The Parthenon's Traitor / Captured Alive
Mu He opened it and saw the pitch-black [Nether Stone], nodding in satisfaction. It was a treasure combining the three elements of the undead, space, and chaos, and could only be produced in the Dark Plane.
It is also the main power source for the magic array that draws in the Abyss of Calamity!
"I've brought the things. I wouldn't have risked my life to make this trip if it weren't for that person's request."
Asha Ruiya said in a low voice, "Who are you? What is your identity? I have no interest in knowing. To me, you are all just clients. Tell that woman that you are now in love with her."
Upon hearing this, Mu He smiled elegantly and said, "I will convey your words to that lord. You truly have no intention of participating in our grand undertaking."
"Heh, "Asha Ruiya scoffed.
Mu He the other party a deep look, full of apprehension, and ultimately did not make a move, but quietly retreated.
Asha Ruiya remained rooted to the spot, lost in thought, seemingly pondering something.
Given her status and her understanding of Salang, she had long since guessed that it was the Black Vatican. This meant that every time she transported a Nether Stone, she would bring the Ancient Capital one step closer to destruction.
The people suffered terribly; the culprit is responsible.
Although she was forced by personal relationships and contracts, she didn't care. She was quite interested in turning around and betraying her 'teammate,' and seeing who was more skilled.
Little did they know, Lu Jun had been watching everything from afar, and a knowing look appeared on his face. Asha Ruiya was indeed closely related to the Ancient Capital Incident.
The original text doesn't mention it, but he at least witnessed everything and satisfied his curiosity.
He neither approved nor disapproved of Asha Ruiya's actions; whether it was simply due to unethical business practices or some other form of coercion, the woman probably didn't care.
According to Lu Jun's memory, Asha Ruiya had this kind of personality: both righteous and wicked, unpredictable, and mysterious.
At first glance, she always seemed to be on Mo Fan's side of justice, but in reality, they each had their own motives and were using them for personal gain.
In a way, Asha Ruiya and he are clearly the same kind of people.
Some had a conscience; for example, while buying intelligence, they also leaked information about the Black Vatican to the Ancient Capital, practically giving the Ancient Capital a god-like perspective.
They value family ties extremely, for example, in the future, they will travel far and wide to save the Black Dragon Emperor.
She is self-serving and adept at going with the flow to do favors; she would never do what Mo Fan did by going against the grain.
Lu Jun waited for a long time, and Asha Ruiya also lingered, finally revealing another shocking secret.
A graceful woman in a white palace dress floated in from afar, her figure slender and tall, her features charming and dignified, her demeanor pure and noble.
That's right, it's floating!
Before Lu Jun could react, the Totem Bead he had been carrying began to vibrate violently. The Mysterious Snake Totem was wary, seemingly indicating the presence of a peak monarch-level being.
And so on.
Lu Jun stared wide-eyed as he examined this unique and peerless female ghost again. Although he had never seen her before, he had guessed who she was.
Could it be the Nine Nether Queen?!
Wow, this is a big boss Asha Ruiya's business is really something, profiting from both the black and white worlds, and even taking advantage of Demon Beast.
Wouldn't that mean eating one fish in three ways?
Lu Jun sincerely admired this woman. Damn, she truly lived up to her reputation as the most unfathomable and shrewd woman in the original work, the only one that Mo Fan desired but could not obtain.
He watched the transaction with curiosity.
Chapter 229 Parthenon the Traitor
The Nine Nether Queen was alluring, her long, flowing black hair cascading down like a waterfall, her white court dress perfectly outlining her soft and graceful figure.
The woman's delicate body was draped in a white veil, appearing soft and transparent, with her flesh color faintly visible, exuding a melancholic and graceful air, making her seem pitiful.
From a distance, the ghostly figure stands in stark contrast to the desolate and lifeless landscape around it.
She smiled at Asha Ruiya, her lips parted gently as she said, "Little sister, thank you for your help. After many years of slumber, there is finally hope for the King's revival. When he rules the world again, he will not forget your contribution."
What a load of rubbish!
Unfortunately, Asha Ruiya was also a fairy, covering her mouth and laughing radiantly, speaking human language to humans and ghost language to ghosts.
The woman in black stockings laughed, "Sister, you're quite generous, sacrificing millions from the Ancient Capital to revive the Ancient King."
"I don't covet the titles and honors that come with success, but that item is far too important to me. Could you please give it to me, sister?"
"My little sister is so cunning." The Nine Nether Queen's beautiful eyes were full of meaning. "I was originally thinking of reserving a spot for you, to pull you down to be a ghost, so that I, as the older sister, would have company."
