Hello, is this a letter addressed to Demon Fortress?

The third day was the agreed-upon date for the transaction.

Edwin arrived at the Wasteland Overlord's territory early and waited silently.

In the distance, that black mountain ridge stretching across the land is Satoguya.

When it sleeps, its body becomes one with the wasteland.

From a distance, it appears as a slightly raised black ridge stretching for several kilometers, with its highest point no more than two hundred meters high.

No one would realize it was a living being until it started breathing.

When it breathes, the entire "ridge" will rise and fall slowly, at a frequency of about once per minute.

The ground vibrations caused by breathing can be felt within a radius of ten kilometers, like a weak earthquake, like the heartbeat of the earth.

The chilling aura permeating the air was not murderous intent, nor oppressive power, but the sheer weight of its very existence.

It felt like a mountain pressing down on my chest, making me forget how to breathe.

Three dark cages floated in mid-air beside Edwin.

Cedric, Leah, and Hewlett were imprisoned there, trapped and held captive.

Their bodies struggled and writhed in the cage.

Cedric was pale and his lips were cracked. With each struggle, the fog above the dark cage thickened.

The mist was absorbing his vital energy, converting his power into energy to maintain the cage.

Leah leaned against the bottom of the cage, her gray hair falling in front of her face, her breathing so faint it was almost inaudible.

Hewlett closed his eyes and remained motionless, but his chest was still rising and falling slightly.

Edwin raised his hand, his fingertips twitching slightly.

Three streams of black mist extended from the cage and wrapped around his fingers.

He gently squeezed his hand.

The three of them froze simultaneously.

The little bit of energy they had just regained was drawn out of their bodies by the black mist and disappeared into Edwin's fingertips.

The three of them went limp and were on the verge of shock.

Cedric's chest heaved violently, each breath feeling like a sawing motion.

His eyes were half-open, his blood-red pupils staring intently at Edwin through his drooping hair.

His voice was hoarse and weak, but every word was filled with hatred.

"Kill me."

Edwin looked at him, his cloudy old eyes devoid of any emotion.

"Kill me..."

Cedric's voice lowered even further, like the last breath squeezed from his throat.

"Damn it..."

Edwin did not answer.

His gaze shifted from Cedric to Leah, then to Hewlett.

"If it weren't for the Sage, you would all be beheaded long ago."

His voice was very soft, as if he were stating a fact.

"Now, shut your mouths."

Edwin raised his finger again, and black mist surged from around the three of them, enveloping their five senses.

Cedric opened his mouth slightly, but no sound came out.

Leah's body stopped trembling.

Hewlett remained motionless with his eyes closed.

Their world turned into a deathly darkness.

Edwin withdrew his gaze, stood still, and continued to wait.

He glanced at Hewlett almost imperceptibly.

That half-demon knight, with his eyes closed and as silent as a stone, never struggled, never cursed, and never asked for death from the very beginning.

He simply closed his eyes, as if waiting, as if calculating.

Edwin's brow furrowed slightly.

Just then, a crackling sound came from the sound transmission stone at his waist.

Edwin glanced down, then used dark magic to completely seal off the three people's five senses, ensuring they couldn't hear anything, before connecting the communication stone.

An aged voice came from the sound transmission stone, carrying a cautious and respectful tone.

"Lord Edwin, I am Gregory, the legendary mage stationed in Parthia."

"I have investigated as you instructed."

Edwin's pupils contracted slightly, his voice remained calm, but he spoke a few minutes faster.

"how?"

There was a moment of silence on the other end of the communication stone.

The old man's voice rang out again, carrying an uncontrollable heaviness.

"Found it."

"They were all killed with a single blow."

"It was the work of a legendary assassin."

Edwin's breath caught in his throat for a moment.

The scene from two days ago flashed through his mind.

After a corner of the Perception Veil was missing, he left Cass, Victor, and Arthur to pursue the vanished half-demon civilians in Deadwood Town, while he himself headed towards the direction where the Perception Veil had collapsed.

He wanted to see who dared to make a move right under his nose.

Then he met Cedric, Leah, and Hewlett.

The three legendary half-demons are trying to rescue the imprisoned half-demon warriors.

They were held back by the cries of their fellow prisoners in the cages and dared not leave.

Edwin took advantage of this and proposed a seemingly fair condition—find a place with few demons, fight one-on-one, or three-on-three.

Cedric and his two companions fell into his trap, just as he had hoped.

On that carefully chosen battlefield, within those pre-set magic circles, he defeated and captured them.

He believed that capturing these three legendary half-demons was equivalent to holding Morgan and the entire Sanctuary by the throat.

