Elden Ring, building a legion of ashes

Chapter 144 Lake Lienia

The blacksmith's gaze quickly passed over Xia Tong and landed on Rodrika, who was hiding in the back.

"Lord Xiugu, this is my friend. I would like her to learn your skills from you. Is that alright?"

"Learn a skill from me? Are you kidding me?" Xiu Gu looked at Rodrik's thin arms and petite body, and laughed self-deprecatingly. "I'm just a lousy blacksmith, what skills could I possibly teach her?"

"No, Lord Xiugu. Your skills are far more than just forging." Xia Tong shook her head.

"I am just an ordinary fader with limited experience. But a master forger like you, who has spent so many years in the Round Table Hall, must be able to guide this lost young girl in the right direction." Xia Tong's voice was very sincere.

The blacksmith Xiu Gu stared blankly at the girl in front of him, gazing at Rodrika's dazzling blonde hair and emerald eyes.

Then, the old craftsman looked down at his dirty, coarse cloth clothes and his arms, which were covered in sweat and dust.

A heavy sigh echoed in the blacksmith's shop: "I'm just a lowly bastard confined to the round table hall, only good at blacksmithing. What direction can I possibly guide others in?"

Xia Tong didn't immediately offer words of comfort. After thinking for a moment, she said, "Queen Marika detained you here back then. May I ask, Lord Xiugu, do you still remember why?"

When Xia Tong asked that question, Xiu Gu's emotions suddenly became agitated.

"Clang—" The heavy iron chains made a piercing clanging sound with his movements.

The mixed-race blacksmith suddenly looked up!

"Of course I remember—it was so I could forge a weapon capable of killing gods!"

"The weapon that kills gods! The weapon that kills gods!" Xiu Gu kept muttering, repeating this heavy phrase, and for a moment he seemed to have fallen into some kind of madness.

Xia Tong quietly looked into those cloudy eyes filled with self-mockery and dejection, and shook her head slightly: "You are wrong, Lord Xiu Gu. What matters more than the weapon itself is the person wielding it."

Xia Tong raised her eyelids, staring intently at Xiu Gu: "Do you still remember the Knight of the Round Table named Vic? That knight was not a son of a god, but with only a spear and his terrifying will, he became the one who came closest to the throne of Elden."

Upon hearing that familiar name, Xiu Gu's massive body trembled slightly.

"Sigh, speaking of which, I even forged and strengthened his spear. What a pity!" Xiu Gu murmured.

"That's it! This further demonstrates your extraordinary nature!"

"Furthermore, Lord Xiugu. Is bloodline the sole criterion for determining whether a person is noble or lowly? There are countless hybrids in the borderlands. I have even killed many bloodthirsty, berserk hybrids in Ningmgefor who would kill anyone they saw."

But among these beings, how many, like you, have retained their kind nature and possess unparalleled forging skills? Let alone hybrids, there are very few in the entire border region!

"It is too unfair to you to judge your worth by bloodline, Lord Xiugu."

The old blacksmith was so shocked by Xia Tong's words that he fell silent, slumped to the ground, stared at the ceiling for a long time, and then slowly uttered a sentence: "What you said—seems to make some sense."

Then, Xiu Gu turned his gaze back to Rodrika, took a deep breath, and added confidently, "A long time ago, I saw someone who truly possessed the talent for spirit manipulation. The color of this girl's eyes is the best proof of that."

"It seems you've already discerned whether she possesses the talent for spirit summoning."

"Yes, her talent for spirit manipulation is in no way inferior to that spirit manipulation genius I just mentioned."

Hearing such high praise, Rodrika's eyes widened in surprise, and she nervously clutched the hem of her skirt, her voice trembling with disbelief: "I—do I really have that amazing potential? If it's true, no matter how difficult the process is, I'm willing to do everything I can to learn it."

A bright glint finally appeared in the girl's eyes, because Xiu Gu's behavior just now made her feel that this old man was very difficult to talk to.

