CH270 - CH271

CH270

Amisha had never been to the Barren Lands herself, as she had few opportunities to go there.

Even though there were many channels of communication between the Land of Dawn and the Barren Lands, as the daughter of the prestigious Mori family, it was unthinkable for her to venture into such a dangerous place.

Most people in the Land of Dawn looked down on the Barren Lands and knew little about its true nature.

As she listened to Helag talk, Amisha realized that the Barren Lands were far more beautiful than she had imagined. It wasn't the desolate wasteland she had always heard about.

At least in terms of natural beauty, the Barren Lands were a paradise.

There were mountains, forests, distant peaks, and lakes.

These were things the Land of Dawn lacked.

Even the few mountains in the Land of Dawn were often polluted and uninhabitable.

But none of this was widely known, as the Land of Dawn never promoted such information. Most people were unaware.

While the Land of Dawn did have some well-preserved forests and mountains, those areas were strictly protected to maintain their ecosystems. They were not open for public enjoyment.

Only when resources were needed would those areas be harvested.

In fact, many of the timber and other resources in the Land of Dawn came from the Barren Lands.

Even a lot of the fruits and vegetables were supplied by the Barren Lands, though most people didn't know this.

After hearing Helag's description, Amisha found herself wanting to live in the Barren Lands for a while.

In her eyes, aside from the lack of wizard resources, the Barren Lands seemed far better than the Land of Dawn.

And wizard resources weren't something Amisha needed to worry about.

As the ball continued, Israel stood in the center of the room, raising his glass. "Thank you all for coming to the ball…"

After a brief welcome speech, he clinked glasses with the crowd.

Then, Israel scanned the room for Helag. When he spotted him, he waved him over and said, "Everyone, we've recently welcomed a new member to the Wizard Array Association, and he's incredibly talented and quite young."

His words piqued the interest of many guests.

For Israel to call someone talented meant they were no ordinary person. He had to be someone worth knowing.

The people here were all influential figures in Silvermoon City, and they were always eager to connect with talented individuals.

Helag walked over to Israel, feeling the eyes of the crowd on him.

Israel patted Helag on the shoulder and introduced him. "This is Helag Merlin, from the Barren Lands. He's a formal member of Seranthiel, and within just a few months of arriving in the Land of Dawn, he taught himself wizard arrays and became a first-level wizard array master."

Helag smiled and said, "I'm new here and still have much to learn. I'm grateful to Mr. Israel for his help."

The crowd around them took note of this young man, making a mental note of his name.

Barren Lands, Seranthiel, Wizard Array Master—these labels were enough to leave a lasting impression.

"Helag? Weren't you the one who tried to take my task the other day?"

A bald man stepped out of the crowd, and Helag recognized him immediately—it was Barren, the man he had seen at the Wizard Array Association.

Helag smiled. "Yes, Mr. Barren."

Barren rubbed his bald head. "I didn't expect you to actually be a wizard array master. I'll go ahead and remove you from my blacklist."

He pulled out his magic stone, not only removing Helag from the blacklist but also sending him a friend request.

"What's going on, Barren?" someone nearby asked, curious about the exchange.

Barren laughed. "This kid tried to take my wizard array task earlier, but at the time, he didn't have the wizard array master tag. I thought he was messing with me, so I blacklisted him."

The crowd burst into laughter once they understood the situation.

Like Amisha, many of the guests were intrigued by Helag's background in the Barren Lands and began asking him all sorts of questions.

Helag calmly answered each one, quickly blending into the group and adding several new friends to his magic stone.

"Mr. Helag, are you married?" asked a mustachioed first-level crystallized wizard, holding a glass of wine.

He was a businessman named Tosa, who made his fortune by trading goods between various cities.

Because of the scale of his business, he held a certain level of social status.

Helag smiled. "Not yet, and I'm not planning on it anytime soon. Right now, I just want to focus on my cultivation and aim to become a second-level wizard as soon as possible."

"Oh, that's a shame. I know quite a few suitable matches. If you ever change your mind, feel free to come to me," Tosa said, sighing with a hint of regret.

He did indeed know many well-suited young women.

Given Helag's status as a formal member of Seranthiel and a first-level wizard array master, he was quite the catch.

If Tosa could arrange a marriage for Helag, it would also help him expand his own network.

At that moment, a beautiful noblewoman stepped forward and looked at Helag. "Mr. Helag, would you care to dance with me?"

Helag recognized her. They had just added each other as friends on the magic stone. Her name was Ivana, and she came from a wizard family.

Ivana was at the age where she was expected to marry, and it was clear she was interested in Helag.

That was why she had been so forward in adding him as a friend and now asking him to dance.

Helag felt a bit overwhelmed.

First of all, he didn't know how to dance. Secondly, he had no intention of getting married anytime soon.

He already had Reese at home; he didn't need more women in his life.

Helag smiled awkwardly and said, "I'm sorry, Miss Ivana, but I don't know how to dance. I've never learned."

Amisha, who had been watching from the crowd, stepped forward and took Helag's hand. "Come on, I'll teach you."

Ivana's face darkened at Amisha's bold move.

But Amisha's background was far too powerful, and Ivana didn't dare say anything. She quietly retreated to the drinks table and poured herself a glass of wine.

Many people noticed the exchange, and being sharp individuals, they quickly understood what it meant.

Immediately, Helag's status in their eyes rose even higher.

If Helag were to join the Mori family, combined with his ties to Seranthiel, his future would be limitless.

On the dance floor, Amisha patiently taught Helag the steps, one move at a time.

The dance was called the Polka, a fast-paced dance with quick, intricate movements.

