Master the Abyss, starting from an apprentice priest.

Chapter 349 Mir's Past
"Their condition is obviously not right... Luo Xiu, what on earth happened to them?"

Mir asked Luo Xiu anxiously, he was eagerly waiting for an answer.

Looking directly into Mir's eyes, Luo Xiu sighed and said:

"They have indeed experienced many misfortunes... As I said before, I found them in the factory of the 'Hidden Omniscient'. The reason why they did not respond to you is that their consciousness was blinded and some kind of thought was implanted in them."

"..."

Luo Xiu said this to Mir, and Mir's expression became sadder and gloomier as Luo Xiu spoke.

While narrating to Mil, Luo Xiu observed his condition and thought that he could accept more, so he told him in more detail about the process and results of discovering and bringing out the "Gravel" dwarves from the "Black Crystal Factory".

……

"..."

After listening to Luo Xiu's account of the entire incident, the sad expression on Mil's face became more and more solemn, and his mood was obviously extremely depressed.

"I did not expect……"

His voice was choked:

"I never thought that my people would suffer such hardships..."

"Thank you so much, Luo Xiu. I never thought that you would be willing to use the precious opportunity to ask the Archbishop for a reward in exchange for the lives of my people. This, this is really..."

"..."

"It's nothing." Luo Xiu just spread his hands and said calmly.

As if remembering something, Luo Xiu then asked Mir:

"I remember, Mir. You seemed to have been 'exiled' by the dwarves of the 'Sand' clan... your people? Then why did you want to save them?"

"This is my persistence, Luo Xiu..." Mir shook his head, sighed, and said:
"I was exiled because we had a disagreement, and some differences arose after we crossed the Sea of ​​Mist and came to the continent of Fanor - but there is no doubt that the blood of 'Grit' still flows in me."

"And... there are other reasons as well."

When he said this, Mir looked around, looked at the clergy around him, then looked at his old friend Luo Xiu in front of him, then sighed deeply, and said in a low voice:
"——I am just an 'exiled' dwarf. Although I was deprived of the surname 'Grit', it brought humiliation to me, but it also saved me from danger..."

"Do you still remember, Luo Xiu? You once asked me about the two 'Ancient Dragon Secrets' I had."

——The secret treasure of the ancient dragon!
Luo Xiu's spirits trembled. His original purpose of completing the hidden mission [The Disappearing Gravel] was to find out the whereabouts of these two "Ancient Dragon Secret Treasures"!

"I still remember it." Even though he was excited inside, Luo Xiu remained calm on the surface and nodded lightly.

Mir then went on to say:

"At that time, when we, the 'Sandstone' dwarves, finally arrived at the coast of Fanor Continent, the third chieftain, Varyag, and the second chieftain, Sasin, had a debate about where we should go."

"The third patriarch Varyag wants to go to the 'Dark Principality' because it is the freest country. Even though it is full of dangers, dangers are opportunities. And that dangerous 'freedom' is indeed the most accepting of us dwarves."

"Or we can go to the 'Golden Kingdom' - there is a federation full of gold, where we will earn more wealth than we can spend in this lifetime, and return home in glory with gold, silver and jewels."

"From the beginning to the end, the three clan leaders never thought about coming to the Nolan Empire... Because you know, Luo Xiu, as a 'bishop' you should understand that the empire is still the empire of 'humans', and if 'dwarves' like us who have come from afar across the fog don't have connections, we are always illegal."

"And the rulers here, those Supreme Beings, also look down on us. To them, we are just 'foreigners' with superb skills and rich knowledge. We can get a job, but that's all... This is not the result the three clan leaders want to see."

"..."

"What about the second patriarch?" Following Mil's words, Luo Xiu asked him.

"And the second chief of the Sashin clan..."

After a pause, Mir continued, "The second chief of the Sasin clan agreed to go to the Empire. After all, the Empire is the most powerful country on the Fanor Continent. If we take root here, at least our safety can be guaranteed."

