by Zhuang Bifan
"Norfeller, it's your turn next. Suit yourself and bite whichever is more pleasing to the eye…" said Lin Li generously.
Norfeller's heart was filled with gratitude at that moment. He obviously also knew that he wouldn't be helpful to his master anymore should he fail to enhance his abilities, so he didn't object. Mumbling spells characteristic of Vampires, he made his sharp nails slice through the throat of a level-18 Night Demon Bat. A stream of blood oozed out and gathered into a sphere in the mid air. Next, that sphere of blood shrank until it became a droplet the size of a bean. Norfeller s.u.c.k.e.d the blood essence into his stomach.
Seeing that Norfeller stopped after s.u.c.k.i.n.g the blood from one Night Demon Bat, Lin Li teased, "Yo, help yourself, there's still so many."
Norfeller respectfully replied, "Thank you, Master. This drop of blood essence is enough for me to absorb for a period of time."
"Ujfalusi, do you want to have some too?" Lin Li was aware of Norfeller's situation, and so turned to Ujfalusi.
"Thank you for your concern, but this is useless to me," replied Ujfalusi immediately.
Since those bats were already caught, then naturally there was no reason to give them up. This world didn't have animal protection laws anyway. Lin Li wasn't in a hurry to continue exploring the caves, so he attended to the 20-plus Night Demon Bats on the spot with the help of the two Undead helpers. Night Demon Bat's blood essence was beneficial to Vampires, but its magical crystal was also a rare treasure to mages.
Due to the small size of Night Demon Bats, their magical crystals naturally weren't big. It was hard to imagine that a level-18 or 19 magical crystal was only the size of a green bean, but precisely because of the magical crystal's small size, it was the best material for crafting magical accessories since magical crystals weren't cuttable.
For the crafting of most magical accessories, only the magical crystal from the bodies of magical worms were used to deal with the size problem. Most magical worms, however, had extremely low levels, the highest being no more than level-10—the worms won by numbers in the first place. If one were to socket a more advanced magical crystal in a pair of magical earrings—level-18 or 19 for example—then using the magical crystal from a magical beast was the only option. This kind of crystal was usually fist-sized; using it on earrings could possibly pull the ears of the wearer off.
For the same level of magical crystals, those of the Night Demon Bat could be sold at more than 10 times the price because of their rare quality of being both small in size and high in level. With 27 Night Demon Bats' magical crystals in his pocket, even if there was nothing deeper in the caves, Lin Li's trip was certainly already worth it.
"Continue forward!" exclaimed Lin Li in high spirits with a wave of his hand. He thought that even if there were some more groups of Night Demon Bats, he could always catch more Vampires as subordinates. How cool would it be to command a troop of level-19 Vampires!
Actually, Lin Li wasn't able to get anything much as he continued to survey the cave. After encountering the Night Demon Bats, Lin Li seemed to have used up all his luck. At some unknown point in time, more low-level Undead creatures like skeletons and vengeful spirits started blocking the way. Lin Li had some premonition at the moment.
It was funny, but the High Elves who had a so-called irreconcilable grudge with the Undead creatures also lowered their prideful heads when faced with the merciless time to investigate the way to eternity using Necromagic. Therefore, as Lin Li concluded, he had to see if Undead creatures were actually present in order to find out whether the ruins and High Elves were related. This certainly wasn't drivel, but words of experience. Looking at Norfeller's previous owner, or the one who fell to his death from the Scar of Death, which hadn't been a High Elf investigating Necromagic?
So many years had passed since the end of the Dark Age. For the High Elves ruins to remain undiscovered until now, it was impossible that there wasn't anything to guard this place.
"This…" Suddenly, the scene was completely revealed. Lin Li was completely mesmerized by what he saw.
An elegantly designed and lavishly, intricately decorated underground palace stood before the trio. No matter from which aspect, this magnificent underground palace was totally comparable to the royal palace of Felan Kingdom. The obvious architectural style from the Dark Age further confirmed Lin Li's speculations.
