Huo Ling followed the attendant devil through layer upon layer of guards.
At last, he arrived at the heart of the fortress.
Rather than a grand hall, it was more like a heavily fortified stronghold.
Bael, this Archduke, was truly cautious to an excessive degree.
Huo Ling's footsteps echoed through the hall without the slightest restraint.
He surveyed the guards within the hall. Every single one of them was a Pit Fiend.
The quality of these guards was even somewhat higher than that of the guards at Huo Ling's commandery residence.
But on second thought, it made sense. Huo Ling only controlled a small patch of territory, while Bael was an Archduke. If the commandery residence possessed greater strength than the Archduke's manor, that would have been the real problem.
The attendant devil stopped, and Huo Ling stopped with him.
There was no helping it.
Huo Ling was Purgatory's most law-abiding devil. Ordinary devils could not compare to him.
Huo Ling slowly bent in salute and said to Bael upon the throne, "Greetings, Archduke."
"Lord Huo Ling... it has been some time since we last met," Bael said.
"It has indeed been more than sixty years since I last came to pay my respects to you," Huo Ling said with a smile.
The last time Huo Ling had come to see Bael, their relationship had still been quite good. That had been when Huo Ling had just completed fifty years of garrison duty at the Bronze Citadel.
Bael's flat voice rang out. "Back then, you were still a most loyal devil. Now..."
Bael did not continue, but both of them knew exactly what he meant.
Yet Huo Ling pretended not to understand. He dipped into a slight bow and said, "Archduke, have I not remained loyal to you all this