Your Majesty's money, why don't you engrave my name on it?

It is indeed worth going to such great lengths for a magical artifact.

However, what Eaton and the others were originally wary of was definitely not Reslaufer and his gang, but the priests of Edas, and the druids who might come back to support and did come to support, and perhaps also guys like Patrick who were "brave and righteous".

Druids can easily communicate with plants and learn their escape locations, so simply jumping from a high place to escape can only hide temporarily, and they will eventually be surrounded by tree people and priests in the mountains. However, if they really hide in the mountains, they can avoid this situation.

Even if the druids later found the plants that witnessed their escape, they were still far away.

However, they had not expected that a tree man would come down and smash the secret passage that could only accommodate a dozen or dozens of people into a big hole, making it easy for Reslaufer and others behind to find this place.

But even so, the pursuers had to slow down, not only because the intense action caused physical exhaustion - the bard's harp also needed time to be dried again.

"Luckily, Old Feng adjusted it," Daisy wrings out her clothes and pants, which are already soaked to the point of being wet, while Bella summons a ball of fire and carefully heats her piano. "Otherwise, if this piano is ruined like this, I'll cry my heart out."

"I don't know where you got this harp, but instruments imbued with sonic magic are definitely hard to find," the dwarf agreed. "It's a shame to render it unusable simply because it's been soaked in water and burned."

"You should be thankful that Vondar is a dwarf from the East Sea," Reslaufer said casually. "The lowlands of the East Sea are extremely humid year-round. With a dense network of rivers and streams, and the sea to the west, it rains almost thirteen months a year. Moisture-proofing is ingrained in their DNA."

"The situation in the Empire is not much better... Oh, I forgot, you are from East Inassus." Vondar Banqiu subconsciously prepared to retort, but suddenly realized that the environment in Reslaufer's hometown was indeed much better than that in Haidong.

"Why didn't we settle in East Inassus?"

"Is it possible that before you lost your original empire, the entire Inassus had already been taken over?" "...Indeed."

The mercenary put on his armor again. Suddenly, he noticed that Patrick's expression seemed a little strange. "What are you thinking about, you blockhead? Qingzun City?"

West Inassus and East Inassus are not quite the same, but both offer a much stronger environment than Haidong, which is also like a paradise for Ampiri further north.

"Hmm?" The paladin frowned, seemingly distracted. He didn't react until Leslaufer stood in front of him. "No, I left Qingzun City many years ago. Besides, I'm focusing on more immediate problems, not my hometown far away."

"Uncle Patrick, is there something wrong?" Angelita asked, "Is it... something I can talk about?"

"For me, there's nothing I can't say. I'm just thinking about how to describe my... feelings," the paladin hesitated. "The air here makes me feel very uncomfortable. It feels like countless tiny needles are constantly pricking my skin, and every time I breathe, they damage my nasal cavity and lungs."

"The environment here also makes me uncomfortable. Every moss and fern is like a pair of eyes, watching our every move, and can turn into a cage and poisonous sting to hurt us at any time. And in that deeper darkness—"

The paladin raised his sword-wielding right hand and pointed forward. "I don't mean to brag, but I'm not afraid of the darkness, neither the monsters within nor the darkness itself. But there, there seems to be something even more terrifying, something that makes me feel... afraid?"

Patrick's hesitation and distraction were not without reason. His description did not fully match the powerful perception given to him by his sacred oath, but even such inspiration could not allow him to make an accurate judgment of the situation ahead.

"Fear?" Leslough chewed on the word. If it was a rookie who said this, he would not take it seriously. But the person who spoke was Patrick, a "white knight" who swore to devote his body, mind and life to the cause of justice, so his reaction was very intriguing.

"Do you think there's an ambush ahead? Those two returnees, no, those three returnees were just putting on a show for us, but they're actually lined up in front of us, ready to wipe us out?"

"No, it's not that bad. If that were the case, I would suggest you leave without hesitation." Patrick responded immediately.

