Do you have a problem with necromancers?

Chapter 119 The Cauldron of Hell
At dawn, the allied forces of River Bend Province set off from Great Eagle Fortress and officially entered the Snake Insect Mountains.

Knights with shields flanked the center, followed by archers scattered throughout, constantly monitoring the surroundings. Nobles and a large number of militia were surrounded in the center, slowly advancing into the depths of the mountains.

Last time, the allied forces chose to advance at full speed to rescue Ravenburg and scout enemy positions. Now, however, Renn has changed his strategy. Every time he reaches a fortress of the Faher family, he immediately stops the army to repair the walls, fill in the gates, and set up barricades.

The savage scouts patrolling in the distance were getting a little numb, because the allied forces of the River Bend Province were now employing the classic tactics of the Fahr family:

Progressing step by step.

Every key point on every major thoroughfare was guarded by the Fahre family's fortresses. Trees that could obscure the view were felled, and mounds were leveled, forcing the savages to abandon harassment and ambushes and instead engage the knights in direct combat.

Now, the coalition forces only need to make minor repairs to these fortresses so that they can once again serve their purpose of defending against the savages.

The sentry standing on the city wall suddenly raised a warning, and saw a dense and mighty swarm of venomous snakes rushing down from the distant mountains and forests!

Snake trainers, one of the elite units in the savage army, can command swarms of venomous snakes to attack enemies. If a column is advancing through the mountains and forests, a bite from one of these creatures lurking at your feet can easily take the life of an adult man—you can't expect every member of the noble allied army to have an antidote.

However, with everyone now hidden inside the fortress, dealing with the situation became much easier. The knights directed the militia to carry the bricks and rubble cleared from the fortress repairs to the top of the walls and throw them down, easily killing a large number of venomous snakes.

The savage commander on the other side quickly realized that sending venomous snakes to attack the city was an incredibly stupid idea. With a sharp whistle, the swarms of venomous snakes quickly retreated, leaving behind only scattered corpses.

The sun had set, and darkness was falling. The savage commander, lurking in the mountains, quickly issued his second order:

They dispatched shadow assassins.

These extremely elite savages coat their entire bodies with a special black mud, hunt by night and hide by day, and are extremely skilled in stealth, rock climbing, and cross-country warfare. In complex environments, they become the enemy's nightmare.

But the noble alliance seemed to have anticipated this, not only planting torches atop the city walls to illuminate them brightly, but also regularly pouring water along the walls to keep them moist. The shadow assassins hadn't climbed very high before their wet fingers became unable to grip the cracks in the wall, and they were then shot dead by the guards who rushed to the scene.

This incident put the savages on high alert. On one hand, their internal intelligence had definitely been leaked, allowing the enemy to take targeted precautions. On the other hand, the vengeful spirit army, which was most skilled at siege warfare, was not here, so continuing the assault would only be a futile and pointless endeavor.

The ambush can only begin after the enemy emerges from the fortress and continues their advance.

The following morning, the noble coalition emerged from the castle and began setting fires along the mountain path.

Early spring brought no rain, the climate was dry, and with the northwest wind blowing, the fire, carrying thick smoke, swept towards the mountains and forests, startling the savage army, which could only retreat to the outskirts.

Now that things have come to this, the commanders at the front can only send out a distress signal to the rear. The noble alliance has finally reached the next fortress and, as usual, began to repair the city's defenses and restore manpower. They will not underestimate the enemy or make any rash advances, giving the savages any chance.

Meanwhile, Rennes was also ready to depart.

Before leaving, he instructed the Duke of Marshan to hold the fortress at all costs and not to advance any further.

“If we go any deeper, our supply lines will be stretched too long, and the risk of them being cut off will increase dramatically,” Raine said. “After all, the mountains and forests are the environment that the savages are most adapted to. No matter how clever we are, we cannot compete with them in their areas of strength. Going deep into enemy territory alone is a situation that must be avoided.”

“Mmm.” Martha had long been obedient to Ryan, and could only nod repeatedly.

"After I leave, the nobles will surely be restless," Renn continued. "Some may take advantage of your desire for revenge for your father and suggest that you take the initiative to attack the savages. Please do not believe them, Your Grace, and prioritize stability."

"Why would anyone make such a suggestion?" Martha asked, puzzled. "Don't they understand military matters?"

“They understand military affairs,” Ryan said tactfully, “but they understand human nature even better.”

As long as Renn Fahre is not by the Duchess's side, someone will inevitably try to take his place; this is bound to happen. And regarding Martha, those people will most likely choose to deliberately pander to her.

