Chapter 254: This Plot Seems Familiar

Chapter 254: This Plot Seems Familiar

"The Holy Warrior's Staff, imbued with the mighty power of justice."

"The Nameless Temple Diamond, a source of abundant energy and fluidity."

"The Shiva Temple Bracelet, a dual power that splits into two."

Lu Ke placed the three artifacts on the table, infusing them with his internal energy to erase the original owner's mark and imprint his own. The Divine Artisan's hundred refinements rapidly assisted him in completing the Object Control and Object Transformation phases.

The Holy Warrior's Staff hovered in the air, and the twisted dry wood straightened. Runes were etched onto it, and a dazzling gem was embedded at its tip, securely wrapping the staff. A magical staff gradually took shape.

Immediately after, the Shiva Temple Bracelet seemed to melt under high temperatures, transforming into a dazzling golden liquid that adhered to the staff. It added golden patterns to the somewhat awkward staff, transforming it from a simple staff into an incredibly luxurious one.

Moments later, a beautifully crafted staff floated in the air.

Lu Ke picked up the newly crafted staff. The moment he touched it, his energy resonated with the staff, and a sense of clarity spread from his arm to his entire body. He felt a deeper connection with the world.

In addition to its basic spellcasting function, the staff significantly simplified some magic that required materials. It also had some additional functions.

The Holy Warrior's Staff possessed a special advantage against evil forces. The diamond from the Nameless Temple provided ample energy and excellent fluidity to the staff, while the Shiva Temple Bracelet was straightforward and doubled the power and effect of the magic it released.

Lu Ke played with the staff for a while but soon lost interest. Although it was a decent staff, it wasn't particularly useful for someone of his caliber. It was merely a temporary tool for him at this stage.

He put away the staff and walked out, and a familiar garlic scent wafted towards him. The old man, who was studying charm inscriptions, looked up and nodded slightly.

"The Holy Warrior has regained his full power."

"Lu Ke, you have surpassed me. Congratulations on your graduation."

As the old man spoke, Lu Ke's body became lighter, and the white aura around him grew more intense.

He smiled and bowed to the old man.

"It's all thanks to your guidance, sir."

The staff wasn't the most important thing; it was the symbolism that mattered. With the staff in his possession, Lu Ke was now undeniably the strongest White Aura Mage.

The Dark Aura Faction valued the strong preying on the weak, and their fundamental logic was straightforward: the strong ruled. The White Aura Faction, however, was different.

Although it also followed the principle of the strong leading, there were additional requirements for reputation. Without sufficient fame, it was difficult to gain recognition.

Now, with the old man, a grandmaster's disciple and former follower of the Holy Warrior, and the double certification from the temple, Lu Ke had even asked the temple to publish a newspaper announcement so that mysterious forces worldwide would know of the Holy Warrior's return.

With the title of the Holy Warrior and the status of the strongest White Aura Mage, Lu Ke was now the true representative of the White Aura at this moment.

"I didn't teach you much. Most of the time, you learned on your own."

The old man seemed to relax a bit, perhaps feeling relieved that he wouldn't have to face any major events alone as a man over fifty.

"I made some extra bacon. Want to try some? Chen Xiaoyu and the others went to look for the Rat Charm, and they might not come back."

"Thank you, sir. Please save some for me. I want to go catch a thief now."

"Thief?"

The old man adjusted his glasses, puzzled.

Lu Ke smiled and walked out of the antique shop. He clenched his fist, capturing the faint traces of energy left by the intruder. With a light tap of the staff, tracking magic was activated, and faint lines of magic appeared.

"Follow this trail and see who broke in."

...

Inside the commercial building's lobby, the Dragon Fang was arranged into an array, and the magic incantation took effect. The Dark Lord's coiled body began to move, and within a few breaths, he transformed from a sculpture into a gigantic monster over twenty-six feet tall.

"I... am free!"

The Dark Lord's eyes glowed with red light, his face distorted and sinister, exuding a cold and cruel aura. His head resembled flames, with sharp spikes like knives on either side of his face and a crocodile-like mouth filled with fangs and claws. His entire body was golden, and he had the head of a dragon and the body of a man.

The Devil Dragon watched this scene in awe and shouted with fervent enthusiasm.

"Father, congratulations on your resurrection!"

The Dark Lord looked down at the Devil Dragon. "You have my Dragon Fang and magic incantation, and you call me Father. These matters require an explanation, but for now, we need to leave this place."