"As for us, the dwarves of the Sand and Gravel clan, we pursue the destiny of [knowledge] and [bitterness] in our homeland, on that stormy continent. And most of us, the dwarves of the Sand and Gravel clan, believe in [knowledge], so we will never be regarded as 'heretics' and expelled from the empire."

"The second chief of the Sasin clan believes that we can rely on the 'Tower of Sages' to provide some technology and knowledge to those fellow intellectuals. Although due to racial barriers, we dwarves cannot hold high positions in the 'Tower of Sages', that is, those 'sages', but at least we can become 'generalists' or 'elders', which is enough for us to gain the necessary respect."

"And then?" Luo Xiu asked, "I remember you said that you all stayed in the empire in the end... In other words, the tribe finally chose the path of the second patriarch?"

"That's right." Mir nodded. "Most of our compatriots still want to seek a stable life... and Ratamon, the most prestigious patriarch who can make the final decision, finally said - 'Joining the Dark Principality is equivalent to becoming an enemy of the forces of the entire Fanor continent. This is not the result I want to see.'"

"However, Patriarch Ratamon also said: 'But Varang is right, the [Golden Federation] is indeed where we should go... But to get there from this coast, we also need to cross the entire Nolan Empire, so before we actually arrive, we should do as Sasin said.'"

"..."

What a master of keeping a balance... After listening to what Mil said, Luo Xiu complained in his heart.

But he still wanted to ask Mir a question, and he asked it right away:

"I see. But what does any of this have to do with your expulsion?"

"..."

"Well, that's because I put forward a different view from them."

Mir said:

"I think, no matter whether we are dependent on the Principality, the Empire or the Federation, why can't we be self-reliant with our craft? In this way, we don't have to be controlled by others, but we can also carry forward our dwarven skills!"

"That's nothing." Luo Xiu asked back.

"It's really nothing..."

Mir shook his head, smiled awkwardly and said:

"But I was too young at that time. The first patriarch was still hesitant about my suggestion, while the second and third patriarchs opposed me immediately—"

"They said my ideas were too wild and unrealistic, and that the entire tribe couldn't follow my path. They had to rely on a larger force in order to survive better."

"The three Varyag clan leaders directly rebuked me: 'According to what you said, Mir, what if we fail? We will be regarded as competitors and regarded as a thorn in the eyes and flesh by certain organizations. And our people - those women and children, do you want them to live a life like beggars?'"

"..."

"Then what?" Luo Xiu asked.

In Luo Xiu's opinion, this was still not the reason why Mir was expelled.

After all, it is normal for young people to have some idealistic but unrealistic ideas. Everyone has such a stage, even a 'dwarf'.

"Then..." After hesitating for a while, Mir whispered:
"It's just like they said. I was too young at the time... After being rejected like that, inexplicable anger clouded my mind, and I said something that I regret to this day -"

"I scolded the two chiefs, saying they were cowards, parasitic termites, and a disgrace to the dwarves! I said they were unworthy of leading the tribe and should just sell us as slaves. Then I could drink wine, sing songs, and return to my hometown with pockets full of gold coins!"

"I don't know why I was so angry at that time and said those words to the two clan leaders... You know me, Luo Xiu. I have always been well-mannered and would not easily curse at others..."

Fuck, you don't curse easily, and your self-awareness is quite unclear...

Luo Xiu looked at him with suspicion, and the first "**" words that Mil said when they met at the manor this time automatically emerged in his mind.

However, he did learn why Mir was "exiled".

Saying such words to the two clan leaders of the tribe was tantamount to an extreme insult, and "exile" was indeed what was deserved.

It may not be a coincidence that Mil said these words, but he himself did not even know it.

"At the time, I regretted what I said... but once you say something, you can never get it back."

Mir sighed and said:
"Then you know what happened, Luo Xiu... The second and third clan leaders were obviously very angry, and in order to calm the anger of the two clan leaders, the chief Ratamon ordered me to be exiled on the spot and kicked me out of the clan."

"That night, I was completely hopeless. I had just packed my bags and was about to leave, embarking on a journey to an unknown destination, when the chieftain found me."

