Panlong's Worton

Chapter 24 The Undead and the Holy Light

Fifty li north of Chier County, there is a secluded valley. A stream flows through the valley, its waters crystal clear, its banks covered with wildflowers, and a small waterfall cascades down its depths, the water gurgling gently, creating a tranquil atmosphere.

Linley and Walton settled here.

Deep in the valley was a natural cave, its entrance hidden by vines. The two brothers quickly tidied it up, laying out dry grass to make it their temporary shelter. Hei Lu dozed off at the cave entrance, while Bei Bei scurried around, catching mountain mice and rabbits for a snack.

"Brother, how long are you going to stay here?" Walton asked.

"I don't know." Linley sat by the stream, watching the flowing water. "The next level after 'momentum' is 'law,' but I can't even find the door. Grandpa Delin said that laws are learned through enlightenment, and you can't rush them."

Walton nodded, drew his greatsword "Mountain Suppressor," and walked to the pool below the waterfall to begin practicing. His swordsmanship became increasingly simple, often practicing only one move all day—a slash. But with each slash, the water in the pool would explode, splashing several meters high.

Lin Lei sat cross-legged by the stream, closing his eyes in meditation.

He was recalling the three-year battle in the Monster Mountain Range, the blow that killed Clyde, and the look in McKinley's eyes before he died. The flash of blades, the blood, the moments of life and death… these images flashed through his mind, then slowly settled and solidified.

Sometimes he would stand up, draw "Slaughter," and swing the blade at the air. It wasn't to practice moves, but to find the feeling—that feeling of the blade moving with the heart, the heart following the blade, the blade, the person, and heaven and earth becoming one.

Days passed by, as calm as a stream in a valley.

But the world outside the valley is not peaceful.

On the evening of the seventh day, Lin Lei was grilling fish when he suddenly looked up and gazed toward the entrance of the valley.

"Someone's coming," he said.

Walton stopped practicing his swordplay: "How many?"

"Six of them, their auras are very strong, at least level nine. And... magical fluctuations, they're of the light element."

The two brothers exchanged a glance, tacitly extinguished the campfire, and hid in the bushes beside the cave. Beibei and Heilu also hid.

About fifteen minutes later, six figures appeared at the entrance to the valley.

They were all dressed in unassuming gray robes, but their steps were steady and their aura restrained, clearly indicating they were experts. The leader was a middle-aged man with blond hair and a dignified face. A rapier hung at his waist, with a white gem inlaid on the hilt—the standard issue for high-ranking knights of the Holy See.

"Cardinal Lampson," Walton said in a low voice, "I've seen his portrait in O'Brien's intelligence."

Linley narrowed his eyes. The Cardinal himself had come, accompanied by five level-nine experts—four knights and one mage. This force was enough to wipe out the royal family of a small country.

They are escorting a person.

The man was chained, his hands and feet shackled with magic-suppressing chains, and he walked unsteadily. He was an old man with disheveled white hair and a face full of wrinkles, but his eyes were bright, like burning will-o'-the-wisps. He wore a tattered black robe, and his body bore the marks of torture, with scabs of blood mixed with grime.

"Mr. Seisler, hurry up." Lampson's voice was gentle, but it carried an undeniable authority. "We need to get to the next outpost before dark."

The old man, Sessler, sneered: "A stronghold? More like an execution ground. When have you charlatans ever dared to kill openly?"

"Watch your words," a level nine knight said sternly. "You have committed the grave sin of blasphemy. It is already a mercy of the Holy See to leave you with a whole corpse."

"Mercy?" Sessler laughed, his voice hoarse and unpleasant. "Using living people as sacrifices to extract souls, that's mercy? Then wouldn't I, a necromancer, be a great benefactor?"

Necromancer.

Linley's eyes narrowed. He knew this profession—the study of death and souls—was considered heretical by the Church of Light, and those who studied it were to be killed on sight. But necromancers often also possessed much forbidden knowledge, such as the mysteries of the soul, and... the truth about sacrifice.

Lampson frowned: "Shut up. The court will decide your crimes."

The group continued onward, heading deeper into the valley. Clearly, they intended to spend the night there.

Linley and Walton quietly retreated back into the cave.

"Brother, should we save him or not?" Walton asked.

Linley didn't answer immediately. Saving a necromancer would be tantamount to completely breaking ties with the Church of Light. Besides, it was hard to say whether Sessler was a good person. The reputation of necromancers wasn't much better than that of bandits.

but……

"Clyde said that my mother was sacrificed," Linley said in a low voice. "Sethler is a necromancer; he must know the truth about sacrifices. Besides, the enemy of my enemy is my friend."

Wharton understood: "Then what should we do?"