Then, the White-clothed female ghost raised her hand, and a black, crystalline stone floated down in front of Asha Ruiya.
Nine Nether Queen said regretfully, "I already promised my sister, so this Dark Soul Stone is yours."
Seeing this, Asha Ruiya happily picked it up. She had made a lot of money from her busy work, but right now, these items were what truly strengthened her.
Originally, her Dark Contract could only summon the [Night Watch Knight], who General-level.
The Dark Soul Stone will elevate her to the Monarch level. Once her strength and cultivation reach that level, she will summon the [Dark Sword Master], Sub-Lord.
Not to mention that this item is essentially a top-grade Dark Substance, which greatly enhances her Shadow Element.
In the distance, Lu Jun seemed to be deep in thought. Asha Ruiya's Dark Magic was superb, ever-changing, and perfectly combined Shadow Element and Summoning System, almost transcending the framework of magic.
It is estimated that the Dark Angel Holy Soul given by the adoptive father Wen Tai took effect on one hand, and the initial momentum stemmed from the massive profiteering in the Ancient Capital on the other.
After all, the Dark Magic resources here are too abundant; Night Thunder Dream Beast evolved to a higher level after absorbing the vast amount of Warm Spring.
As for the Nine Nether Queen, he never expected that the calamity of the dead would be fueled by this woman, who was in charge of reversing the Ancient King Armor Robe and reuniting the First Emperor's soul.
Indeed, the Eight Directions Undead Monarchs could unite and attack the Ancient Capital under the command of the Ancient King suggests that someone must have organized and planned it, and that they shared a common goal.
Lu Jun remained silent, watching quietly.
On the desolate grave, Asha Ruiya and Nine Nether Queen, one in black and one in white, stood gracefully and charmingly, a truly pleasing sight.
They completed the transaction, each satisfied, and exchanged pleasantries and jokes.
Nine Nether Queen smiled and said, "Farewell, little sister. Abyss of Calamity will always reserve a place for you. Come down to earth when you're tired of living in the mortal Mortal World."
Having said that, she quietly drifted away. Before leaving, her eyes, filled with a smile, swept over the spot where Lu Jun was hiding, and she let out a bewitching laugh.
Then Nine Nether Queen transformed into a wisp of Green Smoke and disappeared from the spot.
They've been discovered! Lu Jun felt a chill run down his spine. Even with Ding Yumian's Main Soul assisting him, he still couldn't hide it from a peak spiritual monarch.
He was completely fearless, and acted arrogantly with the Totem Mysterious Snake.
The Nine Nether Queen must have sensed the presence of the Xuan Serpent, but hesitated to act due to her concerns, and instead plotted to secretly harm Asha Ruiya.
Just as Lu Jun thought Asha Ruiya had achieved her goal and was about to leave.
Suddenly, another group of people arrived, consisting of an old man and a young man.
"Why are so many people here?"
Lu Jun almost made a move to subdue Asha Ruiya, but seeing this, he held back and carefully examined the two of them with suspicion.
The old woman was dressed in a white ceremonial robe, her face kind and gentle, yet her aura exuded the decay of death.
The younger one was a big boy, who looked to be about fourteen or fifteen years old. He was frail and appeared malnourished.
Despite being a teenager, he was shorter than his peers, like a child, yet he radiated a holy and healthy glow, which was completely out of place in the Undead Forbidden Zone, creating a great contradiction.
Most striking was his white hair, with a golden sheen, and his fair skin had a glassy quality reminiscent of Elemental Spirit; every gesture he made resembled a small sun.
"Strange," Lu Jun said, completely baffled. "I don't recognize these two people."
However, he didn't care. The real world is vast, and there are all sorts of people.
At this moment, the old woman, holding the boy's hand, walked up to Asha Ruiya and respectfully said, "Greetings, Your Highness Saintess Maiden."
Asha Ruiya's demeanor changed abruptly, her face turning cold and aloof, unlike before. She pressed forward, saying, "So many years have passed, and you're still alive? Tell me what happened back then, Parthenon's traitor!"
"Why was my father Wen Tai, judged by darkness? How could the former goddess Yi Zhisha, betray her own brother Wen Tai?"
Her voice was filled with gritted teeth and Killing Intent: "Otherwise, you won't even be able to enjoy your old age, let alone die."
Upon hearing this, Lu Jun, who was hiding, seemed to be deep in thought. So it was about the strange event that occurred in Parthenon back then, which caused the Holy Son Wen Tai to fall into the Dark Plane.
