Todd licked his lips and smirked.
“Arghhhh….!” Baelin swung his cross blade that carried a flash of white light as he could not bear to listen for a moment longer.
“Grand Knight!” Todd turned solemn immediately.
His giant sword was swung forward as it clashed with the cross blade, emitting sparks.
*Clang Clang Clang!* Todd retreated several steps. “What power!” The vibrations sent from Baelin’s swing left his hands somewhat numb.
“Kill him Baelin! Kill him!” Jenny wailed loudly behind Baelin.
Under the encouragement of his loved one, Baelin advanced and struck, sending Todd staggering backwards by several steps.
“Ping!” Just as the two weapons clashed, Todd suddenly released his giant sword and rushed to Baelin’s side like a sweeping wind.
*Ka-cha!* A black dagger suddenly appeared in his hand and pierced towards Baelin’s heart like a venomous snake!
Baelin struggled to move his body away, and a layer of spiritual life force appeared on his chest. *Pak!* As if thin leather, the dagger pierced through and left a deep gash on Baelin’s chest, allowing blood to flow profusely.
*Shing!* Todd suddenly appeared from a distance away as he licked the edge of his dagger.
“Now you’d know why they call me ‘Dagger’ huh? Because I like to cut the flesh of my prey with this dagger, and then watch them die of anguish!”
Todd’s face turned red and he spoke excitedly, “Your blood is the tastiest I’ve ever tried!”
“Secret Gale Technique!” Todd shouted and spiritual life force wrapped around his calves.
*Shik Shik!* He advanced again, this time even faster than before!
“Damn it! Secret technique, Cross Star!”
After suffering from several more wounds, Baelin could not bear it any longer and shouted.
*Weng!* His body suddenly doubled in size as a layer of translucent armour protected him.
Chamber of Commerce
”Ka-cha!”
Todd’s black dagger slashed across the translucent armour, but it harmlessly bounced off.
“It’s a defensive secret technique!” Todd’s eyes gleamed.
There were many secret techniques for Grand Knights, but many of them were just a large boost in a single attribute.
For example, Todd’s secret technique focused on speed, raising it to twice his original speed!
From what he could see, Baelin had mustered a technique that boosted his defense.
“Dummy, once your technique wears off, you will still be slain by me!” A sinister smile appeared on Todd’s face.
However, Baelin suddenly moved!
Speed! Baelin was extremely quick; as he moved, his translucent armour created a shrill noise from the wind passing through.
Todd could only see the bare afterimages!
“It’s…actually the two attributes buff!” Todd cried out hoarsely, yet the greed in his eyes only grew more apparent.
Such a technique was of a considerably high grade that existed only in myths. Even the Argus Family had not seen anyone wielding such a technique for the longest of times.
However, Todd did not have much time to think. Baelin had already appeared in front of him as he raised his cross blade, furiously slashing down at Todd.
“Clang!” Todd jumped back and parried with the dagger in his hand.
*Peng!” As the two weapons clashed, Todd’s dagger was sent flying out of his grip.
“There is even a strength buff! Three attributes! A secret technique that buffs three areas!” Todd’s mind was blank at this moment. A two attributes buff was not unheard of, but this three attributes buff of a Grand Knight level was practically unheard of, even in legends!
However, Baelin had no desire to explain things to him.
He charged forward and swung his sword at Todd’s neck.
*Pu!* The head that carried a scarred face was sent flying, as a blood fountain gushed to a metre’s height from the neck.
“Jenny, are you alright?!”
Baelin dispelled the translucent armour and rushed to Jenny’s side.
“I… I’m alright!” Jenny replied involuntarily, before seeing Baelin collapse at her side.
Although the Cross Star was a technique taught to him by Leylin, who was not a Grand Knight, the might of it exceeded that of other Grand Knight techniques, but still retained the same properties of a Grand Knight technique!
As for Baelin, who had activated this technique, he entered a feeble state. Even raising an arm was too difficult for him; only his eyes and mouth could just barely move.
“You… why are you this silly? This does not even concern you…” Jenny wept, and tears once again streamed down her face.
“Keke…I’m fine!” Baelin tried his best to mask his current weakened state, but it was all done in vain.
“I’ve thought about it—let’s seek asylum from Lord Leylin! He will definitely be able to protect you!” Baelin spoke what’s on his mind.
“… We can’t do that!” Jenny wryly smiled and replied.