Although the mixed-race man bound by chains before her was extremely frightening in appearance and would normally be despised by the world, Rodrika sensed an awkward tenderness in his rough words.

His helplessness stemmed entirely from his inferiority complex.

Sensing Rodrica's determination, Xia Tong turned around and looked directly at the blacksmith Xiu Gu.

"Could you teach her, Lord Xiugu? I wish for her to learn the art of spirit summoning from you. Of course, I am willing to pay a reward of ten thousand runes!"

"Ten thousand runes?"

Rodrigo stood beside her, her mouth slightly agape; she had never seen so much money before.

Upon hearing this calm question, Xiu Gu's massive body trembled violently.

"Are you serious? Entrusting that delicate, flower-like girl to an ugly monster like me who only knows how to hammer scrap metal? That's incredibly foolish! Besides, it's not Rune's fault at all."

"This is exactly what she wanted," Xia Tong said calmly.

"Would you like to, Rodrik?"

"I do!" Rodrika's eyes sparkled; spirit summoning seemed to be a very powerful ability.

"If I could learn it, it might be able to help Lady Xia Tong," Rodrika thought to herself.

Upon hearing Rodrika say she was willing, the blacksmith Xiu Gu first raised his eyes, but then turned away.

"I can't decide right now, my mind is a mess."

Give me some time, and I will get back to you.

That's enough for today, you can all leave now.

The blacksmith Xiu Gu waved his hand impatiently, looking extremely tired.

Xia Tong and Rodelica exchanged a glance, bowed slightly to the old craftsman, and then left the blacksmith shop.

Rodrigo's matter was temporarily settled. Xia Tong did not linger and went straight to the study of "Sir Gideon Ophniel".

Upon seeing Xia Tong's arrival, "Wang Hai" En Xia, who was waiting outside the door, tactfully knocked on the heavy oak door.

"Come in," came Gideon's hoarse voice from inside the door.

Upon seeing Xia Tong enter, Sir Bai Zhi smiled with satisfaction: "Very good, I already know you heeded Twofinger's advice. So, as I promised, you will officially become a member of the Round Table Hall. Welcome, it's safe here, relax and rest."

"Thank you, Lord Baizhi." Xia Tong bowed slightly in thanks.

-

Then, Gideon tossed a white, antique stone plaque to Xia Tong. "This is the key to the room. From now on, you will have your own room in the Round Table Hall."

"Although the space isn't large, it's enough for you to rest and organize your equipment. At the same time, this stone tablet can also be used to contact other Faded Ones you've matched with in the Round Table Hall. Simply place the two stone tablets together to establish a connection."

The old man pointed to Xia Tong's waist and continued, "You should have been carrying an ordinary stone tablet, right? Throw it away. That's just the lowest grade of stone tablet that the Round Table Hall gives to marginalized people. Every faded person who steps into this place, even if they're just a coward seeking refuge, gets one, but that kind of inferior product can only vaguely sense location or send the most basic signals."

But this white stone tablet in your hand is completely different. With enough magic, it can even transmit sound over long distances.

"You must have already met my adopted daughter, Neferi. You should have noticed when we fought side-by-side in Stoneville; the stone tablet she carried is exactly the same as yours. This is a token reserved for core, official members."

"Thank you for your trouble, Lord Baizhi." Xia Tong bowed again to express her gratitude and put the white stone tablet into her bosom.

"There aren't many rising stars like you who share my ideals. I hope we can maintain a long-term partnership." Sir Hundred-Minded leaned back in his chair, lowering his voice slightly. "—You must be eager to obtain more Great Runes, right? I'm willing to share some valuable information with you."

Currently, the Hall of the Round Table has pinpointed the location of five of the kings who possess fragments of the Great Rune, including the one you just defeated.

He held up his fingers and recited them as if listing his treasures: "Master of Stoneville, limb extension" Gregg;

Rataen, the Shattered Star General who fought to a draw with Malenia in the Galid Fields;

Lord of Mount Gemir, Judge Laqad;

Mongot, the elusive Blessed King, is the lord of the royal city of Rodel.

