355-364

Chapter 355 - Their Pride

"My wife is back! It's good that you are safe. It has been hard on you."

Heinrich smiled with bright eyes the moment Elizabeth entered the study room. He placed down the ink pen and strolled over with his arms open wide to embrace his wife.

"Did you find yourself a mistress while I was gone?" Elizabeth asked shortly after noticing the black luster of a ring on Heinrich's hand. Her sharp aura surged immediately.

Heinrich's arms froze awkwardly as he nearly keeled over from the shock.

"W-What are you talking about? I've been so busy with kingdom affairs, I have barely any time to cultivate. Where would I get the time to find a mistress?" Heinrich smiled ruefully.

If he did go and find himself a mistress while his wife was working hard fighting on the frontlines for the kingdom, wouldn't she break his dog legs when she finds out?

Noticing a few strands of grey hair on Heinrich's head, Elizabeth could tell that work had been stressful and not easy for Heinrich either. She would rather fight on the frontline than be stuck behind a desk drowning in paperwork.

Nevertheless, she could not relent and pressed, "Then how do you explain the black ring on your finger?"

"The black ring on my finger?"

Heinrich did not whether to laugh or cry when he heard this. Such a precious gift from their son had been mistaken for—Haiz, forget it.

Heinrich rubbed his head ruefully and helplessly said, "My Queen, this is priceless treasure personally forged and gifted by our dear son."

The ring in question was precisely one of the interspatial artifacts refined by Leon. Although the ring was unrefined in design and looked like a metal nut. It was an interspatial artifact, nonetheless.

"Our son made this?"

"That's right." Heinrich affirmed before saying, "Speaking of this, our son has made a few items for you and the two little ladies too."

Three sets of weapons and interspatial artifacts suddenly appeared in front of Elizabeth. Heinrich passed one set to her before he proceeded over to the two ladies, who were yet to be familiar with the king, Leon's father.

"Aria and Lynne, right? These are for you two."

Heinrich passed the other set of rings and swords to them before quietly watching the three women inspect their gifts with interest.

Aria and Lynne accepted the gifts with willingness and anticipation. They would not reject anything from Leon, especially when it is personally passed to them by the king.

A metal nut of a ring and a sword of simple design.

"Pft. Is this supposed to be our engagement rings?" Lynne jokingly asked. Despite that, she happily wore it on her ring finger with glee.

Aria did not express an opinion, but it was clear that she was also delighted from the way she wore the ring.

Although they were Leon's lovers and unofficially engaged, nothing was a better guarantee than a physical proof of their relationship.

Contrary to these two, Elizabeth naturally thought differently. As Leon's mother, it was too scandalous and outrageous if she thought her son was also giving her an engagement ring.

"How did you do that?" Elizabeth asked Heinrich with surprise.

Heinrich naturally knew what his wife was talking about and proceeded to explain with a nod, "En, I was just about to explain their usage."

"To use the interspatial ring, you need to channel Spirit Energy into them before you can sense the existence subspace and items stored inside. If you have achieved some success in the publicized breathing technique, manipulating Spirit Energy should be easy for you."

"I have not practiced that breathing technique before," Elizabeth said with her brows.

She believed that only by focusing on a single cultivation path would people have hopes of reaching the zenith. As such, she had never practiced the technique, not even once.

Never had she expected that because of this, it would stop her from being able to use the priceless gift her son had forged for her.

Fortunately, Leon had anticipated that this might be the case and gave his father a detailed explanation of the World Tree's importance.

"You don't need to worry too much. You might not be able to use it now, but you definitely will be able to soon enough. Our son said that the World Tree is overflowing in this so-called Spirit Energy. As long as you practice the breathing technique there, you will be able to achieve success in refining Spirit Energy very quickly."

"The same goes for you, girls. If you haven't already—"

"Oh, this is interesting! The sword disappeared inside!" Lynne excitedly exclaimed. She grew increasingly fond of the interspatial ring.

Heinrich shook his head and wryly smiled, "It seems my words were unnecessary."

At the same time, Aria had also learned to use the interspatial ring freely as the gifted sword disappeared and reappeared before her repeatedly.

She could not quite put her finger on it, but it seemed almost second nature to her despite being her first time using an interspatial artifact.

"These girls… are very talented!" Heinrich could not help but say.

He felt a little helpless, seeing how freely they were able to use the interspatial rings. It took him several attempts before he could successfully store his first item into the interspatial ring.

Swoosh! Swoosh!

Elizabeth gave a few practice swings of the sword before her eyes lit up. She traced the long blade with her fingers in appreciation as she praises, "This sharpness, weight, and solidity. This is an extraordinarily good sword! Startear is nothing compared to this sword."

Startear was the name of her other sword.

Swordsman knew their swords, and Elizabeth was not an exception. A quick inspection was all she needed for her to understand the quality of the sword. It was tiers above the sword she previously used in battle!

Heinrich was a little dismayed when he saw all the paperwork on the desk blown around by the gust of wind generated by his wife's sword.

After a moment, he shrugged and deigned to think about it too much. He had been behind the desk for so long. Even a king needed to take his break.

"Aren't you overpraising it? I know our son is very impressive, but Starter is, after all, forged by Ignis with all the top-grade material available to us." Heinrich asked with doubt.

One could not blame him for not knowing. He was not a Swordsman, nor had he made any time to test how good the Tier 3 sword was. He knew it was a good sword. He just did not think it was THAT good.

"What do you know?" Elizabeth chided before saying, "If I don't reinforce Starter with my power, it with break upon clashing with this sword without a doubt."

Breaking was an understatement. The Tier 3 sword would slice through it like hot knife through butter. This was the difference between a weapon enchanted by runes and a weapon without.

Aria and Lynne also began to trace their Tier 3 swords fondly after hearing how impressive they were and felt a little sweet inside.

Leon was able to forge priceless treasures, but they were still able to have such unassuming appearances. He was kind of like a bad artist even after mastering all the techniques. The artwork produced might be rubbish, but it is still a masterpiece.

When Aria and Lynne thought it like that, they found it cute and quietly giggled to themselves.

Buzz!

The noisy sound of propellers on airships was suddenly heard. Glancing outside the window, Elizabeth soon noticed the appearance of four airships in the sky.

"Why are were four airships here? Did you summon all the airships back from the frontlines?" Elizabeth asked with a raised eyebrow.

Heinrich also glanced outside before his head.

"No, those are new airships recently made at the Lancaster Workshop. They must be going out for another flight test." He explained.

Elizabeth immediately widened her eyes in surprise and said, "But that would mean that—"

"Yes, Ignis and Amelia managed to reproduce the levitation stones from the ancient civilization called the Nova Empire. I heard it was also thanks to our son's assistance." Heinrich smiled widely.

The reproduction of the levitation stone had always been a dead project pursued by the Lancaster Family for years without any leads nor breakthrough.

Heinrich and Elizabeth were both aware of this. They felt immensely proud of their son for solving the Lancaster Family's biggest headache.

"Our son is such a lucky star!"

"That's for sure!

Elizabeth and Heinrich both sighed.

They were not there to raise and guide their son, but they felt gratified, knowing Leon grew up well and dependable.

"Ah, that's right!" Elizabeth suddenly exclaimed. She smacked her head as she just remembered. "I heard our son has disappeared. What the hell is that about?"

Aria and Lynne also perked their ears as they listen intently.

"Ahem." Heinrich cleared his throat before he said, "About that…"

Shortly after, he began to recount the details of Leon entering the teleportation array and traveling to the other side to rescue the missing people that included his adoptive mother and Mia.

Chapter 356 - A Filthy Mouth

Bang!

Elizabeth slammed the desk heavily with force in anger, causing cracks to form on it while scattering some more paperwork. Heinrich looked at his wife's agitated reaction with a rueful look.

"What did you say?! You let our son leave for some unknown land that could be thriving in demons?! How could you let him go to such a potentially dangerous place?!" Elizabeth roared.

At the same time, Aria and Lynne slightly paled at the news. Demons were depicted as the definition of evil and cruelty in stories. They treat all life as insignificant and wantonly slaughter humans for their pleasure.

And now they were told that Leon went to such a place? Was Leon going to be okay over there?!

"My Queen, calm your anger."

"Calm? How do you expect me to be calm after hearing my son went to the land of demons?!" Elizabeth quickly rebuked.

"Haiz…" Heinrich sighed and said, "I also wanted to stop our son from going. But you should know that once our son makes a firm decision, there is no stopping him from changing his mind."

"…"

Seeing his wife fell silent, Heinrich took the chance to change the topic. He asks, "How is the situation at the frontlines now? I heard you charged all the way into King City."

"Surprisingly, the Burning Heaven Sect eradicated the Bloodfiend Sect by the time we got there. Afterward, the Valaran Kingdom submitted to our ruling. No surprises there. We rushed back after we failed to locate the Sect Master."

"I did not expect that the Bloodfiend Sect's Sect Master really snuck into our kingdom and launch an attack on our city. It is good that everything is fine now. We were fortunate to have Uncle Don hold the fort." Elizabeth said with relief.

There was no need for her to mention what she found back in the Bloodfiend Sect's headquarters. There were tens of thousands of bones hidden under the Blood Mountain, and it was indeed a horrid discovery. It was better left unsaid.