“Baelin! Can’t you discern the truth from this misfortune? Lord Leylin has already abandoned me!” Jenny smiled bitterly, “You had better return to Lord Leylin, where he can protect you! Lucas won’t be able to cause you any harm…”
“No!” Baelin’s face flushed red. “I won’t leave you even if I die!”
“Baelin!” Jenny crouched down as both of them engaged in a passionate kiss.
After the long and intense tongue fight, Baelin seemed to have changed immediately. “Let us go! To the middle region! To where the dark elves’ kingdoms are! To the area of darkness! Whatever it is, let us leave here to a place where no one can find us, and live happily ever after!”
“Alright!”
Jenny resolutely replied.
The two exchange gazes and smiled brightly.
……
“Huh! It seems as though Baelin has decided to leave!”
Leylin ruminated in amusement as he saw the extremely tidy and neat room, in which a letter lay on the table.
To him, Baelin was only a pet that he was raising while nursing his injury.
As for the current Leylin, he had already returned to the right path, and no longer had time to take care of Baelin. Perhaps it was the best choice to allow him to leave.
Furthermore, Leylin did not have much use for Baelin. Even if he was turned into a Branded Swordsman, the strength of a rank 1 Magus was not sufficient to aid Leylin.
“However, this is my first time having good intentions! I hope you can pass down my cross blade technique throughout the Twilight Zone and not ruin the name of my Farlier family…”
A profound light flashed in Leylin’s eyes.
Through the sense of the Sacred Flame he had, he already knew that Baelin and Jenny were not regular folks. What’s more, they would be taking the stage in Twilight Zone as the ‘main characters’!
One would expect that in the near future, they would definitely not have any sort of peaceful lives—troubles would come searching for them one after another.
“But only then are things interesting! My setup can finally be put to good use!”
Leylin smiled gently, before putting this matter at the back of his head.
Today was the day that he had set with Siegfried to meet other official Magus. Leylin had been anticipating this day for quite a while.
“So it’s here?”
Leylin and Siegfried, dressed in common folk clothes, walked into an extremely lavish shop.
“Gersi’s Chamber of Commerce, the most outstanding conclave in the whole of the eastern Twilight Zone. Some of the nobility even know that there is a Magi organisation supporting this conclave from the shadows…”
Siegfried smiled as he explained this to Leylin.
Although they spoke as if no one was beside them, their voices did not travel far enough for the people in the surroundings to hear.
“As for u
s, the other Magi who are in small associations or are wandering around, we like to gather here for a couple of days and exchange some valuable insights gleaned from recent experiments or the experience gained from meditation techniques. Sometimes trades will be conducted too. Of course, all these are only restricted to the official Magus level.”
Siegfried wore a large black glove, hiding his metal prosthetic limb within it.
“Welcome! How may I help you?”
Two beautiful maidservants came over and asked after Siegfried stepped into Gersi’s Chamber of Commerce.
“Take me to the VIP room!” Siegfried handed a gold card to the maidservant, whose eyes immediately started to shine.
“My two Lords, please follow me!” She bowed deeply, showing off the curves of her chest. As she led the way, she exaggeratedly swayed her hips.
“How is it? Do you want to play for a while?” Siegfried asked Leylin with a smile on his face.
“I have no such urges now, so maybe after this!” Leylin smiled indifferently and replied.
As the maidservant in front heard Leylin’s words, disappointment streaked across her face.
Although she was somewhat disappointed, the maid still quickly brought them to an extremely lavishly decorated room. “My apologies! As my level is not high enough, our manager will take over and assist you from here!”
The girl bowed again and took her leave.
“Our Magus VIP cards are different from others, so the person who is serving us next will know our requirements and will bring us to the conclave!”
Siegfried explained the process simply to Leylin.
“The membership registration is extremely simple. You need to first reach the rank of an official Magus, and then have another Magus refer you. I’ll set a referral up for you later!”
“I appreciate it!” Leylin smiled gently.
*Boom!* At this moment, an oil painting in the VIP room swung open, revealing a flight of stairs.
“Honoured guests, please follow me!”
An upper-class woman with the spiritual force of a level 3 acolyte appeared in the tunnel. Her skin was flawless and white like porcelain, without any traces of pores.
“Alright!” Siegfried nodded his head and allowed the lady to lead the way.
However, he spoke to Leylin without the lady hearing. “She is an example of the high-grade goods that Gersi’s Chamber of Commerce is offering. If you’re interested, you can apply to purchase a few of them later. The chamber is rather generous to the newcomers’ needs…”
“A slave at the level of an acolyte?” Leylin was in shock. This level of a slave was much better than the ones appearing in the Nightless City on the south coast.
