Shadowfall Potion

"Give me back the Great Blood... Please..."

The gnome's eyes were filled with longing and pleading.

"That does not belong to you, Zotes," Moria said calmly, his tone devoid of pity.

"No, it's mine..." the gnome begged desperately, "Please... I've paid so much, I've endured so much... cough... I..."

Zotes reached out his remaining left hand towards Moria, as if to say more, but ultimately, he couldn't. The gnome's left hand fell limply, his eyes filled with unwillingness – he was dead.

A blood-stained gold coin rolled out of Zotes' hand, stopping only when it hit Moria's shoe. The coin was covered in blood, but the crown-like sun emblem on it continuously shone with radiance.

Moria sighed, picked up the coin, placed it on his forehead, and offered a silent prayer. Then, he placed the coin back into Zotes' hand.

Warm fire began to rise from the coin, slowly engulfing the gnome's entire body.

"Rest in peace, Zotes."

The knight offered his final prayer for the pitiful gnome.

Once everything was over, Moria surveyed the place that was once a laboratory. The Flesh-and-Blood Dragon created by the Great Blood had destroyed everything, leaving nothing but the blood-stained ground. There wasn't even a single piece of corpse left.

Moria walked up to the others and said to the Wild Mage Nasha, "Give it to me. It will be placed in the Holy Temple's most sacred chamber, where no one will be able to touch it."

Nasha, who already didn't want to hold the strange gem, quickly used Invisible Touch to hand it to Moria.

At this point, Halik finally let out a sigh of relief. He had almost wet himself facing the Flesh-and-Blood Dragon, and when Nasha snatched the Great Blood using Invisible Touch, he was even more terrified, fearing his companion might do something foolish.

"Oh well, since the monster has been punished, shouldn't we be heading back?" Halik said with a sheepish grin. Honestly, he had forgotten why they had come to this godforsaken place.

"And what about you? Miss Mephisto?"

Moria turned his head to look at Li Wen.

"Everything was eaten by that monster. The clue about the Shadowfall Potion is likely gone as well," Li Wen said, giving the knight a deep look. "Since that's the case, there's no harm in leaving."

Hearing this, Moria shook his head.

"I wasn't asking about that, Miss Mephisto... I meant, what are your plans from now on?"

Li Wen frowned and instinctively took a step back.

Seeing Li Wen remain silent, Moria was not surprised. He continued, "The Holy Temple will take in anyone willing to serve Radiance. Regardless of their past or origin, as long as they have fervor for Radiance and are willing to repent, the Holy Temple will give them that chance. Do you understand what I mean, Miss Mephisto?"

What is he saying...?

Li Wen furrowed her brows. Where did I slip up? No, in this life, I've only just started playing the game. What could I have done for the Firstborn of the Temple to say such a thing? After thinking it over, Li Wen could only come up with one possibility...

"Light Chasing?"

Moria didn't confirm. He merely continued, "Zotes was a pitiable man. Perhaps due to his past experiences, he lost his trust in humanity and Radiance, thus taking the wrong path. But you are different, Miss Mephisto. Since you can walk this Path, it shows you also yearn for Radiance. Therefore... Radiance will also favor you."

He reached out his hand towards Li Wen, but she only retreated. She had long known that the promises from Dark Dawn were not always sweet, but she hadn't expected the consequences to arrive so quickly.

"What if I refuse?"

Li Wen drew the Bone-Gnawing Short Sword. She still needed to obtain The Final Codex; she had no time to go to the Holy Temple with Moria.

"The Path of Light Chasing is not permitted. The Holy Temple will not allow the Path of Light Chasing to wander the Mortal World. Since you have made up your mind..." Moria pointed his long sword at Li Wen, and intense flames began to burn. Within the flames, a pure white lamb slowly emerged, as if about to step out of the fire. "I will try not to harm you, but merely incapacitate you."

In that instant, Li Wen felt a fire slowly burning within her. The heat was so intense it almost dried up her blood and made her soul boil.

Amidst this heat, Li Wen focused her remaining mental energy on the Eye of the Transcendent in her hand, silently chanting "City of Eternity."

An invisible and mysterious power descended instantly through means Li Wen couldn't comprehend. Everything within her vision began to peel away and shatter, like game models losing their textures.

The burning sensation within Li Wen subsided, but she felt a more terrifying unease, like walking in a silent forest when the grass behind you rustles, birds take flight, and some horrifying beast quietly approaches.

She covered her ears as a sound imperceptible to life entered her ears and then her brain, churning her mind like a blender. Disgusting desires and pain replaced all of Li Wen's thoughts.

When the pain subsided and Li Wen regained consciousness, she found herself in a silent city under twilight.

Amber City. She had returned here less than a day after leaving.

On the towering Bell Tower, the lonely Giant Immortal still stood guard. It looked down at Li Wen, its voice like thunder.

"Oh, it's you. I didn't expect you back so soon. So, are you going to use the 'promise'? I warned you, if you don't fulfill my request first, I won't agree to anything for you."

Li Wen rubbed her throbbing temples as she shook her head. "No, I'm here to get The Final Codex."

As she spoke, Li Wen took out a long, slender test tube. A colorless black liquid flowed within the bottle, like liquid shadow.

This was the Shadowfall Potion.

As soon as Li Wen had entered the laboratory through the secret passage, she noticed this potion she desperately needed lying quietly on the ground. While everyone else's attention was focused on the monster that had leaped down from the ceiling to attack, Li Wen had silently slipped the potion into her pocket, keeping it until now.

With this potion, Li Wen wouldn't have to expend too much effort when facing the Daughter of Amber.

However, the Giant Bell, upon seeing the Shadowfall Potion, warned her, "This potion has terrible side effects. It might even cause you to fall into darkness, never to be reborn. Are you sure you want to drink it?"

Even the Giant Immortal described it as "terrifying," so the side effects must be truly dreadful.

But what Li Wen needed was precisely this side effect.