He assumed that the magic families who had dispersed and retreated had safely left the wasteland with their prey.

However, when he returned to his original stronghold, he found that all the half-demon warriors in the cage had disappeared.

Not one left.

He immediately tried to contact the magic families that had scattered and evacuated.

Seven teams, seven directions, seven families.

We can't get in touch with any of them.

Those specially made sound transmission stones have an effective range of 400 kilometers.

Edwin didn't believe that the families could have gone that far in just two days.

Even if they leave, the family's communication stones should still be within range.

But they did not respond.

not a single one.

The only explanation is that something unexpected happened.

Edwin could accept it if only a few people were injured.

But what he couldn't accept was that in the short two hours he was gone, everyone had an accident.

Even now, recalling it still sends chills down the spine of Edwin, the legendary mage who was about to enter the epic realm.

Seven magical families, more than seventy elites, along with several half-demon prisoners, dispersed in different directions and departed.

In this vast, desolate wasteland teeming with demons, it was like a drop of water falling into the sea, nowhere to be found.

Even with Arthur's soul perception and his own dark magic, it would be impossible to find everyone.

The only possible answer is that the guy from the Wailing Wall brought a lot of very powerful assassins.

The number might be... comparable to the Assassin's Court.

however……

Edwin took a deep breath, suppressing his turbulent thoughts, and continued to ask.

Have you noticed... their presence?

There was a long silence on the other end of the communication stone.

The old man's voice rang out again, carrying a weary, defeated sigh.

"I, along with several other legendary mages who came from the north, have surveyed almost the entire hunting grounds."

"Using all sorts of magic, a thorough search..."

"Besides discovering the magical family members who were killed with a single blow, and the traces of the half-demon warrior's departure..."

There's nothing there.

Edwin's temple throbbed twice.

The old man hesitated for a moment, then lowered his voice even further.

"Could it be... that Demon King?"

Edwin raised an eyebrow, then almost instinctively retorted.

"impossible."

His voice was resolute.

"He cannot leave the Wailing Wall."

"Otherwise, that place will be devoured by that terrible spirit demon."

There was silence on the other end of the communication stone.

Edwin's fingers tightened slightly as he forcefully suppressed the hint of panic, and his voice returned to its calm tone.

"Okay, we'll find out soon."

The old man's tone was uneasy and cautious, as if he were testing the waters.

"Lord Edwin...they chose the territory of Satogua as the trading location. What if...they want to use this demon to..."

"Then they will die too."

Edwin interrupted him, his voice as cold as ice.

"With their companions."

"No one can escape the pursuit of the enraged Satoguia."

He paused for a moment, his gaze falling on the black mountain ridge that stretched across the wasteland.

"Even Guxin cannot."

There is a chasm between legends, and even more so between epics.

This is not arrogance, it's the truth.

Edwin withdrew his gaze and spoke into the communication stone.

"alright."

"Do as I say, conceal your tracks, and await my orders."

He paused, then his tone became even more stern.

"Arthur cannot afford to make any mistakes."

"He is our only link to the Great Sage."

"If he dies here..."

He didn't finish speaking.

But the old man on the other side of the communication stone seemed to have thought of some terrifying outcome, and his voice became dry and hoarse.

"I understand."

Edwin's voice was calm, with an undeniable coldness.

"You probably don't want to end up like that, do you?"

A heavy sigh came from the other end of the communication stone.

"Alas... I shouldn't have been greedy and accepted the task of sealing off the half-demon."

Edwin did not respond.

He lightly touched the communication stone and cut off the communication.

The Thousand Sound Stone at his waist was activated.

A silver light shone in the palm of his hand, and magic flowed within it.

Edwin took a deep breath, picked up the Thousand Sound Stone, and infused it with magic.

A young, slightly lazy male voice came from the other end.

"Look at the sky."

Edwin looked up.

A blinding ball of light exploded in the sky, illuminating the entire wasteland as if it were daytime.

It's a signal.

The other party's location.

Edwin put away the Thousand Sound Stone, his expression grave.

He raised his hand, and three dark cages rose from the ground and hovered behind him.

The three bodies of Cedric and his companion swayed slightly in the cage, like three hanging corpses.

Edwin walked toward the orb of light.

The head of Satoguya.

At the very tip of that black ridge, there is a slightly raised, hill-like protrusion.

That's the head of that epic demon.

Its eyes were closed, and its mouth was slightly open, revealing rows of dark yellow, stalactite-like teeth.

With each breath, fine grains of sand are expelled from its nostrils, forming a pale gray mist in the air.

Edwin stood less than two hundred meters from its head, his eyelids twitching uncontrollably.

It's not fear.