In front of the palace was a small square. Hundreds of Skeletal Warriors armed with helmets and body armor dragged their rusted swords, walking aimlessly back and forth. Those swords had been dragged along repeatedly for so long that the stone floor was left with numerous deep marks.
The appearance of the trio immediately drew the attention of the Skeletal Warriors. Although all the Skeletal Warriors were scattered around, orderless, almost all of them stopped in their tracks and turned towards the trio simultaneously. After a moment of stagnation, the Warriors trod in the direction of the trio slowly while shaking their bodies.
After coming here, there was nothing much to say. No matter whether Osric was really involved here, the palace was 80% sure to be related to the High Elves judging by its architectural style.
Lin Li didn't even have to fight off these Skeletal Warriors which didn't even reach level-10 himself; Norfeller zoomed into the crowd of Skeletal Warriors and instantly sent broken arms and bone fragments flying everywhere.
Lin Li kept walking towards the palace gate, never slowing down. When he stood before the palace gate, Norfeller came to his side. The hundreds of Skeletal Warriors had all been smashed to pieces.
"Ah, such decadence! Those High Elves have fallen to such a state." Lin Li gazed at the intricately designed palace gate. The same mageweath of the Song of Death was similar to the one found at Norfeller's previous master's place. However, a few details proved that the two mageweaths weren't drawn by the same person. There was also a bigger difference: the mageweath on this gate either wasn't working, or had already been destroyed.
"Am I too late?" Lin Li was a little worried that some people had found this place before him. That would be too tragic. He inspected it carefully again to make sure there wasn't any trap on the gate. Then, he instructed Norfeller to push the gate open.
Behind the gate was a courtyard of considerable size. Skeletal Warriors were still present in the courtyard, only of slightly higher levels compared to those at the gate. They were more agile and their attacks weren't merely aimless stabs with their swords, but rather had some hints of military training and techniques.
However, this minor hindrance was unable to stop Lin Li. It was still Norfeller who made the move. 40-odd Skeletal Warriors in the courtyard instantaneously turned into bone fragments strewn all over the ground. Walking past the corridor of the courtyard, Norfeller suddenly caught a few bone arrows and returned them backhandedly, crashing a few soul fires of level-12 Skeletal Archers.
Walking along, the Undead creatures they met were of increasing levels. However, they didn't meet any Vampires, be it because they had already turned to bat feces or simply didn't dare to live here.
When Lin Li finally reached the main hall gate of the palace, he was met with 20 level-16 Undead warriors. These warriors were reserves for the Death Knights. After they had subdued the Shapeshifters and owned their own mounts, they could be considered Death Knights.
20 Undead warriors all armed with tailored magical equipment. The equipment still shone as if it was brand-new even after so many years. Their weapons were also thin sharp magical longswords commonly used by senior officers in the military. These warriors held their sheathed swords with grayish, shriveled hands, keeping them in the position to strike at any moment. They stood as still as statues, orderly and quiet on the steps of the main hall gate.
Lin Li didn't want to waste any more time. He held his magic staff close to his c.h.e.s.t and slowly recited a spell.
Sensing danger ahead, those 20 Undead warriors finally moved. They pounced down the steps like flashing lights.
; "Thousand Miles of Ice!" As the spell reached completion, Lin Li waved his magic staff.
On the ground in front of Lin Li, crystal clear white frost condensed, and then spread forward rapidly like oil dripped in water. When the white frost reached the feet of the Undead warriors, those warriors still in midair froze instantaneously and heavily fell to the ground, shattering into pieces like ceramics. Out of the 20 level-16 Undead creatures, not even one dared to come close to Lin Li.
Whatever was in the palace would be revealed soon. Lin Li walked up the steps with the two Undead servants. Striding past the remains of the Undead warriors, they came to the front door of the main palace hall.
The massive and extravagant door wasn't completely closed; the slit in it revealed deep darkness inside the palace hall. Norfeller and Ujfalusi walked forward and pushed the heavy doors open from both sides. The inside of the grand palace hall was finally unveiled in front of Lin Li's eyes.
