Bai Shi stood in the air, silently watching the bloodfiends below turn to ash under the searing sun.
Once he confird that no carriers of the Formless Mother’s power remained in the vicinity, Bai Shi imdiately recalled the energy from his Great Rune.
For the sake of future battles, it was best to conserve what he could.
The solar energy stored within the Great Rune was a remnant from the last ti he’d had infinite mana.
He normally lacked the reserves to fuel the sun at full power.
He couldn’t bear to use too much of it.
This was, after all, a true trump card. If his opponent hadn't been the Formless Mother, he never would have deployed such an ultimate move so readily.
Bai Shi put away the Great Rune, deeply satisfied with its performance.
The Formless Mother was an Outer God, after all; he couldn't afford a shred of carelessness.
He had to sever her connection to the Lands Between at once, preventing her from projecting her power here.
But he couldn’t rely on Fengling Yueying every ti he faced her.
This thod was like portioning out a single use of infinite mana, allowing him to briefly unleash that level of power each ti.
Bai Shi descended from the sky, landing amidst the ruins where the bloodfiends had been.
No other life stirred within these ruins; only bones littered the ground.
In so places, pools of cursed blood had gathered, and along their edges grew strange, crimson flowers.
These blossoms had thick petals, saturated with blood, giving them a particularly bewitching allure.
They resembled Bloodroses—a similar type of blood-fed flower.
‘Bloodfiend’s Amaryllis,’ was the na that appeared before his eyes.
Bai Shi looked at the skeletons, which had been picked clean of all flesh.
Though only bones remained, the On horns scattered on the ground revealed their forr identities—the Horned Man people.
Bai Shi stroked his chin.
The architecture of this ruined town was identical to that of the Horned Man people, and the number of skeletons on the ground proved that a large population of them once lived here.
But now, not a single Horned Man remained. Not even a spectral one.
Were they all eaten?
Did these strange creatures have a grudge against the Horned Man people, too?
Not necessarily. Perhaps they simply saw them as food.
Bai Shi wandered through the town, searching for any valuable loot.
After a short while, he found only a single talisman in a small room.
It was the ‘Outer God’s Heirloom,’ carved with the image of a Horned Man ancestor’s corpse, with several other Horned Man figures kneeling in worship below.
The talisman lay beside the skeletal remains of a Horned Man, tossed carelessly on the ground.
To the Horned Man people, it was a record of an important legend, but in the eyes of the bloodfiends, it was just sothing inedible—no different from a rock.
Bai Shi picked up the talisman, feeling the power it contained.
This talisman, like others in the ‘Heirloom’ series, enhanced a specific attribute.
And this one, surprisingly, boosted Arcane.
Arcane was the attribute that governed one’s connection to external powers. Only with sufficient Arcane could one perceive the existence of Outer Gods.
Bai Shi put the talisman away and couldn't help but ponder a question.
How were these ‘Heirloom’ series talismans created?
Talismans varied wildly in their effects and rarity.
Rare ones, like Marika’s and Radagon’s Soreseals, were exceedingly few in number and possessed formidable effects.
More common ones, like the Holy War dallion, were bestowed upon anyone of a certain standing who participated in the Holy War.
Bai Shi had yet to encounter a talisman artisan and had no idea how they were crafted.
Did one witness a legend and sohow preserve its power in that very mont?
He wondered when soone might craft a talisman based on his own deeds.
After thoroughly searching the ruins, Bai Shi departed.
Before leaving the Land of Shadow, there was one more place he wanted to visit.
When he had first entered the Land of Shadow, Bai Shi and lina had explored most of the Gravesite Plain.
Yet a final, unexplored section remained in this region.
After investigating the Scorched Ruins where the spectral Horned Man people road, Torrent had led them to find a Spirit Ash.
Right there, at the edge of the cliff where he found the ash, Bai Shi had spotted a structure below.
It was a place marked on the map as the ‘Church of Consolation’.
There seed to be a camp within the Church of Consolation, and it appeared to still be occupied.
At the ti, he didn't know who was stationed there. Out of caution, Bai Shi had chosen not to investigate and instead went to find Leda and her companions.
But after encountering the Fire Knights and learning about the Holy War, he had filled in many of the gaps in his knowledge.
Bai Shi was now quite certain that the camp belonged to his brother-in-law, ssr.
That Fire Knight last ti had fled too quickly; Bai Shi hadn't even had the chance to ask his questions properly.
