Hello, is this a letter addressed to Demon Fortress?

"Need not."

Lin Gui waved his hand in refusal.

He was grateful for the dwarves' generosity, but crossing the forbidden area with a large group might not be a good thing.

Moreover, he didn't want too many people to know the secrets of the [Eye of the Netherworld] and the [Night Veil].

Lin Gui's refusal seemed to be within Blackbeard's expectations.

The old dwarf sighed.

"The fortress lord also said that you would definitely choose this option."

"Alright, our human friends."

Blackbeard said solemnly:

"What do you want to know?"

Lin Gui extended one finger:

"First, what is the biggest obstacle to crossing the Wailing Wall?"

Blackbeard remained silent for a moment.

The atmosphere in the bar became heavy.

He spoke slowly, each word sounding as if it had been struck from an anvil:

"First, the unseen... the spirit demon."

"They are the true 'residents' inside the walls."

Blackbeard's gaze deepened, as if recalling some horrific scene.

"Physical attacks are like hitting thin air."

"The magical bombardment can only be temporarily dispelled; it will gather back in the blink of an eye."

"You can't see it, you can't touch it, and you can't even sense the energy fluctuations."

He lowered his voice.

"We can only occasionally hear them making...whimpering or hissing sounds."

"We can barely determine our location using this."

"But it's just a 'judgment'—"

Blackbeard clenched his fist.

"Only when they actually launch their attack, just as their claws are about to touch your throat..."

"Only then will its physical form be revealed."

"But by then, it's usually too late."

"Secondly, the fog."

"That thick fog, like a wall, stretching endlessly."

Blackbeard's expression darkened further.

He grabbed the beer next to him and took a big gulp before slamming the glass down.

"That fog... is more sinister than a demon."

His voice was very low, as if he was afraid of disturbing something.

"First of all, within half an hour of going in, my sense of direction was completely messed up."

"You might think you're heading north, but you could actually be going in circles, or even heading south."

"I've been here too long..."

Blackbeard's eyes became somewhat vacant.

"Your mind will also become muddled."

"My memories are starting to get confused; I can't distinguish between the present and the past."

"Some people came out and forgot even their own names or why they went in."

"The most critical thing is the line of sight—"

He gestured with his hand in front of his eyes.

"After more than ten steps, you can no longer see your companion's back."

"Twenty paces away, all that remained was a gray-white expanse."

"And those ghosts hidden in the mist..."

His black beard and Adam's apple bobbed.

"They will mimic the voices of their companions and call your name."

"Or create false light or paths."

"Leading you step by step to cliffs, deep pits, or... their lair."

Lin Gui frowned deeply.

This was indeed a detail he was unaware of.

Through Eli and Balin, he learned that the Wailing Wall contained rare spirit demons.

I've also heard rumors that some survivors eventually went insane and took their own lives.

But he always believed that it was purely a mental attack by the devil.

Unexpectedly, the real source was the seemingly harmless fog.

"So you've tried so many times..."

Lin Gui pressed for an answer.

"Surely there must be a way to deal with this?"

Blackbeard nodded.

"Of course."

"Otherwise, no one would have come for this bounty decades ago."

He held up three thick fingers.

"First, and most commonly used—"

"Take a strong psychotropic drug."

"For example, the 'Iron Will' potion, or the 'Sobering Potion'."

"It can quickly and forcefully refresh the mind and resist confusion."

"But once the effects wear off, the backlash is even more severe, and it is easy to become addicted."

"Secondly, rely on the wind mage in the team."

"They forced open the barrier and pushed the fog away."

Blackbeard shook his head.

"The risk is too great. If the mage falls off the defensive line, the whole team is doomed."

"As for the third one..."

He suddenly fell silent.

His gaze drifted into the distance, as if he were lost in some painful memory.

After a long while, he finally let out a heavy sigh.

"That method... is indeed the safest."

"No one should be able to use it anymore."

Lin Gui chimed in at the opportune moment:

"You mean... the Night Elf Chieftain 'Lin's' team?"

Blackbeard nodded slowly.

"Yes, those were the pioneers she led."

"Using that method, they won ten out of ten."

"We were so close... to making history."

His voice was hoarse.

"Unfortunately, after the eleventh time I went in..."

"He never came out again."

"Three epic-level masters!"

Blackbeard wiped his face.

"That was truly a...disaster."

Lin Gui didn't seem to have much of an opinion on this and asked directly:

"What specific methods did they use?"

Blackbeard raised his eyes and said, word by word:

"It's a spell."

"Throughout the entire continent of Akara, only a handful of mages have mastered it."

"Basic Soul Magic—"

"The Art of Awakening"

Lin Gui: "...???"

He almost thought he had misheard.

Blackbeard, oblivious to Lin Gui's subtle expression, continued to explain:

"The Awakening spell has two key functions in the fog."

"First, it can continuously stimulate the mind of the patient."

"It's like a needle pricking your brain, keeping you in a state of 'painful wakefulness'."

"Thus resisting the memory distortion and disorientation caused by fog."

He gestured.

"Secondly, it is a basic soul magic."

"It consumes very little energy, and the effect can be maintained stably for a whole day after the incantation is completed."

"The amount of magic power consumed is almost negligible."

"This is an amazing skill for teams that need to explore for a long time."

Blackbeard sighed heavily as he finished speaking.

"But the problem is—"

"Mages who can use soul magic are already extremely rare."

"And every soul spell is exceptionally difficult to learn."

"It requires special talent and consumes precious materials."

"More importantly, the Awakening Technique is practically useless in normal times."

"Who would specifically learn a spell that only keeps people from getting sleepy?"

"Most soul mages have gone on to study practical spells like soul tracking and mental shock."

"well……"

Blackbeard sighed heavily, his beard trembling.

"Where can you find someone like Shadowblade Lin these days?"

"A foolish soul mage who 'mistakenly' learned the Clarity Spell?"

Lin Gui: "…………"

Blackbeard, oblivious to the subtle nuances of Lin Gui's silence, continued to offer his suggestions:

"So, this method is almost negligible."

"Human friend, I suggest you take the medicine."

"Although the duration was short, it has been proven over several decades and is mature and reliable."

He turned around and pulled out several small, dark purple glass bottles from under the bar, placing them on the bar.

The liquid in the bottle was thick and had an unnatural metallic sheen.

"This is the 'Iron Will'."

"I happen to have some in stock."

Blackbeard rubbed his hands together, revealing a shrewd smile befitting a businessman.

"Since you're a friend of the Fortress Lord..."

"How about I give you a 50% discount, 1000 gold coins per bottle?"

Lin Gui was silent for two seconds, then pointed to himself.

"I... I guess I could be considered a friend of the dwarves of Strongshield?"

Blackbeard chuckled and waved his hand.

"But I am not a dwarf from the City of Shields."

He puffed out his chest, his tone carrying a hint of the dwarfism typical of the royal capital.

"I am a 'special envoy' directly dispatched by the Dwarven Royal City and stationed here permanently."

"I'll give the fortress lord face, but business..."

He tapped the medicine bottles, his smile unchanged.

"We have to follow the rules."