Chapter 394: Returning to the Underground Palace, the Secret of the Blood Legion! (6000)

Cao Xing looked at the temperature overhead.

[Current Temperature: -67℃]

"This passage is colder than it was last time."

At the same time, blue figures suddenly drilled out from the walls on both sides of the passage.

They were ethereal, exuding an eerie aura.

Looking closely, they were none other than the Ascalon undead.

Their pale faces still held the expressions they had before death, giving people a sinister feeling.

As more and more Ascalon undead appeared, they almost blocked the entire passage.

The intense undead aura carried a startling chill!

Robin, following behind Cao Xing, was already so scared he had lost all color in his face.

"Gr-Gr-Great… Lord…"

"How can there be so many undead here?" he asked, trembling.

Cao Xing spread his hands. "You have to ask your ancestors, that King of Ascalon, about that."

Robin looked blank; he didn't know the story of the fall of the Ascalon Kingdom.

However, these undead in the passage did not attack Cao Xing. Instead, they stood in place, clearing a path for him.

All the undead gripped their weapons, their expressions solemn, as if they were welcoming Cao Xing's arrival.

This was a welcoming party in the true sense of the word.

After all, Cao Xing could be considered their savior.

Robin also felt the reverence these undead had for Cao Xing, and he was filled with amazement.

"It's amazing… those undead are actually so polite to Lord Cao Xing!"

Cao Xing shook his head. "Let's go."

Following the passage, they quickly descended underground.

Before them was a familiar place—the entrance to the Hall of Eternal Hope.

Cao Xing remembered there was a tunnel here.

He had crawled in from the side tunnel, and then completed a series of tasks.

At the same time, a strong undead wearing heavy undead armor and a bull-horned helmet on his head floated over quickly!

"Lord Cao Xing!"

That harsh voice unique to the undead rang out.

Cao Xing raised his head and immediately saw that familiar figure.

It was the undead lieutenant he had met once before—Karlhan!

"Lieutenant Karlhan, long time no see!"

The undead Karlhan was also excited: "Lord Cao Xing, long time no see!"

"I heard from the soldiers that a few humans had entered the underground palace. I was wondering who it was, and it turns out it was you!"

"What brings you here today?"

It was clear that this undead lieutenant was very happy about Cao Xing's arrival.

Cao Xing smiled. "I'm here to handle some things."

"By the way, where is Duke Baradin?"

Karlhan replied: "His Grace the Duke is currently in the Hall of Eternal Hope."

"However, he is receiving a batch of new undead, so it is not convenient for him to come and welcome you. Please forgive him."

Cao Xing waved his hand. "No matter. I'll go find him myself."

Karlhan nodded repeatedly. "Alright, please follow me."

After saying this, Karlhan led him forward.

Cao Xing followed him directly into the hall.

However, this time, he didn't need to crawl through a tunnel; he entered through the main gate openly.

Soon, he arrived at the familiar Hall of Eternal Hope.

A large number of undead were gathered there.

Dense and numerous, there were at least several thousand!

Compared to the number of undead when they parted last time, the scale had more than doubled.

However, Cao Xing also noticed that some of the undead were not wearing battle armor but were draped in some old animal skins.

Some of the undead's bodies were even somewhat incomplete, looking like wandering ghosts!

Clearly, these undead were not members of the Ascalon undead; they had come from outside.

And in the central area, there was a tall undead figure holding a greatsword.

It was Duke Baradin.

At this moment, he held his battle blade high, chanting in his mouth.

"Departed spirits… homeless warriors…"

"The glory of the Ascalon Kingdom will shine upon every warrior who has fought bravely."

"In the name of the Duke…"

As Duke Baradin finished chanting the spell, a strong blue undead aura burst forth from his battle blade!

These auras directly enveloped the group of wandering ghosts nearby.

In the blink of an eye, this group of undead donned the same battle armor as the other Ascalon undead.

This move made Cao Xing's eyes light up instantly.

"This is… converting the undead from outside into Ascalon undead?"

"Can other undead also be converted into Ascalon undead?"

Yes, Cao Xing immediately associated this with that ancient battlefield.

According to the intelligence gathered by Blot, that ancient battlefield had a massive undead army, including even Tier 6 and 7 undead.

If possible, could he help Duke Baradin subdue the undead in that underground palace?

And then make a deal with Duke Baradin!

In this way, it would be equivalent to indirectly controlling an undead army!