If he hadn't run at the end, Bai Shi had planned to ntion his relationship with lina and have the knight lead him to ssr.
So, this ti, Bai Shi planned to go have a look.
He was sowhat concerned about the fact that the heads of all Queen Marika's statues in the Land of Shadow had been destroyed.
What was ssr thinking now? Did he still support Marika as staunchly as he once had?
And what was his attitude toward his sister, lina?
Still, this was soone else’s territory. It probably wasn't a good idea to barge straight into their main camp.
—
Bai Shi flew directly toward the church, soon arriving in the sky above it.
He saw a relatively well-preserved church, with a waterfall cascading down the cliff behind it, forming a pool nearby.
A small camp was pitched beside the pool, where soldiers sat listlessly.
Strangest of all, the military banner there was tattered and completely neglected.
Bai Shi landed at the church entrance.
Glancing around, he suddenly realized there wasn't a single soldier standing guard at the gate.
Since there was no one to announce his intentions to, he might as well just walk in and find the commander.
The good news was, Bai Shi found the person he was looking for as soon as he entered the church.
A knight clad in black and gold armor, wielding a massive hamr and a shield as large as a door, was standing right at the entrance.
Judging by his appearance, he was undoubtedly a high-ranking knight of significant status.
The bad news was, before Bai Shi could speak, the knight bellowed:
“Intruder!”
And just like that, the mont he stepped into the church, a massive hamr slamd down in front of Bai Shi, shattering the ground.
Bai Shi leaped backward, dodging the heavy blow.
But his opponent clearly had no intention of letting him retreat so easily.
Instead of imdiately lifting the cumberso hamr from the ground, he pressed it down, unleashing another surge of power.
A golden light flared on the hamr, channeling magical energy into the earth.
With a flash of gold, the cracks in the ground instantly spread toward Bai Shi, erupting with a brilliant, sacred light from within the fissures.
At that mont, the light also allowed his opponent to get a clear look at Bai Shi in the dim church.
Upon seeing Bai Shi’s face, the knight couldn’t help but exclaim:
“A Lightless One!”
“Soldiers! To arms!”
Bai Shi touched his face, suddenly rembering that he had deliberately withdrawn the grace from his eyes before eting the Horned Crone.
He’d forgotten to restore it later, as there hadn't been a need.
After all, he didn’t really care if he was a Tarnished or one of the blessed.
But these fellows seed to have a deep-seated obsession with the Lightless. This was already the second ti Bai Shi had been t with hostility for being a ‘Lightless One’.
At least he could be certain now that this man was one of ssr’s soldiers.
It seed that besides ssr’s followers, no one else in the Land of Shadow cared about the Lightless.
His opponent had already called for other soldiers, but Bai Shi wasn't worried. Instead, he fixed his gaze on the knight before him.
Taking the opportunity, Bai Shi carefully observed the knight’s appearance.
The knight wore a suit of heavy black armor, all of it adorned with golden engravings.
And though his armor was heavy, it almost seed flimsy compared to the two heavyweight items in his hands.
In one hand, he held a massive black iron hamr, its size even more exaggerated than the Giant-Crusher.
In the other, he carried an asymtrical, heavy greatshield, also made of black iron and embellished with gold.
The greatshield looked as if it had been ripped from half of a massive gate.
And this knight, who had clearly fought in the Holy War, was also of astounding physical stature.
The knight stood over two and a half ters tall, which was precisely why the absurdly large weapons in his hands looked so well-proportioned.
Seeing this, Bai Shi beca even more certain of his earlier theory.
Just as the text description of the Giant-Crusher suggested, humans in the ancient era of the Lands Between were generally more powerful.
Both in terms of size and strength.
All he had to do was see the other common soldiers and compare them to the current humans of the Lands Between, and he could draw a firm conclusion.
It was highly likely that the rule of "the more ancient, the stronger" applied here.
Seeing the knight squaring off against him, Bai Shi blinked.
So ti had passed since the knight had called for soldiers.
And the camp, with its nurous stationed soldiers, was less than ten ters away.
But...
Only three soldiers had run over so far.
Bai Shi glanced at the three soldiers, who were significantly taller than modern humans in the Lands Between, then back at the knight commanding them, and shrugged.
It seed the soldiers who had endured the Holy War weren’t in great shape either.