"Well," the mercenary rubbed his chin. "Dangerous, but not that dangerous, is it? Tell me, Mr. Kord, what are you going to do? Back down?"

The paladin frowned in thought for a moment before offering a bright smile in response, "No, mate. I'll keep going."

"If I don't, I wouldn't be Patrick Corder."

"That's no problem," Lesloff turned and called to the others, "Daisy! Is your piano working? If it does, come and follow us!"

"They're all the same as me, but you're the only one here who can keep up with me," Doppler patted Patrick's shoulder. "So I have to confirm your thoughts. Otherwise, I'd rather kill you right here than let you abandon me and run away on the battlefield for any reason."

"It's dangerous, but it's just death. It's no big deal, right?"

Upon hearing this, the paladin took another deep breath of the air, which tasted rather unpleasant to him, and sighed with a smile, "How strange! I'm actually starting to think you and I are on the same path?"

"That's ridiculous..."

"I'm on the same level as a saint like you? I'm truly flattered!" Leslough laughed and stepped forward. "It seems we have to recover that 'Tear of Eldath' today!"

The traces left by the tree people were quite easy to identify, and even though the caves here were complicated, the people who set out again would not lose them. However, when Leslaufer stood at a three-way intersection again, he raised his sword to stop the others who wanted to go into the leftmost entrance.

"Look at these footprints on the ground, friends!" The mercenary unconsciously revealed a grim smile of delight at having found his prey first after starting late. He pointed at the almost insignificant traces on the ground and said, "Our wizard thinks he's very clever! He did trick the tree, but he couldn't fool me—let's go this way!"

After saying that, he rushed into the cave in the middle.

Chapter 154 Tears of Eldath

The sound of wood structure scraping against earth and stone walls had not been heard for a long time. Khalid was almost certain that they had gotten rid of that damned Sander.

Where did he get such a terrifying spell? Needless to say, it must have been the Quiet Creek Society he once belonged to! That society that claimed to pursue nature actually had such evil spells!

And it’s very powerful!

"What are you angry about?"

Khalid was startled by Eton's sudden accusation. "No, nothing. I dare not be dissatisfied with you, Master."

"Of course you wouldn't dare," Eton snorted. The mage rolled up his sleeves and reached out to grope for something in the moss on the wall. After a moment, he withdrew his hand. "But now, I ask you not to have any complaints about anything."

Khalid opened his mouth, full of questions about why his uncle suddenly became so meddling.

"If you don't want to die, do as I say, my dear nephew." Khalid soon discovered that Eaton was not just targeting him. The wizard's voice and expression gradually became pleasant. The returner speculated that he used some kind of spell to achieve this effect.

It was not easy for most people to be completely calm, but as a druid, he could still do it by simply not harboring any resentment. And soon, Khalid understood why his uncle asked this of him.

In the darkness, two people, both soaking wet, turned two corners one after the other. As Khalid continued to move forward, he suddenly caught a glimpse of something from the corner -

It was a huge mass, a chimera made up of fangs, blood and corpse parts. At this moment, it seemed to be stuck in the wall, but the gluttony and hunger that came from this existence's instinct made it tremble slightly.

Khalid was panicked for a moment. A deadly stench, with malicious intent, tried to penetrate his brain. Amidst waves of dizziness, if he had not controlled his emotions in time, he didn't know what would happen next!

The two of them quickly escaped from the monster, leaving it far behind. Only at this moment did Eaton in front finally breathe a sigh of relief. After passing by that thing and facing such malice, even he was almost crushed by the pressure.

"Uncle, that's..." Khalid was about to ask, but he immediately covered his mouth. Who knew if the monster could hear him?

"It's okay. Ask ahead," Eaton waved his hand. "This fused flesh and blood corpse is inert and won't actively pursue. I'm taking advantage of this and placing it here as a backup."

