Chapter 150: The Dark Market

Chapter 150: The Dark Market

"Ugh..."

Anya struggled to open her eyes, and a makeshift wooden shelter came into view, a familiar sight that made her eyes flicker with a hint of bewilderment.

"When we were young, the people from the Sanctuary built this place for us. I never forgot it," a gentle and soothing voice spoke beside her.

"They weren't sure if we could adapt to the bloodline of the Pale Wing, so our living conditions were poor. It wasn't until we turned seven that we moved to the training grounds, and our environment improved."

"You should still remember, right?"

Anya propped herself up and looked at the woman not far away.

The woman had a head of beautiful golden hair, delicate features, smooth skin, and a pair of sparkling eyes.

She was a woman who was flawless in appearance, figure, and even strength.

By her side was a pitch-black greatsword.

"It's you," Anya said, her expression complex.

"Sister Milia."

She certainly knew the woman, once the most renowned swordswoman among the Blasphemy Knights, who eventually betrayed the Sanctuary.

Currently, she was ranked fifth on the Sanctuary's most-wanted list.

Blacksword Milia! It was she who taught Anya how to hold a sword and how to slay enemies.

"You still acknowledge me as your sister."

Milia tilted her head and smiled charmingly, her smile once again making Anya feel bewildered.

Hmm? Why am I so easily distracted?"

Her face turned solemn, and she instinctively gripped the greatsword beside her.

"Your emotions are running high, but it's not because of me. You accidentally broke the seal on the bloodline within you."

Milia spoke calmly, "Now, carefully feel your body."

Anya struggled to get up. Instead of checking her body, she asked, "How is the Guardian?"

"The Guardian..." Milia's eyes flickered, "He's fine."

"His methods are strange, completely different from what I imagined, but... equally powerful."

She raised her right hand, revealing a noticeable burn on her arm, something even her flesh with the bloodline of a fallen god couldn't easily endure.

The Guardian is fine? Hearing this, Anya's heart relaxed, and she finally focused on herself, her expression sinking instantly.

She could feel a powerful energy surging and churning within her, a force too great for her physical body to bear.

Right now, she was extremely weak.

Her limbs were limp and powerless, her emotions were turbulent, and even picking up the greatsword beside her was a struggle.

But she was also incredibly strong.

The energy within her far surpassed what it had been before, and once driven by her emotions, it could unleash astonishing power.

"Your current situation is critical," Milia said solemnly.

"The first generation of Blasphemy Knights had a serious defect. Once their bloodline ran amok, it was either instant death or transformation into a monster. Most of our sisters couldn't escape this fate."

"However..."

"If you can accept the bloodline within you, you might also have the chance to be like me and truly master it."

Milia patted the black sword beside her and continued, "Your potential is immense. If you can endure this, your future strength might even surpass mine."

"Accept?" Anya's voice cracked. "How can I accept it?"

"It's simple," Milia said lightly.

"The bloodline within us comes from the fallen god, the Pale Wing. Accepting this bloodline is the same as accepting the fallen god."

"That's impossible!" Anya roared. "That's betrayal!"

"That's blasphemy!"

"We are the Blasphemy Knights. Our bloodline comes from a betrayer," Milia narrowed her eyes.

"And..."

"Do you think the Sanctuary is still worth guarding?"

"They adopt female infants, claiming it's for a good cause, but we all know what they're really up to."

"Out of dozens of female infants, barely one survives. The Blasphemy Knights are just pawns in their hands, and now that they have better pawns, we were the first to be discarded."

"No!" Anya shook her head. "I guard the Goddess, not the Sanctuary Knights."

"What's the difference?" Milia shrugged.

"Before the Goddess fell, she entrusted everything to the Sanctuary Knights, who represent the will of the Deity."

"You're wrong!" Anya still shook her head. "The Guardian represents the will of the Deity."

"Anya," Milia sighed.

"I've been in Swift City this whole time. The Guardian you speak of might not even worship the Goddess."

"Otherwise, why hasn't he gone to the Sanctuary?"

Anya fell silent.

Perhaps Milia was just guessing, but having been by Karl's side for a long time, she knew that Karl didn't have a devout faith.

Not just in the Goddess.

He was an unbeliever! No!

Unlike ordinary unbelievers, who revered the power of the Deity, Karl didn't show such reverence.

It was more like curiosity.

Curiosity about why the Deity was powerful.

Peeping into the secrets of the Deity was, in itself, a form of blasphemy!

Fragment of the Divine Realm.

Karl sat upright on a stone chair.

Before him, Burke's memories were divided into several parts, each revealed by the tentacles' movements.

