by Zhuang Bifan
"Mephistos?"
"That's right, it is Mephistos. He is the first Spirit Walker in the Legendary-realm in these countless years. Before the shadow of the Dragon of Destruction defeated him, he was the ruler of the Abyss of Tharlen, and was known as the Lord of Souls. Unfortunately, as the shadow of the Dragon of Destruction descended, Mephistos' rule came to an end. The Lord of Darkness defeated him with ease and sliced his soul into countless pieces, which he sealed in all corners of the Abyss of Tharlen separately. The shadow of the Dragon of Destruction once said that unless the force of Dark Force and Evilness stopped shadowing the Abyss of Tharlen, Mephistos would always be sealed there, all until the fall of the Endless Abyss…"
"That's great. Oh, almighty Soul Trader, let me tell you some good news."
"What news…?"
"I've met Mephistos."
"Holy, why is that good news…?" Connoris spat as he spoke. "Wait, what did you say…? You met Mephistos?" he asked anxiously to confirm his hearing worked properly.
"Yeah." Lin Li nodded his head and told Connoris about his experience in the forest.
"That's right… That's really Mephistos' strength…" Connoris muttered blankly as he hovered in the air. "The Lord of Darkness once said that unless Darkness and Evilness stop shadowing the Abyss of Tharlen, Mephistos would always be sealed here. Furthermore, with the influence the Lord of Darkness has, how could the seal be faulty? Unless…" he said as though he had been possessed.
"Unless what?"
"Unless the Lord of Darkness has fallen?"
"Let me think…" Connoris' words jolted Lin Li's memory. He remembered how Tutankhamun had told him that the powers of the Lord of Darkness had been dwindling. Even the Abyss of Tharlen had lost the influence it had had in the past.
Lin Li did not take Tutankhamun's words to heart when he'd said that. To Lin Li, regardless of how weak the Lord of Darkness was, it was at least above the Legendary-realm. With the laws of Darkness and Evilness, it was not what Lin Li could deal with.
Now that Lin Li heard what Connoris had to say, he could not help but feel excited. The situation would differ greatly depending on whether the strength of the Lord of Darkness dwindled or completely fell. If it was just the deterioration of power, Lin Li could only resort to sneaking into the Palace of Darkness and leave the place via the Teleportation Portal discreetly.
However, if the Lord of Darkness had fallen completely…
It would be a totally different matter. Lin Li could very well be like a bandit. He could swagger his way through the palace towards the throne, and claim all the treasures in the palace.
After all, that was the Palace of Darkness…
The Endless Abyss had 99 levels, where each of the levels was an independent world governed by one Demon Lord. However, these 99 worlds followed the same law: survival of the fittest. It was a world that followed a strict hierarchy. The Netherspawns were at the bottom of the food chain, followed by Minion Demons, Demons, Greater Demons, and Demon Lord. The Demon Lord at the peak of the food chain had the exclusive privilege to enjoy all resources. That was more thorough than the aristocratic system of human beings. After all, there was only one Demon Lord in each level of the Endless Abyss. It was not obliged to share with anyone else.
The Abyss of Tharlen seemed to be filled with black flame, which made it appear rather deserted. However, that did not mean that the Abyss of Tharlen was an impoverished place. On the contrary, it had been said that Tharlen was a rich and prosperous land. Compared to the Breezy Plains, it had numerous valuable mineral veins and countless types of rare herbs. Many mineral veins and herbs were unique to the Abyss of Tharlen. It would be impossible to find them in any other part of Anril.
The variety of these herbs and mineral veins was vast. Lin Li knew two types of mineral veins and three kinds of herbs that grew in it. The two mineral veins were perfect forging materials that had the ability to help produce powerful weapons. The three kinds of herbs had even more importance. Each of them was a necessary ingredient of three respective different types of Guru-level potions.
Lin Li was very certain that he would be able to find loads of magical crystal in the palace of the Lord of Darkness!
The Endless Abyss was a place where massacres and battles were commonplace. Every Lord from each level of the Abyss had ambition to conquer the other levels, which made the entire Abyss of Tharlen a huge battlefield. There would always be fights and battles happening every second, resulting in a vast number of deaths every day. As years passed, the number of deaths had become astronomical. Even if just one-thousandth or one-millionth of the demons' magical crystals had been left behind, it would definitely be a terrifying number.
The Lord of Darkness was the only creature in the Abyss of Tharlen that had the right to assign these magical crystals. There would definitely be a surprising number of magical crystals in his palace, and their level would certainly amaze any mage. Since the Lord of Darkness was a powerful existence, how would he be interested in magical crystals of only level-15?
These were not Lin Li's wild assumptions.
There was a bandit in the Endless World who got his hands on the map of the sixth level of the Abyss, the Abyss of Suffering. With that treasure of a map, he entered the palace of the Abyss of Suffering miraculously and gained a huge fortune.
This bandit left a deep impression on Lin Li. After that, he participated in an auction with his fortunes, and became Lin Li's only competitor there.
Although Lin Li won the auction, the victory was not easy. If the bandit had a little more gold coins than him, Lin Li would have to lose his pants.