Back in Nightless City, Leylin, who was a rank 1 Magus, had only managed to purchase a level 3, old geezer acolyte who was nearing the end of his life.
Evidently, even though both of them were level 3 acolytes, a charming lady would definitely command a higher price than a dying old geezer.
The passage was rather short, and after a couple minutes, they soon reached the end.
After opening the door, Leylin was brought into a great hall.
The light of multiple sun stones penetrated through the crystals in the four corners of the hall, illuminating every corner of the hall.
At this moment, Magi were seated in different circles while chatting in soft voices.
Upon their tables were several green fruits and drinks. Apart from that, many delicacies that were unknown to Leylin were placed there for the Magi’s taking, yet very few bothered to taste them.
“Come! I’ll bring you to see some of my friends!”
After looking around, Siegfried eyes lit up after he noticed a group of red haired Magi sitting in one of the circles, and he promptly dragged Leylin over to them.
“Here! These are the Magi from the Earth Fire Association, and they are also my friends! As for him, this is Mister Leylin, a wandering Magus who had recently come to our eastern capital…”
Siegfried made the introductions on both sides, and Leylin smiled and sent his greetings to the group of Magi.
Together with Leylin’s disposition as a noble and his increased charisma due to the fact that he was a Warlock, he very soon managed to break the ice and began to mingle with them.
Icy Jade Scorpion Breath
Leylin looked at the members of the Earth Fire Association
The Magi sitting here were rather few. Including Leylin and Siegfried, they only amounted to 5 people.
No matter if it was the south coast or the Twilight Zone, it was not easy to advance to an official Magus. However, once someone advanced, their status and position would undergo massive changes.
“When I had recently studied Gaia’s Might, I felt that it was very difficult to attract the earth element energy particles. It was especially so on the topic of gathering Gaia’s aura…”
At this moment, one of the red-haired Magi impatiently began to talk.
“For that, I believe an energy particle pond will help you…” Siegfried interrupted with his own opinion.
“That is not realistic! It consumes too many resources! I suggest using 3 kinds of meditation assisting runes, but then there is the problem of impurities in your spiritual force later on…”
Leylin found that these Magi of the Earth Fire Association discussed quite a bit about their experiences while training using their high-level meditation technique, Gaia’s Might.
Some of the problems discussed had been researched very thoroughly, and it helped Leylin a little bit in his cultivation and perfection of his Sacred Flame and Kemoyin’s Pupil.
The common practice in the Twilight Zone was like this: people would get together and discuss their experiences in meditation techniques, and thus hope to jointly advance.
Of course, one was delusional if they thought that just relying on these casually discussed phrases would help in the completion of Gaia’s Might. Thus, these Magi were not worried that their cultivation secrets would be leaked.
When it was Leylin’s turn to share his experience, he talked about his breakthrough through a small bottleneck, which led to some reminiscing among the other Magi.
Although it had only taken him a short time to advance to a rank 2 Magus, his Kemoyin’s Pupil had also advanced to the second level, which was considered a high level. Moreover, after obtaining another high-level meditation technique called Sacred Flame, under the constantly inferred data by the A.I. Chip, Leylin’s understanding of meditation techniques had far surpassed the knowledge of these old geezers who had immersed themselves in meditation techniques for several hundreds of years!
“It seems that later on, one must not only bitterly cultivate by themselves but also often exchange experiences with their peers.”
Just this one discussion had given Leylin new ideas for resolving the complexities and misunderstandings he had with his own meditation techniques. This was despite the fact that this discussion was only pertaining to the Gaia’s Might, which was not the meditation technique Leylin practised!
Furthermore, relying on the information collected by the A.I. Chip this time, Leylin could derive a deeper understanding of his two meditation techniques.
This was only natural, as Magi followed the ancient principle of equal exchange among themselves.
Leylin paid attention to the fact that these Magi only talked about general things and the mentioning of the various means of doing something.
The genuine, concrete details could only be mutually exchanged between two Magi in a way like a business transaction, and strict confidentiality was expected between these two parties that had made the transaction.
Just now, Siegfried had sold some information related to the energy particle pond, and had got a huge remuneration.
After the public information exchange session was over, the next session was the transactions between two people.
If one was an official Magus, then they could set up a table with items to b
e sold and await customers.
The atmosphere here was completely different from that of the open-air stalls and street vendors.
Magi were not very eager to strike a deal, but rather, they loved to showcase and play with their precious resources. It was a common sight to see both buyer and seller chatting and smiling; some even had wine out to toast their successful trades.
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