"Actually, it was also our son that dealt the finishing blow to the enemy. It was truly a close call. Things could have gone terribly wrong at the slightest misstep." Heinrich corrected with a sigh.

His hand subtly clenched into a fist as he mentioned this. He was too weak to contribute to the battle. It was apparent that he needed to put extra effort into reaching Transcendence as soon as possible.

The times have changed. He had been aware of this more than once.

Heinrich shook his head, and he asked with a frown, "The Burning Heaven Sect of the Ishaan Kingdom eradicated the Bloodfiend Sect within the Valaran Kingdom? What did they want?"

"Friendly relationship between us. They do not seek domination of the lands like the other two sects." Elizabeth answered.

"I see." Heinrich rubbed his chin thoughtfully before he said, "Speaking of the other sect, the Illusory Butterfly Sect seemed to have mysteriously vanished without a trace. A delegate from the Durham Kingdom came the other day bearing news of their surrender."

"A few days later, the Durham Kingdom's surviving royal members will arrive to speak with us further on this matter. If we do happen to assimilate both kingdoms under our ruling, I think it will be appropriate to rename ourselves under the Crawford Empire."

"Crawford Empire, huh?" Elizabeth quietly muttered before she smiled, "Sounds powerful enough. But unfortunately, you will need to work hard to truly make it a powerful empire, my King."

"Haiz, this… can't be helped." Heinrich smiled ruefully.

After some small talk, Elizabeth left with the two ladies to check out the site of Leon's disappearance and left the messy study room for Heinrich to clean up.

A moment later, Lily entered the room with freshly brewed tea after a polite knock on the door. Heinrich's eye lit up at once.

"Please collect the scattered papers for me, Lily."

"Yes, Your Majesty." Lily complied at once. Nevertheless, she was taken aback as she asks, "What happened here?"

"This… Haiz, you don't need to worry about it."

Heinrich smiled wryly with a shake of his head. He did not want to talk behind his wife's back. It would make him seem petty.

"I see…"

Lily looked a bit hesitant, seemingly having something to ask but not sure whether to ask. Heinrich managed to notice from the corner of his eyes and said, "Speak freely if you have something to say."

"Ah? Y-Yes, Your Majesty. Do we have a new chief physician? I have been asking around the palace, but no one seems to have heard or seen this young divine doctor."

"A new chief physician? Not that I am aware of." Heinrich answered before he had a flash of realization. "Are you asking about the one who cured your mother's illness?"

"Yes, Your Majesty!" Lily nodded.

"Hmm…"

Heinrich smiled with interest.

He found it amusing that none of the daughter and mother knew who treated them was.

"Only one person has been hailed as a young divine doctor in this city. You really don't know who that person is?" Heinrich asked vaguely.

Lily shook her head. She rarely leaves the palace. She would not know about the rumors outside.

"I see, I see." Heinrich laughed. "You will know if you ask around in the Upper District."

…

At another location within the Royal Palace, three junior maids were sweeping the fallen leaves off the ground.

"I hope the prince will make it back safely. I heard there are demons where the prince was headed to." Ellie said concernedly with a distant look.

Sherry clenched her fist and said, "His Highness is extremely capable with extraordinary means. He will definitely make it back safely."

"En, you are right. His Highness definitely will."

"Shh, the senior maids are coming," Melody warned with a cautious look.

Having been bullied by the senior maids and nearly killed by them in the past, it was normal for Melody to fear them. After all, she almost saw Ellie die in front of her.

"Eh?" Sherry notice who the two senior maids were and smiled evilly. She pompously said, "There's no need to be afraid of them. We are no longer the same as we were in the past."

Shortly after the incident with the senior maid Darcy and Claire, they were picked on by another two senior maids shortly before all the senior maids were strictly warned about bullying. These two senior maids were precisely the two people currently passing them.

However, things had played out differently after Sherry gifted them the cultivation pills from Darcy's flowerpot.

"Greetings, Senior Josie. How did the cultivation pills you took from me last time taste?" Sherry greeted superficially.

Barf!

Senior Josie immediately started gagging with a pale face. Her stomach felt queasy every time she recalls the incident.

Who would have thought an opportunity to extort more cultivation pills from the junior maids would turn into such a terrible lesson? If she had learned what happened to Darcy and Claire sooner, she wouldn't have dared to bully the junior maids.

"You! Don't take things too far!" The other senior maid glared at the three junior maids before she helped drag her friend Josie away.

"Hehehe!"

Sherry smiled victoriously as she watched them leave in a hurry.

"You are so mean, Sherry! How could you remind Senior Josie of that incident? Now we have to clean up her mess too." Ellie complained as she looks at the small patch of bile on the ground.

"But it was worth it, right? These senior maids have always been overbearing, looking down us junior maids of common birth and bullying us too much." Sherry said with a grin.

"They cannot bully us anymore thanks to the king's warning to them, but you are right! They deserve it!"

Not far from them, two palace guards witnessed the short exchange.

Bullying had become so serious of a matter that it had even reached the ears of the king. As palace guards, they had naturally heard of the details.

One of them shook their head and said, "Josie is so unlucky, but her reaction is way too exaggerated. Isn't it just some cultivation pills that have been inside of Darcy's bearded clam? Just give it a wash, and it'll be clean for ingestion."

"You wouldn't be saying that if you were in her shoes. How would you feel if you found out you ate something stained by my baby batter? Not so good, right? Just like how straight men are disgusted at the thought of sucking another man's Herman Von Longschlongenstein, it is the same for straight women."

The analogy provided by the palace guard mildly grossed the other palace guard out as he retreated a few steps from the person.

"You and your filthy mouth. Nothing clean ever comes out of it." The other palace guard shook his head before he said wryly, "But when you put it like that, I guess I can understand how disgusted Josie feels...."

Chapter 357 - Towards The City's Center

"By the way, Brother Ironhead. At the playground, I have noticed a little girl with pale skin. You do not usually see people with that kind of complexion around here. Where is she from?"

Leon found an opportunity to stir the direction of their conversation around to learn more about Mia's situation in the Darkmoon Tribe.

"That kind of complexion, you say?" Ironhead took a moment to understand Leon's question before exclaiming in realization, "Oh! You must be talking about Little Mia, right? Indeed, she does not come from around here, but no one really knows where she comes from either."

"You mean you don't know her origins?" Leon questioned with surprise.

He found this rather strange.

'Given the abilities like Master Woodrow's hypnotic mysticism, it should not have been difficult for this Darkmoon Tribe to extract information from the others even if they were unwilling to divulge knowledge of the Crawford Kingdom and the Human Domain.'

As Leon quietly pondered, Ironhead shook his head and said, "Not exactly. We found Little Mia along with another group of humans. With the help of Master Woodrow's hypnotic mysticism, we learned a great deal of information from them."

"However, there is a problem. Although we learned that they came from a flourishing place called the Human Domain, we have yet to find the way to get. No matter which person we interrogated, they all gave the same answer. We only know that the teleportation array they traveled through is located somewhere in the Black Swamp."

'So, it is not that Darkmoon Tribe had yet to learn about the Human Domain, but the fact that they have yet to locate the teleportation array leading there. It seems the Darkmoon Tribe does not have any relation to the person that set up the teleportation array."

Leon had a look of understanding.

"Is this also something you should be telling me? Aren't you too trusting of me, Brother Ironhead? What if I was a spy from another tribe? Wouldn't the Darkmoon Tribe lose out if another tribe were to locate and take control of this teleportation array first?" Leon asked curiously.

"Hahaha! The fact that you are asking these questions shows that you are not one!" Ironhead laughed heartily before he said, "Besides, if another tribe wishes to take control of the teleportation array and migrate to the Human Domain, they can take it by all means."

"No matter how prosperous that Human Domain is, our Darkmoon Tribe is not interested. Dangerous this place may be, our roots and homes are still here. Our way of life lies in this land and will not change so easily."

The tribal chief had already made her decision on the matter and received many voices of agreements. They were only interested in learning more about the Human Domain but had no intention of migrating there. At least, not in the short term.

Great Warriors like Ironhead were part of the upper echelon of the tribe. It was natural for him to have heard a great deal of information from the interrogation.

The so-called Human Domain was a sunny place with little to no Darkness Profound Energy, Demonic Beasts, Demons, and followed a different cultivation path.

Such a boring place. How would they cultivate and keep themselves entertained through blood-boiling battles over there?

Afterward, Ironhead gave Leon a light punch on the chest and said, "We have only just met, but I trust Brother Leonhardt will not bring harm to our tribe. Otherwise, you would not have helped our tribe fight the Bone Calamity."

"Brother Ironhead is too trusting of people. I'm afraid Brother Ironhead would find it unbearable if you were betrayed one day. It could have just been my means of gaining your trust and access to the city." Leon shook his head with a wry smile.

Ironhead gave Leon a studying look.

It appears that this boy had experienced his fair share of betrayals. Much should be expected from the vagabond life—all the more reason for this person to join their tribe.

"Hahaha, be that as it may. Brother Leonhardt is still someone who has fought on the battlefield alongside me, Ironhead. For that, I regard you as a comrade, a brother, and a friend. I believe trust is something to be given until it is lost. If we don't have trust, we don't have anything."

