Lasorick dissed Lin Li.
Sigh, what a spoilsport… Lin Li really felt like cussing out loud as he turned over to the owner of the voice reluctantly.
Actually, he did not need to do that. Although there was a lot of annoying people in the world, the most annoying one would no doubt be the son of the castellan of Doland, Sir Lasorick.
"Why are you silent? Haha, is it because you are feeling shame after I exposed you? I can't believe you can feel embarrassed too!" Lin Li was right: the man behind him was indeed Lasorick!
But, it was still alright for him. Lasorick had already toned down a lot compared to how he previously was, and wasn't wearing that silvery armor anymore. Despite that, the suit he was wearing now was definitely one that cost a bomb. Looking at it from the distance, Lin Li could tell from the delicate craftsmanship that it was the work of a reputable seamstress.
Unfortunately, Lasorick was the model this time, and the fine suit looked extremely awkward on his short and plump figure, especially when he was laughing arrogantly—it was as though he was butchering a pig. Lin Li really had the urge to give him a tight slap…
Of course, Lin Li was still able to control himself. That was because Lasorick was not alone. There were two other people beside him.
One was a handsome man in his 20s with thin lips. According to Gerian, that was a symbol of a mean personality. After taking a closer look at him, Lin Li realized that he was the man he met at the Time Consignment Store earlier this afternoon. Now that he saw him again, the sense of familiarity struck him once more. Lin Li just could not remember where he'd met him before that…
The other person was a man around 50 years old. Although his body was small, lean, and wrinkled, the black robe on his body was tidy and modest. Beside Lasorick and that young man, he absolutely looked like a normal old man.
But, Lin Li did not dare to treat him that way.
He saw the ring on the old man's right hand. The gem on the ring was not big, and was not very glossy. From afar, it just seemed like a normal green gem that lacked quality, yet Lin Li knew it was not what it appeared to be.
Wings don't make one an angel, do they? A birdman has wings too.
Being green may not mean it is any random green gem, but an Emerald Dream Gem.
The difference between an Emerald Dream Gem and a normal green jewel could be seen from the degree of brightness of their surface. For a normal green jewel, extra polishing would allow it to gain radiance regardless of its quality.
Unlike any other green jewels, the Emerald Dream Gem had a stubborn surface that would stay cloudy regardless of polishing. It would cause people to be unable to discover its identity from its looks. At first glance, it would look like a dull crystal…
But, if anybody were to think that it was a random green jewel of bad quality, it would be a major mistake. The Emerald Dream Gem was so rare that even Lin Li could not add it into his collection despite having all the riches in the world.
In reality, that was the most regretful thing for Lin Li when he entered the Anril World. As a mage, the Emerald Dream Gem was what all of them dreamt of having. It was said that the Emerald Dream Gem had the powers to calm Wyrms. When a mage used the Emerald Dream Gem to calm himself down, it would actually allow him to enter a state of meditation that endowed him with unlimited mana. This meant that he would avoid the risk of the bite of mana, and be unbeatable. The only thing he had to do was to wait for his opponent to commit a mistake…
How could a normal old man own the Emerald Dream Gem?
While Lin Li was still surprised, the old man made his way towards him. His wrinkled face was smiling, and seemed to bear no enmity.
"Young man, I presume you are Mage Felic, aren't you?"
"Yeah, I'm Felic. But, elder, how did you know me?"
"I'm William. The Time Consignment Store you patronized this afternoon is one of my properties. Hehe, fret not. Let us sit down to discuss it. You know, I'm too old to have the stamina you youngsters have…"
Chapter 342 - Adamantine of Bad Luck
"I heard from Brook that Mage Felic purchased a pair of daggers from my shop?" That was the first thing the old man said after taking a seat beside Lin Li.
Lin Li could not help but feel wary. Could it be that this elder knew something about the daggers? Otherwise, why did he mention them? With such a suspicion, Lin Li nodded cautiously.
"That's right. But, Mr. William, is there anything wrong with that?" Lin Li replied.
"No, no, no. I didn't mean there to be anything wrong…" William responded. Lin Li's question did not take away the smile on his face. "I'm only curious about the reason that attracted you to them. They had been in the showroom for around one or two decades. If Brook had not mentioned them to me just now, I would have forgotten about them…"
"Erm…" Lin Li glanced at
the elder suspiciously. He was still wondering if the old dude got his courage to ask that s.e.n.s.i.t.i.v.e question from drinking too much. Although there was no big secret hidden in the pair of daggers, why would the old man think he would let him know the reason behind his purchase when they were not even close to each other?
Hence, Lin Li responded with a light-hearted question. "Mr. William, what do you think about the weather today?"
"…" William had never been so speechless. Actually, although he knew that he had asked a s.e.n.s.i.t.i.v.e question, he really asked out of curiosity.
That pair of daggers had been placed in the showroom for one or two decades. No appraisers could tell the origin of the daggers since his grandfather's generation. As the heir of the Time Consignment Store, William was extremely keen to know what was so special about them.
Yet, he did not expect Lin Li to change the topic so brazenly. For his reputation, there were many people who would try their ways to get close to him. Nobody was like this young mage who treated William like a thief, just as though he feared William would steal money out of his pocket…
Being totally clueless about Lin Li's personality, it was not William's fault. To Lin Li, reputable people were not worth a penny. He was a man who would never want to be at any disadvantage, so he would not feel like entertaining people who could not promise him benefits. Of course, this principle applied to the owner of the Time Consignment Store, and the legendary figures of Roland City as well…
But, since William was a cultured man, he was not angry at Lin Li's attitude. Despite his awkward position, William merely laughed it off.
"Bastard, are you tired of living? How dare you treat Uncle William so rudely?"
William's calmness did not mean that other people would not be angry.
