Chapter 94: End

Lao Mao just stared at him coldly, the dagger in his hand flashing with a chilling gleam.

"Ka Jia Ni, your scheming ends here," Lao Mao whispered, then his figure flashed and he instantly appeared before Ka Jia Ni.

Ka Jia Ni hadn't had time to react when Lao Mao's dagger already pierced his chest.

Ka Jia Ni's eyes widened, looking at Lao Mao in disbelief: "You… how could you…"

Lao Mao let out a cold laugh, his tone tinged with mockery: "You thought that reaching First Ring Wizard made you invincible? In front of me, you're still just an ant."

A flash of despair crossed Ka Jia Ni's eyes; he could no longer resist.

As he was about to fall, a strange smile curled at the corner of his mouth.

"Do you think you've won?" Ka Jia Ni whispered, then pulled a jet‑black crystal from his coat—indeed the Soul‑Eating Crystal.

"Bad!" Lao Mao's complexion changed, and he stepped back quickly.

However, it was already too late.

Using his last strength, Ka Jia Ni raised the Soul‑Eating Crystal high above his head and whispered an ancient Incantation.

"With my soul as sacrifice, Soul‑Eating Crystal, erupt!"

As his words fell, the Soul‑Eating Crystal instantly burst with intense black light, a terrifying wave of energy sweeping the entire Ashen Wasteland.

"Run!" Lao Mao shouted, dashing toward Robin, trying to get him away.

The explosion's speed was simply too fast.

The black energy wave instantly devoured everything around; Lao Mao and Robin were hurled by the massive impact, crashing heavily to the ground.

At the same time, three First Ring Wizards of the Wizard Council who had arrived from afar were also caught in the blast's aftershock.

They hadn't had time to react before the black energy wave swallowed them, turning them to ash in an instant.

The explosion lasted several seconds before gradually subsiding.

A huge crater appeared at the center of the Ashen Wasteland, the surrounding ground riddled with charred fissures, and a scorching aura filled the air.

Robin struggled to rise from the ground, feeling excruciating pain throughout his body.

He looked up at the blast's center and saw that Ka Jia Ni had vanished without a trace, leaving only fragments of the Soul‑Eating Crystal scattered on the ground.

"Lao Mao…" Robin whispered, turning his head toward Lao Mao.

Lao Mao lay on the ground, his face pale, a trickle of blood at the corner of his mouth; had he not shielded Robin, the terrifying shockwave would have taken Robin's life.

Lao Mao forced himself to sit up, whispering, "I'm fine… just a little wounded."

Robin exhaled a sigh of relief, his gratitude toward Lao Mao deepening.

"Ka Jia Ni… is he dead?" Robin asked softly.

Lao Mao nodded, his tone carrying a hint of complexity: "He sacrificed his own soul to the Soul‑Eating Crystal, triggering the explosion. But he also vanished completely."

Robin fell silent for a moment, then whispered, "Thank you, Lao Mao. If it weren't for you, I…"

Lao Mao waved his hand, cutting him off: "No need to thank me. I helped you because you possess something I want."

Robin's heart tightened, he watched Lao Mao warily: "What do you want?"

Lao Mao smiled faintly, his voice tinged with mystery: "It's not the time to tell you now. Rest assured, I won't harm you."

Robin nodded, his wariness toward Lao Mao deepening.

Lao Mao's motives were not simple, but for now Robin had no choice but to rely temporarily on Lao Mao.

"What should we do next?" Robin asked softly.

Lao Mao inhaled deeply, standing up with effort: "We must leave this place as soon as possible. The Wizard Council and the people of the Black Wizard Covenant will arrive soon; they won't let us go."

Robin nodded, quickly packing his gear, and after Lao Mao secured the Soul‑Eating Crystal, they headed toward the deep interior of the wasteland.

Robin followed Lao Mao—or rather, Aodisi—through the depths of the Ashen Wasteland to a hidden cave.

The cave entrance was concealed by dense vines and rocks; without Aodisi's guidance, Robin would never have discovered it.

Inside the cave, Aodisi lit a magical lamp; its faint glow illuminated the surroundings. The cave was not large, but clearly arranged with care, with food and supplies stacked in a corner, evidently Aodisi's temporary base.

"Sit," Aodisi gestured to a stone on the floor, then sat down himself.

Robin watched him warily, not sitting immediately, and whispered, "Who are you really? Why are you helping me?"

Aodisi smiled faintly, his tone weary: "My name is Aodisi Laiman, from an organization called the Round Table Council."

"Round Table Council?" Robin frowned; he had never heard of such an organization.

Aodisi nodded and explained: "The Round Table Council was established with royal support, its purpose to guarantee the royal family's transcendent position in the kingdom. Whether it's the Wizard Council or the Black Wizard Covenant, once they grow strong enough, they will inevitably threaten the throne."

Robin felt a shock, never expecting such a group within the kingdom, and also heard a new name, Black Wizard Covenant. He asked quietly, "What is the Black Wizard Covenant?"

Aodisi replied, "The Black Wizard Covenant is a body similar to the Wizard Council, formed by multiple Black Wizard sects joining together."

"Then why are you helping me?"

Robin's gaze fixed on Aodisi, trying to read some clue from his expression.

Although Aodisi's explanation gave him some understanding of the Round Table Council and the Black Wizard Covenant, he still could not fully trust this mysterious organization.

Aodisi seemed to notice Robin's doubts, gave a slight smile, his voice sincere: "We help you because you hold value we need. You are not only a Knight and Wizard dual cultivator, but also entangled in the Soul‑Eating Crystal and those Gold Coins' conspiracy. Behind these events lies a game between the Wizard Council and the Black Wizard Covenant, potentially threatening the kingdom's stability."

Robin frowned and asked softly, "Do you intend to use me against the Wizard Council and the Black Wizard Covenant?"

Aodisi shook his head, his tone calm: "No, we don't intend to use you. On the contrary, we hope you can become one of us."

The Round Table Council's goal is to maintain the kingdom's balance, preventing any faction from becoming too powerful. And now you are wanted by both groups; aside from us, there is nowhere else that can shelter you."

Robin fell silent for a moment, weighing the pros and cons in his heart.

His current situation was extremely dangerous; whether the Wizard Council or the Black Wizard Covenant, neither would let him go easily.

I have a slight cold, forgot to post today; as for Sunday off, people working in factories have no weekends.

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(End of Chapter)