Thinking of this, Cao Xing's pupils shrank.

His original idea was to take the initiative and flatten that ancient battlefield.

But if he could convert these undead into his own troops, the gains would be much greater than just flattening them!

At that time, Duke Baradin would control the massive undead army, and he could summon them.

Cao Xing waved his arm, and the scene of endless undead helping him drown the enemy would surely be shocking!

He couldn't even wait to try it immediately.

Of course, this was just his hypothesis; whether it could succeed still depended on asking Duke Baradin.

And this time, Cao Xing's main purpose was to open the kingdom's treasury.

At the same time, Duke Baradin had finished the undead transformation ceremony.

He also noticed Cao Xing waiting on the side.

After all, it was hard not to notice a few living people appearing in a palace gathered with undead.

A smile appeared on that undead, pale face.

"Your Excellency Cao Xing, you have come."

Cao Xing nodded slightly and didn't waste words, getting straight to the point: "Your Grace, I have come to fulfill our agreement."

"I have brought the person with the royal bloodline of Ascalon."

Hearing this, the thousands of undead on the field all cast their gazes onto Robin.

And this young man, suddenly stared at by so many undead, immediately felt cold all over, and his breathing quickened.

Baradin placed his gaze on Robin and examined him for a while; a trace of surprise and astonishment flashed across his face…

Then, he nodded.

"I can sense it; he truly has the blood of the royal family!"

"Lord Cao Xing keeps his word; you are indeed able to live up to the trust and accomplish things that ordinary people cannot."

Cao Xing smiled.

At the same time, Duke Baradin looked at Robin.

"You are of the King's bloodline. According to the old customs, we should pay respects to you."

"But we have already become undead, and the rules of the past need not be mentioned, so there is no need for formalities."

It was clear that Duke Baradin still held resentment regarding the King shattering the sword and placing a curse on them.

And for Robin, over a thousand years had passed since that era.

Before this, he had just lived a simple life as an ordinary person.

If it weren't for Marita finding him this time, his fate would have been the same as other ordinary commoners, living a mediocre life.

"No… no need to pay respects to me…"

"Actually, I didn't even know I was a member of the royal family…"

"I… I am very sorry…"

Robin said with a face full of apology.

Seeing this, Duke Baradin sighed and said no more.

Cao Xing asked: "Your Grace, can the bloodline power in Robin open the kingdom's treasury?"

Duke Baradin was a very direct person, so there was no need to beat around the bush when communicating with him.

The undead Duke nodded. "It can, Lord Cao Xing."

"Please follow me; I will take you to open the kingdom's treasure."

Hearing this, a look of joy appeared on Cao Xing's face.

Including Sarah and Renice behind him, the corners of their mouths also curled into faint smiles.

Because this meant that the treasury, sealed for over a thousand years, was finally going to be opened today!

Then, everyone followed Duke Baradin through the Hall of Eternal Hope and arrived at the Kasha Cathedral.

This was the place where Cao Xing had once fought the Soul-Eater Demon.

After so long, the number of coffins on it had increased by several thousand.

Cao Xing looked up and saw the statue of Goddess Kemir in the center of the cathedral.

Last time, this statue was tarnished by the Soul-Eater Demon and its head was destroyed; now it had been repaired by these undead, appearing incomparably sacred.

Duke Baradin also noticed Cao Xing's gaze.

Then he stopped in front of the statue and bowed.

He said with emotion: "As one of the Six True Gods, Goddess Kemir, who governs order and truth, once bestowed an oracle upon our Ascalon."

"We once thought that under the protection of the Goddess, the kingdom would always be prosperous."

"But we didn't expect that in the end, we couldn't escape the fate of destruction."

"Perhaps for a True God like her, the rise and fall of a kingdom is just a game of ants in her eyes…"

Cao Xing listened, his eyes thoughtful.

He had a general understanding of the so-called Six True Gods.

They were a group of beings that transcended everything.

This level of life had already surpassed concepts like lifespan and life and death.

The scale of time seemed to have lost its meaning to them.

Even a prosperous kingdom, or even a vast empire, might be but a drop in the ocean in their eyes, fleeting.

The only ones capable of contending with the Six True Gods were the Ancient Dragons.

However, all the Ancient Dragons seemed to be in a sealed state.

In other words, the Six True Gods were almost the most powerful group of beings in this world.

The vast majority of races in the entire world believed in the Six True Gods.

Although these gods had not appeared for many years, most living beings still maintained their faith in Them.