It's an instinctive, deep-seated sense of oppression.

It's like an ant standing on the nose of a dragon.

His left hand unconsciously clenched the cuff of his robe, his knuckles turning white.

A familiar male voice came from beside him, with a hint of nonchalant laughter.

"Rest assured, Lord Edwin."

"Mr. Satoguia, he won't wake up."

"Of course, if you're planning to plant a few legendary spells here..."

"He'd probably be very happy to say hello to you."

Edwin's gaze followed the direction of the sound.

He saw a figure.

No, two figures.

A black-haired youth stood on a black rock, his gray eyes calmly looking at him, a faint smile on his lips.

Behind him stood Morgan, a half-demon with short, silver-white hair.

A legendary mid-rank mage, brimming with magical power and exuding a calm aura, holding the Wind Whisperer's Scepter in his hand.

Edwin's gaze swept over Morgan and landed on the dark-haired youth.

He was filled with curiosity and wanted to see what this troublemaker looked like.

Is he really the Demon King Guxin?

He took two steps forward, the hem of his robe brushing against the gravel, making a soft rubbing sound.

Then he saw it clearly.

That face.

Those gray eyes.

That calm, almost indifferent expression.

Edwin's pupils contracted sharply.

"How could it be you?!"

Edwin recognized the other person's identity at first glance.

Tongmen City.

In the corridor of the magic tower.

The young man with black hair and black eyes standing behind Freya.

Across from him, Lin Gui grabbed Arthur, who was tightly bound, like he was carrying a dead dog.

He raised his other hand and waved it in Edwin's direction.

"Lord Edwin, it's nice to see you again."

"I never expected to run into you here."

He paused, glanced down at Arthur, and a slight smile appeared on his lips.

"And this one... Mr. Arthur."

Edwin's gaze shifted from Lin Gui's face to what was behind him.

Morgan stood there, her short, silvery-white hair swaying slightly in the morning breeze, her blood-red eyes calmly watching him.

The aura of a legendary mid-level being was released without any concealment; his magic power was abundant, and he was in perfect condition.

He withdrew his gaze and fixed it on Lin Gui again, his voice low and carrying a suppressed questioning tone.

"What are you doing here?"

"As a member of the Magic Guild, you..."

His gaze shifted to Morgan, then back.

"How could you associate with a half-demon?"

"Does Freya know about your actions?"

Lin Gui looked at him, his expression unchanged.

He knew the other party had misunderstood his identity, since only a mage could enter the magic guild.

Freya led him inside, and he assumed he was a member of the magic guild.

But not.

With his current strength, he doesn't even have the basic requirements to enter the magic city.

"I have never been a member of the Magic Guild."

"As for Miss Freya... I am not her companion either."

"As for why you associate with half-demons?"

Edwin stared at Lin Gui, his gaze dark and brooding.

Morgan tilted his head slightly, curiously pricking up his ears to hear how the young man would answer.

However, Lin Gui did not continue speaking.

He stared at Edwin speechlessly, as if he were looking at a nagging, annoying old man.

"Who the hell are you to me?"

His voice wasn't loud, but every word was clear.

"Should I tell you?"

With a flick of his wrist, he lifted Arthur forward, exposing the tightly bound youth to Edwin's view.

"Releasing those three right now, immediately."

He narrowed his eyes, and his tone turned cold.

"otherwise……"

He didn't continue speaking, but instead looked down at Arthur.

He then raised his hand, grabbed Arthur by the back of the neck, and shoved him forward forcefully.

Arthur staggered two steps, his knees slamming heavily against the rocks, letting out a muffled groan of pain.

Lin Gui grabbed his hair and forced him to raise his head and face Edwin's direction.

"explain."

Lin Gui's voice was very soft, like he was commanding a dog.

Arthur's body began to tremble violently.

His lips trembled, his eyes were red-rimmed, and fear almost spilled from his pale face.

His eyes desperately looked at Edwin, like a drowning man grasping at a last straw.

"Edwin!"

His voice was hoarse, trembling with sobs.

"Quickly...quickly get rid of those three sluts..."

Halfway through his sentence, Lin Gui let out a soft hum.

"Um?"

It was just a syllable, light and airy, devoid of any emotion.

But Arthur's body suddenly stiffened, as if a bucket of ice water had been poured over him from head to toe.

His teeth began to chatter, and a hoarse sound came from his throat.

He paused for a moment, then quickly changed his words, his voice almost squeezed out between his teeth, filled with a devastating fear.

"Please let them go...please...let them go..."

Edwin stood there, his face dark, watching the scene unfold before him.

He stared at Lin Gui, his eyes filled with a terrifyingly gloomy expression.