"With my guidance, you won't be noticed and attacked by it. But if that tree man still refuses to give up, he will surely die at the hands of that undead creature."

"As a wizard who cannot transform into an animal, I must be fully prepared before I dare to seize such a divine artifact." He raised the Tears of Eldath in his hand and looked at it carefully in fascination.

"She's really beautiful, isn't she? Even just as a work of art, it's worth the price."

"What exactly can it do?" The Returner couldn't help but ask. "Uncle, I have always faithfully carried out your orders and never asked any questions. Could it really be, as my other companions have speculated, that it can deceive large numbers of ordinary people and make them destroy everything they have created?"

Eaton looked at Khalid with contempt. After a moment, the druid lowered his head in self-consciousness, then shook his head and continued to admire the artifact in his hand.

"Khalid, Khalid, you clever fool," the wizard smacked his lips. "Have I not told you before? I have no real interest in your so-called 'career'."

Khalid remained silent, knowing this, but when Eton sought him out and acknowledged him as his nephew, it was hard not to see the druid wanting to use his power. Therefore, it was only natural to announce to everyone, both internally and externally, that his hermit uncle was equally passionate about the returnees' cause.

"Tears of Eldath." With a powerful monster guarding the passage behind him, the mage almost completely relaxed. "Khalid, do you know why this goddess of peace sheds tears? And how did her tears become such a divine artifact?"

"I've heard that she's the sister of another war god," Khalid responded cautiously. "They often quarrel with each other due to differing ideologies. I think..."

"No, although the Tranquility and the Warlords have different ideologies, they have never considered each other enemies, let alone turned against each other." Eaton shook his head. "And if that were the reason, can you imagine that this tear would end up in my hands?"

This is not self-deprecation. In fact, elevating oneself to a dispute between gods is already a form of self-flattery.

"The Tears of Eldath appeared for her own reasons, Khalid," Eton paused for a moment and continued to explain. "Although the goddess rarely descended to the mortal world in her incarnation, it was not uncommon. On one occasion, she arrived at the Golin-Otto Mountains, just as the decline of the elves had begun. Two groups of elves were fighting in the mountains, and the goddess' incarnation tried to stop the battle through non-violent means."

"He succeeded, but also failed. A reckless unbeliever stabbed Him with a spear, wounding a god—even if it was only an incarnation, even if the damage was insignificant. Yet, divine power still gushed out, severely injuring the vast majority of the warring members who had not yet laid down their weapons."

"The goddess is gentle and compassionate. She tried to forgive the spirits who had harmed her, but her power was weakened and unstable at the time. Research suggests that in another world, another aspect of the goddess was facing the wrath of a higher being."

"This weakness and instability does not harm the god himself. It will only transform his healing power into another power that he originally possessed, but had been suppressing."

Khalid opened his mouth, thinking he knew how the story ended.

"The goddess' smile can make most wild creatures her friends and followers, and her touch, in turn, can destroy everything it touches and turn it to dust. Although this power is usually used to free the undead, that was clearly an exception."

Eden Smil raised the staff in his hand. "The goddess accidentally killed the mortal who hurt her, and shed tears of regret for it. Therefore, the power contained in this artifact is not the so-called power of confusion or control, but a one-time, tangible power of destruction! It comes from the incarnation of a true god!"

"You intend to—"

"What do you think, dear Khalid?" Eton glared at the returnee trembling with fear. "When I fully master it and can release its power in batches, I will return to Magparece Academy and make all those fools who once looked down on me kneel down and gnaw the dirt on the toes of my boots!"

"And if they dare to resist, I don't mind having His Majesty, who is currently acting recklessly on the throne, get off and let me take the throne instead!"

"Become the new emperor?" Khalid felt like he was suffocating.

"To become the most supreme, lifelong, powerful and only dean of the academy!" The wizard was proud of his ambition, and his eyes were shining with green light.