If they do not have this basic level of trust, then there was no need for any friendship between them. Anything without would just be fake. Ironhead was neither interested nor bothered to build a relationship of such a façade.

Leon smiled wryly when he heard this. Perhaps, only a person like Ironhead could say this. When he is betrayed, he would accept everything and move forward, knowing he had not disappointed others, but they disappointed him.

Ironhead was not someone Leon could aspire to be. He cannot place his full trust in anyone and became very prudent in choosing his friends. As a result, he had yet to find someone he can regard as a true friend outside of family.

"Brother Ironhead might be right. But some caution is advised, lest the losses caused by betrayals lead to lifelong regrets." Leon said as he recalls the sad memory of his father's death.

Ironhead patted him on the shoulder to console him, "It seems that Brother Leonhardt had experienced much sadness outside. But you do not need to worry about that here. So long as you regard me as a brother, I will treat you as a bosom friend."

"Brother Leonhard seems interested in the Human Domain, but I suggest you don't think about going to such a place." Ironhead suddenly said.

Leon was confused. He asked, "Why?"

"That place must be filled with pretty sick people! Brother Leonhardt has already seen Little Mia, but you do not know how pitiful she is. She is just a little girl, but she has already lost her parents and had one of her kidneys extracted. The Chief took great pity on the little girl and took her under the Chief's wing and care."

"But that is beside the point. Which sick bastard would have the heart to commit such an act of cruelty on a little 6-year-old girl?" Ironhead growled with a clenched fist, feeling outraged for the wrongs the little girl had experienced.

Ironhead really did seem fond of children and did not discriminate against skin color. Leon already knew about Mia's history, but he still needed to pretend to be surprised and outraged.

"What?! There is such a thing?! The fiend that did should be condemned to hell!" Leon said.

Of course, Leon had mostly like sent the person to hell personally already. After all, he had pretty much slaughtered the entire Red Salamander Gang by himself.

At the same time, Leon senses an arising problem.

The Darkmoon Tribe might not be increased in migrating, but who was to say that they will not invade the Crawford Kingdom if they believe the place was filled with such evil beings?

Now that the Black Swamp's water receded and the pile of bones was reduced due to the Bone Calamity, the teleportation array would be easily noticed should someone head there.

He needed to find a chance to head back to the Black Swamp and conceal the teleportation array. Also, he needed to fix whatever misperception the Darkmoon Tribe may have of the Crawford Kingdom.

Ding~! Ding~!

The city bell suddenly rang.

"Oh? It seems we have lost track of time chatting. The Great Feast is about to begin." Ironhead said with surprise. "Come, Brother Leonhardt. I will take you there now. We should not keep the Chief waiting."

"Alright."

Leon nodded.

The two of them shortly left the courtyard and made their way towards the centermost region of Darkmoon City, where the rocky plateau stood high.

The closer they got to the broad flight of stairs leading to the top of the rocky plateau, the more audible the sound of mining became. The sound came from the multiple dark entrances that also lies at the foot of the rocky plateau.

'It seems the Dark Crystal Mine lies directly underneath the center of Darkmoon City. I quite curious what it looks like down there.' Leon silently mused.

Multiple water channels could also be seen streaming out from the dark entrances to the mine.

At this time, there were hundreds of other tribesmen making their way up the broad flight of stairs. It was evident that Leon and Ironhead were not the only ones who decided to head to the Great Feast at the last minute.

'Hm? The entire tribe should be gathering for the Great Feast.. Who could still be mining down there at this time?' Leon thought.

Chapter 358 - Start Of The Feast

Considering the Darkmoon Tribe's attainment level in runes, Leon would not find it surprising if the Darkmoon Tribe used runic machinery to replace manpower for Dark Crystal mining.

Leon no longer concerned himself with Dark Crystal Mine and continued up the flight of stone stairs with the others. It was only a passing thought.

The amphitheater that lies atop the rocky plateau was colossal and purely made of stone. Leon cannot imagine the amount of manpower and effort that was put into building it. With a seating capacity of 60 thousand people, it was a work of wonder.

As Leon drew close to the colossal amphitheater, the festive mood inside could be sensed.

Only a third of the seating space was used. An array of food was lined up in rings on every third row of stone seats, and even more food was brought out continuously in streams.

"Worthy of being called a Great Feast. It's the first time I've seen a gathering of this magnitude." Leon sighed emotionally.

"Hahaha, it is too early for Brother Leonhardt to be feeling impressed. Wait until you try our food, then you will know what impressive is." Ironhead laughed as he led the way inside.

A waft of exquisite aroma made its way to Leon. His entire body felt energized after a quick whiff, and his eyes sparkled with greater anticipation.

Good aroma does not necessarily mean good food, but it does raise one's expectation for one.

At this moment, not a single person had touched the food. Their attention was all drawn towards the center of the amphitheater.

The Great Feast had yet to start, but two Great Warriors were already duking it out on the square battle arena.

While competing for rankings, they also liven up the atmosphere by giving everyone a show to watch.

"Go, Big Brother Hardknuckles! Take him down! You can do it!"

"Good punch! Keep it up! Don't give him a chance to fight back!"

"What are you doing, Big Brother Spearback!? You gotta fight back! Don't keep dodging! You can't let Big Brother Hardknuckles suppress you like this!"

"Fight! Defend your ranking, Big Brother Spearback!"

While the younger generations cheered for each side, the older ones entered a deeper level of discussion.

"Who do you think will win this time?" Strongarm asked.

"Hard to say. Hardknuckles and Spearback are quite close in strength. One thing I can say is everyone had made great strides in their cultivation during the previous battle. There is bound to be a great shuffling in the rankings today." Blackbear said.

"Hardknuckles' attacks are very ferocious, and his momentum is on the rise. Spearback has no chance to fight back at all. I'd say Hardknuckles got this one." Scarface said.

"Hm, that's true. Spearback is being forced back by Hardknuckles' barrage of attacks. At this rate, it is just a matter of time before he is forced off the battle arena and loses by default." Strongarm agreed before asking, "What about you, Knucklefist? Do you reckon your brother will win?"

Knucklefist shook his head and said, "He will lose."

"Oh? Why do you say that?" The others asked with interest.

"In a battle between two sides of equal strength, it is only natural for the victor to be the one that lasts longer. Although my brother Hardknuckles currently holds the momentum, he will not be able to keep it up forever. Can't you see the fatigue that is already written all over his face? Success can't be rushed." Knucklefist said with a sigh.

He was evidently disappointed. His little brother was still inexperienced despite reaching the Great Warrior Realm.

"Eh? Knucklefist is right. Look at their faces. Hardknuckles will not be able to continue executing such high-level attacks for long. On the other hand, Spearback is still calm and collected. He has not broken a single sweat!"

Shortly after, the situation in the battle arena changed.

Spearback was forced to the edge of the battle arena, and he was about to be knocked off. However, at that very moment, Hardknuckles' barrage of attack weakened due to accumulated fatigue.

Spearback instantly grabbed the chance to swiftly sidestep around to Hardknuckles' back and give him a palm strike, sending the person flying off the battle arena.

Hardknuckles was sent flying off the battle arena.

"Aiya! Big Brother Hardknuckles just lost!"

"What! How did Big Brother Hardknuckles lose?! Wasn't he about to win?! Can someone tell me what just happened?!"

"Hahaha! I knew Big Brother Spearback would not let me down! He successfully defended his ranking!"

The crowd immediately broke into fervor discussions.

"While it seems like Spearback is being suppressed, this is, in fact, far from the truth! He has been conserving his energy and biding his time for a decisive attack." Strongarm said with a wry smile.

"This kid not bad. He has patience and wits. It will not be long before he breakthrough to Mid-rank Great Warrior and challenge us. It seems we need to work harder on our cultivation if we do not want to lose this kid." Blackbear praised with a smile.

Knucklefist cracked his knuckles and said, "Now I'm itching for a fight. How about it? Anyone want to have a go with me?"

On the Mid-rank Great Warrior ranking, Knucklefist had always held a firm grip on the second position. However, after Sabertooth broke through to High-rank Great Warrior, Knucklefist was moved up to the first spot.

"Nah, we good ay. We don't stand a chance." Blackbear quickly declined with a wave of his hand. "Brother Knucklefist might be unhappy with Hardknuckles' loss, but there's no need to take it out on us."

"Alright, pipe down. Chief Valencia is about to make her announcement. If you want to fight, you can fight later." Sabertooth spoke at this moment.

Sure enough, Chief Valencia began to speak as she saw Leon approaching with Ironhead in the lead.

"Our Guest has arrived. Come, take a seat by my side." Chief Valencia said accommodatingly.

"I'm afraid this is not appropriate, right?" Leon asked wryly out of courtesy.

No matter what, he was still an outsider. It was not right to sit beside the tribal chief, who occupied the prime seat of honor at the high seating platform's center.

Not only did the high seating platform has the best view of the battle arena but also the whole interior of the amphitheater.

There are fewer seats here, and only people of the highest echelons within the tribe were deserving of sitting here alongside the tribal chief.

Several elder figures sat along the same row, and Leon could tell that they were all people of great importance to the tribe. This was seen by the fact that the Old Shaman and Witch Doctor Master Woodrow were sitting among them.