Of course, very little is known about what happened after that; almost everyone believed that Wen Tai was dead.
The Great Sage gave a wry smile and said in a low voice in English, "I will tell the Saintess everything I know. The matter from back then is very complicated, so why do you need to delve into it? Otherwise, you may suffer misfortune. I only ask that you calm down."
Asha Ruiya coldly replied, "That's none of your business."
The old woman sighed, "The Holy Son's brilliance is too dazzling, suffocating the entire world. There are too many people who want him dead, and some of their names are beyond your imagination."
As the other person spoke, Asha Ruiya's expression changed several times as she fell into deep thought.
She regained her composure and said, "Fine, you pass."
Just as Asha Ruiya was about to leave, the Old Sage, who had attained great cultivation, called out to her, "Saintess, wait!"
Asha Ruiya stopped in her tracks, turned around, and looked at the old woman with a slight frown.
The Old Sage said with a weary expression, "I felt guilty after that incident, so I went to the Ancient Capital of the Nine Provinces to spend the rest of my life there."
"Over the years, I have helped heal those who have strayed into forbidden areas and have tried my best to suppress the dead. Now, my life force is depleted, and I will soon die."
"I deserve it, but what I worry about most is this child."
The old woman stroked the boy's head and pleaded, "Saintess Highness, could you please adopt this innocent child?"
After saying that, Asha Ruiya looked at the boy.
The white-haired boy lowered his head cautiously and timidly.
"Huh?" she exclaimed softly, intrigued. "Awakening magic at only fourteen or fifteen years old, and already reaching the Intermediate Level cultivation."
"Such a strong aura of light! Its purity surpasses that of those people in the Holy City."
"Yes," the Old Sage recalled, "I adopted this child when I came to the Ancient Capital more than ten years ago; he is a treasure bestowed upon me by heaven."
"When I found him, an entire village had been slaughtered by the undead, including his parents; only this infant child remained."
"Surprisingly, he was just an infant, yet his body radiated the aura of Light Element, keeping the undead away, which is why he survived until I came to save him."
"After that, I raised him. The child's Light Element became stronger day by day, and he awakened his Light Element on his own. I suspect he is a Half Calamity Bringer."
"If Your Saintess can nurture and protect him, he will surely be of help to you once he grows up."
The Old Sage pleaded, and the young man, somewhat anxious, shook the old woman's arm, saying, "Grandma..."
Chapter 230 Captured alive
The Old Sage stared intently at Asha Ruiya.
To her disappointment, the other party refused.
Asha Ruiya shook her head, saying regretfully, "I've already examined his body. He's being increasingly eroded by the Light Element, and his life force, like yours, is on a countdown."
"Unless the angels of the Holy City personally instruct him and bestow upon him their Angel Holy Soul, he will not be able to master this Light Element and thus survive."
After saying this, the Old Sage's eyes widened, and he said in a trembling voice, "Is it possible that even the Healing Magic of the Parthenon Temple can't do anything about it?"
"Heh, after the Resurrection Soul disappeared, Parthenon is no longer worthy of its name. Its healing and blessing abilities have greatly declined, and now it only has a few forbidden spells from the older generation."
Asha Ruiya sneered, "Compared to the other seven top powers, they're utterly vulnerable."
"I never imagined that what happened back then would cause so much damage to the temple. I deserve to die."
The Old Sage was filled with self-reproach and despair.
"Sigh." Asha Ruiya looked at the white-haired boy with pity. Half Calamity Bringer could become a true Calamity Bringer at any time, and at that time, his body, which was already almost completely corrupted, would collapse instantly.
Secondly, there's the threat from the Holy City; even if she wanted to take on that responsibility, the pressure would be immense.
Ultimately, she instinctively disliked the aura of light, a trait inherent to the Dark Angel Holy Soul.
For three reasons, plus considering the overall cost-effectiveness, Asha Ruiya was too lazy to help someone who was a complete stranger.
The old woman still tried to struggle, pleading, "Saintess Highness, can we hand her over to the Holy City?"
Asha Ruiya almost burst out laughing, scoffing, "Holy City? Whether you're Light Element or other-elemental Calamity Bringer, you're going to wipe them out. And do you really think they're righteous?"
"His Chinese bloodline alone doesn't meet the requirements, not to mention all the other restrictions. You're practically delivering goods to his doorstep."
Upon hearing this, the Old Sage's last hope was shattered, and his hunched body staggered and fell to the ground.