The bandit was able to use the fortunes he earned from the Abyss of Suffering to get most of the things he wanted. Now imagine. If Lin Li were to sweep the Abyss of Tharlen empty, how invincible would he be?
Before that could happen, however, he'd have to first think of a way to deal with Mephistos…
Lin Li became clearer on the situation after he heard Connoris's words. The Abyss of Tharlen had to have undergone an undesirable challenge that year. Otherwise, it would be impossible for the shadow of the Dragon of Destruction to fall. As for what difficulty it entailed, Lin Li had totally no idea. He only knew that the seal restraining Mephistos had lost its effect with the fall. After many years, Mephistos had finally found its soul fragments.
Mephistos was the former Lord of Tharlen. It found its soul fragments after countless number of years. It was a coincidence for its enemy to have fallen. A fool would have been able to guess what Mephistos would want to do next.
Lin Li would bet his life that Mephistos would want to return to the Palace of Darkness and reclaim the position he had lost.
Connoris had brought a good and a bad piece of news to Lin Li.
The good news was that the shadow of the Dragon of Destruction had fallen. The bad news was the existence of Mephistos. This Legendary-level Spirit Walker had always been eager to return to the Palace of Darkness.
Lin Li could even imagine the situation after Mephistos regained its throne. If it were to happen, he would not have a chance to go near the throne, let alone sweep the palace clean. Mephistos would definitely deploy a continuous stream of demon troops if it were to sense anything amiss.
How dangerous could even a dozen Azteks be? Yet as long as Mephistos wished to, it could summon millions of Azteks to drown them if their sea of Live Bombs.
"Connoris, help me think of a way. I have to find the Palace of Darkness."
"Why should I help you?"
"That's because I've decided to release you from the Ring of Endless Storm after we return and try to create a new body for you."
"That was what you said previously!"
"Oh, is that so?" Lin Li replied the lashings without a sense of guilt. "Then, this ascertains my sincerity. Look, I've made the same promise twice. Where would you find a person sincerer than me?"
"…" It was fortunate that Connoris did not have a heart. Otherwise, his rage wou
ld have given him a heart attack.
"How is it, almighty Soul Trader? Do you want to consider the deal? I'm not always this sincere…"
"Hmph, you have not even reached the Legendary-realm. How would you be able to create a new body for me?"
"I say, Connoris. How could a Soul Trader ask such a dumb question? Couldn't you tell that I'm only a step away from the Legendary-realm? I could take that step anytime. What if I reach that realm after I find the Palace of Darkness? Connoris, do you not want a new body soon?"
"This…" Lin Li's words made Connoris hesitate. It was as Lin Li had said. As a Soul Trader, how would Connoris not be aware of Lin Li being dangerously close to the Legendary-realm? Connoris even knew that the Palace of Darkness would be the young mage's last step to reach the realm.
That was because Connoris was aware of the secret hidden within the Palace of Darkness…
However, Connoris was still very hesitant. He felt that the young mage was still too weak to challenge a terrifying existence like Mephistos.
If it were before, it would not be a concern for Connoris.
However, things became different after Mephistos' seal broke.
Mephistos had been released from the seal and had found its soul fragments. It would only make sense for it to want to return to the Palace of Darkness. His return would renew its rights as the ruler of the Abyss of Tharlen and it'd become the real Lord of Souls.
It would be more dangerous than treading on a tightrope if the young mage were to enter the Palace of Darkness at such timing. It would only mean death if Lin Li were to meet Mephistos. If that were to happen, Connoris knew he would be implicated as well.
"Aren't you aware that we might bump into Mephistos…?"
"I have an idea."
"Pfff, you have an idea? What idea can you have? That is Mephistos, the Lord of Souls that had surpassed level-21 a million years ago!"
"Can't you believe in me for once? Didn't you sense a strange Divine Power in the Dimensional Space recently?"
"Divine Power?"
"Yeah…" Lin Li nodded his head grinningly. Lin Li was not boasting. He was aware that he would not have a chance if he were to meet Connoris with his current powers. However, the knew there was still a piece of the debris of stars in his Ring of Endless Storm…
Although the Holy Light would not be able to slaughter Mephistos directly, it would definitely help to buy time for him…
"I hope that you really have an idea, then…" Connoris said reluctantly. He finally agreed to help after a period of hesitation.
"Congrats, you've made a very good decision," Lin Li replied with a smile of satisfaction.
"Alright, alright. Cut the crap…" Connoris said impatiently. "The Palace of Darkness is deep inside the Abyss of Tharlen. This is not really a secret, though. But, I presume few people knew where the depths of the Abyss of Tharlen is located…"
"You have to know it…"
"That's right, I do."
Afterward, Connoris told Lin Li everything.
Although Lin Li knew that Connoris had a very mysterious background and a lot of hidden secrets, it was only today that Lin Li realized how surprising were the secrets Connoris knew…
Connoris was not only aware of the exact location of the Palace of Darkness, but also the way to enter the place. He had a clear and distinct memory of each and every alley and secret chamber inside the Palace of Darkness. As he listened to Connoris, Lin Li could not help but suspect Connoris to be like himself—did he also have the intention to loot the palace clean in the past?
