Chapter 111
Rift Sand City is the territory of the Great Protector Floridean, and it is also the demon region, apart from the Fisherman's Tomb, that is closest to the daily life of humans.
Although the other guardians ridiculed Frodien quite a bit for this, if they really dared to provoke him, they would be in for a beating.
The city is vast and teeming with all sorts of people, with demons making up a very high percentage. Besides demons, other races are also quite common. The methods used by Florian under his rule are only slightly better than those of the other protectors; in general, it's still about suppressing with force—there's no other way, the demons only respond to this.
The city of Rift Sand was built on the Rift Sand Pit, and the dragon had a deep impression of it.
The Great Pit of Rift Sand is located at the edge of Rift Sand City, near the Stone Forest area, almost outside the boundaries of Rift Sand City.
This huge pit looks like a patch of soft, dry mud and sand, but in reality, once you step into it, you'll sink deep inside. Once you're completely submerged in the mud and sand, you'll enter another world.
Hundreds of graves, thousands of tombs, and tens of thousands of secret realms are all located within the Great Pit of Rift Sand.
If you're unlucky, you might not be able to get out until you've passed through all 100,000 secret realms.
If Arnold and his group were to encounter the Sand Pit, it wouldn't be surprising if they were to linger for a while, but...
Yellow sand swirled everywhere, and the blood-red sky was filled with an ominous atmosphere. The temperature was still quite pleasant. The air in Rift Sand City was becoming increasingly dry in June. The brave team had been staying in Rift Sand City for half a year.
The types of secret realms are incredibly diverse, with a large portion existing in spatial rifts, which only slow down the flow of time, not speed it up.
The area around the Sand Pit was deserted, and Florin hadn't sent anyone to guard it. He was all for the sake of taking the treasures from the 100,000 Secret Realms, since it wasn't him who would be the one unable to get out anyway.
So what if he takes it out? If he wants it, he can just rob them on the way. Those people have just come out of the secret realm, how can they be a match for him? It's really like getting it without any effort at all.
At first, Florian was quite tempted to rob Arnold and his companions, since they were heroes and would surely bring out special treasures.
However, after a month of waiting, Frodien ran away in frustration.
Forget it, I'm just squatting here like an idiot, not knowing when those people will come out.
That day, two people appeared near the Cracked Sand Pit.
Their clothing was in the Phoenix style, with capes and wide hats; one carried a worn-out accordion on his back, and the other had a similarly worn-out lute slung across his chest.
Underneath the wide hat, one person had long black hair tied in a low ponytail, while the other had long gray-green braids.
One is tall and the other is short; the taller one is thinner, and the shorter one is a bit chubby.
But it's still within the range of a normal person's body size.
The two of them walked on the mud and sand, their boots sinking into the sand, but not too deep, at most from their ankles to their toes.
Soon, the two of them stopped in their tracks; they could no longer go any further.
The sky overhead was blood red, yet the sunlight was exceptionally intense.
The tall young man looked up at the sky, then at the undulating desert stretching before him, and sighed almost imperceptibly: "This is it."
The dragon also glanced around. Unlike Veris, it couldn't instantly detect the existence of the secret realm, but dragons naturally possess an unparalleled sensitivity to direction, and it sensed that the direction of the underground space was constantly changing.
It exclaimed "Huh?" and said, "I remember it wasn't like this when I first came here. Now it's a complete mess."
Although the sand crater from hundreds of years ago was troublesome, it was not enough to trap the dragon and Lor'theran. The dragon's unparalleled sense of direction allowed it to find the way to the outside world in no time.
Moreover, the secret realms back then were all fully formed, meaning that there were distances between them, just varying in distance.
But now, the secret realm below is like a pile of shattered glass jars, the fragments mixed together, and those distances have vanished. Grinding and struggling in countless intersecting secret realms, it's no wonder that the heroes and their companions have lingered for more than half a year without finding a way out.
However… Long frowned, his tone dissatisfied: “I sense that kid has begun to revert to his ancestral nature. Although the race he reverted to isn’t very good, he’s been dragging his feet for half a year and still hasn’t found the ‘path.’ He’s just too useless.”
