Chapter 492: Secrets of Despair and Blood

"But why?"

Luo De did not directly explain Hera the Scorpion Woman's current state.

The magic stone, Julia, paused, then said seriously: "This matter concerns Hera's past; I cannot tell you. You only need to know that after Hera ascends to the ninth tier, she will inevitably do something that will plunge her into despair."

Hmm.

The Vampire King was hiding something, and her attitude was also strangely odd.

On what grounds does anyone think Luo De can help Hera ascend?

After all, to normal people, Luo De is merely a seventh-tier with decent tactics and considerable charm with women.

Forget ninth tier—even fighting an eighth-tier above mid-level would be difficult for him.

The last half-elf, Virgil, was a tank-type fighter who relied on brute force; Luo De had a slight advantage.

But if he faced a mage or another school, it would be far less certain.

Even if Luo De has high resistance, not all debuff spells can be fully negated.

Especially now that the enemies he faces are growing ever higher in tier.

For example, yesterday's fake eighth-tier, the Witherer, the serpent-man Dane.

He used three spiritual debuff spells: 【Energy Drain】, 【Muscle Withering】, and 【Plague Ray】.

Only 【Plague Ray】 was directly absorbed by the Plague Domain.

【Energy Drain】 and 【Muscle Withering】 both clearly took effect.

Though the effects were minor.

But if a dozen or two mages ambushed Luo De, unleashing a hundred 【Muscle Withering】 spells in succession.

Even with his high resistance, his combat power would plummet drastically.

"Your Grace, you jest—I'm merely a seventh-tier. How could I possibly help Lady Hera ascend?"

Luo De chuckled awkwardly.

As he walked, he reached the entrance of the cave.

He had intended to enjoy the night breeze.

But when he peeked out, he saw Tally far away, wearing a bathrobe, calling "Master!" as she scanned left and right.

Luo De felt inexplicably guilty and quickly pulled back into the cave.

That's not right.

I'm the master—why should I feel guilty?

Still, this kind of sneaky, illicit behavior has a certain appeal.

Developing a few girls without Tally's knowledge wouldn't be bad.

Sorry, Tally.

You've already become part of the cheating game.

"Hmph, don't pretend here. Even ninth-tiers in the Abyss are talking about you. Your spiritual intensity far exceeds that of a seventh-tier. If not for the Mind Flayer's psychic ability masking your Star Fate, and if you weren't constantly stationed in Shi Ying Town, someone with ill intent and great power would have stripped you bare long ago!"

Julia sneered.

Her voice was crisp and childlike—not a cold laugh, but more like a young girl pouting.

Luo De had no time to savor it; he sharply noticed she mentioned Shi Ying Town.

He immediately recalled the secret about Shi Ying Town mentioned by the Witherer, the serpent-man Dane.

"What's special about Shi Ying Town?"

"Of course. Beneath it lies a relic from the First Era. The Kingdom of Aetheron deliberately blocked the Star Fate of the entire Dusk Hills to conceal it. What exactly it is—hmm, I am the Vampire King, bound by agreements, so I cannot tell you plainly."

A relic from the First Era.

The most widely accepted history on the continent holds that the current era is the Fourth Era—the Human Era.

The Third Era is considered the Elven Era, driven out by towns and steel torrents.

The elves of Bicui Ting are believed to be descendants of the High Elves of the Third Era.

The Second Era was the age of dragons and giants vying for dominance.

Legends say the dragons of that time were born from rock, their scales impervious to any weapon.

The giants, meanwhile, were born from a mysterious flame furnace.

Thus, many scholars and mages prefer to call them Flame Giants.

They also blame the elves of the Third Era for the extinction of the Flame Giants.

They believe the High Elves, terrified of the flames that could burn trees, carried out bloody massacres.

The surviving giants, now of low intelligence, are flawed laborers created through their 【Biological Weaving】.

The claim of bloody massacres cannot be verified due to the passage of time.

Yet the bodies of existing giants undeniably contain unnatural traces of 【Biological Weaving】.

As for the First Era, it was the continent's first era of rule.

Its rulers were believed to be lizardmen.

Yes.

The very lizardmen still widely scattered across the continent, who love to establish camps in swamps and wetlands.

They have endured to this day, but since they are not a race skilled in recording history, most matters related to the First Era remain mysterious.

"That's all I'll say. Since you can't help Hera, I'll go back to sleep. Tomorrow I'm going sightseeing at the Eye Demon Spring in the third layer of the Abyss."

"Um, isn't Your Grace going there to claim 'Mystera's Sacred Blood'?"

"Little one, little one, do you know who I am? I am the Vampire King, the greatest blood manipulator in the world. Even if Asmodeus currently holds that drop of blood, even if he truly fused with it, I could still rip it out forcibly. I don't seek it merely because..."

"Ah, hard to explain, hard to explain—you'll understand later. Anyway, since entering the Abyss, I've just been sightseeing. I've never once attended that boring blood Zhengduo battle."

"."

Julia revealed a secret.

That drop of blood, stained with a spark of divinity, has a problem.

This is clearly a secret only someone who understands blood better than anyone else on the continent could know.

Luo De was surprised.

She was willing to share such a mystery with him.

"Oh, by the way, since you've learned the Blood Burst technique from the succubus I taught her, I might as well teach you the spiritual technique I stole from her too. You likely possess succubus bloodline—perhaps you'll learn it faster."

"Oh! Really? Thank you, Your Grace Julia!"

A spiritual technique even the Vampire King had to steal?

It was the skill of Lilith, the succubus ancestor!

Luo De grew excited.

He focused all his attention on the magic stone's voice, alert and intent.

"Listen carefully: this spiritual technique is called 【Lilith's Tentacle Tongue】. Unlike the ordinary 【Tentacle Tongue】, it doesn't just turn the tongue into a tentacle—it can also be enchanted with various stimulants, while retaining sensation and flexibility. It's amazing."

"."

When Luo De returned to the cave,

both girls had fully recovered.

Aona was holding samples of Luo De's essence and hallucinogenic spores, writing biological knowledge on a small blackboard while explaining to Scarlett.

Seeing him enter, she glanced away, smiling awkwardly.

Luo De smiled awkwardly.

Scarlett looked between the two, assuming they were troubled by their misunderstanding.

She raised her head and said, "Alright, alright, I know it's not hallucinogenic spores—but I'm still going to get revenge on that green-skinned orc! She hit me, after all. Don't you dare stop me! As a reward, I'll let you play with me a few more times—it's actually kind of nice."

Luo De: "?"

"Scarlett! Don't say that—you're a girl!"

"I'm a mushroom person—it doesn't matter."

"Even mushroom people can't say that! You must learn to value your body!"

"Fine, fine, you're right."

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(End of Chapter)