The Abyssal Kraken possesses an innate talent for devouring others' souls and naturally has the ability to analyze memories.

With Karl's absolute rationality and awakened bloodline, finding useful information shouldn't be difficult.

Milia!

A traitor to the Sanctuary and the wielder of the Black Sword, she has repeatedly tempted the Blasphemy Knight to abandon the Sanctuary.

The Black Sword in her hand had once wounded a deity, and after being stained with divine blood, it gained the unique ability to be indestructible.

"So..."

"There's a high chance that Ana will fall into her hands, and she'll try to turn her, so at least we don't have to worry about safety."

Relieved, Karl turned his attention to other memories.

Burke had been brought to the Sanctuary as an infant and raised there. He was a fanatical believer and a Great Knight of the Sanctuary.

A significant portion of his life was spent reciting doctrines and offering meaningless prayers to the deities.

Of course,

there were also some useful aspects.

"The Sanctuary!"

"The Sanctuary's mission is to find and save the Moon Goddess, and it is a sacred place in the hearts of all Great Knights who believe in the Goddess."

"There's a Bishop, and nine Elders, but the Bishop never shows his face, while the Elders occasionally make appearances."

"In Burke's memories, he's seen three of the Elders, and their appearances have barely changed over the decades, indicating that the Elders of the Sanctuary are likely Legendary Lives or possess other means to extend their lives."

"So, does the Sanctuary have Second Stage Lives?"

Karl pondered.

Indeed, they do! The Gods' War was only a few hundred years ago, and the theoretical lifespan of a Second Stage existence is five hundred years.

However, with the aid of secret techniques or longevity potions, living a few hundred years longer is not an issue.

Surviving from the Gods' War until now shouldn't be a problem.

But strangely,

whether it's the Dukes or other powerful beings who survived the Gods' War, they rarely make public appearances.

This has been especially true in the last few decades.

It seems that the stronger one is, the more reclusive they become.

This is impossible.

'In this world, there must be some kind of constraint preventing Second Stage beings from easily revealing themselves or taking action.'

'Their absence is a blessing for me!'

However, it's certain that no one in the Sanctuary has mastered the four inheritances passed down by the Moon Goddess.

This is what sets Karl apart.

He has mastered the Colossal Breath Technique, and while this inheritance is secondary, the key is that it proves the Goddess has not fallen.

"During the Age of the Gods."

"Only the most rigorous knights from the mortal realm were given the chance to enter the Sanctuary for cultivation. Out of the numerous Sanctuaries in the mortal realm, only a few Great Knights could enter the Divine Realm each year, and only the top ones among them could obtain the four inheritances."

"Even during the Age of the Gods, there were very few Guardians who cultivated the Colossal Breath Technique by the Goddess's side."

"However..."

"Sacred Techniques!"

"As I suspected, the Gods only treated the Guardians as their tools and slaves, and wouldn't bestow overly powerful abilities."

"Only the Guardians who participated in the Gods' Arena would be granted Sacred Techniques to increase their chances of victory."

"Unfortunately..."

"The Guardians who entered the Arena rarely survived, and the Sacred Techniques were never widely spread until..."

"The invasion of the Outer Realm's Evil Gods!"

Karl's eyes lit up.

"To resist the Outer Realm's Evil Gods, the Gods had to increase their investment in the Guardians, bestowing Sacred Techniques, divine weapons, and armor, which allowed some powerful Guardians to possess the ability to slay Gods."

"During that indescribable period, the Guardians' power increased significantly, and various Sacred Techniques, even Divine Skills, spread accordingly."

"The Sanctuary does have Sacred Techniques, and not just one!"

"Even the martial skill Burke cultivated is a simplified version of a Sacred Technique, but his memories don't contain a complete Sacred Technique."

"Hmm..."

6◇9◇Book◇Bar

"The Sanctuary's Executor who traveled with Burke seems to possess a Sacred Technique, and he's currently at the Dark Market."

"Burke came to find me with six Blasphemy Beasts, and the Executor took two Blasphemy Beasts to the market. It seems my identity as the Goddess's Guardian is more important than I thought!"

"The Dark Market... interesting!"

Burke holds a high position in the Sanctuary, second only to the nine Elders and some Executors.

His access to information and understanding of the world far surpasses Karl's.

For example,

the Dukes' titles and territories.

And the Dark Market.

The current Sanctuary avoids exposure, and even the Elders rarely dare to leave their premises. There are many similar forces in hiding.

These hidden powers established the Dark Market for easier communication.

And the Dukes tacitly allow its existence.

"Spell Seals, Oddities, slaves, and information..."