Chapter 155 Flesh and Bones Melt

Khalid didn't want to dwell on the question of whether the greater ambition lay with him, the dean of a comprehensive college or the leader of a secular empire. He simply knew that his uncle wasn't joining him to return everything to nature, but even so, his survival depended on Eton, and that was enough.

But Reslaufer and others who were chasing them had a lot more to consider.

"The smell of blood is getting stronger," Patrick whispered as they continued to move forward in the passage. "There's something ahead, but I can smell its stench."

"I can't see anything," the dwarf muttered, complaining, "you really have a good nose—"

Before Feng Daer finished speaking, a pungent smell filled with rottenness and sourness spread throughout the cave. It showed no sign of dissipating, but instead became thicker and thicker!

"The rear team becomes the front team! Quick!" Leslaufer turned around immediately. "Whatever that thing is, we can't fight it here!"

Daisy, who was at the end of the team, didn't need his reminder at all. She immediately turned around and fled towards the cave they had just entered. The strange creature in the cave had no intention of giving up its prey. When Reslover, who was left at the end, just rushed to the cave entrance, a deadly stench followed like a thorn in the flesh. Before the mercenary could turn around, a long tentacle made of fangs, blood and corpse parts stretched out like a whip and quickly tied up Reslover's left leg.

"Ahhhhhhhhh——" The teeth-grinding sound of metal rotting and the mercenary's painful cries overlapped together. That thing was actually corroding the armor forged by the dwarves!

"What the hell is this?!"

Bella turned around in horror and tried to rescue Leslaufer, but the stone in her hand was so weak in front of the monster, it was squeezed and deformed. The aggregated and deformed monster passed through the narrow entrance and exit of the passage in an unimaginable form. Countless fangs and sharp teeth rubbed against the rock wall, intertwined with the gurgling sound of flesh and blood being squeezed, and finally, the complete body that was several times the size of the passage entrance was revealed to everyone.

The ball huddled in the corner that Khalid and Eaton had seen before was just a disguise of its amorphous body!

"The evil will be annihilated!" Patrick shouted and rushed forward. The light of the Holy Slash illuminated the entire cave. However, as if trying to cut a swamp, the holy warrior's sword sank deeply into the monster's twisted body, and even the light of justice seemed to be swallowed up.

The monster let out waves of inexpressible roars, its body constantly expanding and contracting, as if it wanted to drag the paladin and Reslaufer into the depths of flesh and blood and devour them. The mercenary struggled to chop at the part of the monster that still barely had a human form. As the torso of the humanoid creature, which was already only half left, was severed, the restraints on Reslaufer's feet were finally loosened. Without caring about anything else, Reslaufer jumped up and temporarily broke free from the entanglement of those tentacles.

He felt a sharp pain in his ankle. He didn't need to see or touch it to know what was going on there: the monster's tentacles had just secreted some highly corrosive mucus, which had corroded his leg armor and his flesh, leaving it bloody and bruised. Now, he was afraid that the metal and flesh had been "welded" together.

It will definitely be painful during the treatment later, but it’s a good thing to not talk about it now.

"Don't stand there like an idiot, do something!" Leslaufer shouted to the poet behind him who was already frightened by the monster's realistic and terrifying appearance. Then he picked up the giant sword again, kicked the wall with his right leg, and jumped onto the pile of flesh. At this moment, the weapon seemed to have turned into some kind of shovel, digging frantically at the flesh and blood mass below.

That worked fine against creatures like giants and ogres, but this—did it have a head, or a heart?

"We waited for you to dry your piano, not to see you dazed at this moment!"

Angrita also urged Daisy. She and Vondal rushed forward from the left and right. While swinging her sword with one hand to help Patrick escape, Angrita still did not forget her magic that was no longer effective. Balls of arcane light in her left hand were lit up and then automatically extinguished. This happened several times, but in the end, no magic was released.

"Don't make any noise, I'm thinking... Wait!" Daisy gritted her teeth. Suddenly, her eyes lit up. "I've got an idea! So this is how we're going to upgrade this place!"

