Chapter 521: Appointment with the Ice Tree

Two days later.

"Honestly, Luo De, I attended the memorial funeral held by the Adventurers' Guild yesterday—you really should've come, the food was amazing."

The halfling Lily's short legs marched in perfect step across the uneven ground of mixed soil and rock.

Along the relatively flat path, towering peaks rose into the clouds on either side.

This was unmistakably the bottom of a fissure canyon.

Although Lily stood only 1. meters tall, her proportions were perfectly balanced.

Her legs alone made up three-fifths of her height, making her look nothing like the usual clumsy halflings.

In fact, halflings rarely exceed one meter in height.

In the eyes of her own kind, she was practically a giant.

"If I remember correctly, that funeral was meant to honor me, right? I'll pass."

Luo De smiled wryly.

Lily was a restless soul.

For the past few days, every meal had been scavenged from various memorial funerals.

What?

So many people died?

Not really—just one.

The city hall's stubborn denial of Luo De's death had stirred up considerable backlash.

Many organizations and individuals spontaneously held funerals for Luo De.

Yesterday, when Luo De went to visit Sharon for some tenderness.

A stroll down New Rank Street would reveal two restaurants offering "Luo De's Death" all-you-can-eat buffets.

It left the actual person speechless.

The Banshee Krist each funeral had to wail at least once—she ended up crying herself into ecstasy.

In the end, she even leveled up slightly, reaching mid-sixth tier.

Lily grinned broadly: "Only you could pull something like this off, Luo De! I'm going to fake my own death someday and see if anyone throws me a memorial funeral!"

The halfling girl had always been eager to emulate Luo De.

"I can only say my feelings are complicated—there are even portraits of my dead face being sold on street stalls."

"Hahahahaha————"

After her burst of laughter, Lily looked at him with deep meaning.

"You're not just feeling complicated—you're actually enjoying this. I heard the Maria Tailor's shop made a batch of scandalous funeral attire—high slits, hollowed-out chests, and panties so thin they were just a single thread."

"."

"I thought Shiying Town had brothels, and that they'd gone this far—but turns out they're secretly shipped to Henry Farm's villa."

As she spoke, the halfling grinned wickedly and elbowed him.

Luo De: "."

Tally threw a funeral attire party the day before yesterday.

Six girls each wore funeral garments, holding portraits of Luo De at the door to greet guests.

As host, Tally forbade them from smiling and demanded they cry.

Over the past two days, the Banshee Krist surprisingly chose to actively join in.

But her usual cooing cries had turned into sawing wails—leaving Luo De utterly speechless.

The environment was simply too perfect for this undead creature's growth.

As she wailed, she delightedly observed Luo De's expression.

Her obedience increased by two points, finally breaking through to 50 and unlocking the shared skill.

【Fear Aura】

【Details: When entering combat state or actively activating Fear Aura, all creatures within a certain radius are affected. Each creature must make a Will save. If failed, the target enters the "Fear" state.】

A merciless skill for crushing weaklings.

To be honest, Luo De currently doesn't lack such skills.

When the Bronze Dragon Spirit roars, its dragon aura spills out.

The effect is the same.

Besides,

The 【Shivering Soul Blade】 already carries a Fear Domain—stronger still.

Not impressive, Krist.

As they spoke,

the two had entered the depths of the canyon.

This area lay on the eastern edge of Claw Valley, near the terminus of Koshi Plain.

Named Eagle Claw Canyon, it was one of the rare terrain features in the treacherous Claw Valley mountains that had been developed as a trade route.

Its towering peaks pierced the clouds; the canyon floor was flat.

From above, it looked like a long, narrow tear ripped open by an eagle's talons.

Moreover, since ancient times, harpies—also known as the Hapi tribe—had dwelled here.

Hence the name Eagle Claw Canyon.

Luo De came here to keep an appointment—with the Black Dragon Mikhail.

The arrangement had been made two days prior in their communication.

They had not only set the reward for "killing Luo De," but also finalized a plan to ambush the Red Dragon Nars.

Isn't that convenient?

The location was precisely this trade route, planned to connect Shiying Town to Teller's Town—the very spot where the Blizzard Mercenary Company had intended to drop gold as bait.

This wasn't Luo De's idea.

As the White Dragon, his intelligence didn't allow him to devise such a calculated scheme.

It was all because Mikhail, the Black Dragon, had suffered wing injuries in their previous battle, reducing his flight capability.

Choosing this narrow canyon as the battlefield

was meant to suppress the Red Dragon's aerial advantage and level the playing field.

It was a lucky coincidence.

Lily had entered the shadows ahead of time, waiting alongside Tally.

Not long after,

they found the "temporary lair" Mikhail had built for the White Dragon.

A cave nestled within the canyon's cliffside.

