Bai Shi looked at the ghostflame dragon before him and unleashed the Litany of Proper Death, an incantation he hadn’t used in a long time. As the sacred seal in his hand lit up, a golden holy sigil spread rapidly across the surface of the lake. The power of the incantation soon reached the ghostflame dragon’s feet. As the radiance of the Litany of Proper Death swept over it, the worms and flesh on the ghostflame dragon’s body sloughed off, and it let out a pained roar. Seeing such a strong reaction to the incantation, Bai Shi was certain this dragon was one of Those Who Live in Death. As the ghostflame dragon charged toward him, Bai Shi unhurriedly drew the treasure he had acquired in the Tower Settlement: the twinblade, Aeperia. He might as well test this blade on it. The ghostflame dragon rushed at Bai Shi, its skeletal wings slamming down. Bai Shi channeled his magic into Aeperia, activating the weapon’s innate skill. Bai Shi aimed Aeperia at the dragon’s descending wing. The twinblade floated before Bai Shi’s palm, spinning at high speed until it formed a dazzling vortex of light. The ghostflame dragon’s brittle bones were immediately sucked into the spinning vortex, ground down and obliterated inch by inch by the blades. Only then did the ghostflame dragon sluggishly realize it had lost a wing, and it scrambled to pull its body back. Witnessing the power of Aeperia’s skill, Bai Shi’s opinion of it improved slightly. Though, the skill still didn’t seem much different from just spinning it around. It dealt holy damage, and its power wasn't low. Judged by the standards of an ordinary weapon, it was actually quite good. However, for a +9 weapon considered a town’s greatest treasure, this performance was merely adequate. His Starscourge Greatsword at the same enhancement level was far stronger. At that moment, the guardian spirit formed from the Horned Crone’s son opened its mouth, continuously summoning spirits from its skull to assail the ghostflame dragon. The ghostflame dragon roared in fury and spewed a torrent of chilling ghostflame, sweeping it toward Bai Shi. The countless spirits the guardian had just painstakingly summoned were instantly wiped out by the ghostflame. Guardian spirit, what exactly are you guarding?! Bai Shi leaped into the air, dodging the oncoming ghostflame. He twisted and turned in mid-air, his Aeperia leaving deep gashes on various parts of the ghostflame dragon’s body. As he fought the dragon, Bai Shi gradually grew more adept with this unusual weapon, his technique constantly improving. Aeperia’s sharp blades easily sliced through the dragon’s highly decayed corpse. Even its hard bones couldn’t hinder the blades in the slightest, and the maggots clinging to them were cleanly severed. If this had been an ordinary drake, it would have been defeated by now. But as one of Those Who Live in Death, the ghostflame dragon couldn't be eliminated by conventional wounds. Finally, Bai Shi flew above the dragon, lightly tapping its head with one end of Aeperia to propel himself higher. He aimed the tip of his twinblade at the ghostflame dragon’s spine and, propelled by the storm, brought it down in a swift slash. Eat my Insect Glaive ultimate—Dragonfall! With a flash of the blade, Bai Shi’s figure crashed into the water, sending massive waves across the lake’s surface. The ghostflame dragon’s head flew several meters through the air before it and its headless body collapsed into the lake. Bai Shi aimed at the severed head and once again cast Litany of Proper Death, completely extinguishing the ghostflame within. The moment the ghostflame dragon's head was destroyed, its body immediately fell apart. The flesh vanished, leaving only dry bones, as if it had weathered countless ages in an instant. Bai Shi watched the ghostflame dragon dissipate. This was the first time he had encountered one of Those Who Live in Death from the drake species. And in a place like the Land of Shadow, no less. The information hidden behind this was far more concerning than the creature's existence itself. Did this mean the power of Death had penetrated the seal separating the Lands Between and the Land of Shadow, seeping directly in? Now *that* was a truly alarming thought. It seemed the power of Death was also expanding in the Land of Shadow. He would have to be more careful. Just as Bai Shi was about to leave, he saw something unexpected among the ghostflame dragon's withered bones. His eyes widened as he saw a massive, rock-like scale shimmering with a pale white light. Is... is this a Somber Ancient Dragon Smithing Stone?! Bai Shi walked over and picked it up. The small text that appeared before him confirmed its identity. He hadn't been mistaken; it was a Somber Ancient Dragon Smithing Stone. Bai Shi held the stone, his mind reeling in disbelief. This Land of Shadow was truly bizarre. The Tower Settlement was full of trash items, everything from throwing knives and mushrooms to a Somber Smithing Stone [1]. But out here in the wilderness, a random drake had dropped a Somber Ancient Dragon Smithing Stone... Ancient Dragon Smithing Stones were the highest-tier smithing stones in the Lands Between, exceedingly rare, each one treated like a priceless treasure. It wasn't that the factions possessing them didn't want to use them to upgrade weapons; it was that they were so rare that ordinary blacksmiths were simply incapable of forging with them. After all, a weapon reinforced with an Ancient Dragon Smithing Stone was powerful enough to be called a god-slaying weapon. Bai Shi had wandered the Lands Between for so long without finding a single Ancient Dragon Smithing Stone. It was only at the very end, after annihilating the Mohgwyn