"He comforted me, saying that the decision to 'exile' me was forced, but necessary, because he had other expectations and plans for me—"

"As he spoke, the great patriarch took out two secret treasures - they were the 'Ancient Dragon Secret Treasures'."

"The chief also told me that it was a real treasure forged and blessed by the blood of a real ancient dragon. The Gravel clan had four of them, and he gave me two of them..."

"'Just do as you wish, Mir,' the chief said to me at last, 'You are the most astute child among us. Your path is not suitable for the tribe, but it is suitable for you. From now on, you are no longer a member of the 'Sand' tribe, but you still carry our hopes and blessings.'"

"I wanted to ask the chieftain why he did this, but he just shook his head and walked away. I haven't seen him since then."

"..."

"If I'm right."

After patiently listening to Mir's story, Luo Xiu already knew his past and guessed:

"After that, you came to the Empire alone and settled down in the city of Sina, running your [Authentic Dwarf Blacksmith Shop] on your own."

"And your people, the dwarves of the 'Gravel' clan, later joined the academy of the 'Tower of Sages', the followers of the Empire's [Wisdom]. They wanted to take root safely under the protection of the Tower of Sages, but due to an accident, they were targeted by the hidden omniscients who infiltrated the 'Tower of Sages', which led to the series of events that followed."

"Am I right, Mir?"

"...That's about it." Mir nodded.

"If that's the case," Luo Xiu patted Mir's shoulder and comforted him, "then your chief is right. Whether it's the second or third chief's route, it's indeed full of dangers, and the facts have indeed proved this."

"And the chief undoubtedly trusts you, Mir. The chief of Ratamon considered the crisis of the tribe in advance. If something really happens, you will be the only bloodline."

"If it's not 'expulsion' - you are unwilling to leave the tribe, right? This is what the chief thinks."

"..."

This time, Mir was silent.

There was a long silence.

He seemed to be thinking about a lot of things, and at a certain moment, he suddenly smiled with relief.

"It doesn't matter... Luo Xiu."

Mir smiled and said:

"It's been so long, I don't dwell on it anymore."

"I have my current life, and I have indeed found my future goal - Luo Xiu, so there is no need to comfort me specially."

"Besides... well, after the thirty-nine compatriots you brought back, I didn't see Patriarch Ratamon, Patriarch Sasin II, and Patriarch Varyag III. They didn't come back... I think they won't come back anymore."

"..."

"I want to ask you to help me with another thing, Luo Xiu."

Suddenly, Mir's gaze turned to the bishop in front of him and met his eyes.

"what?"

"My people..." Mir organized his words and made a request to Luo Xiu:
"The past is the past. All I see is that my people are still suffering."

"I know that [Glorious] is good at the sacred art of purification. I ask you... can you help me and free my people from this suffering? I am willing to give you everything I can give you."

"..."

The moment Mil finished speaking.

Right in front of Luo Xiu, a brand new panel appeared.

That is the new part of the serial tasks!
[Trigger hidden tasks]

[Hidden Mission: Liberation from Ignorance (Hell Difficulty)]

[Recommended level: lv.45+, fifth level of destiny and above]

[Task type: serial task]

[Mission Description: You brought back Mir's people. Mir asked you to use the sacred art of [Glory] to free his people from their predicament.]

[While making a request to you, Mir promised you that he could give you everything, as long as it was something he could give. ]

[Main mission objective: Purify the seal of ignorance on the dwarves of the 'Gravel' clan, purify at least 20 targets or more.]

[Completion Reward (Complete the main goal): Basic Experience +80000, Free Attribute Points +12; Basic Experience +1 for each additional cleansing of the Seal of Ignorance of a Gravel Dwarf]

[Final Completion Reward (Final Completion Target): After purifying the 'Seal of Ignorance' of all 39 'Gravel' dwarves, you will receive Mir's gift - 'Dragon Flame Sword'*1, 'Dragon Breath Scepter'*1]

【…】

……

(End of this chapter)