"We meet again, Little Brother Leonhardt." The Old Shaman stroked his beard with a smile and asked, "What is not appropriate about this?"

"That is right. You are someone who can and has cured the Demonic Possession. If someone like you is not worthy of sitting here, then no one is worthy." Chief Valencia said straightforwardly.

"Ahh, it appears Chief Valencia has already learned of this matter. In that case, I will longer refuse."

Leon nodded and soon took the only empty seat left beside Chief Valencia without reservation.

"You are pretty interesting."

Chief Valencia was mildly pleased with Leon's behavior. He neither offered false pleasantries nor tried to please her.

After glancing at all the occupied seats, Chief Valencia nodded and stood up to face the thousands of tribesmen seated in the distance.

"Since everyone is here, I will make the announcement."

"Today, we may have lost 3092 brothers and sisters, but grieve not that they have fallen, for they will be remembered! This is a day of remembrance and recovery. Eat your fill! Drink away your sorrow! Be proud of their contributions! And be proud of yourself for having lived another day! With this drink in honor of the fallen, I mark the official start of the Great Feast!"

With that said, Chief Valencia downed a cup of special wine.

Her rich and mighty voice quickly traversed the distance and reached the ears of every listener in the amphitheater. The tribesmen all stood up with their raised wine cup and drank in honor of their fallen brethren.

Leon mimicked everyone's action to honor the dead on the high seating platform and also downed a wine cup prepared for him.

He was immediately amazed by the special wine. It was intense and burned in his throat like raging fire, but after the initial burn, came a soothing mellowness that invigorates him, washing away any sense of fatigue in his body. Even his mind was slightly cleared up.

"This is wine is very exceptional!" Leon praised.

Chapter 359 - They Can Warm Your Bed

"Glad you like it. This type of wine is not easy to make, nor are the ingredients easy to procure. Only on rare occasions like these would we be willing to take it out and drink." Chief Valencia said.

Leon nodded.

He could guess as much. The special wine made him reminisce of the days back in the Divine Realm. The special wine could be said to be a type of spirit wine.

Something like this cannot be made without at least a few dozen supplementary spirit herbs. Herbs were something the Infertile Plains lacked.

As Leon glanced at the thousands of seated tribesmen, he found it hard to imagine that they would also get to enjoy the same wine. He did not believe the Darkmoon Tribe had the resource needed to treat everyone to the same special wine.

Knowing what Leon was thinking, Chief Valencia explained, "The wine drank by the other tribesmen is not the same as what we drank. Theirs is relatively more common and easy to make. However, it is not bad either. At least, the strength is not inferior to our special wine."

Sure enough, Chief Valencia's words confirmed Leon's thoughts. Nevertheless, he had no intention of taking another shot of wine.

It was the first time drinking in this lifetime, but one shot was already enough to make his face flush red with tipsiness.

Although he could forcibly expel the alcohol to regain soberness, he felt it was not bad to occasionally stay in such a state. It helped him relax and place down the burden of responsibilities.

One could say that ever since Leon had awakened his memories, he had never really given himself proper relaxation. There was always something going on that required his attention.

It was not strange for people to go into secluded cultivation for 3 months to several years per session back in the Divine Realm due to the ample richness of Spirit Energy and resources that were held in abundance.

But here, it would already be great if he could even cultivate a week straight without needing to do anything else.

Simply said, the Divine Realm's denizens were too idle with their long life, while mortals on Gaia had little time to do many things.

…

Without asking whether anyone would like another shot, a servant maid faithfully poured each important person on the high seating platform, a new cup of special wine.

Leon was not given the opportunity to refuse. It was like a given that everyone would ask for another shot.

Chief Valencia gave the servant maid an approving nod.

Just as Leon was finding it strange that the stone table before them was still void of food, Chief Valencia clapped her hands and said, "I'm sure everyone here is famished. It's time to bring out the food."

After Chief Valencia gave the signal, the female servants carried an array of exquisite and freshly cooked meals and placed them on the stone table one after. These dishes came straight from Chief Palace's kitchen.

It became apparent to Leon that the colossal amphitheater was connected to the Chief Palace next door.

"Food is best served when fresh. Everyone, please dig in." Chief Valencia gestured with a smile.

"Great! I couldn't wait any longer!" An old Shaman spoke without courtesy and shame as he immediately rushed to grab a drumstick with his outreached hand.

However, someone was even quicker and snatched the drumstick before the old Shaman could. Although it was called a drumstick, it was the size of an ordinary boar's leg ham.

"Hohoho, Old Tinker sure is in a hurry. However, such a fine piece can only be enjoyed by me." Another old Shaman spoke.

"Y-You! Haiz! I'm too lazy to bicker with you. There's still another piece of drumstick for me." Old Tinker said.

Unfortunately, the other drumstick was also snatched by another person as the old Shaman reached out for it.

"Hahaha, don't mind if I take the other one." The person laughed.

When eating a fried Golden Pheasant, there was no doubt that the drumsticks were one of the best pieces to go for. It was not strange for people to fight for it.

"You guys… why are you fighting over the drumsticks with me? Don't you all know how much I love drumsticks?" Old Tinker asked ruefully, feeling regretful for not having quicker hands.

"You always take the drumsticks during mealtime whenever a Golden Pheasant is caught and placed on the dining table. Don't you think it's about time to share your drumsticks with the others?" The old Shaman spoke as he tore through the drumstick with his mouth and ate with great gusto.

"Don't just fight over the drumstick. The thigh of the Golden Pheasant is even better than the drumstick. Look, the cook was even considerate enough to divide it into pieces. Everyone will be able to get their share." Master Woodrow tried to mediate between them.

There was no doubt that thighs were even larger than drumsticks. If it were not divided into pieces, it would have been troublesome to eat.

Leon quietly grabbed a piece with his bare hands and took his first bite before a wondrous color painted his face.

He thought it was just ordinary fried chicken if he ignored the size, but he could not be more wrong. All the herbs and spices were stuffed inside.

The moment he took the bite, all the hidden flavors and aroma burst forth explosively and assailed his senses.

Old Tailor had been studying Leon's expression and could not help but laugh, "Hahaha, it seems that our Little Brother Leonhardt here has been too impressed for words."

"Haiz…" Leon issued a long sigh with a subtle nostalgic look as he praised, "This is some f*cking good chicken."

The quality of the food has transcended what was usually served back in the royal palace and steakhouse. If not for the absence of Spirit Energy, the fried Golden Pheasant would be considered on par with Tier 2 to Tier 3 spirit food.

Leon's use of language was vulgar, but all the old Shamans laughed. He could not have been any more on point. Even Chief Valencia had smiled.

Afterward, Leon took his time to try the other dishes while engaging in small idle chats with the Darkmoon Tribe's VIPs. The taste of the other dishes was also not inferior to the fried Golden Pheasant.

Through their idle chats, Leon could clearly see how much everyone held him in high regard. This was not because he was a fellow 'Shaman,' which had yet to learn much about. It was because he can cure Demonic Possession!

The worse fear of every human embarking on the path of body cultivation in the Infertile Plains is to lose control of their Demon Core and become demonized. Chief Valencia was no exception to this fear.

The more advanced they were in their body cultivation methods, the higher the risk of losing control.

Therefore, the eldest generation in the tribe would destroy their Demon Core once their body starts to decline from age to significantly reduce the risk of Demon Possession.

Leon had noticed this after subtly studying the differences between the elders and the other warriors in the tribe.

He also noticed that only the elderly people in the tribe were Shamans. None of the younger generations could become Shamans. At least, he has not heard of any apart from 'himself.'

'Is this a coincidence, or is there some relation between destroying the Demon Core to become a Shaman?' Leon quietly thought.

As he was musing, a voice interrupted him.

"I wonder what Little Brother Leonhardt could be thinking about so deeply?" Chief Valencia.

As someone who wishes to recruit Leon to her side, it was expected that she would be paying a great deal of attention to Leon.

Leon shook his head, wryly.

"Aha, it's nothing. I just thought the Darkmoon Tribe to be full of outstanding warriors. I just did not expect for there to also be ordinary people amongst your tribesmen." Leon said as he glanced at the servants.

They had average builds like ordinary people from the Human Domain. Without any of those excessive muscles, the female servants were actually quite stunning and beautiful.

At least, Leon found them appealing to look at compared to Chief Valencia and the other female warriors in the tribe.

"This is normal. There will always be a small group of people with no talent for cultivation. To be born beautiful with no talent for cultivation, only a cruel fate would await them. As such, I have taken them under my wing for protection."

"However, if Little Brother Leonhardt fancies any one of them, I don't mind sending them to warm your bed tonight. I'm sure they would be happy to serve you." Chief Valencia offered straightforwardly with a smile.

Cough!

"Ahem, there is no need for that." Leon refused with an awkward cough.. However, he frowned inwardly at the Chief's offer.

Chapter 360 - Void Bodies

When the female servants heard Chief Valencia's offer to Leon, they unwittingly trembled and lowered their heads.

Leon could not see their expression, but he could tell they were feeling anxiety, fear, and apprehension. Perhaps there was also a little bit of anticipation mixed within.

It might have just been his imagination, but there seemed to have been some disappointment from some of them when he rejected the tribal chief's offer.