It was damp and reeked of swamp gas—not at all like a suitable lair for a cold-type creature like the White Dragon.

But days had passed since the raid on the Red Dragon's hoard; Nars had already scoured the cold regions of Dusk Hills. Establishing the lair here lent plausibility to Mikhail's claim that he'd "accidentally" found it.

Entering the lair,

they walked only a short distance before reaching what seemed to be the end.

But that was misleading.

Luo De activated 【Insight Demon Eye】.

Immediately, he spotted a dragon-language spell disguised as a massive rock in the corner.

He infused a trace of magic—the rock emitted a faint purple glow.

The light swiftly sketched a minimalist circular ritual array in midair.

"Please input the passphrase."

The array emitted a genderless, emotionless tone.

This was a magical passphrase.

Only the correct words would unlock it.

Luo De cleared his throat and spoke five words into the array: "The Red Dragon must die."

"Passphrase accepted."

"Happy cooperation, White Dragon brother."

The rectangular pattern at the center of the magical array slowly rotated, aligning all magical circuits.

A hum.

The array blazed with brilliant light.

Following it, the rock wall at the cave's end crumbled like ash scattered by the wind.

A mountain of gold coins—Jin Along—appeared behind it.

Luo De stared at the glittering pile of coins and smiled.

This was the reward agreed upon with the Black Dragon: "Kill Luo De."

Forty thousand gold coins in total.

Of course,

the original agreement had been fifty thousand.

But Mikhail the Black Dragon was a notorious deadbeat—he feared the White Dragon might back out of the plan to kill Nars, so the remaining ten thousand would only be paid after the Red Dragon was dead.

Of course Luo De argued his case!

But because the White Dragon's intelligence was insufficient, he was easily overruled by Mikhail.

No big problem.

Luo De was mainly trying to build up the dragon's image; he didn't care much about the money.

After all, he'd still be visiting the Black Dragon's treasury later.

At that moment.

Mikhail the Black Dragon's communication stone vibrated.

Luo De picked it up, activated it, and heard the excited voice of Old Lai, the Black Dragon.

He was overly elated, as if finally getting revenge.

【White Dragon brother, are you in position? I've already communicated with the Red Dragon Nars! Estimated arrival in one hour.】

"I'm here."

Luo De replied in the dull, stupid tone of the White Dragon.

【Excellent! White Dragon brother!

Pay attention: Red Dragon Nars's favorite combat style is to strike first with his fire breath—when his chest begins to swell, that's your cue to dodge.

After the first breath, his fire sac enters a brief cooldown and cannot immediately release a second.

At that moment, he'll dive down for close combat, using his proud body and scales to tear his enemies apart.】

Luo De snorted.

"I know that without you telling me!"

【Of course, just a small reminder from the host. Once the Red Dragon Nars dives into the gorge, I'll strike first and shout, 'Red Dragon, your era is over!'—that's when we officially begin our two-on-one battle!】

Mikhail spoke with great enthusiasm.

Especially when he said, "Red Dragon, your era is over," he was positively theatrical.

"The Red Dragon must die!"

【Yes, White Dragon brother! The Red Dragon must die!】

Ended the communication stone.

Luo De arrived outside the lair.

The halfling Lily said from the shadows: "One hour left. Should we set up spells in advance?"

"No. The Black Dragon may have hidden observation spells near the lair. Better to be cautious. Besides, I have a better method—one that fits the White Dragon's style."

"Oh?"

Luo De smiled.

He raised both hands toward the sky.

Crack!

From him as the center, a vast ice field—ten meters in radius—exploded outward in frost.

And only ten meters.

As half of Luo De's spiritual capacity was instantly drained, a thick, leafless ice tree slowly crystallized from the frost.

On its trunk, a terrified human face formed, then let out a horrifying wail.

Simultaneously, jagged ice blades began spreading outward in all directions.

The spiritual intensity of the ice crystals noticeably strengthened.

【Wailing Ice Tree: Every five minutes, a "Wailing Ice Tree" grows within the ice blade domain. Each tree increases ice blade strength by 5%. Can be forcibly grown by consuming 50% of the caster's spiritual capacity.】

Luo De smiled.

One hour.

Refined by the 【Myriad Furnace】.

Using the Plague Domain and 【Judian's Ice Blade Domain】 as materials.

A fusion of domain and spiritual art.

Let me see your limits.

One hour later.

At the bottom of Eagle Claw Gorge.

Centered on the disguised White Dragon's lair, blue-white frost had spread across the entire floor, even creeping up the vertical cliffs on the opposite side.

Under the effect of countless 【Wailing Ice Trees】, the domain extended fifty meters along the length of the path.

【Number of "Wailing Ice Trees": 86】

【【Judian's Ice Blade Domain】 boost: 430%】

(End of Chapter)