"Let's do it." Linley's eyes were firm. "Six level nines, we can handle them. But we can't let them send out a distress signal—the Vatican definitely has another stronghold nearby."

The plan was simple: a sneak attack, a swift kill, and no survivors.

The brothers split up. Walton circled around to the other side of the valley, preparing to flank them from behind. Linley, on the other hand, lay in ambush in the bushes by the stream, waiting for his chance.

As dusk fell, Lampson and his party set up camp in the clearing beside the waterfall. Two knights went to gather firewood, one went to fetch water, the magician set up a warning array, and Lampson personally guarded Sesler.

The time has come.

Linley gripped his throwing knife tightly, his gaze fixed on the magician—he had to deal with him first, otherwise, if the alarm got out, it would be troublesome.

But then, an accident happened.

Sessler suddenly looked up at the bushes where Linley was hiding. His burning eyes, even from dozens of meters away, pinpointed Linley's location.

Then he smiled.

Silently mouth: Take action.

Lin Lei steeled his resolve and no longer hesitated. All twelve throwing knives were launched, not at the magician, but at Lampson and the knight guarding Sesler—to distract them.

Meanwhile, Walton attacked from behind.

The greatsword "Mountain Suppressor" was swung up, carrying the heavy, oppressive force of a mountain, and smashed towards the mage who was setting up the magic circle. The mage reacted extremely quickly, instantly raising a shield of light, but the power of Walton's sword was far beyond his imagination—the shield shattered like an eggshell, and the sword slammed into the mage's head.

puff.

It was like smashing a watermelon. Red and white substances splattered everywhere, and the magician collapsed without even letting out a scream.

"Enemy attack—!" Lampson drew his sword to parry the flying knife and shouted sharply.

The remaining four knights quickly formed a battle formation, two protecting Lampson and two charging towards Walton. But Linley had already moved.

"Bloodlust!"

The blade flashed like blood-red moonlight across the stream, slashing towards Lampson. The strike was too fast and too cunning; Lampson only had time to dodge to the side, and his left arm was severed at the shoulder.

Screams.

But Lampson, true to his cardinal status, did not forget to retaliate even when severely wounded. He thrust out his rapier with his right hand, the tip of which gathered a blinding white light—the ninth-level light magic "Holy Light Pierce".

Linley neither dodged nor evaded, unleashing a horizontal slash of "Slaughter." Swords clashed, a burst of white light erupting, blinding everyone. But Linley's blade was faster and more ruthless, severing the rapier and plunging into Lampson's chest.

Broken ribs, ruptured heart.

Lampson's eyes widened as he looked at the knife in his chest, then at Linley, making a hoarse sound in his throat: "You... are Linley Baruch..."

"It's me." Lin Lei drew his sword. "Greetings to my mother."

Lampson fell to the ground, his eyes wide open in death.

Meanwhile, Walton had also finished his battle. The two level-nine knights couldn't withstand more than ten moves from him; one had his breastbone shattered by a greatsword, and the other had his head sliced ​​off. The remaining two tried to run, but Bebe and Heru had already pounced—one biting through the throat, the other tearing open the abdomen.

Six bodies, the entire raid lasted less than three minutes.

Sessler remained seated, still chained, but a smile played on his lips: "Beautiful. Clean and efficient, just like I used to be."

Lin Lei walked over and used his knife to break the chains: "Why did you help me?"

"Help you?" Sessler flexed his stiff wrists. "No, no, no, you helped me. I merely gave you a reason to attack."

He stood up, weak but with his back ramrod straight: "Linley Baruch, I know you. Before Clyde died, he used communication magic to send information back to the Holy See. They said you are a 'blasphemer' and must be eliminated."

Lin Lei frowned: "Then you..."

“I have a grudge against the Vatican.” Sessler’s eyes turned cold. “Thirty years ago, they killed my wife, saying that my research into necromancy was blasphemous. But I know that what they really fear is that I have discovered the truth about sacrifice.”

silence.

Only the sound of the waterfall, rushing and gurgling.

Lin Lei slowly sheathed his knife: "So you defected?"

"Yes, I escaped with the research materials and switched to necromancy." Sesler looked at Linley. "For the past thirty years, I've been investigating why they sacrifice pure souls. I finally found out something, but they discovered it and arrested me. If it weren't for you guys, I would be burning at the stake tomorrow."

Lin Lei stared at him: "What did you find out?"

Sessler shook his head: "I can't say. That knowledge is too dangerous; the fewer people who know it, the better. But I can tell you that the purpose of the sacrifice is some kind of... transaction. The Vatican exchanges pure souls for 'divine grace,' but I haven't found out exactly what that is yet."