Regaining a physical body was indeed cause for celebration, but without the power of charms, he was not the same reckless opponent who squandered his wealth.

This was the Devil Dragon's territory, and no outsiders were allowed. Besides the few creatures he had retrieved that contained Dark Energy, such as vampires and sheep-eating beasts, only the female human he kept as a sexual partner remained in the top-floor suite.

Although he had only been out for a short while, there was no telling when he might return. Every extra minute of staying here increased the danger. With that brat's temper, betraying him would most likely send him back to hell.

As for the option of capturing a human female to threaten him, it was impractical. He didn't look like someone who would be easily intimidated, and the outcome might be even more tragic.

The Dark Lord looked around with lingering fear, barely maintaining his composure in front of the Devil Dragon.

Thinking about the humiliation and torment he had endured, he was filled with hate, but he could only endure it. His massive size made him cautious, fearing he might destroy the hall's decorations.

"Indeed, Father is wise and far-sighted!"

The Devil Dragon nodded repeatedly, "The magic incantation caused too much commotion. Chen Xiaoyu will be here soon."

"Who is Chen Xiaoyu?"

Crash—

A flashy flying motorcycle broke through the glass and crashed into the hall, hovering in mid-air.

"It's me!"

Chen Xiaoyu, looking heroic and spirited, took off her sunglasses, "Pleased to meet you, Dark Lord."

She raised a strangely shaped gun and aimed it at the Dark Lord, "My target is the Devil Dragon. If you hand him over, we can all part ways peacefully."

"Ridiculous woman, do you think you can scare me just by riding a flying machine?"

The Dark Lord stared at Chen Xiaoyu's belt, "You have my Dragon Charm, but... the brat just took it from me."

"We come from the future, Father. Please be cautious. This woman is very powerful. She's the head of District Thirteen!"

The Devil Dragon looked at Chen Xiaoyu with fear and retreated behind the Dark Lord.

His words were too much information, and the Dark Lord was momentarily stunned. A brilliant light easily pierced his shoulder, flipping his massive body over.

Thud—

The Fire Demon's enormous body smashed through the furniture and walls behind him.

"Damn it, if not for the loss of the charm... such an attack would mean nothing!"

The Dark Lord quickly got up and was about to run. His nature was treacherous and cunning, caring nothing for his reputation. He prioritized his own safety and knew when to flee.

"Brother Dragon Blade, help us!"

The Devil Dragon called out to Dragon Blade in a panic, crushing a small bead, releasing a dense cloud of black mist.

"Again, it's you..."

Dragon Blade appeared in the black mist. Seeing Chen Xiaoyu, he felt a headache coming on. He raised his staff and lightly tapped the ground, preparing to teleport the three of them.

Chen Xiaoyu quickly aimed her gun at his staff, "Not this time!"

The same trick wouldn't work twice.

Just then, a familiar presence entered her senses, and her gun hesitated for a moment. Dragon Blade, the Dark Lord, and the Devil Dragon disappeared with the black mist, successfully teleporting away.

"Damn it! What a coincidence. Is this due to the influence of balance?"

Chen Xiaoyu bit her lip in frustration and turned to look.

Not far away, a young man holding a staff floated in the air, meeting her gaze.

Lu Ke's expression was slightly surprised as he scanned the woman before him from head to toe. He then spoke in a gentle tone, "I'm really sorry. Did I interrupt something important?"

He paused and called out her name.

"Xiao Yu."

Hearing the familiar name, Chen Xiaoyu pursed her lips and smiled helplessly.

...

In the eerie Mage Tower.

Various magical ingredients and magic guidebooks were piled up inside, and the dense black energy made the sky dark and sunless. In a certain array, three figures emerged with the black mist, clearly the Devil Dragon, the Dark Lord, and Dragon Blade who had been in San Francisco just moments ago.

"Welcome to my Mage Tower, my Dark Energy brothers."

Dragon Blade stepped out of the array, his expression slightly displeased as he looked at the Devil Dragon, "I should have welcomed you more warmly, but I must say, calling me over just now was very dangerous."

The Devil Dragon's green skin didn't show any embarrassment, "I apologize, but I don't know long-distance teleportation magic."

Such an apology clearly didn't satisfy Dragon Blade. His expression darkened, and the mechanisms in the tower were ready to spring into action.

"I need more than just words. I need something of real value, my friend."

The Mage Tower was Dragon Blade's stronghold. He looked relaxed, sitting in a chair and watching the Devil Dragon and the Dark Lord.