Nevertheless, Leon was unsettled by Chief Valencia's offer. Although the tribal chief was trying to do him a favor, the treatment was unfair to the female servants.

To win him over, Chief Valencia did not hesitate to use the people she should be protecting. It was all a matter of when they are useful or not.

Noticing Leon's unsettled expression, Chief Valencia asks, "Do you feel that my offer just now is unfair to these girls?"

Leon did not answer. However, he tacitly admitted with a forced smile.

"Well, I don't blame you for feeling that way. It is a bit heartless to them, but they will be thankful to me for it one day. After all, if you cannot cultivate, you have no status. Being weak is a sin. However, if they can become your mistress, their status will naturally rise like growing phoenix feathers."

"Also, I cannot shelter them for a lifetime. They must make the decision to choose their spouses eventually. Otherwise, I will choose one for them. Even if they are destined to never become a warrior, they can still give birth to one. You see, the Darkmoon Tribe does not breed useless people. Moreover, it would be their fortune to mother the child of a talented person like you."

Hearing to this point, Leon could not help but roll his eyes inwardly. In other words, the tribal chief is hoping he could knock up one of their tribeswomen so they could get his 'superior genes'.

'I never thought about having a child until I establish a stable foothold in this life. But even if I were to father a child, I certainly wouldn't be leaving it in this godforsaken place.'

Also, he was not a stallion.

Unaware of Leon's thoughts, Chief Valencia continued to advertise, "You do not need to worry about these female servants being loose. They are still chaste virgins."

Men seemed to pay particular attention to this detail when picking a partner.

Leon found it surprising how persistent a woman like Chief Valencia was offering other women to a man. Perhaps, Chief Valencia was not biased between genders and only cared about the difference between the weak and strong.

"I think that is beside the point, but never mind that. It can't be that only a minority of women have no talent for cultivation, right? Also, how do you determine that they have no talent for cultivation? Pardon my ignorance. I have lived outside of tribes my whole life."

Leon attempted to shift the topic.

"Hahaha, that's fine. I'll be happy to answer your questions." Chief Valencia laughed as her eyes lit up subtly.

Living outside of tribes, his whole life implied that Leonhardt has never been affiliated to any tribe. This represents a clean slate. Chief Valencia was more determined to win this person over.

"It is quite easy to determine whether one has a talent for cultivation or not. Everyone will undergo the Rite of Baptism during their coming of age to formally embark on the path of cultivation. Surely, Little Brother Leonhardt already knows this?" Chief Valencia asked.

After Leon nodded, Chief Valencia continued to explain, "The determining factor for the talentless is their bodies' affinity to absorb Darkness Profound Energy. No matter who it is, everyone should at least exhibit some change when their body contacts Darkness Profound Energy."

"However, this is not the case for the talentless. Like these girls, they have what we call a Void Body. Darkness Profound Energy neither harms them nor empowers them and just flows in and out of their body like breathing air."

"Oh? Are Void Bodies unique to women?" Leon asked.

"Not at all. You see, men are less picky with their partners. All the talentless male servants serving me had already chosen their partners. It's just these girls that have yet to." Chief Valencia explained. After a brief pause, she asks, "Could it be that Little Brother Leonhardt is interested in men?"

As Leon heard this, he almost spat out the food he was eating. Everyone else gave him peculiar glances.

"Not at all! I do not have such a strange taste! I am a straight man." Leon firmly denied while waving his hands.

"Hm? Is that right? But you do not seem too interested in their beauty. Perhaps a woman such as myself is more to your liking?" Chief Valencia guessed.

Ahem!

All the men on the high seating platform issued a strong cough when they heard this. At the same time, Leon swallowed the food down the wrong hole and started choking violently. He pounded his chest and gasp for air.

"Are you alright, Little Brother Leonhardt?" Master Woodrow asked with concern.

Leon raised his hand while coughing.

"Ahem, ahem, I'm fine. I was just caught off guard. Chief Valencia sure knows how to jest. These girls are all fine beauties. I'm just not ready to settle down yet." Leon explained.

What else could he say? He was supposed to be a lone vagabond. He could not say that he already has a few lovers back in the Human Domain, could he?

"I see, I see. Ahahaha, it was my bad." Chief Valencia laughed. "Allow me to take this cup as an apology."

Having said that, Chief Valencia downed another shot of special wine.

She was not offended by Leon's violent reaction in the least. She did not find this surprising. Just as female warriors favored tender men in the tribe, men also favored delicate women.

Everyone apart from Leon clicked their tongues when the tribal chief's action. If all it took was an apology to allow them to drink, they would not mind coming up with random reasons to apologize for.

"Since Little Brother Leonhardt has said as such, I will no longer press the matter." Chief Valencia smiled.

"Oh? It seems like our enthusiastic tribesmen can no longer wait."

Everyone's attention was shortly drawn to the battle arena below. At that moment, another two Great Warriors onto the stage to complete.

"This time, it is between Blackbear and Scarface, huh? I heard there was some friction between them on the battlefield prior," Old Tailor commented with interest.

"It was just petty arguments. Nothing too serious." Chief Valencia nodded. "Their strength had always been more or less equal to each other. Seems like we will have another match without a clear winner."

Battles were more exciting when the outcome is unknown.

"My Dark Crystals are on Blackbear. If I remember correctly, he should be the 4th Ranker on the Mid-rank Great Warrior ranking." Old Tinker said.

"What remember correctly? You are getting old, Old Tinker. The Ranking Board is just behind us. You can't even spare a second to check?" Another Shaman said.

"Oh, it is too. Hahaha, I forgot. It has been too long. You know me. I do not usually come here to watch the youngsters fight anymore. I rather spend my time in the workshop. Old folks like us don't find this place too interesting." Old Tinker said.

"I can't speak for the others, but I am quite looking forward to our little friend Leonhardt's battle on stage." Old Tailor said.

"My battle?"

Leon was taken aback.

"That's right. Don't you know you are quite the hotshot right now? You can expect a few hotheaded youths challenging you tonight." Old Tailor laughed.

Hearing this much, Leon was no longer surprised as he shook his head wryly. There would always be people seeking shortcuts to becoming famous.

Surely there are more famous warriors in the tribe to challenge, but their strengths are already attested through numerous battles. Only his power remains dubious to many due to his small build. It gives them the illusion of an easy victory, shooting to instant fame.

"Can I choose to refuse if they challenge me?" Leon asked.

Unless it was a Great Warrior challenging him, he would not be bothered to fight otherwise. It would just be a waste of time, bullying opponents much weaker than him.

"Everyone has the right to refuse a challenge. But if you do, it might be seen as cowardice." Chief Valencia said.

Hearing this answer, Leon could only shrug nonchalantly. It seems he has no choice but to fight if challenged. He did not want to appear weak.

Throughout Chief Valencia's battle career, she had not refused a single challenge. Of course, not many dare to challenge her anymore unless they wish to spend a few weeks in bed.

At this moment, a warrior approached Chief Valencia and quietly whispered into her ears. Chief Valencia frowned shortly after and slowly stood up.

"Everyone, please continue to enjoy the show without me. I have some matters to take care of.." Chief Valencia said and left with the warrior.

Chapter 361 - The Seven Stinks

Outside of the amphitheater, Chief Valencia stood by the rocky plateau's edge and gazed into the distant horizon.

The Infertile Plains was barren, but it was not flat. The hills, crevasses, and craters on the barren land created numerous blind spots.

Chief Valencia frowned when she could not detect anything despite the sentries informing of suspicious movements outside the tribe.

"You said there were suspicious movements outside the tribe? Where?" Chief Valencia asked the warrior.

"According to the sentries, there were numerous small movements in the distant shadows from the northwest direction. They weren't able to conclude any identities, but they are certain that the irregularity did not belong to the movements of the clouds."

Chief Valencia nodded.

Under the crimson moonlight, the shadows of the slow-moving clouds can be seen everywhere. Chief Valencia was about to refute this point, but there was no longer a need after listening to the warrior's full report.

Her gaze penetrated the northwest direction and scoured the land with her sharp sight. After seeing nothing of interest, she retracted her gaze. She frowned when she recalled Goldeneye's information.

"Double the sentries and stay vigilant of our surroundings. It could be fake vagabonds scouting the situation of our tribe."

After a short pause, Chief Valencia added, "It's not fair that the sentries are missing out on the Great Feast. Let them know that everyone participating in sentry duty tonight will receive 500 Dark Crystals each."

"Yes, Chief! Thank you for your consideration and benevolence!" The warrior answered happily.

500 Dark Crystal was a hefty sum for a single night watch. Many would be happy to sign up for the job.

It was not the first time the Darkmoon Tribe have been scouted by other tribes. In fact, it was a regular occurrence, both during the period of the Bone Calamity and outside of it.

The warrior was only confused by Chief Valencia had paid particular attention to the fake vagabonds sent as scouts by the other tribes this time around.

…

Shortly after Chief Valencia left, an old Shaman said, "Old Tailor, you are the most familiar with our little friend here. Don't you think you should introduce us?"

"Hohoho, that's a good idea. I believe our little friend here has yet to learn who we are. Old Tailor, you should really introduce us." Another Shaman chimed in.