You're eager to avenge the Duke, so I'm more radical and advocating war than anyone else, hoping to leave a deep impression on you—in all the steps to please a leader, the first thing is to make him remember you.

As for the consequences of going into battle, that was clearly not within their consideration.

Martha didn't understand Ryan's implied meaning, but she was the type to listen to advice very readily, so she solemnly replied:
"As long as you bring me back the head of the Wild Elf King, I will do everything you say."

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Raine led his men away from the fortress and headed west.

This was a six-person squad. The most agile of them all, Fatin, scouted ahead, while Ellina and Bersalia flanked them, protecting Rein and Dia in the center. Aurora, meanwhile, roamed freely, running to nearby hilltops to scout out enemy positions.

In the vast forest, the six people disappeared in the blink of an eye, like stones falling into a lake. The greatest enemy here was not the primitive tribe, but the changeable climate, the complex terrain, the lack of water and food, the lurking poisonous insects and wild beasts, and the torment and test of will by the harsh environment.

The heroes had fought against the White Walkers all over the continent during their lives; what kind of harsh environment hadn't they encountered? Naturally, they weren't afraid of this primeval forest. It was Daiya who felt somewhat uncomfortable. Her dragon bloodline preferred hot environments, and the chilly, frigid climate of the continent's mountains and forests made her very uncomfortable.

On the way to the allied forces' departure, there were cooks accompanying the nobles to prepare meals. The ingredients were wild animals such as deer, wild boar, and geese, which were stuffed with soybean oil and salt and coated with honey before being roasted—a taste that Dia truly missed. Unfortunately, after entering the mountains, the group could only eat wild fruits, mushrooms, and the dry bread they carried with them, because Raine said that the smoke from fires in the wild would attract the enemy.

"If we attract enemies, can't we just kill them?" Dia asked, puzzled. "Is there anyone who can beat us?"

“Whether you use magic or martial arts, you have to consider the issues of magic power and stamina,” Raine said, chewing on dry bread. “If they can’t beat you head-on, they can use guerrilla tactics, harass you, set up ambushes, and launch sneak attacks, sending wave after wave of people to keep you from resting. Compared to that, what’s wrong with eating some cold food?”

Dia stammered, unable to refute, and looked to the others for help.

But the heroes simply turned their heads away, because the truth was that it wasn't worth risking all those unknown dangers just for a few bites of hot food.

Dia could only sulk alone, silently following behind Fatin, when suddenly she called out:
"Isn't there smoke up ahead? Someone's cooking over there!"

"It doesn't look like smoke from burning tree branches," Fatin said, puzzled. "It looks more like the smoke from some kind of magical flame, like..."

“Sulfur,” Berthalia said.

The crowd looked beyond the treetops and gazed into the distance once more. This time, they could see not only billowing smoke but also faint glimmers of flame reaching into the sky.

The closer they got to the source of the smoke, the stronger the faint smell of burning filled the air, and the trees gradually turned from lush green to withered and yellow. Daiya even saw a dead deer lying by the dried-up pond, foaming at the mouth, seemingly poisoned.

Aurora also rushed back from afar and reported:

"The area ahead is already in purgatory. So far, we haven't seen any vengeful spirits or evil objects that resemble the Hell Cauldron. The boundary extends at least a hundred miles away, and there are also a lot of lava, sulfur caves, and swarms of small demons flying in the air."

"Little devil?" Renn frowned slightly.

The infernal environment transforms the dead into highly aggressive "demonic creatures," their bodies mutated and growing scales or sharp horns, but at least their original appearance remains recognizable. But what about lesser demons...?

This indicates that the Cauldron of Hell was not only opened, but also underwent some kind of ritual enhancement, enabling it to briefly connect to Purgatory.

The Wild Elf King is a madman! Once any demon lord discovers this entrance and leads an army to invade through the spatial connection, his few wraiths will be nothing! The souls of living beings are like hot dishes to demons, while the undead are like cold dishes, and there is no difference between them.

"Take your medicine," Raine said sternly.

The group took out the first bottle of medicine from their waists and drank it all in one gulp.

It's like drinking a large glass of ice-cold cola; the cool sensation travels from your throat into your stomach, leaving a lingering, sweet aftertaste.

The heat that had been caused by the rising ambient temperature vanished instantly. This was the benefit of alchemical potions; they directly "modified" the body's heat resistance, unlike equipment with temperature-regulating spells that automatically cooled down when hot and heated up when cold, sometimes even fluctuating between hot and cold.

Continuing through the increasingly sparse forest, we finally entered a completely treeless, scorched wasteland. The soil beneath our feet had turned a dark brown, most of its moisture dried up, and it was already somewhat gravelly.