Even within the dragon race, there are different ranks, and Allen's dragon bloodline is at most considered "sixth".
The dragon's bloodline is that of a pure-blooded king dragon. Even if we go back to the golden age of the dragon race, the dragon would still be the most beloved and pampered successor in the race.
Veris didn't reply, but just smiled, looking at the undulating mud and sand, and said, "It's a space swamp, no wonder they can't get out. It's not their fault."
With this kind of squad configuration, they had previously passed through other guardians' areas without incident and even gained a lot, but they suffered a great loss in the Rift Sand Pit.
With the secret realm shattered and the space swamp added, even if a dragon went down, it would suffer losses. Of course, it would only take half a month longer, which is still much faster than Arnold and his group.
While the dragon was still talking, Veris raised his hand, spread his fingers, and a small, light gold magic circle appeared. When he closed his fingers, a flute was already in his hand.
As if by magic, the dragon couldn't help but be drawn to it.
It watched as Veris played his flute, and then the mud and sand not far away began to collapse, revealing the outline of the tomb city beneath.
Dragon couldn't help but widen his eyes and look at Veris, who was still playing the flute. The music was melodious and beautiful. He then looked at the tomb city below. The reappearance of the secret realm seemed to have broken some kind of shackle. The already broken glass shards melted away like bubbles.
Even Arnold and his companions, who were still in a daze in the secret realm, didn't react in time.
When they arrived in Rift Sand City, it was winter. The sudden increase in temperature and the blood-red sun made them think they had entered another secret realm.
When Veris saw the secret realm disappear and the tomb city appear, he stopped playing.
He turned to look at the dragon and said, "Alright, let's go."
Long wrinkled his nose: "You're just leaving like that? You're doing a good deed without leaving your name?"
Veris said nonchalantly, "If we let them stay here for a year or two, our mission will be delayed even longer. Anyway, you're not leaving either. Are you happy about that?"
dragon:"……"
It endured the humiliation and said, "I understand."
Veris's thinking was simple: it wasn't a solution for these people to fight to the death here. He was supposed to come in March, but he forgot because he was hanging out with Sylvain... cough cough.
In short, it's still possible to come back in three months.
After leaving the area around the Sand Pit, Veris took the dragon to Sand Pit City. Not long after entering the city, Frodien received a message from his subordinates.
Before he could even get out of bed, Veris arrived at his magnificent mansion with a dragon for a visit.
Florian doesn't practice training servants; he only has a few trusted confidants to run errands and keep an eye on the other protectors.
So Veris ignored the dark spell on the door and pushed it open with a push.
Those spells were like mice seeing a cat, hiding far away.
Long looked at the big house with curiosity. He had to admit that the decoration was out of place in Crack Sand City and even the entire Demon King Forest. Most of the buildings in the Demon King Forest were dilapidated and ancient. The races here didn't have any requirements for accommodation. As long as they could stay, they would be fine. If they couldn't find a place to stay, they would just lie down by the roadside and take a nap.
The mansion in Frodien is comparable to Prince Garcia's palace.
Veris led the dragon inside as if no one else was there. The room was large, but there were no demons in sight. It wasn't that there weren't any, but they were all hiding in the shadows, spying. Those who could openly enter through the main entrance were probably no match for the small fry like them.
Soon, Florin, having finished washing up, came out looking all respectable, bowing and scraping obsequiously, and said with a fawning smile, "It's been a long time since you've been to the Demon King's Forest, Your Excellency. It's been a year since we last met, since you went to the Fisherman's Tomb."
Veris nodded noncommittally and said, "He should have come a few months ago, but something came up and he was held up."
Florian perked up immediately upon hearing this. He had inquired about the church quite a bit, and quickly chimed in, "I understand, I understand. It's the church abolition movement. It's perfectly normal for you to be staying at the Papacy."
He assumed Veris had gone back to work, unaware that Veris was the one who initiated the layoffs.
Veris didn't elaborate, he just nodded.
After exchanging polite pleasantries, Florian finally couldn't help but ask, "You came to the Demon King's Forest this time, and came straight here. Is there something important that you need to do?"