When seen from the entrance, the center of the hall was laid with lavish red carpet with gold decorative patterns. The pillars on its two sides were only half visible in the darkness. The carpet extended from the entrance all the way to the heart of the palace. On the other side of the carpet stood a tall, wide throne. On the throne sat a person—it was, surprisingly, a knight wrapped in thick armor…
Chapter 490 - Retribution Knight
As the palace gate got pushed open, the magic lamps on top of the pillars lit up one by one. Perhaps the passage of time had diminished the energy of the magic lamps to the minimum, for the light emitted from each lamp could only illuminate the space around up to the radius of a palm. It was as though they could be extinguished any time.
Lin Li and his two Undead servants stood at the door vigilantly. They saw a figure on the throne deep into the palace. Although the aura was very strong, it felt stagnant within the darkness. This reassured Lin Li. After all, if the other party was "living", he could have alarmed the person the moment he pushed open the doors.
Lin Li could see the interior of the palace vaguely with the help of the faint glow emitted by the magic lamps. There was nothing much for him to look at. Apart from the black shadow seated on the throne that was located deep into the palace, the place was empty.
Should I enter this place? Of course! Lin Li thought. Even if the thing in the palace was "alive", he would have the ability to protect himself with his power as a Legendary-mage and the trump cards in his hands. This encouraged Lin Li to lead Ujfalusi and Norfeller on that luxurious red carpet and venture into the palace.
Lin Li advanced towards the throne slowly under the faint glow from the magic lamps. It was then that he got to take a better look at the structure of the platform that held the throne. While the platform was made up of a pile of human bones, the throne was created from the bones of a Humerus Wyrm. It didn't look like one, of course, but it was still obvious to anyone who saw it.
As compared to the gigantic throne, the person seated on it was relatively frail. To Lin Li and his team, however, it did not feel that there was any disconcertment about the contrast of the two. The person was seated on the throne with his upper body slightly leaning forward. There was a sword in his right hand, and one of his feet was on top on the bones of the wyrm in front of him. Although the body was still, there was a strong sense of dignity that continued to fill the surroundings.
Although Ujfalusi and Norfeller tried to stand in front of their master in an attempt to protect him, their bodies could not help but tremble due to the powerful aura. That was the obvious difference among Undead creatures of dissimilar abilities. Despite having courage, the pressure felt from the superiors was not something that could be ignored.
The figure of the person on the throne came into greater clarity as they proceeded closer. He had silver and white hair and blade-like brows. His eyelids were hung low, and he had a straight nose and broad mouth. Despite being ashen and pallid, he was still a very good-looking man, and donned a dull golden full-body armor that had been detailed with intricate mageweath. There were head bones of hideous single-horned demons decorating his joints, and on his back was a crimson cape that seemed to be stained by dried-up blood. The contrast in colors with the plain white throne created even more trepidation within people.
Lin Li was reminded of his experience at the Scar of Death with the sense of the aura emitted by the man. He thought of the bunch of Death Knights he'd taken under himself. Although there was a stark contrast in power between them and the man on the throne, he was able to confirm that the man on the throne was a Retribution Knight with his distinct aura. The strength of his aura was only something that could be emitted by Legendary powerhouses. Lin Li was absolutely certain that the man before him was that Retribution Knight.
Gerian had never mentioned to him that there would be a Retribution Knight here. Lin Li, however, was certain that Gerian would not be somebody who had ill intentions for him. Despite calling him a little bastard, the concern Gerian had for Lin Li was definitely authentic. Lin Li could be sure that Gerian would have told him everything mentioned in that diary without reservations. Hence, it would simply mean that this information wasn't recorded in the diary.
Actually, encountering a Retribution Knight here was both within and outside Lin Li's expectations. It would only be unusual for Lin Li not to encounter any Undead creature here when he had already met so many others outside the palace. However, the man was a Retribution Knight, after all. Where could possibly be his team of Death Knights? If there was an ambush of Death Knights here, the only action Lin Li could take was to escape.
