Chapter 333: Tremors, Mad… Ultimate… Ritual?
A cold voice echoed within the room.
Remedios's fair cheeks tensed, seeming somewhat annoyed.
As the captain of the Holy Knight Order and one of the highest-ranking individuals in the entire Holy Kingdom, she had never encountered someone like Tang Zheng, who dared to be so disrespectful and even speak to her so coldly.
Kelart was perfectly calm, a faint, inscrutable smile perpetually gracing her seemingly amiable face.
Neither of them was currently in their combat attire.
Kelart wore a white gown, cinched tight by a light blue sash adorned with pearls and fine diamonds. This made her waist look as if it were only a palm's width, which in turn made her bust appear all the more stunning!
Remedios's attire, compared to a normal noble's formal wear, was clearly more unconventional or androgynous. Her upper body was fairly standard, covered by a white shawl.
Below, she wore a pair of black hunting trousers and brown beast-hide long boots. Perhaps due to her posture, her long legs, stretched taut by the tight pants, looked somewhat rounded and powerful.
With the same brown hair and nearly identical faces, the sight of the two sisters sitting together was uniquely stunning.
"The purpose of my visit to the Holy Kingdom was to obtain the blood of demi-humans."
Tang Zheng stood up, looking at Kelart and her sister sitting opposite him.
"Now that the matter is concluded and the Abelion Hills are much safer, I have better ways of acquiring what I need. It's about time I left."
"If you make any progress with the 'Blend Potion,' it won't be too late to send someone to the hills to contact me."
"Leave?"
Kelart spoke with surprise. She had indeed guessed that Free Will intended to leave the Holy Kingdom; this meeting was, in fact, an attempt to persuade them to stay.
She hadn't expected, however, that he would head to the Abelion Hills. Even though the demi-humans had suffered heavy losses, it was still a dangerous region.
*Is it the confidence brought by that "Warrior King" Gagaran and their demi-human member, who can remain in the hills?*
*No.*
*With his power alone, there were not even a handful of demi-human experts remaining who could threaten him.*
*"His claim of acquiring demi-human blood isn't necessarily a lie, but perhaps there's something else in the Abelion Hills that attracts him,"* Kelart thought, her eyes flashing.
"Leader Tang, would you please reconsider? We…" Kelart also rose to speak.
"I have no intention of serving your Holy Kingdom," Tang Zheng said, waving his hand casually as he walked toward the door.
As he turned, his gaze swept over the northern wall of the room.
*Heh?*
*Eavesdropping?*
*It's probably not someone from the Holy Kingdom. The Slane Theocracy?*
*They're fast. Or did they already have spies planted in the Holy Kingdom?*
Tang Zheng pondered briefly. The hem of his white priest's robe swayed slightly as he ignored Kelart's attempts to detain him and left the room.
Tang Zheng was indeed very interested in the *Holy Maiden's Sword*.
Putting other things aside, the appearances of Kelart and Remedios were already stunning, though they were a notch below Renner and Lakyus.
In terms of looks, the Holy Princess should be on the same level as Renner.
However, interest was just interest.
Mere looks were enough to pique Tang Zheng's curiosity, but not enough to make him waste time on matters that were meaningless to him.
At this moment, on the other side of the northern wall.
A young man dressed as a servant had his ear pressed tightly against the wall, which was currently shaped like a large elephant's—the effect of the second-tier spell, "Elephant's Ear."
It could drastically enhance one's hearing, allowing one to pick up even the most subtle sounds.
Hearing Tang Zheng's footsteps gradually fade away, the servant-disguised youth dispelled the magic and quietly departed.
"Kelart, was this your true objective?" Remedios asked, pointing at the potion on the table.
"Not exactly."
"But this outcome is indeed quite good," Kelart said, smiling as she looked at Remedios. "You're not usually so keen on targeting a single person, sister."
"Wh-What did you say!" Remedios's tone grew agitated.
"Speaking of which, you're getting on in years, sister. It's high time you found someone to marry, and there are no suitable young men among the nation's elite."
Kelart muttered to herself as if thinking aloud, "It's just like one of those stories about a noble lady and a commoner."
"He's no commoner!"
"Indeed, he's not. He's a genius in both alchemy and magic," Kelart said with a grin.
Remedios finally realized what she was implying, her face flushing red. "Are you planning to use me as a bargaining chip!"
"And why not? Free Will is very valuable."
"You bastard!!"
Upper Wind Moon.
April 7th, early morning.
A ghoul-dog-drawn carriage left Kalinxia, heading away from the Holy Kingdom and toward the Abelion Hills.
Inside the carriage, Enri was quite happy; she would get to see Miss Cui Ye soon.
Tang Zheng, however, sat with his eyes closed, resting. He was somewhat surprised. He had thought that someone from the Slane Theocracy would approach him after he left the VIP quarters, but there had been no movement at all.