So far, Cao Xing only knew the names of four of them.

They are:

Goddess of Order, Spirit, and Truth—Kemir.

Goddess of Beauty, Freedom, and Wind—Lisa. Goddess of Air, Healing, and Life—Devina

Goddess of Growth, Water, and Nature—Melandru.

As for the names of the other two True Gods, Cao Xing did not know.

So, he asked Duke Baradin this question.

The Duke pondered for a moment, then replied: "In fact, I only know the name of one other True God."

"He is called Grenth, and he presides over darkness, frost, and death…"

"This one is very mysterious and low-key. He never requires any believers, so there are very few records of his deeds."

Cao Xing nodded secretly, noting the name 'Grenth' in his heart.

Duke Baradin continued, "Except for the God Grenth."

"Including the ones well-known to the world, that is, the titles of these five True Gods, no one knows the title of the sixth True God."

Cao Xing looked puzzled and asked, "No one knows?"

"Yes, at least in my memory, I have never heard anyone else mention the title of this sixth True God."

"I scoured the kingdom's library and found no records whatsoever regarding this sixth True God."

"Or rather, no one can give a definite answer as to whether such a deity even exists."

"Some say this is a slot left by those five powerful True Gods for other True Gods, hoping that more beings comparable to them will appear."

"Others say this sixth True God is a product of living beings' imagination and longing for the unknown, or perhaps it represents a hidden power."

"Of course, the affairs of deities are simply not something we mortals can fathom…"

A look of contemplation flashed across Cao Xing's eyes again.

Through his conversation with Duke Baradin, his understanding of the mysteries of this world deepened.

In this world full of unknowns and challenges, there were simply too many mysteries.

Even those transcendent beings had unsolved mysteries.

Cao Xing also realized that his path as a lord had only just begun.

As he thought, they had already passed through the church and arrived in a bright corridor at the back.

Duke Baradin said, "Lord Cao Xing, please follow me into the Royal Audience Path, and then we can proceed to the location of the treasure vault."

Cao Xing nodded, then stepped into the corridor.

They followed this bright corridor, heading deep inside.

On both sides of the corridor were exquisite murals. Although their colors had faded, they were still filled with a sense of solemnity and reverence.

After moving along this corridor for about two or three hundred meters, they finally reached the end.

Ahead, a huge stone gate suddenly appeared!

The scale of this stone gate was astonishing.

Its height was roughly estimated to be nearly ten meters, and its width was five or six meters.

On both sides of the stone gate stood two knight statues holding longswords and wearing armor.

They looked majestic, as if guarding the world behind the gate.

"We have arrived, Lord Cao Xing."

"Open the gate, and behind it is the palace of the former king, where the kingdom's treasures are kept."

"Or rather, the treasures collected by the king…"

Upon hearing this, a look of anticipation appeared in Cao Xing's eyes again.

He asked, "How do I open it?"

Duke Baradin floated, then looked at Robin beside him and said, "In the center of the two doors, there is a slot each."

"Have this youth who carries the royal bloodline place his hands on them, and the slots will automatically detect your bloodline."

"Then the gate can be opened."

Hearing this, Robin glanced at Cao Xing, seemingly seeking his opinion.

Cao Xing nodded, "Go ahead."

The youth took a deep breath, seemingly summoning his courage.

He carefully approached the gate, extended his hands, and placed them on the two slots Duke Baradin had mentioned.

A moment later, Robin felt a sharp pain in his palms.

He said in terror, "Something… something is pricking my fingers!"

"Lord Cao Xing!"

Duke Baradin said, "Do not worry, this is the gate testing your bloodline; it will be over in a moment."

Upon hearing this, the youth Robin suppressed his inner fear and continued to keep his hands pressed against the gate.

Sure enough, after a short while, that stinging sensation disappeared.

At the same time.

The huge stone gate stirred.

The gate slowly opened to both sides, gradually revealing a gap.

A strong light burst forth from the gap!

"Rumble!"

The gate slowly opened.

However, the expected scene of treasures covering the floor did not appear.

Before everyone appeared a magnificent, resplendent palace!

The first thing that came into view was a grand hall, with a towering dome that seemed to be able to touch the sky.

The ceiling, walls, and even the huge stone pillars of the entire palace were carved with various mysterious murals, fully displaying a sense of solemnity.

And in the center of the palace was a throne even more gorgeous and awe-inspiring than Cao Xing's [Shining Throne]!