The knight, who had been watching Bai Shi intently, interpreted the gesture as a taunt.
He raised his great hamr and charged at Bai Shi once more.
Bai Shi didn’t strike back with full force. He simply dodged the heavy hamr and planted a kick on the knight's greatshield.
Since they were his brother-in-law's n, it was best not to kill them.
The knight braced himself, slamming his heavy shield into the ground, preparing to resist with his celebrated strength.
But he suddenly found the force utterly overwhelming. He was kicked back, stumbling several steps in a row.
Seeing their commander pushed back, the three nearby soldiers imdiately rushed forward.
A soldier with a double-headed axe closed in on Bai Shi, swinging his weapon repeatedly to block any potential pursuit.
The other two soldiers both held spears, thrusting precisely at Bai Shi through the gaps in their comrade’s attacks.
Bai Shi moved with the ease of a man on a leisurely stroll, evading the trio's coordinated assault. The dense flurry of attacks couldn't even touch the hem of his clothes.
Bai Shi looked at the knight, who had regained his footing, and said with a slight smile:
“Don’t be in such a rush.”
“While I am indeed what you call a Lightless One.”
“If we’re being precise, I am the most legitimate heir to the Golden Tree in the Lands Between.”
The black-clad knight opposite him was infuriated by his words and shouted:
“You Lightless One, what are you talk—?!”
Halfway through his sentence, the knight’s words caught in his throat as if he were being strangled, unable to continue.
Because in the eyes of the intruder before him, a golden brilliance suddenly ignited!
That bright golden light was, without a doubt, the blessing of gold!
But he couldn't believe it, assuming it was so kind of trick.
As he wondered how it was possible, two different Great Runes materialized in front of Bai Shi.
One pulsed with the pure power of gold, while the other radiated an unfamiliar, warm light.
Gazing at the two Great Runes, the knight fell silent.
The Land of Shadow had been isolated from the Lands Between for too long; he was unaware that the Elden Ring had been shattered.
And due to his station, he didn’t understand the relationship between the Great Runes and the Elden Ring.
But his faith was strong enough to tell him that the person before him truly had an extraordinary connection to the Golden Tree.
As he hesitated, Bai Shi spoke again:
“Not only that, my consort is Queen Marika’s daughter—lina.”
Bai Shi’s words were the last straw that broke the Black Knight.
The expression beneath his helm beca deeply conflicted. Finally, he lowered his great hamr and shield.
He waved his hand, and the surrounding soldiers all put away their weapons.
These soldiers had already lost their minds and had no reaction to the explosive revelations.
The Black Knight saw this and felt a sense of helplessness.
In truth, he himself was barely holding on.
That brutal Holy War... it had been nothing more than a massacre without a shred of honor.
That slaughter had even stained them with a foul, lingering stench that would not wash away.
Was the source of that sll the splattered blood of the defilers they had killed?
Or was it the stench of his own soul, corrupted by endless killing?
It no longer mattered. As long as the Holy War ended, it would all have been worth it.
But then, they were cast out by the very Golden Tree they believed in.
And it was all because of ssr.
He had betrayed Queen Marika, betrayed the Golden Tree, and severed the heads of all her statues.
It was because of his betrayal that this place had been abandoned, turned into a thoroughly god-forsaken land!
In the end, the commander of his Black Knights had even uncovered the "evil serpent" nature hidden beneath ssr's winged-serpent guise.
Led by their two commanders, they had gathered more than half of the Black Knights and a considerable number of soldiers.
They had declared war on ssr to prevent the Golden Tree's legacy from being tarnished.
But tragically... they failed.
Their commander and vice-commander were imprisoned and executed, and the rest suffered heavy casualties.
Yet, unexpectedly, the defeated army was still taken back in by ssr.
And the few troops that still refused to rejoin his ranks were not pursued.
That was the very reason his unit was here, behind the ruins of the Horned Man people.
But now, a new hope had appeared before him.
If it was truly the Lady lina, who existed only in rumor...
Then the man before him was indeed a legitimate heir to the Golden Tree!
At the very least, that was far better than the evil serpent.
The Black Knight made his decision and imdiately dropped to one knee.
“Please forgive my earlier disrespect!”
“And, please, allow —to pledge my loyalty to you!”
Bai Shi stared at the Black Knight before him, his mouth agape, unsure of what to say.
How had things developed so differently from what he’d imagined?
Reviews
All reviews (0)