The Dark Lord pushed the Devil Dragon forward, "The boy doesn't know any better. You saved us, and we should repay you. How about a charm?"

"Charms," the Dragon Blade said, his eyes lighting up at the mention of the word. He unconsciously stood up and approached the Dark Lord.

"Dark Lord, I've heard of you, the most powerful Dark Aura Sorcerer from a thousand years ago. I've always admired you. Are you really willing to give me your charms?"

"Of course! We are both allies of the Dark Aura. And you are my savior; I must repay you handsomely."

The Dark Lord's eyes glinted with a red glow. "You saved the lives of both of us, so I'm willing to give you two charms as a reward."

"Three. I also saved him once before." Dragon Blade pointed at Devil Dragon, his tone turning slightly greedy.

"No problem. Three charms, and if you help me retrieve my charms, I'll give you three more. That's six charms in total, half of my original power."

The Dark Lord was being exceptionally generous.

Forget six, even if it were twelve, he wouldn't mind giving them away.

It was all just talk anyway!

He had used similar tactics on Wa Long and the others before, but they must have been deceived too many times and squeezed too hard. When that stinky brat really gave them the Golden Rooster King's treasure, they immediately pledged their allegiance.

Dragon Blade, as the leader of the Dark Aura Sorcerers, was surprisingly naive. The Dark Lord felt it would be a waste not to deceive him.

"Your generosity is astonishing, Dark Lord," Dragon Blade said, his face now with fewer wrinkles, and for the first time, he broke into a smile.

"Rest well, friend. I will help you reclaim your charms."

"You too, brother. Thank you again for your help."

The Dark Lord politely continued speaking, maintaining his disguise even after Dragon Blade left.

He glanced at Devil Dragon, who was staring at him with puppy eyes, and his tone turned cold.

"You're saying you're my future child, and you escaped your enclosure and traveled through time to save me while the keeper wasn't looking?"

The Dark Lord looked at Devil Dragon, who resembled a lizard more than a dragon, and his heart sank at the sight of the creature's tears and snot.

It was just too ugly.

How could he have created such an ugly son!

But Devil Dragon did carry his bloodline, and he had brought the Dragon Fang, which the Dark Lord had hidden away. He even knew how to use the fang to revive his magic incantation.

He was indeed his son.

"Why did you say you escaped while the keeper wasn't looking?"

Devil Dragon nodded shamefully, tears streaming down his face. "Father, I've been locked up in District Thirteen's Magical Animal Zoo since birth, put on display for people's amusement..."

The Dark Lord's eyes flashed with red light. His first thought wasn't about how District Thirteen would develop in the future, but rather...

"There are people who would actually pay to watch you?"

What kind of aesthetic would find this creature appealing? Devil Dragon's heart sank further as he listened.

"Yes, Father. No one was willing to buy a ticket to see me, and no one wanted to feed me. My meals were the worst among the magical animals."

Dark Lord: That makes sense.

"Tell me more about the future."

"Yes, Father."

Devil Dragon poured out everything he knew. Having been confined to a cell, he hadn't seen the outside world himself, so his information was limited.

After a brief exchange, the Dark Lord managed to piece together the information.

"You're saying that in the future, a man named Lu Ke rules the world, ushering in the prosperous L Era, with rapid technological advancement and widespread magic. The dark forces are eradicated, powerful demons are destroyed, and weaker creatures, like you, have their powers sealed and are imprisoned for entertainment."

"And I am the only demon capable of saving the world, with the chance to stop the L Era and become the savior of the Dark Aura. So, you seized the opportunity while the keeper was drunk, escaped, and traveled through time to resurrect and protect me?"

The Dark Lord had a vague recollection of hearing a similar plotline from Wa Long and his gang, perhaps from a movie they mentioned.

Devil Dragon nodded earnestly, his eyes filled with admiration for the Dark Lord. "Yes, Father, that's right."

"Is Lu Ke the real name of that damn brat? But with his personality, how could he possibly govern the world..."

The Dark Lord fell into deep thought. When he ruled the world, he only used humans as his servants for the most menial labor. During that time, the world had regressed to the Primitive Farming Period.

There must be something amiss...

After a moment, he set aside the details and focused on the most important task at hand—the charms. Only when all twelve charms returned to his body could he truly be free.

Then, he would make Lu Ke pay dearly for the previous insults and humiliation!

(End of Chapter)

Chapter end