"You're asking for that now? Why didn't you say so before when Chief Valencia was still around? Anyway, since when was it my job to do the introduction? You Old Farts don't know how to introduce yourselves?"

The Old Tailor was a bit speechless. What most familiar? He just met the boy not long ago.

"Haiz, it's just a little introduction, Old Tailor. Why do you have to make it sound like such a drag?" Old Tinker said.

"You want me to do the introductions? Fine." Old Tailor spat and turned to face Leon.

"Listen up, Little Brother Leonhardt. This Old Fart here is called Old Tinker. If you have a lot of Dark Crystals on hand and looking to have your trinkets enchanted, then you are looking at the right person. His character is questionable, but his skills are undeniably the best in the tribe."

Old Tinker flaunted a proud look, but halfway through Old Tailor's introduction, his expression froze.

"Oi, oi, oi. What do you mean my character is questionable?" Old Tinker scowled. "Don't listen to his nonsense, kid. Just swing by my trinket store if you need some quality goods. I guarantee my prices are most fair."

Old Tailor snickered and continued, "This black sheep is called Old Hammer. In terms of weapon enchantment, he is the best of the best in the tribe. However, unless you are looking to empty your wallet and lose a layer of skin while you are at it, I suggest you visit another weapon store…"

"…This Old Hag is Old Baba, the top alchemist in the tribe. Since Little Brother Leonhardt is a proficient healer, I do not need to say too much here. Even I do not dare to drink her healing potions. Do not get me wrong, her healing potions are super effective. It is just that they stink like her dirty old water…"

"This Old Crook is…"

Old Tailor proceeded to introduce another three Shamans of notable status, each with their own specialization in a different field.

Old Fjord was an expert in charge of the tribe's underground water collection and distillation. Old Alexis oversaw the tribe's defense mechanism and formation. Lastly, Old Wiz was a master of puppetry and automaton studies.

"They are all experts in their respective fields and big moneymakers. However, their hygienic practices are appalling. Together, they are called the Six Stinks of the tribe."

Towards the end of Old Tailor's introduction, the six Shamans' faces were as black as charcoal. They started to regret allowing Old Tailor to do the introduction.

"What the hell, Old Tailor? Even if you do not respect us, you still need to leave us some face in front of the younger generation, right? What kind of nonsensical introduction was that?" Old Hammer frowned.

"Six Stinks? The Seven Stinks, you mean? Aren't you forgetting yourself?" Old Baba snorted coldly.

"Ahem, did I say anything else incorrectly?" Old Tailor coughed and said, "Last time I drank one of your smelly potions, I had to sit on the toilet for the seven days straight!"

"Hmph! What do you know? That is just the potion's effect of expelling the impurities! If you do not like it, then do not drink it! I think Old Mate here still holds a grudge from last time!" Old Baba growled, unwilling to back down.

It was not long before the other five Shamans had a look of understanding.

Apart from spending most of their time on their respective hobbies, they would gather to play card games for entertainment in their old age. Naturally, gambling was a must for old folks like them with too many Dark Crystals on their hands.

"Dammit, Old Tailor. Didn't we agree that whether we lose or win, there would be no hard feelings?" Old Fjord rubbed his bald head and complained.

"No hard feelings? How can I not have any hard feelings after that?! If it were not for you Old Farts conspiring against me, would I have lost so miserably?!" Old Tailor barked, feeling indignant.

"Hahaha, it is just a little bit of Dark Crystals. You can make that much back in no time." Old Wiz laughed.

'A little bit?!'

Old Tailor almost blew his top and cut ties on the spot. Despite that, he did not do so. Their relationship was actually really good. It is just that they can be annoying and deserves a punch in the face sometimes, like a best friend, for instance.

"If 200 thousand Dark Crystals is a little bit, I suppose Old Wiz don't mind losing 500 thousand Dark Crystals to me next time.��

"Err… maybe we went a little overboard on the bets. How about we join forces and pick on someone else next time?" Old Wiz suggested with a forced smile.

Leon scratched his head wryly as he watched the people bicker with amusement. It seems that this group of Shamans were not as harmonious as he had assumed.

After a while, Old Tailor calmed down.

"Everyone should have already heard about Little Brother Leonhardt, so I don't need to say much here."

"En, I also heard that a Banshee assisted the tribe. Is that true?" Old Wiz asked with interest.

Old Tailor was surprised when this was mentioned. He did not seem to have seen the Banshee yet.

While all attention was focused on Leon, he gave Lumi a heads-up telepathically before letting her out. Everyone was mildly startled when she appeared from the void.

However, they recovered quickly with surprise when they discover Lumi's harmless nature. She did not possess the vengeful and murderous disposition a Banshee should have. It even made them question themselves if she really was a Banshee.

"This is… amazing! To think there was a Banshee that took the side of humans!"

"I've seen people taming Demonic Beasts, but this is the first time I've seen someone tamed an evil spirit. How did you do it?" Old Wiz asked curiously.

Lumi felt unhappy to hear this, but she remained silent. If Leon goes back on his words and never return her freedom, she might as well be a tamed evil spirit. Having experienced that tearing pain to her soul once, she would not have the courage to disobey Leon.

Just as Leon smiled and prepared a reply, a sudden shout from below the high seating platform grabbed everyone's attention.

"Leonhardt, I challenge you to a duel! Do you dare accept it?!"

Chapter 362 - Getting Wasted

Leon rubbed his head, ruefully. In the end, someone did challenge him. After a brief sigh, he glared at the person standing in the battle arena.

"Are you sure you want to challenge me?"

For some reason, the warrior felt incredibly pressured when Leon asked this. Beads of cold sweat formed on the warrior's face, and his body shook unnoticeably.

'Am I feeling fear?'

The warrior's eyes opened wide with surprise. How could he be intimidated with a single question? Does this person really have the strength of a Great Warrior? No, it cannot be. That is impossible!

The warrior quickly denied his thoughts with a shake of his head and stopped his body from shaking forcefully. A warrior must not show fear, at least not in front of so many people!

'He must be trying to intimidate me into back down! His real strength shouldn't be all that strong—not with a body like that!'

The warrior was convinced the more he thought this way.

Humans might not necessarily believe what they hear, but they will believe what they see. The young warrior had the rigid belief that muscle equaled strength.

Since Leon did not have much muscle mass, the young warrior firmly believed that he was not as strong as the rumors made him out to be. It was all a sham, a publicity stunt to promote the person's status in the tribe.

The young warrior did not think too deeply about why Leonhardt was qualified to sit next to Chief Valencia on the high seating platform. Perhaps, Leonhardt was the long-lost son the chief had once abandoned in the wild.

"Of course, I am sure! Why? You don't dare?!"

Once Leon heard this, he shook his head. If he does not show his might, these hotheaded youths will think he was a pushover.

"Try not to cause any trouble, okay?" Leon gave Lumi a brief glance and said.

Lumi poked her tongue out at him. What trouble can she cause? He should be the one worrying about causing trouble!

Shortly after, Leon jumped straight down from the high seating platform and landed on the battle arena with a heavy thud.

As Leon faced the young warrior, he coolly said, "Very well, I accept your challenge."

"Take out your Soul Weapon. I do not want others thinking that I only won because of a weapon advantage," Said the young warrior.

He spoke as if he was sure he was going to win.

Leon shook his head.

He did not know where this confidence came from. Being confident is good, but having too much blind confidence is just plain arrogance.

"Well, if you insist."

Leon shrugged nonchalantly.

The battle between them was already not a fair contest from the start. Since the other party likes to be bullied, Leon can only oblige. Some people needed to be spanked before they become aware of reality.

Leon flicked his wrist before the Tier 4 Bone Spear appeared in his grasp. He did not need to hide that he possessed an interspatial treasure since he had taken Old Tailor's leather pouch.

In the crowd of tribesmen, opinions were divided.

One portion of them had personally seen Leon fought on the battlefield. As such, they all shook their heads wryly. They already knew who the winner will be. Unless Leon went full retarded, it was impossible for the young warrior to win.

Another portion of the crowd shared the same opinion as the young warrior standing in the battle arena. Their only regret was not being quick enough to challenge Leonhardt first.

Finally, a small group of spectators remained neutral. Although they had never seen such a skinny Great Warrior, they did not jump to conclusions. Seeing was believing, and only time will tell the truth.

"Hm? Brother Goldenrod, are you not interested in watching their battle?" A Peak-rank Warrior asked as he noticed Goldeneye wholeheartedly eating without so much as a glance at the battle arena.

Goldenrod flashed the warrior a lazy glance and nonchalantly said, "Watch what? There is nothing interesting to watch. I already know the outcome."

"We all know the outsider is going to lose miserably, but it will still be interesting to see the person's expressions once his farce is uncovered."

Goldenrod frowned and glanced at the Peak-rank Warrior again.

"You're wrong. The one to lose miserably will not be Brother Leonhardt." Goldenrod stated confidently.

Like the other naïve young warriors, he had already experienced firsthand Leon's strength. As unassuming as Leon was, his power in the Great Warrior Realm was the real deal.

Nevertheless, he did not see the need to share his defeat among his peers. It was not something worth bragging about.

"Huh? How can that be?"