*"So, the eavesdropper yesterday was just an ordinary spy who couldn't make decisions."*
*"And the people from the Slane Theocracy probably haven't arrived yet."*
Tang Zheng shook his head almost imperceptibly.
The "Blend Potion" was of limited value to the Holy Kingdom, but to the Slane Theocracy, it was of truly immense significance.
However, since the people from the Slane Theocracy hadn't arrived, Tang Zheng wasn't going to waste time waiting for them.
His words to Kelart last night were meant not just for the Holy Kingdom, but for the Slane Theocracy as well.
*"Since the Slane Theocracy didn't get the potion, they might come looking for me again, but it's more likely they'll just take the finished product."*
The corners of Tang Zheng's mouth curled up in a faint laugh.
The rest of the journey was much simpler!
Tang Zheng needed Free Will to fade from the public eye for a while. The "Blend Potion" and materials he provided would require both the Holy Kingdom and the Slane Theocracy to spend a certain amount of time on research.
And this period was enough for him to carry out some clandestine operations.
Upon entering the Abelion Hills, the Green Leaf Witch, who had been waiting for them, came to pick up Enri.
Tang Zheng was in no hurry to raise Enri's level. He needed her to first learn how to lead troops from the "Beast General" Hector Weiss and attempt to acquire classes from the "Commander" system.
Next, using the pretext of searching for alchemical materials, Tang Zheng bid farewell to Enri and the Green Leaf Witch and headed to the manor where he had previously settled the dwarf artisans.
He transported all the dwarf artisans to the hills to make contact with the dark dwarves.
It took him two days to set this series of plans in motion.
And during this time, a major event occurred in the Holy Kingdom. While making camp in the wilderness on their return to the capital, Hebonsc, Kelart and Remedios, leading the Holy Knight Order and the Cleric Corps, were suddenly attacked by mysterious assailants. According to rumors, there were no casualties, but it seemed an important item had been lost.
Holy Queen Calca even ordered a full investigation, resulting in the arrest of numerous spies.
At the same time, as time passed, news of the events in the hills had spread completely, sending shockwaves through the various nations. The first to react was the Baharuth Empire, which rescinded the bounty on Free Will.
Re-Estize Kingdom.
Royal Capital.
Deep within the princess's palace in Flancia.
Renner held a cup of black tea that was emitting wisps of steam. Her eyes curved in a gentle smile as she looked ahead with great composure.
Climb, though trying to remain calm, was still relaying the rumors he had heard from the Adventurer's Guild and outside with barely concealed excitement.
"Lord Tang is incredible!"
"To think he could work with the elites of the Holy Kingdom and the Slane Theocracy to eliminate tens of thousands of undead."
"The Alliance Leader of Zuranon is just as evil as the rumors say. If those undead had…"
Climb's emotions were running high, as if he himself had been in that perilous situation, facing that endless sea of undead.
After finishing his report, Climb saw that Renner had been listening to him with a constant smile, and he immediately realized his behavior had been somewhat improper.
"I have overstepped my bounds."
Climb quickly bowed his head, his body bent at a ninety-degree angle.
"Ah?"
Renner set down her teacup and said softly, "Don't be so formal. I enjoy hearing about these things too."
"I never thought Lord Tang's Free Will would become an adamantite-rank adventurer team so quickly, even a step ahead of Lakyus's Blue Rose."
Climb kept his head lowered, his two thick eyebrows tensed. He knew this was not the time for him to speak.
Miss Lakyus was the princess's friend; a subordinate like him naturally had no right to comment.
"Climb," said Renner.
"Yes!"
Climb immediately stood ramrod straight, his face filled with a will as strong as steel, as if he would immediately carry out any command Renner gave.
"You are the only one by my side who can go out."
"Could you help me find out more detailed information about Free Will?"
Renner looked utterly innocent as she spoke in a small voice, "Oh, and have Leinas come see me."
Climb swiftly nodded in response and respectfully withdrew from the hall.
*"So it wasn't the Holy Kingdom."*
*"It was the Abelion Hills… demi-humans… Zuranon…"*
Renner's innocent smile grew even more brilliant. A strange light flickered in her deep blue pupils as she lifted a delicate finger and lightly bit her nail.
Lava Zone.
A weary look filled Tang Zheng's eyes as he stared at the "Spiral of Death" ritual laid out on the ground. He had already been here for five days, continuously testing his hypothesis.
If negative energy was a source of power for the undead, then theoretically, holy energy should also be a source of power for the living.
The "Spiral of Death" ritual could channel negative energy into the body, so it should be able to channel other types of energy as well.
However!
While it sounded simple, putting it into practice was another matter entirely.
"It's not working."
"There's still a problem with the ritual."
Tang Zheng frowned, constantly checking the ritual he had laid out, making adjustments from time to time.
"[Angel Summoning]!"
A Fourth Tier Principality of Observation was summoned.