Dynasty, that he had found a Somber Ancient Dragon Smithing Stone they had enshrined. And now, in the middle of nowhere, in some random lake, he killed a ghostflame dragon and one just dropped. Was this even reasonable? And why would a common drake have a scale from the Dragonlord? Bai Shi sighed and put the stone away. Well, since it's in my hands, I should think about how to use it. Among his many weapons, only his paired Starscourge Greatsword and the newly acquired Aeperia were enhanced to +9. Because the Starscourge Greatsword was a pair of weapons, upgrading them together would surely require more than a single smithing stone, unlike in the game. Compared to the still-mysterious Aeperia, the best choice seemed to be upgrading the Starscourge Greatsword to its pinnacle. Having made his decision, Bai Shi resolved to ask Master Hewg about it when he returned to the Roundtable Hold. He just didn't know if Master Hewg currently possessed the ability to forge a god-slaying weapon. After stowing the Somber Ancient Dragon Smithing Stone, Bai Shi turned toward the cave entrance in the mountainside. A rusty iron gate firmly sealed the opening. A bone-chilling cold emanated from within the cavern. Bai Shi summoned a ball of starlight to hover over his head, illuminating the path forward. Then, with a single kick, he shattered the sturdy iron gate and stepped inside. This prison seemed to have been carved directly out of the mountain's interior. The path ahead was extremely narrow. Along the way, he encountered several more sturdy metal gates, one after another, sealing the sole entrance between the prison and the outside world. Bai Shi smashed through the metal gates blocking his path and ventured deeper. The torches here burned with a cold ghostflame, casting a pale, chilling light over his journey. Before his arrival, every single one of these numerous, heavy gates had been perfectly intact. It seemed that even during the Holy War, this prison had gone undiscovered by Messmer's army. The prisoners inside had never been freed, nor had they been found. Otherwise, this place would have long since been cleared out. After smashing through all the gates, Bai Shi finally reached the prison's true interior. A massive, hollow cavern opened up within the mountain before him. Bai Shi looked up. The cavern was covered in frost, with thick icicles hanging from the ceiling. A crack in the mountain wall let in a sliver of light, bringing a negligible, false warmth to the prison, which was lit only by ghostflame torches. Ice crystals drifted through the dim cavern, sparkling like stars for a fleeting moment. Following the floating ice crystals, Bai Shi’s gaze fell upon massive jars suspended in mid-air by thick iron chains. Bai Shi stroked his chin. Why hang jars in the air? For decoration? Unable to comprehend the logic of the Hornsent, Bai Shi shook his head and turned to look at the path through the cavern. A rough, spiral path snaked down along the stone wall, with a bottomless abyss below. The bottom of the prison was shrouded in an icy blue mist, obscuring the view of what lay beneath. Bai Shi followed the path with his eyes. The entire cliff face was lined with a dense array of prison cells, all sealed by iron bars. There were also many metal cages hanging in the air, the same kind he had seen by the lake outside. Within these cages were the desiccated corpses of many Hornsent, their limbs hanging helplessly through the bars. Unlike the Hornsent trapped in the cages, many of the cells along the cliff wall had their doors opened. Quite a few Hornsent prisoners had already left their cells. Strangely, however, these Hornsent were also in a shadow-like state. Bai Shi rested his head on his hand, marveling at the strange phenomenon. Now he was beginning to question the process by which the Hornsent became shadows. If it was only the Hornsent who had endured the Holy War that turned into shadows, he could understand it. In the depths of despair, they hoped to survive and thus prayed for a form that would allow them to live on. But these Hornsent locked away in prison probably had no idea what was happening in the outside world. At most, they would have noticed that no one was managing them anymore. And if it was a transformation that affected all Hornsent, then the Horned Crone, the Horned Warriors, the Curse-Blade Dancers, and the Hornsent in Leda's group shouldn't have been exceptions. Perhaps this shadow form was something they could choose? At the moment their prayers were answered and they gained the ability to become shadows, a pop-up window appeared before all Hornsent: ‘Do you wish to know the meaning of life... ahem, do you wish to become a shadow and survive?’ Bai Shi chuckled, dismissing his wild thoughts, and continued down the path. A pitch-black shadow Hornsent suddenly leaped out from an open cage, pouncing at him. Bai Shi casually sidestepped, and the creature plunged straight into the abyss. A long, drawn-out scream faded away after a faint cracking sound from below. Although the bottom was shrouded in mist, judging from the sound, the cavern at least had a floor. Seeing nothing else of interest nearby, Bai Shi continued forward. However, the path ahead soon collapsed, the downward trail vanishing, leaving a wide platform below. Bai Shi stood at the edge of the path, looking down at the Hornsent below. Many of the prisoners had escaped and were now hunched over, digging at something in the ground and stuffing it into their mouths. Frost-covered wooden crates on the platform were scattered everywhere, smashed to pieces, with nothing left inside. Bai Shi leaped down, landing beside a Hornsent crouched on the ground, and watched its