The Peak-rank Warrior was in disbelief. However, Goldenrod would not be so assuring unless he had some basis for it.

It was at this time that the crowd exclaimed loudly with cheers, shock, and surprise. The Peak-rank Warrior quickly directed his gaze towards the battle arena.

Unsurprising to Leon, the challenger was sent flying off the battle arena with a single sweep of his Bone Spear.

He stabbed the spear into the ground with a heavy thud and gazed sharply at the rest of the young warriors with shocked expressions.

"Anyone else wants to challenge me?"

The amphitheater fell silent.

Just a moment ago, these young warriors were very eager to challenge Leon and become famous with a single battle, but now they can only avoid his gaze with embarrassment.

Challenge a Great Warrior? You must be kidding! That is just asking to be humiliated!

Only the tribesmen in the Great Warrior Realm would challenge Leon, but none of them looked interested. Leon was an outsider. Beating him would not affect their ranking. And on the off chance that they lose, they might even lose their ranking!

Since there were only demerits, why would they challenge him?

Bang!

The young challenger finally landed outside the battle arena after being sent flying high in the sky and back down.

After the dust settled, a bunch of tribesmen rushed to check on the young warrior's condition. They were surprised to discover that apart from some minor injuries from the fall, the young warrior was fine otherwise.

Leon was only teaching the young warrior a lesson. There was no need to go out for blood.

The young warrior laid on the ground, disheveled with a dazed expression, and appeared slightly comical in the eyes of others.

"Hahaha! Look at his silly expression! It's like he is still trying to comprehend what happened!"

"Pfft! Thankfully, I was not the first one to challenge the outsider. Otherwise, I would have made a joke of myself."

No matter who won and who lost, the crowd was entertained, nonetheless.

Just a moment ago, the young warrior was still dreaming about becoming famous through a single battle, and he had indeed achieved his aim. However, it was not the sort of fame he wanted. He had become the butt of jokes.

Seeing no one step forth to challenge him, Leon stored away his Bone Spear. He leaped onto the high seating platform and returned to his seat.

"I apologize if I had been overbearing and offended anyone just now," Leon said courteously to the Shamans.

"Hahaha, not at all… not at all…"

Old Hammer stroke his beard and studied Leon top to bottom with a look of wonder. He had been one of the neutral spectators.

Seeing Leon's display of might, he really wondered how Leon's body was built. How could such a small body contain so much power?

Although the Shamans had self-destructed their Demon Core, they were all Battle Masters during their prime. Although their strength had degraded with old age, they still have substantial muscly physiques like anyone else.

"They say heroes come from the young. Our little friend, Leonhardt's potential, is limitless. Come, let me toast you. May your future be full of brilliance and wonder." Old Wiz spoke.

Leon noticed his wine cup had already been poured. He gave the female servant holding the wine jug a brief glance before helplessly taking the wine cup and return Old Wiz's gesture by downing the wine cup.

After two shots, Leon was no longer thinking straight. His tolerance may be low, but he had a tough body. It was clear how strong the special wine was.

"The night is still long—Oh, who am I kidding? It is always night. Let us enjoy ourselves a little." Old Tailor laughed and also toasted Leon.

That night, Leon continued to accept the Shamans' toasts and got wasted. His alcohol tolerance was no match for these frequent drinkers.

One side of him had said he should expel the alcohol and sober up. It was wise to stay clear-minded in unknown territory.

However, another side of him had said he should just put down the burdens and let loose once in a while.

In the end, Leon passed out after taking his twelfth shot.

"I did not expect Little Brother Leonhardt to be such a weak drinker." Master Woodrow said wryly before ordering a servant, "Someone, come arrange a room and take my Little Brother Leonhardt back to rest."

"Drinking wine is a luxury. Our little friend probably did not have much opportunity to taste wine outside." Old Hammer shook his head.

"Let us continue drinking. We aren't stopping until we all pass out too." Old Fjord laughed and raised another cup.

That night, Leon slept soundly with inexplicable comfort and peace.

He had a pleasant dream of his childhood days of touring the Divine Realm while grasping onto the warm sturdy hands of his father, the Divine Medicine King.

Strangely, the scene later changed to his first night in the brothel.

Chapter 363 - Rolling In Bed

The following day.

Leon woke up, sluggishly to an unfamiliar environment. Memories of the previous night were fuzzy and blurred. As he tried to get out of bed, he froze. He was not alone.

One of the female servants he had seen last night was sleeping soundly beside him with her head rested on his arm.

Leon sweated.

This seems like big trouble!

A warm fur blanket covered her pristine naked body, but he could feel the smoothness akin to silk from the contact between their skin. All their clothes laid scattered messily along the floor.

"Mmm…"

The female servant issued a gentle moan and repositioned herself to a more comfortable position.

'What the hell happened last night?'

Leon gave up on the idea of getting out of bed—Not with his arm held hostage. He tried to recall the previous night but found nothing. It was a blank slate after he passed out.

Studying the scattered clothes, Leon realized the clothes were torn. Afterward, he studied the female servant's facial features.

She was a fine beauty—not on the same level as Aria, but still a beauty, nonetheless. Given some success in the practice of divine cultivation, anyone can transform into a stunning beauty.

Those who can look like fairies from the paintings are few and far between. After all, divine cultivation nourishes the body with Spirit Energy to bring about a beautifying effect. It does not change one's inherent flaws.

If a person practicing divine cultivation looked like a toad, they would only become a better-looking toad. However, a better-looking toad was still a toad, nonetheless.

Anyway, that was beside the point.

Leon noticed a few dried tearstains and felt an incoming headache.

Piecing the clues together, it seems that the female servant had not crawled into his bed willingly. Instead, it seemed like he had been a beast who forced himself on her.

Of course, Leon did not jump to conclusions just yet.

He did not rule out the possibility that everything could be an elaborate scheme from the other party to make him think that way and guilt-trip him into taking responsibility for the deed he has done.

That being said, he was not going to evade responsibility. It was undeniable that he had taken the female servant's chastity. The patch of dried blood on the bed could be seen at a glance and cannot be faked.

"Haiz…"

Leon sighed.

To think all of this had been the result of some alcohol. Alcohol was indeed a source of trouble. Look at the mess it left him. He was just thankful it was not a female gorilla that he woke up in bed with.

At some point, the female servant woke up and noticed Leon's dilemma.

"You're awake?" Leon gently asked.

The female servant nodded and softly said with consideration, "You don't need to feel responsible for what happened. We can pretend that nothing ever happened."

It took her a great deal of courage to say this because she was aware of the reality of things.

She was just a little servant with no status. Even if Leon chooses to wash his hands of the matter and leave, she can do nothing about it.

Furthermore, chastity was not really valued in the tribe. Many men and women switch partners often. People of the Darkmoon Tribe were quite open to relationships.

Thus, even if she fails to become Leon's mistress after having her first time taken, there would still be other men in the tribe willing to accept her as a mistress or concubine.

Finding a partner was never her concern.

The importance was how a talentless person like her would be treated. Even if she becomes the mistress of a Great Warrior and have her status elevated, a Great Warrior usually had multiple lovers. She would just be suppressed and bullied by them.

Just Chief Valencia's harem alone included 6 other people, and they are not all men. If Leon were to learn of this fact, he would be in for quite the shock.

When Leon heard the female servant's response, he shook his head and shelved all the complicated thoughts aside.

"There's no use crying over spilled milk. What's done is done." Leon shrugged before saying, "I just feel a little regretful."

He had a dejected look.

"May I be so bold as to ask what it is that you regret, Young Master?" The female servant asked shakingly with a dulled look.

Was she not good enough?

It was true that she had been unwilling last night, but the wild Leon had conquered her with his dexterous fingers.

The first time should have been painful, but she only remembered drowning in pleasure. It would not be bad to become Leonhardt's lover.

"There's no need to be so formal with me. You can just call me Leonhardt." Leon shook his head before he sighed, "I just regret not remembering anything!"

"Err?"

The female servant was stunned, unable to follow his words. These were not the words she was expecting.

Not caring about the female servant's stunned expression, Leon continued to speak dejectedly, "Since we already did it, at least let me enjoy it! Why can't I recall a single thing? Ah, how unfortunate!"

"Erm…"

The female servant blushed with a crimson flush, and heart raced like the gallop of a thousand hooves.

"If you want…"

"Hm?"

The female servant spoke in a tiny voice. Her eyes shifted away, and her eyes turned red as she suggests, "If you want, we can do it again…"

"You're not against it?" Leon asked with surprise.

With her face as red as a tomato, the female servant softly answered, "No…"

Leon began to smile wolfishly.

He did not hesitate to toss away the fur blanket and admire her body with appreciation. Since the deed had already been done once, he did not have any mental barriers holding him back from doing it again.

"Ahh!"

The female servant softly cried in surprise at his sudden action.

"Since I have received your express permission, I shall enjoy myself to a feast then!"

One could say the special wine had been very potent. If Leon is not an accomplished alchemist, he would have doubted that the wine was an aphrodisiac.

He still has excess energy to vent and had been holding himself back!

The female servant was embarrassed at first, but she eventually opened herself up to him. As Leon slid his fingers down her silky body, the touch sent pleasant shivers through her body.

"Mmm!"

She moaned in pleasure.

