https://novelcool.info/chapter/Chapter-45-The-Fragment-of-the-Divine-Domain/13023055/
Chapter 44: Earthquake
Chapter 44: Earthquake
Iron Fist Abe had been operating in the Black City for many years, naturally accumulating a substantial collection of valuable items. Now, their spoils of war formed a small mountain, most of which were food and black stones.
There were also several large boxes.
One of them contained the beast meat.
Eighteen perfectly frozen and fresh portions of beast meat, neatly stacked, causing Karl's heart to race.
Eighteen portions! Even with the Arcane Seal sharing some of its life energy, it could boost his physical quality value to 0.9.
"Uncle."
Xiaonan pulled over a box and said, "Iron Fist Abe also collected quite a few artifacts."
"Oh?"
Karl raised an eyebrow and took a step forward to open the box. As expected, it was filled with gold and silverware, jade bracelets, and exquisite crafts.
He couldn't help but exclaim in surprise,
"What does he need these for?"
"I know why," Aya replied.
"Iron Fist Abe has a son outside, and these things, including the beast meat, are probably prepared for him."
"Every month, caravans enter and leave the Black City. As long as you're willing to spend money, you can send things out."
When she mentioned Abe's son, her eyes narrowed slightly, and a hint of murderous intent flashed across her face.
Karl nodded.
Gold, silver, and jade items, as well as crafts, were not valuable in the Black City, but they were hard currency outside. Others could do this business if he could.
"There are also a few Arcane Seeds."
Xiaonan opened a small wooden box and sighed at the Arcane Seeds inside:
"It's a pity there's no Arcane Seal."
"What are you thinking?" Aya was speechless.
"Arcane Seals are extremely rare, mostly held by the leaders of various powers. Although the City Guard occasionally sells Arcane Seals, the price and requirements are very high, so there's no chance they'll fall into our hands."
"Hmm?" Karl's eyes flickered with curiosity, and he asked,
"How much can an Arcane Seal sell for in the Black City?"
"Well..." Aya frowned and hesitated,
"I've only heard of Arcane Seal trading. I imagine it would be more than two thousand black stones."
Two thousand black stones was the price to leave the Black City.
"If you're trading with beast meat, I estimate it would take thirty to forty portions. I'm not sure about the details, though."
Thirty to forty portions?
Karl's eyes lit up.
"Uncle," Aya turned to look at him, her face full of surprise. "Are you planning to sell the Arcane Seal?"
"Yes," Karl nodded. "I have that intention."
Although the Flame Seal was good, it could affect his cultivation on the path of knighthood.
Moreover, unlike spells, the power of Arcane Seals does not increase with the practitioner's cultivation.
So, he planned to replicate the spell model into his inner sea of spirit, transforming it into a spell.
First, he could continue on the path of knighthood.
Second,
As his psychic energy increased, so would the power of his spells.
Third,
Removing the Arcane Seal could also bring a large amount of beast meat, making it a multi-beneficial move. Why not?
"If you want to exchange for beast meat, I suggest going for premium quality," Aya advised. "According to Grandpa Lev, consuming a certain amount of beast meat will diminish its effectiveness in supporting cultivation. Only better-quality meat will do."
"Of course..."
"Premium beast meat is even rarer and more expensive."
She was self-aware that the Arcane Seal was too expensive for her to afford at the moment.
But there might be a chance in the future.
So, she didn't mention keeping it for herself.
"I'll take the beast meat and artifacts. Leave Iron Fist Abe's gauntlets here," Karl said, collecting himself. "The rest is yours."
The two had no objections.
Without Karl, the outcome of this battle would have been uncertain, but Aya would have undoubtedly faced a dire situation.
As for Eve and the others, their compensation had already been paid. As evident in the final cleanup of the battlefield, they had quietly slipped away without a trace.
Karl reminded them,
"Iron Fist Abe still has the Brotherhood to back him up. Be cautious for a while."
"We understand.
Aya nodded, "There are City Guards at the market, and the Brotherhood wouldn't dare to act so openly. The underground tunnels are interconnected, and we won't be easily found once we're inside."
Beneath Black City.
Brotherhood Hideout.
A woman writing by the light of an oil lamp suddenly trembled and paused, looking towards the corner.
"Squeak..."
Several rats emerged from a rat hole, crawling towards the woman's arm.
The rats were filthy, emitting a foul odor, yet they rubbed against the woman's arm affectionately, contrasting with her delicate and beautiful features.
The woman had fine features and a lovely appearance, but she didn't mind the dirt on the rats and even smiled as she gently stroked them.
The slender, fair fingers of the woman and the oily, greasy fur of the rats created a stark contrast.
As the squeaking continued, the woman's expression gradually changed.
"Scamper!"
She abruptly stood up and headed towards the tunnel.
"Big Brother."
Inside the tunnel, a group was discussing matters when the woman interrupted, addressing a burly man, "Iron Fist Abe is dead."
"Abe?" The man looked up, a hint of surprise in his eyes, "Who did it?"
Iron Fist Abe was a formidable fighter, and he was even being prepared to become one of the core members of the Brotherhood.
Unexpectedly, he suddenly met his end.
The burly man was none other than Mu An, the leader of the Brotherhood, known for his bull-like strength and the second strongest in the Brotherhood.
Although Mu An wasn't a knight, it was rumored that his strength was no less than that of a knight.
"It's probably related to the person who killed the Red-Haired."
"My rats saw a familiar flame, and the Red-Haired's Spell Seal has obviously fallen into someone else's hands." Rat Lady, the woman known for her control over rats, spoke up.
"Hmm..." Mu An narrowed his eyes, "Interesting."
"I remember you assigned Abe to investigate this matter. It seems that person realized something and killed him to silence him."
"Yes." Rat Lady nodded, "I think so too."
"Iron Fist Abe wasn't alone. It wouldn't be easy to kill him." Mu An waved his hand, "That person must have had help. Find out who it was."
"Yes."
Rat Lady nodded and was about to leave when the ground suddenly shook, causing everyone's expressions to change.
"Boom!"
"Rumble..."
The ground trembled violently, and dirt and rocks from above the pit fell, causing chaos among the group.
"What's going on?"
"What happened?"
"Get out!"
"..."
The group rushed out of the hideout and arrived at a square where many people had gathered, all looking flustered.
An earthquake of this magnitude could cause the mines to collapse, and no one would be able to escape.
Fortunately, the tremors only lasted for a moment, allowing the group to slowly calm down.
"Go."
Mu An's expression darkened, "Find out what's going on."
"An earthquake of this magnitude should affect the entire Black City. The City Guard must be aware of it."
"Yes." Someone responded and left in a hurry.
The news quickly returned.
"Pit Two's Yin energy has erupted, causing mutations in the nearby people, including a group from the City Guard."
"A group of powerful beasts and undead have emerged from underground and are currently heading towards Pit Three. The underground creatures are all moving in that direction."
"We might be affected here too!"
"How could this happen?"
"..."
"Silence!" Mu An roared, interrupting the group's discussion, "First, contact the City Guard. Yin energy eruptions are rare, but we've encountered them before."
"Don't panic. Let's stabilize the situation first."
"Rat Lady."
"Here." Rat Lady stepped forward.
"You contact the Shadow Alliance and the Betty Family to discuss what to do."
"Yes."
Rat Lady nodded.
They didn't mention the other power, the Whispering Winds, because they were located near Pit Two.
At this moment...
The odds were not in their favor.
(End of Chapter)
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