movements. Seeing a stranger, the Hornsent immediately froze, then scrambled back in fear and fled. Bai Shi paid it no mind and looked at what it had been digging up. Upon seeing it, however, he rather regretted his curiosity. On the ground were fat grubs, each as long as a finger and disgustingly plump. The grubs were covered in frost, but the biting cold hadn't killed them; they were still squirming. Bai Shi glanced at the other Hornsent nearby, who were busily digging up these plump grubs and shoving them into their mouths. He felt his stomach turn. The Hornsent sure have a taste for gourmet snacks... truly... Shaking his head, Bai Shi walked toward the path on the far side of the platform. The path ahead was extremely narrow, like a single-log bridge, only wide enough for two people to pass. At the other end of the narrow passage, two Hornsent were watching Bai Shi’s movements closely. Seeing him approach, they immediately charged onto the narrow path, attempting to block his way. Bai Shi brandished Aeperia, swinging it in a spinning double slash before him. The blade flashed, and the Hornsent’s body was instantly sliced into three pieces. As he cut the Hornsent down, Bai Shi suddenly noticed a dim glow beginning to light up the blade. Did the weapon just draw power from that attack? Bai Shi immediately charged toward the other Hornsent, Aeperia dancing in his hands. The twinblade flew, weaving an impenetrable net of light that instantly minced the Hornsent to pieces. After several successive attacks, the glow on Aeperia had become brilliantly bright. By the time the Hornsent’s remains fell to the ground in chunks, both ends of Bai Shi’s Aeperia were shrouded in a dazzling golden radiance. Aeperia had drunk its fill of blood, drawing energy from life. The twinblade’s body was like a withered tree sprouting anew, regaining its former glory. Sensing the power that had gathered within, Bai Shi unleashed Aeperia's skill once more. The twinblade floated before him, and as magic poured into it, it spun into a golden vortex. A blinding torrent of golden light surged forward in an instant. Everything in its path was instantly obliterated, unable to resist. Feeling the surging power, Bai Shi felt a jolt of excitement. He had finally figured out how to use this twinblade. It needed to be consecrated with the blood of enemies to regain its power. After Aeperia’s vortex dissipated, the blade returned to its dormant state, once again looking withered and lifeless. Bai Shi now understood why the ghostflame dragon hadn't empowered Aeperia. As one of Those Who Live in Death, it couldn't provide the life force Aeperia needed to absorb. Moreover, Bai Shi could tell that what he'd just unleashed wasn't Aeperia's limit; it had a higher ceiling. Perhaps, after absorbing more life force from stronger enemies, it could unleash an even more potent attack. Bai Shi was very curious. Just how powerful could it become? Google seaʀᴄh 𝓷𝓸𝓿𝓮𝓵⟡𝓯𝓲𝓻𝓮⟡𝓷𝓮𝓽 From the pillar of light it had just unleashed, Bai Shi had felt a very familiar power. Without a doubt, it was the power of the primordial Erdtree. The power of the initial Erdtree, born from the fusion of the meteor sent by the Greater Will and the primordial Crucible of Life of the Lands Between. It seemed the materials used to forge this weapon had been sourced from it. And the golden blade's current half-withered state certainly had a tree-like quality to it. Perhaps in the future, if he could obtain the bountiful power from Miquella's Haligtree, he could truly restore it to its full, resplendent glory. Putting away Aeperia, Bai Shi continued deeper into the prison. Bai Shi continued to explore the prison's interior, but he found no useful information. Besides the shadow Hornsent, there were only dead Hornsent. Finally, in a small room deep within the prison, Bai Shi saw the soul of a Hornsent. The Hornsent's soul was kneeling on the ground, repeating the same words over and over: “...No, not the jar, please, anything but the jar...” “I won’t do it again, I really won’t.” “I swear to the heavens, I’ll be good.” “Please, spare me...” The Hornsent's soul trembled, the fear from its life so intense that it could find no release even in death. After listening to the soul’s mumbling, Bai Shi was puzzled. A jar... is it talking about those jars outside? What does it mean? It’s not being very clear. Is there something inside the jar that terrifies it so? It suddenly occurred to Bai Shi that, since this was a prisoner, what it feared must be a punishment within this prison. Just like prisons have solitary confinement and other methods, it seemed this “jar” he spoke of was a unique form of torture for the Hornsent. Leaving the room, Bai Shi found himself before many large jars hanging by chains. These suspended jars formed a downward staircase of sorts. Bai Shi glanced at a large, tightly sealed jar below, its lid firmly in place. A jar... a torture device? An arena? Or...? Bai Shi flew straight down, quickly landing on a wooden platform. Just as he was about to search for any items, a large, overturned jar suddenly stood up and charged at him. Bai Shi dodged the jar’s ram, and it crashed and shattered on the ground, revealing a monster resembling a meatball. The monster looked like a ball of flesh with spindly limbs. Seeing the monster’s true form, Bai Shi immediately lunged with his sword. But as he saw the ‘monster’s’ true face, he hastily pulled back his blade, stopping just short of touching her. Bai Shi watched as the ‘monster’ struggled to its feet, his eyes slowly widening. The pale hair and skin, the tall figure—these were the most telling features of her identity. This creature was, without a doubt, a Numen!