Chapter 201: Bloodline Node

Luo De couldn't help but warn: "These dark elves may be sorcerers who worship the Demon Prince; I've heard they possess a sorcery granting an indestructible body."

During this time, he had encountered seven high-rankers in total.

The avian Karoline was fine—she had always specialized in high offensive power and strong dispelling abilities.

If Luo De hadn't had the burst skill 【Will of the Azure Sky】, he might have been killed by a single sword strike after she dispelled 【Dragon Scale Technique】.

As for the demon Artu and the plague mage Amel, both seventh-rankers, their survivability could rightly be called terrifying.

So he had some experience dealing with opponents with strong vitality.

But ultimately, the dark elves' sorcery—borrowing power—did not grant their indestructible bodies from within themselves.

Luo De had once read in the Snow Hill Evening News' knowledge section about why certain demon-worshipping sorcerers could not be truly killed:

While sorcerers worshipped the Demon Prince and borrowed his power, they had already sold their souls.

The Demon Princes, seeking reliable laborers or terrestrial avatars, cast the sorcerers' souls into a spring called the 【Bloodlife Pool】, preserving their souls from destruction while eternally imprisoning them.

In short, the Demon Prince's sorcerers were either desperate, hopeless souls or fanatical believers—either way, they were madmen.

The three men in the office naturally understood this logic.

A rational old tiefling like Lu Xiusi would far rather face the latter than a band of mad dark elf sorcerers.

"Fortunately,"

Humbert chuckled bitterly, "from their demeanor in negotiations, the dark elves seem to be searching for something and aren't in a hurry to expand wildly."

"Don't place hope in the enemy's attitude, Mr. Humbert."

Dimea reminded him.

As the official in charge of military authority in Shi Ying Town, she always prepared for the worst.

She flipped through her interrogation reports: "Lu Xiusi's testimony mentioned that the demon prince they serve demands they find the so-called 【Bloodline Node】."

"Bloodline Node?"

"Perhaps some scheme of that demon prince? Lu Xiusi didn't know what it was, only that this so-called Bloodline Node refers to a pair of tiefling siblings."

Huh?

Luo De froze.

Tiefling siblings?

He suddenly recalled that Faershad had once said he'd tangled with dark elves—because of his two tiefling students.

So the Bloodline Node must be Saixier and Prula.

Luo De silently shook his head and smiled wryly.

Faershad, Faershad—you ran from your wedding, but why do you keep getting dragged into major events the moment you show up?

As for Saixier temporarily staying in the forest,

He didn't care much—seeing how these dark elves still blindly wandered around Coral Bay, they clearly had no idea where the tiefling siblings were.

Calist had mentioned that Faershad's skill in masking star destinies had grown even more refined; this was likely why.

Return to the forest.

Bai Yu District, temporary hospital.

Luo De found Saixier the tiefling visiting, holding a bouquet of wildflowers.

But she didn't enter the ward—only watched from outside.

She was very conscious of her sulfur scent, likely fearing it would disturb the patients.

Lucky—he'd wanted to speak with her anyway, so he saved himself the trouble of seeking her out.

It was dusk; the woods were draped in a soft golden gauze.

Luo De and Saixier moved slightly away from the temporary hospital.

Before speaking, he spotted a wild fruit tree, tasted one, found it decent, and began picking while asking directly.

"Bloodline Node?"

Saixier was holding open her dress to catch the wild fruits Luo De picked.

She paused, then said bitterly: "I knew I couldn't hide it from Lord Luo De."

"If you're willing, you can tell me."

Though he claimed not to care, she was a tenant of the forest—he ought to understand.

Saixier hesitated a moment, then said seriously: "My teacher forbade us from speaking of this to outsiders—but Lord Luo De is trustworthy."

Luo De shrugged.

Saixier continued: "A Demon Prince—I cannot name him—has a spell called 【Name Echo】. He believes a unique demonic bloodline is born once every thousand years, and within this bloodline lies the common essence of all demonic lineages, hence the name 'Bloodline Node.'"

Demons of the Infernal Realm are not all just horned, hooved creatures.

There are tiny demons like goblins, demon hounds, giants, beastmen, scaled and scaleless, corporeal and incorporeal.

Their variety doesn't rival that of the continent's intelligent races, but it's still considerable.

Yet as chaotic evil beings, they care little for classification.

Tieflings, as a race bearing demonic blood, are likewise not uniform in form.

Humanoid tieflings like Saixier and Prula, or Lu Xiusi, are actually rare—most tieflings undergo far more drastic changes upon awakening, directly tied to the type of bloodline they carry.

Luo De had heard of someone in Stormwind City who gave birth to a tiefling who awoke as a two-headed serpent.

"So what is this prince's goal? Another mad magical experiment?"

Saixier shook her head.

"No one knows the mind of a ninth-rank Demon Prince. The only certainty is that he controls most dark elves underground—so wherever dark elves appear, it's almost certainly his doing."

Luo De immediately recalled that Vivian had encountered a group of dark elves in the Tree Realm.

So they were also under this prince's command?

The World Tree could be considered a convenient portal across the entire continent and all dimensions—what did they want?

"If he's a ninth-rank prince, how did you escape his pursuit?"

Even if Faershad's skill in masking star destinies was unmatched, could it truly block a full-power Infernal prince?

"My teacher possesses an artifact that obscures prophecy. It's thanks to that—and only that—that Prula and I survived."

Boom!

Nearby, the hospital door was violently flung open.

Calist's perfect figure appeared.

Her first glance fell on Saixier and Luo De, picking fruit and talking nearby.

She narrowed her eyes slightly.

Then turned and walked away decisively.

The half-unicorn Ko hurried out after her: "Miss Calist! You're not fully recovered yet!"

"Don't bother with me!"

The elf spoke one sentence, then vanished with a 【Spatial Shift】.

Saixier looked bewildered: "What's wrong with Miss Calist?"

Luo De: "You know—elves are just strange."

Even so, he went to inquire about the elf's condition.

But Ko only knew Calist had been like this since waking—she hadn't said anything else.

(End of Chapter)