"All these things are sold in the Dark Market, but it's unclear if Sacred Techniques or even Divine Skills are available."

Stroking his chin, Karl waved his hand and cast a magic carpet.

"In Burke's memories, the Executor is a fanatic like me, so he'll also come looking for me."

"Heh..."

"No need for such trouble; I'll go find you right now!"

...

At the edge of the Death City.

Karl jumped off the magic carpet.

Before him was a shabby wooden house, still carrying the lingering traces of Ana's presence.

"She's gone?"

With a wizard's abilities, Karl could sense Ana's proximity.

"Did they go to the Dark Market?"

The location of the Dark Market was not fixed, and for some reason, this time it was held in Death City.

Speaking of which, this was Karl's first visit to Death City.

On the official road, wide enough for eight carriages, pedestrians and vendors came and went, and city guards patrolled from time to time.

They entered the city.

The commercial street bustled with activity, and the residential area was filled with the lively atmosphere of daily life.

"What a prosperous city!"

Karl sat cross-legged on the magic carpet, casting a spell to conceal himself as he surveyed the city.

"What a pity!"

"When things reach an extreme, they turn to their opposite; when prosperity peaks, decline follows."

"The prosperity of Death City is due to people flocking here from all the surrounding cities, but this situation cannot last."

"The land continues to crack, reducing crop yields year after year. Free Harbor has been destroyed, cutting off our source of fish. There's less and less to eat."

"If something happens, this prosperous city might be reduced to ashes by a single fire."

"But none of this concerns me."

"I found it!"

In a narrow alley, a faint mist lingered, and a special aura hovered in the air.

"The Star Realm?"

Karl's eyebrows rose in surprise, "The Dark Market is in the Star Realm?"

This aura was very familiar to him, an aura that only an official wizard could sense, known here as the Divine Realm.

As he pondered, a young man appeared in the distance.

The young man wore a waistcoat, a fur-lined coat, riding breeches, and a hat that was slightly too big, so he frequently had to adjust it.

It was clear that he was trying to present himself as a respectable city dweller.

But his worn-out clothes, ill-fitting hat, and rough skin all indicated that his living conditions were not ideal.

The street narrowed, and gradually, there were no more pedestrians, and a mist emerged from somewhere.

Matthew nervously licked his lips and took out a worn pocket watch hanging around his neck to check the time.

It was nearby!

'I hope the book's information is correct. If this opportunity doesn't provide me with enough supplies, my mother and I will have to move to the outskirts of the city, and life will become even more difficult.'

'Not to mention my and my sister's education.'

'But...'

'Will I really find what I want here?'

He hesitated, unconsciously touching the object in his chest, feeling his heart pounding. He clenched his teeth and continued forward.

"Young man."

The mist ahead quietly dispersed, revealing a middle-aged man in a long robe, top hat, and cane.

Unlike Matthew, the middle-aged man exuded an innate air of nobility, and his clothes were rather elegant.

"It's getting late; you should go home."

"Who are you?" Matthew tensed, his eyes darting around, and he cautiously replied, "My home is just ahead."

"There's a dead end ahead."

"..."

Matthew clenched his teeth.

"I'll just climb over the wall."

"Heh..." Karl shook his head, "The market isn't for just anyone."

Market?

Matthew's eyes lit up.

"Are you going to the market too?"

"Yes." Karl nodded, "You've practiced the Breathing Method, but you're not even a knight. Entering the market would be a waste."

"Young man, you should go home."

"I..." Matthew clenched his jaw, looking conflicted, "I need to go in to exchange money!"

"Exchange money?" Karl shook his head, "The market's currency isn't the few Divine Grace Coins in your pocket, and other things..."

"What's this?"

Karl waved his hand, and the small pouch and worn pocket watch in Matthew's chest flew out and landed in Karl's hand.

"You!"

Matthew was startled but dared not move.

Several meters separated them, but with just a wave of Karl's hand, Matthew's belongings flew over.

Such abilities were unheard of, and Matthew had never even heard of them. He knew the consequences if he made a move.

"First Rank Fire Liliac seeds."

Karl opened the pouch, examined the seeds inside, nodded slightly, and tossed over a purse, "Young man, go home."

"Until your strength is sufficient, it's best to avoid certain things."

He turned and walked into the mist, disappearing from sight.

Matthew stood there, stunned, before picking up the purse from the ground. He opened it, his face instantly lit up with joy. After checking that no one was around, he quickly tucked it into his chest and headed back the way he came.

His goal was solely for the money.

Whether he entered the market or not was no longer important.

(End of Chapter)

Chapter end