Cao Xing's gaze was fixed on the floors, the pillars, and everything around him.

He was amazed in his heart!

"Holy cow! These floors are actually all made of Eternal Gold; they are so damn rich!"

"And those pillars, they have so many Magic Pattern Stones on them."

"Even the fabric used for those curtains and screens seems extraordinary…"

"Damn! I really want to tear this palace down!"

Especially that throne; the gems on it were larger than the next, and each one was no less than Gold quality.

For Cao Xing, everything in this entire palace, even the floor tiles, was worth a fortune.

If he could tear this whole palace down.

Even without any kingdom treasures, it would be a trip worth taking!

Of course, Duke Baradin was still here.

This was the palace of their Ascalon people.

Doing such a thing in front of the Duke was obviously not very good.

At this moment, Duke Baradin looked at the scene before him, a look of reminiscence appearing in his eyes.

"Many years ago, His Majesty the King sat right here and gave us various orders."

"And we faithfully executed his orders, fighting for the glory of the kingdom."

"Under his rule, the kingdom thrived."

"Unfortunately, the King acted on impulse and initiated that war, which then summoned the Blood Legion."

"In that war, we suffered a crushing defeat…"

A look of contemplation appeared in Cao Xing's eyes.

Is it the Blood Legion again?

Through his understanding over this period, he had more or less figured some things out.

Two key nodes had once occurred on this continent.

Each key node had influenced the fate of many nations and many races.

The first node was probably the Blood Legion war a thousand years ago.

In that war, many kingdoms were affected and destroyed.

The Ascalon Kingdom was one of them.

In that battle, a large number of warriors died and were then sealed into the summoning space.

Most of the recruited troops of the current Survivor lords came from this period.

The second node was the invasion war ten thousand years ago.

The Blood Spider Queen Hilda died in that war.

However, this time was too distant, and not many records were left.

When he had previously discussed it with Hilda in private, she had tried to speak several times, but was blocked by some mysterious force.

Therefore, Cao Xing had no idea what happened during that period or who the enemy was.

Cao Xing thought to himself, "Recently, the words 'Blood Legion' have been popping up in my ears from time to time."

"This is definitely not a coincidence; I trust my intuition."

"When something that was rarely mentioned before suddenly appears frequently, it means it might really be about to happen."

"In other words… the Blood Legion might really be about to appear on this continent."

Thinking of this, his brows furrowed slightly.

Obviously, the Blood Legion was definitely a quite powerful and terrifying force.

And this force had once reached the Orchid Kingdom and destroyed the Ascalon Kingdom.

In other words, if it appeared again, it would very likely affect the Gale Snowfield where his territory was located.

For such an enemy that might appear in the future, Cao Xing needed to learn as much information as possible.

Knowing oneself and the enemy is the only way to win every battle!

Therefore, Cao Xing asked, "Your Excellency Duke, what kind of existence is the Blood Legion?"

Upon hearing this, a look of pain and anger appeared on Duke Baradin's face.

For him, this force was also the main factor that caused him to become undead.

He slowly said, "They are a group of crazy guys; no one knows what their origin is."

"It is only known that when the Blood Legion appears, the continent will fall into unprecedented turmoil."

"They are powerful, and almost all kingdoms are their targets. Wherever they pass, it spreads like blood, staining the entire map red!"

"This is also the origin of the name 'Blood Legion'."

"Under their invasion, kingdom after kingdom was destroyed, and the entire nation was slaughtered clean!"

"Back then, if the Human Empire hadn't activated some kind of special means, the Blood Legion might have really toppled all the kingdoms on the Western Continent."

A look of contemplation appeared in Cao Xing's eyes again.

Duke Baradin paused and continued, "After the kingdom was defeated back then, we all turned into undead."

"Then I began to seriously study the information about the Blood Legion. So, I spent decades browsing the entire kingdom's library, and I really found a trace of clues."

"I discovered that this force is, they, and every few years, they will appear on the continent again."

"According to my speculation, their purpose might be for * * * * ."

"Of course, this is just my speculation…"

Cao Xing widened his eyes.

Because among these, there were a few key words he couldn't hear!

Yes, it was as if Duke Baradin had been muted after he finished speaking.

At this moment, Cao Xing suddenly came to his senses.

Obviously, this must be the power of the Lord System.

It blocked him from obtaining this information.

The Lord System would not block this information for no reason.

Behind this, there must be a deeper reason!

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