A transaction. Divine grace.

Linley recalled Clyde's words—he sacrificed his mother in exchange for increased power.

"Then how will you help me?" Lin Lei asked.

"Help you?" Sessler laughed. "No, it's cooperation. You brothers are very powerful, but you lack intelligence and understanding of the Vatican. As for me, I know how the Vatican operates, I know their weaknesses, and I know the details of those cardinals, judges, and leaders of ascetics."

He looked at Linley: "We have a common enemy. You seek revenge, I seek vengeance. Cooperation, a win-win situation."

Walton walked over: "Brother, he has a point."

Lin Lei pondered for a moment: "What do you want?"

"Protection," Sessler said. "The Vatican won't let me go. I need a safe place to continue my research. In return, I can help you improve your strength—there are forbidden techniques in necromancy that can rapidly enhance soul power. Besides, I know where to find the relics of those with pure souls."

"His belongings?"

“Yes,” Sessler said. “Every pure soul sacrificed leaves behind a ‘soul relic’—an item that carries a portion of their soul’s power. Your mother’s relic should still be in the Vatican’s treasury. If you could obtain it, it would greatly benefit your soul cultivation.”

Lin Lei was tempted.

He wanted to get his hands on whatever his mother left behind, even if it was just a memento.

"Okay." He extended his hand. "Let's cooperate."

Seisler grasped his hand; his thin fingers were strong. "Cooperate."

An agreement has been reached.

The three began to dispose of the corpse. Sessler took out a small bottle from his pocket, poured out some black powder—the necromancy "corpse-dissolving powder"—and sprinkled it on the corpse. The flesh and bones quickly dissolved, leaving not even clothes, and finally only a pool of black liquid that seeped into the soil.

"Clean." Sessler nodded in satisfaction.

Linley then looted the spoils from Lampson and the others. There were six spatial rings containing a large amount of gold coins, magical materials, light-element scrolls, and several Saint-level weapons—unfortunately, they were of the light attribute, so Linley and Walton couldn't use them, but they could sell them for money.

"Made a fortune," Walton said, weighing the ring in his hand. "Bro, where to next?"

Linley looked east: "Let's go to the O'Brien Empire. It's a land of warriors, and the Papacy is weak there, making it a good place for us to develop."

Sessler nodded: "The Empire is indeed a good choice. But before that, I suggest we go somewhere first."

"where?"

"Black Valley," Sesler said. "It's a gathering place for necromancers, and I have a few old friends there. We can replenish our supplies, gather intelligence, and most importantly—I can help you assess whether you have any 'hidden dangers'."

"Hidden dangers?"

"The Vatican has many methods," Sessler said, pointing to Linley and Walton. "For example, soul marking, tracking magic, curses... You killed Clyde and then Lampson; the Vatican can't possibly not take action. If you're marked, you'll be found wherever you go."

Lin Lei's heart skipped a beat. This was indeed a problem.

"Where is Misty Valley?" he asked.

"Head northeast, it's about a two-week journey," Sessler said. "Don't worry, that place is well hidden; the Vatican won't be able to find it."

The two brothers exchanged a glance and nodded.

"Then let's go to Misty Valley."

The three packed quickly and left that very night. Before leaving, Lin Lei took one last look at the valley where he had stayed for seven days. The stream still murmured, and the wildflowers still bloomed, but this place had been stained with blood and lives, and could never return to its original tranquility.

"Brother," Walton patted him on the shoulder, "let's go."

Lin Lei turned around and followed his brother and Seisler.

Moonlight streamed down the mountain path, casting long shadows of the three men. The road ahead was uncertain, and the enemy was formidable, but they had found new allies and a new direction.

Sessler walked ahead and suddenly asked, "Linley, do you hate the Vatican?"

"Hate." Lin Lei said without hesitation.

"Then remember this hatred," Sessler said in a low voice. "Hate is fire; it can burn away enemies, but it can also light the way forward. But don't let hatred burn you—your mother doesn't want you to become a monster who lives only for revenge."

Lin Lei remained silent, gripping the hilt of his knife tightly.

Yes, Mother certainly wouldn't want that.

So he not only wanted revenge, but also to live, to live a vibrant life, and to live the life that the Baruch family should live.

He looked at Walton, and his brother was looking at him with a determined gaze.

When brothers are of one mind, their strength can break even metal.

With the addition of an experienced old mage, this path is achievable.

As night deepened, the three disappeared into the mountains.

Meanwhile, thousands of miles away on the Holy Island of the Holy See, six soul lamps in a secret chamber went out one after another.

The priest on guard, his face ashen, scrambled out to report:

"Cardinal Lampson...has fallen!"