"Anyway, the whole of Blackstone City already knows about this, so there's no harm in telling you, brother. Both we and the Blood Demon clan managed to get our hands on some fragments of a map. We need to piece the two fragments together to get a complete treasure map. Nobody knows exactly where this map leads, but one thing's for sure — it's hiding some incredible secret,"
Should he really get involved in this kind of conflict?
Nie Li thought it over. After all, the Jade Seal Family was still a human faction — one worth uniting with. If he could demonstrate some of his strength, he might be able to win the Jade Seal Family's loyalty. That would be nothing but beneficial for the
"What exactly is this Ninefold Deathlands?" he asked.
"Legend has it that the Ninefold Deathlands was the site of an ancient war between the human legions and the Demon Beast armies. The battle lasted for thousands of years, leaving behind countless bones. The accumulated corpse qi turned the area into a barren wasteland, but it also scattered countless treasures. Since it's not too far from our Nether Domain, powerful experts from the Domain frequently go there to explore and search for all kinds of treasures."
An ancient battlefield?
Nie Li thought of the Feather Flame Goddess, who was still hiding in the sleeve of his robe. That place must hold incredibly painful memories for her. Countless clansmen and friends had perished in battle, her divine core had shattered, leaving her all alone to endure through the long ages.
"I really shouldn't have enjoyed your fine wine like that, brother. If you sold this at an auction house, it'd probably fetch quite a price," Luo Jian said with some embarrassment. "I don't have much of value to offer, but here — this sword is inscribed with a basic runic pattern. It's a decent treasure. Consider it a token of my gratitude."
Nie Li paused when he saw the sword marked with a Silver fire-element runic pattern. The materials were actually quite good, but it only had a Silver-level inscription? Any random sword from his Space Ring would be vastly superior.
To Luo Jian, though, this seemed like something quite precious.
Nie Li shook his head. "I already have a weapon. I have no use for this sword. You should keep it, Brother Luo."
Hearing this, Luo Jian was stunned. Nie Li already had a better weapon? This sword he was offering was worth a fortune! And Nie Li had refused without even a moment's hesitation.
"Is this inscribed with a basic runic pattern?" Nie Li pointed to the markings on the blade.
"That's right. Inscripting a basic runic pattern requires hiring a Junior Runic Pattern Master. After the inscription, a weapon's power can be enhanced significantly. Junior Runic Pattern Masters aren't easy to hire — the Jade Seal Family paid a considerable sum," Luo Jian said with a note of pride.
Nie Li was beginning to understand. The Nether Domain was severely lacking in resources of all kinds. While the Ninefold Deathlands held many treasures, most items that had survived for so long were probably beyond repair — only raw materials could be salvaged for forging new weapons. And Runic Pattern Masters were an extremely rare existence here.
"Something at this level of inscription — I could do it myself," Nie Li said calmly.
Luo Jian's eyes lit up. "Could it be that you're a Runic Pattern Master?"
"More or less," Nie Li replied. In his own estimation, he was only a half-baked Runic Pattern Master, but inscribing low-level patterns was more than within his abilities. What's more, he now commanded both the powers of Light and Darkness, so any patterns he inscribed would be even more remarkable.
When he heard Nie Li's affirmative answer, Luo Jian's face broke into a look of wild joy. "Recently, the Witch Ghost Family managed to recruit a Junior Runic Pattern Master — could that be you?"
"No," Nie Li shook his head.
"Might I invite you to visit the Jade Seal Family?" Luo Jian extended an earnest invitation.
Demonstrating his ability as a Runic Pattern Master would surely earn the Jade Seal Family's respect. And even if danger arose, Nie Li had plenty of means of escape. With the Feather Flame Goddess's help, even if the Jade Seal Family had two demigod-level powerhouses, they probably couldn't do anything to him.
"Sure," Nie Li nodded, accepting readily.
"Then let's go right now." Luo Jian stood up, looking very excited. He was a straightforward man who wore his emotions on his face.
Luo Jian was guileless and easy to talk to. Conversing with someone like this put Nie Li at ease.
The two made their way down the street, heading off into the distance.
The Jade Seal Family compound was a magnificent fortress, heavily guarded.
Seeing a human fortress here gave Nie Li an indescribable feeling. The stern-faced guards actually brought a trace of warmth to his heart — after all, there weren't many humans left who had survived.
They passed through the grand gate and into the great hall.
At the head of the hall sat a man in his forties, wearing gray robes. His expression was solemn, his chiseled cheeks giving him a stern, unyielding look. He appeared to be deep in thought. The conflict between the Jade Seal Family and the Blood Demon clan seemed to be weighing heavily on this clan head's mind.
Sensing the newcomers enter, he opened his eyes and swept his tiger-like gaze over Luo Jian and Nie Li.