It seems that I have to find time to talk to this Soul Trader properly soon… Lin Li was utterly amazed by the information Connoris knew. It was as though there was nothing in the Abyss of Tharlen Connoris was unaware of.
No, no, no. Not just the Abyss of Tharlen…
Lin Li remembered how Connoris told him about the origins of the Lord of Nightmares not long ago…
This fella who claims to be a Soul Trader does not seem like a simple man…
Just when Lin Li was having those suspicions, he saw Hutton flying back.
"Why, you can't find Stephen?" Lin Li asked Hutton who had flown back alone.
"Yeah, I searched all likely places, but could not find him at all…" Hutton replied as he shook his head worriedly.
Of course, Hutton was definitely not worried for Stephen's safety. Not to mention the enmity the Malfa Family had with the Dark Blade, the fact that he had to compete with Stephen for Geresco's inheritance was enough to let Hutton ignore his safety.
Hutton feared that the two of them might not be able to find the Palace of Darkness without Stephen.
Although Stephen was not an affable man, he was still an Archmage. He would be of great help at critical moments.
"Forget it, it can't be helped. Why don't we treasure the time we have and leave his horrendous place as soon as possible? I don't know when that Greater Demon might come out…"
"Alright."
The two young mages cast the Levitation Spell and flew towards the edge of the forest.
Lin Li kept communicating with Connoris with his mental strength. Even Hutton who was physically close to Lin Li did not realize him conversing with the hammer on his back as they flew.
"Did you see that river in front? You would see a waterfall if you travel two to three kilometers along that river. The Palace of Darkness is located below that waterfall."
"The water is very strange…" Lin Li said as he glanced at the torrential river from the top. It was crimson, and seemed as glaring as fresh blood.
"Do not belittle that river. It was named the Water of Death for a reason. Every droplet of that river carries lethal toxicity. A droplet would suffice to claim the life of any demon with a strong life force…"
"Didn't you say the Palace of Darkness is hidden below the waterfall? How will we be able to—"
"How to enter, right? Heh, you wouldn't be able to enter that waterfall if not for the guidance of the almighty Soul Trader. You don't need to worry about it now. As long as you follow my instructions, I can assure that you will enter the Palace of Darkness with ease."
"Alright." Lin Li nodded, and did not probe further.
Connoris was the only one Lin Li knew he could rely on in the entire Tharlen. Since the fate of this Soul Trader had been tied with himself, Connoris would not dare to create any chances for mishaps. If anything undesirable were to happen to Lin Li, the best outcome for Connoris would be external entrapment in the Ring of Endless Storm. Now that Connoris had the confidence that they could find the palace, Lin Li could only give him his trust.
The two young mages flew along the Water of Death. Two or three hours had passed, but not only did they not see the waterfall Connoris mentioned, they also did not see Stephen catching up with them. Could it be that this unagreeable man had been slain by Mephistos?
Chapter 455 - Palace of Darkness
As the Abyss of Tharlen had no day and night, the sky above was a constant dull gray. While the black flames could be seen everywhere, they did not provide any warmth in the world filled with haze and cold. Staying here for a long period of time made one feel as though their body was rotting away.
Lin Li could barely remember how long he had been flying along the Water of Death; the only thing he knew was that the sky above him was always a dull gray and the water beneath his feet was a dark red. As the world seemed to only consist of two colors, the whole journey was dry and boring.
If he had to think of anything that added a little something to their journey, it would be the fact that Hutton's mana would be depleted every once in a while, and the two of them would have no choice but to take a rest by the Water of Death. The low-ranking demons that would appear then were the only excitement in their boring journey.
Hutton had to take a rest 14 times throughout the whole journey….
The 14th time he took a rest, Lin Li finally noticed that the river started flowing faster.
"I finally
made it to the end…" Lin Li could hardly wait to fly into the sky after Hutton regained his mana.
Indeed, Lin Li noticed that the Water of Death ceased to flow after they flew another 2000 or so meters. A massive waterfall appeared before Lin Li's eyes as water fell with a deafening noise from the top of the waterfall. There was no end to the waterfall that they could see, just as if it was a never-ending abyss.
"The Palace of Darkness is down there." After getting Hutton's attention, Lin Li plunged into water and dived down while closely following the edge of the waterfall.
The scenery whizzed past them on both sides like a movie on fast-forward. Lin Li dived for a good half an hour before he finally saw a huge lake.
He cast a Levitation Spell and slowed down the speed at which he was diving before coming to a stop and lightly landing at the edge of the lake.
After waiting for Hutton to land, the two of them circled the lake.
"This place is little strange…" Lin Li said as he brushed his chin with a face filled with doubt.
This place was strange indeed as they could not hear the sound of water even though there was clearly a waterfall coming down from the sky. There was not even a ripple in sight; it was as if the waterfall did not end at the lake, but went through an invisible door to another world instead.
"Mage Felic, look… look here!" Hutton exclaimed and pointed at the middle of the lake just as Lin Li was deep in thought.
"What?" Lin Li paused before he looked at where Hutton was pointing at.