"What's next?" Bersalia asked with a smile. "Should we capture a demon and interrogate it?" "First, find the lava river," Ellina replied. "The Cauldron of Hell spews out lava endlessly. That means any flowing lava must originate from the Cauldron of Hell. Just follow the flow to find the source."

"How do you know so much detail?" Fatin asked, his face showing suspicion.

“I’ve dealt with similar infernal artifacts before,” Ellina said calmly. “Heretics often lack imagination; once they’ve seen one, they know how other similar artifacts are designed.”

"Then do you know how to destroy the Cauldron of Hell?" Dia asked curiously.

“The simplest way is with frost magic,” Ellina replied. “Infernal creatures are generally not resistant to cold; once frozen, a single spell can shatter them.”

“Does anyone here know frost magic?” Bersalia asked.

“I will,” Raine said.

Everyone stared at him in shock. "Aren't you a necromancer?"
"There's no rule saying necromancers can't learn destructive spells, is there?" Renn said, puzzled. "I can also use life spells."

“He definitely does,” Ellina sighed, rubbing her forehead. “And he’s very professional at it.”

“In that case, I’ll go find the lava river.” Aurora turned and looked around, searching for a suitable hill for a panoramic view, then suddenly said, “Wait, that’s…”

Suddenly, a crimson torrent emerged from behind the distant hills—a true crimson torrent, the vast lava flowing like a rising tide, rapidly engulfing the plains, ravines, and valleys, and raging toward where they were.

Without caring about revealing their whereabouts, Dia transformed into a giant dragon, carrying everyone into the sky to avoid the scorching river below.

“Over there!” Aurora shouted from the top of the dragon's head, “I see it!”

The giant dragon, having already passed through the clouds, flew towards a mountain peak below, following the direction from which the lava was gushing out.

A massive amount of lava flowed down from the mountaintop, resembling an erupting volcano. Raine didn't have Aurora's eyesight, so he simply tossed out a ghoul raven, maneuvering it to glide and swoop down until it approached the ritual site at the summit for close-up reconnaissance.

At the very center of the mountaintop was a large cauldron, which looked like the kind of fat-bellied pot that witches used to stew human flesh in legends. Its surface was carved with various tragic patterns of victims being tortured, and it was surrounded by various sinister and evil ciphers. Even with Rein's limited heretical knowledge, he could identify at least thirty signatures of demon lords from it.

Simply put, this Hell Cauldron was not an evil artifact designed by cultists, but rather forged by a group of demon lords in Purgatory and then cast into the Prime Material Plane to "bring havoc upon the world." Because it originated from Purgatory, its rank is clearly above that of ordinary evil artifacts, and it is unlikely to be destroyed by ordinary frost magic.

Around the cauldron, countless souls can be seen lining up to jump into it, while vengeful spirits float and patrol nearby, overseeing the orderly sacrifice of the souls. This seems to indicate that the Wild Elf King uses this sacrificial ritual to tempt the demon lords of the Infernal Plane to provide power and maintain the passage to the Real Plane.

Every so often, many demons would leap out of the cauldron. There were small demons like lesser demons and horned demons, and occasionally there would be enormous creatures like the Wrathful Demon, which would grab nearby dead souls or vengeful spirits as soon as they appeared and feast on them.

Suddenly, a cold and indifferent gaze fell upon the raven.

Raine's undead vision spell suddenly stopped, and he was stripped of control over the ghoul raven. But in that last instant, he had already located the Wild Elf King, who was mixed in with the wraiths maintaining order at the scene.

“Dia,” he said lazily, casting a calming spell on the dragon, “Dive Attack.”

The dragon swooped down and instantly arrived above the ritual site, spewing a torrent of scorching dragonfire at the vengeful spirits, the dead, and the demons.

Ordinary souls were instantly vaporized by the dragonfire, while vengeful spirits screamed and scattered in all directions. Only the demons remained fearless, plunging headlong into Dia's dragonfire, but soon letting out painful roars:
"This is no ordinary dragon flame!"

The wild elf king, mingling among the vengeful spirits, never expected that humans could conjure a giant dragon. He silently raised his hand, his translucent, eerie blue fingers emitting an ominous glow.

A finger of death!
Raine suddenly raised his hand, unleashing a curse counterattack!
A flash of purplish-black light shot through the air toward the dragon's chest and abdomen, then seemed to strike some kind of transparent, invisible barrier, bouncing back at the same high speed and landing at the feet of the Wild Elf King.

There are necromancers? And their skill in witchcraft is no less than mine!

The Wild Elf King Karlik was both shocked and furious, because curse counters were a contest of "computing power"—whoever had a deeper understanding of curses could seize them and use them for their own purposes. The fact that his opponent could so easily counter his fatal curse meant that this necromancer's skill level was probably even higher than his own.