'This is it! This is the feeling!'

The female servant felt like she was becoming addicted to Leon's touch. She did not understand his touch could be so magically. Was this the legendary 'God's Hand'?

The room was soon painted into a pinkish atmosphere as the smell of sweet nectar spread throughout.

The two rolled in bed for several hours before the female servant collapsed onto Leon's chest. Her energy was spent from climaxing too many times and soon lapsed into a deep sleep.

As the female servant slept, her arms wrapped around Leon's body subconsciously tightened as her brows began to crease. Leon rubbed her head gently before she returned to a relaxed state.

He could guess that she was afraid of him disappearing after she wakes up.

Leon laid there and pondered how he would explain things to his family when returning to the Human Domain.

'Umm, yeah… I went to rescue people, but I ended up bringing back another wife…?'

Leon shook his head wryly as he thought this explanation would not do.

Some time passed before the female servant was awoken from her slumber. She was very relieved to find herself in Leon's embrace. He did not abandon her!

"You're awake."

Leon smiled.

"Mm."

The female servant nodded softly and snuggled in Leon's arms with a sweet smile.

"I have yet to learn about your name. Will you tell me?" Leon asked.

"Darlene. My name is Darlene."

The female was a little taken aback by Leon's sudden question, but she soon answered with joy. His question implied a form of recognition.

"Just Darlene? You don't have a family name?"

Leon slightly frowned.

There was something he did not understand. Even if there were talentless people, they would not degrade to servants if they had good families. Could it be that…?

Darlene shook slightly before she answered with a dull look, "I did, but not anymore. I was disowned."

Leon had a look of understanding.

Sure enough, the female servants only become servants because they were abandoned by their own family. It seemed talentless people were much more despised than he thought.

Leon patted Darlene's back in comfort and apologized, "Sorry. It was insensitive of me to have asked."

"It's okay. I don't mind.

Darlene shook her head and resumed resting her head on his chest.

Chapter 364 - A Battle God?

Darlene felt strangely serene and secured in Leon's arms. Talentless people like her were used to the scornful gazes of others and being insignificant.

Even the tribal chief that sheltered them did not hold any expectations of their futures. Talentless people with Void Bodies cannot practice even the most basic body cultivation method widespread throughout the Infertile Plains.

That is the undeniable truth.

However, when Darlene look at Leonhardt, there was no prejudice or contempt in his eyes. Only sympathy—not because she was talentless but because of the treatment talentless people like her were receiving.

Talentless people without backing were like slaves. They have no rights and no means to defend themselves. They were prohibited from having children and only lived to serve others.

'Darkness Profound Energy-based body cultivation is not the only cultivation path in existence. Darlene might not be able to cultivate the Darkmoon Tribe's body cultivation method, but the same cannot be said for awakening and divine cultivation.'

Leon quietly pondered and made a mental note.

As they enjoy each other's warmth in bed, Leon rustled her hair in silence.

Various thoughts and questions were gathered in Leon's mind. It was rather extreme of people to disown their own children for being talentless.

"I don't think any normal parent would disown their children even if they have no talent for cultivation. The treatment of people with Void Bodies seems rather harsh." Leon frowned and asked, "Is there a particular reason for this?"

It might be insensitive of him to continue asking, but he needed answers.

Darlene was slightly surprised and turned her head to stare into Leon's eyes. If not for his genuinely curious expression, she would have thought Leonhardt was joking.

Ask anyone in this land of darkness, and they will be able to answer such a simple question. It was something everyone should know. It was strange that Leonhardt did not know.

Nevertheless, Darlene did not think too deeply. Since she accepted Leonhardt, she would not question his origins.

Whether he was a friend or foe of the Darkmoon Tribe, it no longer matters to her. Talentless people like her never had a strong attachment to their tribes.

"Talentless people are people forsaken by the Battle God, or so everyone believes. Also, everyone believes that talentless people will only breed more talentless people. Having a talentless person like me in their family is both a stain and a disgrace to any reputable family. The more reputable they are, the more this is so." Darlene said, self-mockingly.

'Battle God?'

Leon's brows furrowed slightly.

After he quickly inspected Darlene's body with divine sense, he gently rubbed her head before shifting her body to meet her eyes.

"If I said you can cultivate, will you believe me?" Leon lightly smiled.

He was not planning on revealing anything just yet. However, it did not hurt to give Darlene hope. It would be even better if he could give her some confidence and get rid of her inferior complex entirely.

Cultivation starts with the will. If there is no will to cultivate, then there is no need to bring up cultivation.

She can cultivate? How was that possible?

Darlene felt a little dizzy by Leon's question and shook her head. Was he just saying that to comfort her? There was no need to. She was not so delicate that she would be depressed over such a matter.

"You don't need to say that to comfort me, Young Master Leonhardt. I am fine. I've long come to terms with such—Ahh!"

Darlene suddenly issued a short cry after Leon smacked her rear. She glared at him slightly while feeling wronged. Why did he—he suddenly beat her 'there'?

"I said there's no need for formality between us. Just call me Leonhardt." With a slightly displeased look, Leon said. After a short pause, he added, "Hubby is also fine."

Darlene's heart fluttered wildly. She lowered her head shyly.

"Then, I will call you, Hubby?"

"En."

Leon nodded.

He no longer brought up the matter of cultivation. Actions speak louder than words, but now was not the right time to prove it. It was sufficient to instill a little bit of doubt.

If Darlene gives it some thought, she would see the possibility of other cultivation methods out there. His body was the best proof—A body with strength rivaling Great Warriors yet mismatched in size.

Leon had plans to reveal his identity as someone from the Human Domain to negotiate friendly relations with the Darkmoon Tribe and possibly an alliance. There were areas where they can benefit from each other by working together.

However, until he possesses sufficient strength, he will not do anything that risks exposing his identity. He currently did not have enough weight to bring to the negotiation table. Agreements are made when interests align, benefits are clear, and both sides are equal.

For now, he should lay low and learn more about the Darkmoon Tribe while looking into the whereabouts of his adoptive mother and the rest of the missing people.

'I need to quickly improve my strength.'

Leon frowned.

Many things required his attention and focus, yet he had so little time to accomplish them all. What a busy life he was living.

"Is something wrong?" Darlene asked nervously.

"No, it's nothing." Leon shook his head and smiled. While giving Darlene a head rub, he said, "Tell me more about the Battle God."

"H-Hubby does not even know about the Battle God?" Darlene asked with her eyes wide. Why does it seem like her man is ignorant of everything? Had he been living under a rock?

"Hmm. As far as I can remember, I have alone." Leon said.

Knowing her man was a lone vagabond, she suddenly felt like he was even more pitiful than her. At the very least, she had a fulfilling childhood until the age of 13 and knew who her parents were.

On the other hand, it seemed like her man never knew his parents and was forced to toil outside from a young age.

As Darlene looked at her man sympathetically, Leon ruffled her hair and said with a light smile, "Don't think so much and tell me more about the Battle God."

Leon felt uneasy, but it was necessary to keep up the fake identity. Chief Valencia's eyes and ears could be anywhere.

If his guess is not wrong, Chief Valencia is going to bring up the matter of joining the tribe again the next time they meet.

After all, unless Chief Valencia had implicitly allowed it to happen, someone would have stopped him from committing the act last night in his drunken stupor.

"The Battle God is—eh?"

Darlene was interrupted by a series of sudden movements and urgent calls outside, following the ringing city bell.

"Something is happening outside."

"We can continue to talk later. Let us get dressed and head out for a look."

It only took a few breathes for Leon to fully dress. On the other hand, Darlene was still in bed.

"Umm…"

A shade of red painted her face as she lowered her head and hesitated in bed with the blanket wrapped around her. Her clothes had all been torn apart by Leon last night.

"Ahem, right." Leon coughed and said, "I'll head out first to find someone to fetch you some spare clothes."

"Ah? No, there's no need for that. There are some spare clothes in the drawers here, Young—Hubby. I-I will go put it on right away!"

Although it was a little bit embarrassing to change in front of Leon, she did not want to be left behind.

Young Hubby?

Leon raised an eyebrow and could not help but punish her by smacking her round bottom as she walked past with her wrapped blanket.

Pak!

"Ahh!"

Darlene cried and threw Leon a dirty look full of question marks.

"My little wifey has become quite bold. Who is a 'Young Hubby'?" Leon questioned.

"Ah, no. I did not mean it like that…"

"Oh? What did you mean then? Also, is there a need to cover yourself? I have seen everything already."

"I… I…"

Darlene was stumped for words.

What could she say? She was trained about a lady's etiquette and was not a wild exhibitionist like some female warriors out there.

Noticing Leon's grin, Darlene stamped her feet angrily.

"Y-You're teasing me!"

"Hahaha…"

Leon chuckled lightly and did not comment.

Shortly after Darlene was dressed and head outside with Leon, he grabbed a passing female servant and asked, "What is going on, if I may ask?"

The female servant was rudely stopped, but she was still surprised by Leon's politeness. There was no need for a Great Warrior to be this polite to a lowly talentless servant like her.

"The hunting team just came back with Blackwind Tribe survivors, but they also brought back a powerful Bone Army with them. Everyone is preparing for the big battle."

The female servant answered faithfully with a light blush.