"Hey, monster!" The poet immediately picked up her harp, and a string of notes with a rhythm so fast that it didn't seem like they could be played by a harp poured out from her fingertips. Her eyes flashed with sparks of arcane and music. In her vision, the magic power in the entire cave was being disturbed by her strings, interweaving into a huge web on all sides of the flesh and blood.

"Want to hear my new song? It's called 'Monsters Swimming in Lava'!"

Magic flowed through the woven web of illusion, drilling into the depths of the flesh-melting body. The monster seemed completely oblivious to this, not even noticing Daisy's movements. Yet, with its senses, vastly different from those of ordinary creatures, the slippery ground beneath its feet suddenly shifted, as if instantly transformed into boiling magma.

No… maybe it was lava all along, but we just didn’t notice it?

The monster's limited intelligence couldn't comprehend the changes taking place on the ground. It only knew that if it continued to stay there, it would be swallowed up by the boiling lava until nothing remained. It should leave this damn place.

In fact, the ends of its chaotic limbs have already felt the burning heat brought by the terrifying high-temperature fluid, and some of them have even begun to be charred.

"What did you do?" With a crisp sound of breaking, the holy warrior easily took back his weapon. Looking at the monster in front of him who seemed to be in purgatory in the damp cave, he turned his head in astonishment to look at the poet behind him.

"It's the power of phantom, I added the power of phantom!" Daisy did not stop her playing, but mixed the answer into the singing. As long as she continued like this, this monster might be scalded to death by the magma that did not exist in the first place?

A series of howls rang out from the depths of its flesh and blood. Under the astonished gaze of everyone, it stretched out six or seven tentacle-like limbs toward the top of the cave, and the next moment, pulled its entire body up!

The monster's intelligence was not enough to think about whether it was reasonable for magma to appear in a damp cave, but its strong physique gave it a solution: if it was impossible to move on the surface, wouldn't it be fine to just crawl through the ceiling?

"It's coming towards me—"

Before Daisy could finish her words, the huge piece of meat rushed towards the bard and Bella from above with abnormal speed!

Chapter 156: Moon Blue Copper Concentrate

The huge body of flesh and blood, its attack method and range are far beyond what ordinary people can imagine. While Bella and Daisy are still trying to dodge, two bloody and filthy appendages, each connected to a big mouth with countless fascia and blood vessels, are already biting towards the two of them from seven or eight meters away. Looking at the posture of the bloody mouth, it seems that it is not just going to tear a large piece of flesh from the two of them.

What the monster hoped more was to wrap these two preys whole, skin and bones included, into its body and devour them completely and thoroughly!

If I get entangled by this thing, my life will probably be over...

A strange thought suddenly flashed through Daisy's brain, which had almost given up thinking because of fear. She suddenly pounced forward and ducked down to avoid the attack.

However, Bella on the other side was not so lucky. The young druid was unable to dodge and one of her thighs was firmly clamped by the sharp teeth on the appendage. She lost her balance and was pulled towards the direction of the monster.

On the monster's body, the blasphemous components quickly adjusted their positions relative to each other. Behind Bella, an even larger mouth suddenly took shape, opening in six directions!

"Save me!" Bella frantically looked for help from all around. Finally, at the last moment, the druid managed to use her nails to dig into the crack of a rock on the wall next to her. Several pieces of flesh and blood were peeled off from her legs by the monster's sharp teeth, and the fragments of cloth along with her pants were swallowed into the mouth of the flesh-melting corpse.

"Kill it! For the glory of Moradin!"

Vondar discarded his useless shield, drew his other battle axe, and swung it at the rotting mass of flesh. Elsewhere, the radiance of the Holy Slash shone once again. This time, Patrick was clearly even more righteous. Before the slashing sounded, the entire underground was illuminated like daylight, causing the flesh monster to subconsciously curl up some of its appendages and torso.