One unexpected event after another occurred, making the Wild Elf King feel that the situation was becoming increasingly dire. He looked up at the dragon that was spinning and preparing to dive, and met Raine's indifferent gaze. The mockery in the other's eyes seemed to say, "Now there's no wild army to protect you."

Before a powerful necromancer, only another necromancer can contend with him. As for the so-called "army of vengeful spirits"... in the end, they can only be used to deal with ordinary people; they are nothing more than cannon fodder that a necromancer can wipe out with a wave of his hand.

Realizing this, the Wild Elf King understood that he had fallen into a well-planned trap. His opponent had played so many hidden cards precisely to seize the opportunity when he was separated from the savage army, thus placing him in an irreversible and fatal situation!
He silently issued another command, and the vengeful spirits he controlled, along with the souls of the dead who were lining up to leave, all seemed to go mad in an instant, rushing to jump into the cauldron.

The heroes riding the dragon, except for Fatin who lacked ranged attacks, all unleashed their full firepower downwards. It was clear to everyone that the Wild Elf King was about to gamble everything, throwing all his chips into the Cauldron of Hell, hoping to exchange it for some kind of terrifying, ultimate power from Purgatory.

Dia breathed out dragonfire again, vaporizing all the undead surrounding the Hell Cauldron. Suddenly, she heard Rein speak:
"Come on!"

"What?" Before Dia could react, the Wild Elf King below had already leaped up and jumped directly into the cauldron.

He actually sacrificed himself as a offering!
As expected, the cauldron that devoured the Wild Elf King emitted a powerful super suction force, instantly swallowing everything around it—including the flying dragons and heroes—greetifully into its belly.

Panicked, Dia struggled with all her might and finally broke free from the cauldron's restraints. She quickly flapped her wings and flew into the sky to escape the suction range of the Hell Cauldron, only to find that something seemed wrong around her.

Everywhere you look, there are volcanoes, thick smoke, and scorched earth; there is not a single patch of green.

“Where is this…” Fatin looked around in surprise and uncertainty.

“Hell.” Ellina said solemnly, “The Cauldron of Hell has sucked us into Hell.”

As soon as he finished speaking, he heard Ryan say:

"Land, change back, everyone take cover."

Dia quickly landed on the ground, reverting to human form. The group followed Rein and moved swiftly, hiding behind a hill.

The hilltop is topped with huge, sharp horns, which look like the remains of some kind of giant beast, and is surrounded by a large thicket of thorns.

The group quickly hid behind the sharp corner and saw many demons passing by below.

Most of them were low-level horned demons with blood-red horns on their foreheads and carried blood-letting axes that resembled halberds. These axes could be used not only to decapitate enemies but also to pierce them with their relatively long and thin tips. Dark red, still-wet bloodstains remained on the axe surfaces.

The horned demon was driven by a spider demon with a humanoid spider body, whose eight slender legs constantly pounded the ground, uttering a chillingly obscure language. Even if one couldn't understand the meaning, one could sense her anger from her rapid and urgent speech.

“The lord requires… tribute, collect it.” Bersalia tried to translate her words, “Collect the surrounding… souls, slaughter them…”

“It’s not slaughter, it’s ‘Rakasha,’” Renn said slowly. “Hell uses souls as currency and food. They kill their victims first, and then capture their souls with obsidian. This practice is called Rakasha in Hellish, which is similar to our ‘hunting.’”

"How do you know so much?" Bersalia asked in surprise.

“I used to be… no, I was infiltrated and studied for a long time in a heretical cult that worshipped the devil, all to research how to deal with heretics.” Renn continued, looking around, “This isn’t actually the real Purgatory, but rather a projection of Purgatory onto the Prime Material Plane. To give you an analogy, if the Prime Material Plane is the air, and the Purgatory Plane is the ocean, then where we are is the surface of that ocean. One step further and you’re in Hell; one step back and you’re back on Earth. It’s roughly like this.”

Although he used metaphors to explain, it still sounded somewhat abstract. Dia seemed to understand only partially, while Ellina appeared thoughtful and said:

"You mean, this world was specially created as an outpost between the two worlds?"

“Although it looks no different from Purgatory, the laws of physics are consistent with our world. Don’t you find that strange?” Renn said. “In the real Purgatory plane, space and time are reversed and disordered, which is completely different from here.”

"Have you been to hell?" Dia asked in shock.

“That’s not the point,” Renn said calmly as he watched the demons leave. “The point is… to confirm the fate of the Wild Elf King and to find a way out of here.”

(End of this chapter)