Tang Zheng waved his hand to dismiss the summon. The angel, which had just appeared, turned into white sparks of light and began to dissipate.
"Activate ritual!"
"Strange, why is there still no reaction?"
Tang Zheng's frown deepened.
He had already modified it dozens of times, not only using the normal "Spiral of Death" ritual but also drawing upon the "Sacrifice: Spiral of Death" ritual used by the Alliance Leader to create the Death Knights. He had even referenced the energy absorption pathways of the "Wild Transformation" ritual.
"Logically, even if it fails, there shouldn't be zero reaction," Tang Zheng said, rubbing his temples as he continued to think.
Possessing the [Magic Master] passive ability gave him a very clear and simple understanding of such complex rituals, allowing him to easily detect problems and changes in the ritual.
*"Perhaps… the problem isn't the ritual."*
*"Is it the summoned angel?"* This line of thought suddenly flashed through Tang Zheng's mind.
He had been fixated on the ritual all this time and hadn't focused on the angel itself.
The angels he summoned were all created through normal [Angel Summoning], no different from the angels summoned by [Armageddon (Good)].
*"No!"*
*"There is a difference. The angels summoned by [Armageddon (Good)] are neutral monsters."*
Thinking of this, Tang Zheng decided not to dwell on it any longer. He used his class skill to cast the tenth-tier magic at no cost.
A brilliant white light covered the Lava Zone!
A dense swarm of angels, exuding a holy aura, appeared in the sky above Tang Zheng's head.
"Dismiss."
The thought formed in Tang Zheng's mind.
Although he couldn't directly control these angels, as the caster, he could choose when to end the magic.
In an instant, several hundred angels all dissolved into white sparks of light, creating a splendidly sacred scene.
Tang Zheng's eyes narrowed as he quickly activated the ritual.
In that moment!
The dispersed holy light, as if drawn by some force, began to converge on the ritual, but it soon started to collapse and dissipate again.
It had failed!
A trace of excitement appeared on Tang Zheng's face. After researching for so long, he wasn't afraid of failure; he was afraid of getting no reaction at all.
A reaction from the ritual meant that it was feasible!
"That position is wrong."
"The flow of energy is restricted. No, this material needs to be replaced as well."
Tang Zheng recalled what had happened with the ritual just now, making adjustments as he went.
Next, he cast [Armageddon (Good)] two more times. Both were failures, but Tang Zheng now had a clear idea of what to do.
Unfortunately, he could only cast the spell three times a day, so Tang Zheng had to wait until the next day when he could cast the magic again to continue his experiment.
Another three days passed.
The entire ritual still looked like the "Spiral of Death" ritual, but in reality, many details had been completely changed.
"Huu—"
Tang Zheng took a deep breath and stood in the very center of the ritual. "There shouldn't be any problems now. If this still doesn't succeed, it can only prove that my previous hypothesis was wrong."
"—[Armageddon (Good)]!"
Boom!
A huge, white, bubbling vortex appeared overhead.
One by one, angels flew out of the vortex, eventually gathering in the sky to form an angel legion.
"Dismiss!" Tang Zheng uttered a low cry.
The numerous angels disintegrated into a massive amount of white, holy sparks of light, which began to dissipate in the air.
"Activate ritual!"
Tang Zheng held his breath and quickly infused his magic power into the "Spiral of Death" ritual beneath his feet.
A faint blue magical pattern spread out rapidly in all directions with Tang Zheng at the center, creating an invisible gravitational pull that attracted the dissipating holy energy in the air!
The fine sparks of light were drawn by the magic power and began to converge within the ritual.
In that instant!
The white light formed a sacred torrent that poured into the ritual, then converged toward the center, dyeing Tang Zheng's entire body a snowy white.
The status panel vibrated and appeared before his eyes.
『Gained 1 Experience Point』
『Gained 1 Experience Point』
『......』
『Gained 1 Experience Point』
『Gained 1 Experience Point』
Tang Zheng's eyes widened slightly as he watched the stream of experience gain notifications scroll across his status panel, a look of joyful surprise appearing in his eyes.
"It worked!"
A full five minutes passed before the sparks of light from the several hundred dissipated angels completely vanished.
[Experience Bar: 658,160 / 510,000]
↓
[Experience Bar: 1,158,160 / 510,000]
"A full 500,000 increase in experience?"
"For anyone else, this would be a losing trade!"
Tang Zheng looked at the experience points gained in his experience bar, the corners of his mouth breaking into a wide, brilliant smile.
Casting [Armageddon (Good)] required 80 mana and 1,500,000 experience points. By using the "Spiral of Death" ritual, he could harvest 500,000 experience points.
Under normal circumstances, this would be a terrible loss.
But Tang Zheng could use his class skill, "Mad Meditation," to cast this magic at no cost, effectively earning a pure profit of 500,000 experience points.
He could cast it three times a day, which meant he could gain 1,500,000 experience points every day!
(end of chapter)