And then there's Renara, the ruler of the magic academy Rayalucaria, the "Queen of the Full Moon."

"Of these kings, whose runes do you intend to seize next?"

Xia Tong hesitated for a moment, then casually replied, "I'm preparing to travel to Lake Lienia soon. Therefore, information about the Full Moon Queen, Renara, is of utmost importance to me."

Sir Bai Zhi then gave a detailed account of the current situation of the Raya Lucaria Academy and the Full Moon Queen. Of course, as a veteran player, Xia Tong was already very familiar with these background stories, and this was just a matter of patiently going through the motions.

After a brief conversation, Xia Tong left the secret room filled with books, under En Xia's cold gaze.

"It's finally over—" Xia Tong breathed a long sigh of relief as soon as she stepped out the door.

Every time I talk to Gideon, that old fox, I feel an invisible sense of oppression.

The backstabbing and intrigue that requires vigilance at such times is truly exhausting.

"Once I've fully matured, the first thing I'll do is chop you up, you old scheming bitch!" Xia Tong thought to herself.

He knew perfectly well that he was no match for Sir Hundred Wisdom. In his memory, this guy was not only proficient in various high-level prayers, but his barrage of Radiant Broom Stars was also extremely destructive, making him a formidable and troublesome character who was skilled in both melee combat and magic.

A cliff overlooking the lake.

Xia Tong gently pulled on the reins, and his spirit horse, Toret, let out a low snort, its four hooves firmly planted on the loose rocks at the edge of the cliff.

The entire Lake Lienia resembles a huge, broken piece of jade, quietly embedded in a low-lying basin.

The pale and thick fog, like a heavy velvet blanket, tightly covered most of the water area.

Through the gaps in the clouds, one could vaguely see countless town ruins submerged in the water, as well as broken logs soaked in shallow water and mud.

-

The gaze converges on the very center of the basin, where a majestic city rises from the ground.

That is the Academy of Reyalucaria, the highest hall of radiant stone magic.

Countless sharp towers cluster together, standing proudly amidst the sea of ​​clouds and mist.

What caught Xia Tong's attention even more was that, on the edge of a remote cliff, he vaguely glimpsed a solitary building standing amidst the raging waves—the Houwang Chapel.

He took a deep breath of the damp air, gently spurred his horse, and rode down the steep mountain path.

Along the way, Xia Tong deliberately paid attention to her surroundings, trying to find the figure of the witch who should have appeared here, but she found nothing.

"It seems that because I forcibly altered Elena's fate, the witch named Haida no longer appears here."

But Xia Tong still vividly remembers the assassination attempt she suffered on the Sobbing Peninsula.

Before its death, the mad fire envoy roared, "Only when you are dead can Lady Haida descend!"

Although Xia Tong had settled Elena in, she had a premonition that the blind witch would eventually return in another unknown form; it was just a matter of time.

Continuing to urge the horse down the slope, after passing through a grove of low, yellow trees, a dilapidated stone church slowly came into view ahead.

Elizabeth Church.

The dilapidated church was overgrown with weeds. A man dressed in worn-out academic robes sat slumped on a broken wooden bench.

His expression was one of deep sorrow and desolation. He was bald on top of his head, with a slightly messy, graying beard on his chin, and he was silently sighing with his eyes closed.

When Xia Tong approached and spoke to him, the man suddenly opened his eyes: "You—are you a Faded One? If so, could you have some mercy and share some Rune with me?"

He rubbed his hands together, his tone tinged with obsequiousness and humility: "As the saying goes, you can't judge a book by its cover. Although I'm down on my luck, I'm still someone who knows magic. If you're willing to share some runes with me, I can teach you magic—"

Looking at that familiar face, Xia Tong thought to herself, "Teacher Tops, you're still the same as ever."

Without any unnecessary words, Xia Tong took out a bag and began to materialize runes from within her body. The entire bag, filled with golden crystals totaling a thousand runes, was handed to the other party.