Ordinary people would need some time and practice to master it.

But for Helag, the dance was no challenge at all.

After just one round of instruction, Helag had already mastered every step.

As they finished the dance, Amisha looked at him in surprise. "Are you sure this is your first time learning?"

"Yes, Miss Amisha," Helag replied honestly.

CH271

Amisha didn't doubt Helag's words. When she had been teaching him to dance, it was clear that he had never learned before.

But the fact that Helag mastered the dance after just one lesson was a testament to his incredible talent.

With his excellent potential as a wizard, his outstanding aptitude as a wizard array master, and his youthful good looks, Amisha found herself more and more impressed with Helag.

Helag, however, sensed the subtle change in Amisha's gaze and knew this could lead to trouble.

He had dealt with many women before and could tell that Amisha was likely developing feelings for him.

This was problematic.

It wasn't Amisha herself that worried him, but the complications that came with her powerful Mori family.

Helag had no desire to marry into the Mori family, as it would bring countless headaches.

But given the current situation, it wasn't like he could just walk away. He would have to handle this delicately and keep his distance in the future.

As the ball continued, Helag kept a respectful distance, holding Amisha's waist as they danced without crossing any boundaries.

Amisha, on the other hand, leaned closer and closer, until by the end, she was practically resting her entire body against him.

***

Beneath Silvermoon City lay a complex network of underground sewers, sprawling like a spider's web across the entire city.

These sewers were all interconnected, and in theory, one could travel to any part of the city through them.

The only difference was that some parts of the sewer system were maintained, while others were neglected.

The sewers were winding, muddy, dark, and damp.

Six figures hunched low as they quietly moved through the sewers.

The air was filled with the stench of filth, and the ground was covered in foul-smelling sewage mixed with all sorts of waste.

The six people trudged through the sewage without a care, their feet splashing through the muck, the sound of their footsteps echoing in the tunnels.

They didn't bother to suppress the noise, as no one but the likes of them would ever come down here.

The noble lords and high-ranking wizards would never set foot in such a filthy place.

The six were dressed in rough, tattered clothing, their bodies thin and frail, clearly suffering from long-term malnutrition.

But despite their weak bodies, their eyes burned with determination, even fanaticism.

They were poor folk from the Mozambi slum, people no one cared about.

Their names weren't even recorded in Silvermoon City's census. They weren't counted in the population.

Whether they died of illness or starvation, no one would know, and no one would care.

But there was someone who cared about them—the God they worshipped.

The God had given them a glorious mission, and they were grateful to have been chosen to carry it out.

The group moved cautiously through the tunnels, frequently stopping to check a complicated map before continuing in the right direction.

Eventually, they stopped at a section of the sewer.

They looked up, confirming that they were directly beneath Israel's estate.

Above ground, the ball was in full swing, music and laughter filling the air.

Below ground, six filthy, emaciated figures crouched in the sewers.

Their faces were resolute, their eyes filled with fervor.

The leader of the group pulled out a blood-red claw, and the six of them bowed their heads, chanting softly.

Above ground, Helag had finished dancing and was now chatting with Amisha by the edge of the dance floor.

Suddenly, Helag frowned. He had noticed the six figures in the sewers.

He had been using Deep Blue's environmental detection the entire time and had immediately sensed the presence of the six strange individuals.

There were many first-level wizards at the ball, and even a few second-level wizards.

If any of them had activated their magic detection, they would have noticed the unusual activity underground.

But who would think to scan the sewers during a ball?

Helag continued chatting casually with Amisha while keeping a close eye on the movements of the six people below.

When they pulled out the blood-red claw, Helag knew something was wrong.

He could feel a familiar aura emanating from the claw.

It was the aura of the Abyssal Plane.

Helag had visited the Abyssal Plane twice before and was highly attuned to its energy. He immediately recognized the strong Abyssal presence clinging to the blood-red claw.

Realizing the danger these six individuals posed, especially with their low murmurs of prayer, Helag understood the gravity of the situation.

Without delay, Helag approached Israel.

He had to inform Israel of the anomaly. Even though it might seem odd to use magic detection during a ball, it was far better than letting those six complete their ritual.

"Mr. Israel, I've noticed something unusual," Helag whispered as he reached Israel's side.

Amisha followed, looking puzzled. She had been chatting with Helag the whole time—what could have happened?

"Oh? What's the unusual situation?" Israel had been smiling and drinking, but seeing the serious expression on Helag's face, his smile faded.

"I used magic detection just now and found six people lurking in the sewers. Their behavior seems strange…" Helag explained.

Israel immediately activated his own magic detection and quickly confirmed Helag's findings.

At that moment, the six figures in the sewers had finished their prayers.

Each of them pulled out a sharp object—some had rusty daggers, others had chipped short swords.

"For the God," they whispered.

With those words, they plunged their weapons into their own hearts.

They collapsed to the ground, and their blood was swiftly absorbed by the blood-red claw.

In an instant, the claw drained all the blood and began to glow with an eerie light.

Israel's eyes widened. "This is bad! Abyssal cultists!"

He shouted, drawing the attention of everyone at the ball.

Without wasting a second, Israel pulled out a black crystal and slammed it into the ground. A black barrier immediately expanded, covering the entire estate.

"What's going on, Mr. Israel?" someone asked.

"Abyssal cultists? They're back? Where are they? I'll take care of them!" another wizard volunteered, eager to find the threat.

Israel didn't have time to answer their questions. Instead, he shouted, "Everyone, use your shields, defensive spells, anything you've got!"

There was no time to explain, and no way to stop what was happening in the sewers. All Israel could do was shout for everyone to prepare for the worst.