Despite having the team of Death Knights he'd acquired in the Scar of Death, Lin Li knew that Death Knights under a Retribution Knight would definitely be different. These knights would naturally be rid of the chance for further progress when they pledged their allegiance to a Retribution Knight, for they had to surrender all Spiritual Force they'd acquired to him. Yet, they also got to rise in power with the progress of their Retribution Knight when they participated in battles.
Just when Lin Li was deducing the origin of that Retribution Knight, a voice sounded in his head. "Oh, it is the rare Retribution Knight! Hold on… That dude looks very familiar…"
That was the self-proclaimed all-knowing and almighty Soul Trader.
Lin Li's heartbeat accelerated when he heard Connoris's words. Connoris was an ancient deity who had been around for God knew how many years. If he were to find that fella familiar, he wouldn't be any common passerby.
"You've seen him before? Where?" Lin Li asked Connoris as he cautiously sized up the Retribution Knight who was sitting on the throne.
"Fret not. Let me think… Where have I seen him…?" Connoris racked his brains in an effort to recall it. However, the fact that he had been living as a soul for a significant amount of time, a soul that had suffered some damage, prevented him from remembering who the Retribution Knight before him was.
"Hey, have you recalled who he was? One word, and we will either be leaving or staying here. Tell me quickly," Lin Li urged Connoris on impatiently. Although he was not certain if that fella was asleep, he was, after all, a Retribution Knight. As a Legendary-mage, Lin Li could not help but feel stressed if he had to deal with a Retribution Knight.
"If I'm not wrong… I think I saw him in the Breezy Plains. Other than that… I can remember no more…" Connoris replied vexedly. For an ancient deity, his state was really pitiful.
"Retribution Knight… Breezy Plains…" Lin Li muttered after Connoris. Suddenly, he recalled the secret Hutton had shared with him. There was a Retribution Knight who, after acquiring an arm of the Immortal King, led a team of Death Knights in ransacking the Breezy Plains. The death toll they brought about was a third of the entire Breezy Plains' population.
Could the figure before him be the Retribution Knight who had ransacked the Breezy Plains and turned it into a living hell? Wasn't he purified by Prophet Willen from the Brilliance Shrine? Why would he come to this place? Lin Li's mind w
as buzzing with questions. He told Connoris the secret Hutton shared with him, hoping it might trigger Connoris's memory.
"Before this, Hutton has once told me about the Retribution Knight. But, he said that the Retribution Knight had been purified by Prophet Willen of the Brilliance Shrine. Could this be that Retribution Knight?" Lin Li asked. He thought the process of purification would have allowed the holy light or fire turn the knight into dust. How could he be sitting here like a statue?
Sure enough, Lin Li's words lifted Connoris' memory gate. The recovery of memories was a very beautiful feeling for this pitiful fella, especially when those memories could portray himself as knowledgeable. "Are you referring to the Retribution Knight, Rodhart? Now that you mention it, I think that this fella really does look like him," said Connoris.
"He is called Rodhart?" Lin Li was intrigued. Hutton did not tell him the name of the Retribution Knight. "What else do you know about Rodhart?"
Connoris's current favorite pastime was to boast his knowledge to Lin Li. Especially after Lin Li experienced tremendous growth, the only thing left for Connoris to prove his worth was the knowledge he'd gained over the years. "You have to be clueless about what Rodhart did before that. He was the most powerful Paladin ever since the establishment of the Brilliance Shrine…"
"Paladin!? You are saying that this Retribution Knight was a Paladin in the past?" Lin Li stared at the Retribution Knight who was seated on the throne before him and had yet to move an inch. He realized how crazy this world could be. The High Elves who were supposed to have a deep-seated hatred for the Undead creatures actually had all sort of connections with the Undead, and a Paladin from the Brilliance Shrine actually turned into a murderous Retribution Knight that killed the innocent.
Before, Connoris had loved to create a sense of suspense with his words to satisfy his ego. However, things were different now. He did not dare to keep anything from Lin Li for fear that the man would deny his wish for a new body. Hence, before Lin Li could ask further, Connoris told him everything he knew about Rodhart in detail.