"Oh my god! Thank you so much, thank you so much! You're such a kind person!" The man held the heavy rune, so excited that he was incoherent. "My name is Topps. As we agreed, if you're interested in learning magic, I'll teach you everything I know! Although—it might just be some rudimentary magic that's not up to par."

Afterwards, Xia Tong had a brief conversation with him and learned about the magic he possessed.

As expected, one was a Radiant Stone Particle, another was a Radiant Stone Curve, and the third was Starlight for illumination—all very basic introductory spells that Teacher Seren had already taught them to him without reservation.

Of course, as a veteran player, Xia Tong knew better than anyone that Tops' most amazing achievement was the still-developing "Tops' Force Field".

That's magic powerful enough to deflect attacks from gods, but this down-on-his-luck mage is still struggling to figure it out.

"It has to be said that the current Realucalia Academy is indeed rotten to the core. Not only did they ruthlessly expel Professor Serian, who was a pillar of the academy, but they also cannot tolerate scholars with pioneering talents like Tops." Xia Tong sighed heavily in her heart.

Seeing Xia Tong's lack of interest in these basic spells, Tops seemed somewhat uneasy: "I'm really sorry, you were so kind as to give me so much rune, but all I can teach you are these low-level tricks. Since that's the case—how about this, as compensation, I'll tell you everything I know about this land."

Tops stood up and pointed to the silhouette of buildings in the thick fog to the north, saying, "Look north from here, can you see that magnificent city on the water? That's the Academy of Reyalucaria, the temple of radiant stone magic."

However, the academy has been completely closed off for a long time. To uphold its principle of non-interference in the War of the Shattered, the academy has erected extremely powerful magical seals on both the east gate facing the royal city of Rodel and the south gate leading to this lake region.

The mage lowered his arm helplessly: "The seal remains unbroken. Without the special Radiant Stone Key," no one can set foot in the academy. Yes, that includes me—for a low-level mage like me, the Radiant Stone Key is simply an item I can't even dream of. When the academy cast the seal, I happened to be traveling outside, and thus I was completely locked out, never to return to that long-desired hall of learning."

During their casual conversation, Xia Tong casually mentioned Teacher Se Lian's name to him.

"You—you're also studying magic under Lady Serenity?" Tops exclaimed in shock. "Oh, that's incredible! Of course I know her. She's the most brilliant talent in the academy's history! Someone as obscure and dull as me wouldn't normally have any connection with her."

At this point, his expression turned somewhat somber: "But—she was ruthlessly expelled from the academy. Due to suspicions of being a 'Crystal Witch,' she was accused by the higher-ups of murdering a large number of her fellow mages. But I simply cannot believe such a fabricated charge! How could such a lovable woman, so devoted to the truths of the stars, possibly commit such a heinous act?"

Tops shook his head, steer the conversation back to reality: "So, if you want to move on, you first need to find the Radiant Stone Key. Because you can't enter the academy without the key."

After a moment's hesitation, the down-on-his-luck mage bowed deeply, his voice filled with an almost pleading longing: "If, during your journey, you happen to find a second extra Radiant Stone Key besides the one you need—no rush, you can wait until you've finished your business. Could you—give me that extra key?"

"I know very well that I am just a dull, worthless rock, with no talent whatsoever in wielding high-level magic. But I still want to learn—I dream of returning to that hall of learning."

Hearing this moving plea, Xia Tong nodded solemnly and then bid farewell to the admirable scholar.

Next, Xia Tong carefully explored the ruins of the Church of Elis and successfully found the Holy Grail Dew she needed in a corner.

Finally, Xia Tong mounted his horse again and continued his journey towards the bottom of the Lienia Basin.

The fog grew thicker and thicker along the way. Xia Tong casually picked some crystalline wood buds that shimmered with a faint light from the woods.

On the steep cliffs, a few huge birds of prey occasionally circle and cry out, and all around are weathered and collapsed rocks and ruins.

Suddenly, a roar came from afar!

Xia Tong turned around and saw more than a dozen Deathborn, wielding huge scythes, charging towards her!

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