The young man pointed north, his words carrying a deeper meaning: "Arnold and the others have been here for more than half a year; it's time for them to set off again."
The Demon Clan's Grand Protector's expression shifted slightly, becoming somewhat stiff, but he quickly said, "The things at the bottom of the Sand Pit are beyond my control; their inability to emerge is also..."
“I just got back from there. Arnold and the others should be able to continue their journey in a few days,” Veris interrupted him.
Frodien: "..."
The chasm was becoming increasingly dangerous, and he hadn't set foot there for many years. It was now many times more dangerous than it had been decades ago. After seeing that Arnold and the others had been trapped for three months, Florentin stopped caring about them.
If Arnold and the others really died in the Sand Pit, it wouldn't be his fault; it would just be attributed to their incompetence.
Now, half a year has passed, and Arnold and the others have not come out. Frodien has actually begun to wonder if these people are dead... but Veris has not made any move either.
Now he finally knew that Arnold and the others were still alive and wandering in the 100,000 Secret Realms. However, Veris could no longer tolerate these people wandering around in the Secret Realms like headless flies, so he came directly to the vicinity of the Sand Pit and opened up all of the 100,000 Secret Realms.
After a moment of stunned silence, Florian reacted and complimented, "As expected of Lord Veris, that was a massive sand crater." Even as he said this, he couldn't help but mentally elevate Veris's strength by several notches.
That's a massive sand pit, a vast tomb city comparable to the Fisherman's Tomb. Not only are there traps and mechanisms within the tomb city, but there are also countless secret realms, making the level of danger unimaginable.
Just how powerful is Veris?
He hesitated for a long time, but finally followed his curiosity and asked, "How long did it take you to open up the sand pit?"
Veris brushed the dust off his sleeves without a care and replied, "About... half a song's length."
A crack appeared in Frodien's expression, his face stiffened, and he began to calculate how long half a piece of music would take... What a load of crap, how long could half a piece of music take even if you played it to the heavens!
That's the 100,000-level secret realm of the Rift Sand Pit! Arnold is already an eighth-tier warrior, and there's also a genius ninth-tier mage in the team. They've trapped these people for more than half a year, and Veris just casually broke through the secret realm of the Rift Sand Pit with a single move. Don't they have any dignity?!
The Demon Lord's hand trembled slightly. He took a deep breath and thought to himself, "Don't compare yourself to a monster like Veris. After all, he serves the Pope, so it's normal for him to be a bit stronger... Ahhh, what need is there for heroes to defeat the Demon King? Veris alone can wipe out the Demon King's forest, punch the seven guardians, and kick the old man!"
Frodien felt a deep sadness.
Veris looked at the undisguised frustration on his face, touched his nose, but it was only an awkward moment.
"When did the secret realm beneath the Great Sand Pit become like this?" Veris asked, this was his real purpose in coming to find Florian.
Florian snapped out of his reverie, recalled for a moment, and said uncertainly, "About... more than thirty years ago, that was the last time I entered the Sand Pit. I almost didn't make it out, and I haven't been back since." The chaos of the secret realm and the reversal of space were truly terrifying.
One second you're standing in the mountains and forests, the next you're falling into an abyss—and it's not an illusion, it's a real abyss.
Frodien was lucky; he managed to escape after two months.
Not long after he came out, he heard that the Four Protectors wanted to kill him, so he followed them to the Sand Pit, and died less than three days later.
Frodien sighed deeply.
Veris remained silent, seemingly lost in thought.
Finally, he took his leave with the dragon. Frodien had been watching the person following Veris for a long time, licked his lips, and for what seemed like the umpteenth time, couldn't help but ask, "And who is this...?"
Veris turned around, glanced at him, and smiled: "This is a dragon."
Long also glanced at him; his light golden eyes were enough to show that he was no ordinary person.
Frodien: "..."
He watched the two figures leave, his face expressionless as he thought: Let Demon King Forest be destroyed.
The human and the dragon left the luxurious mansion. Their attire was somewhat strange, but quite common among humans. Some races in the Sand Rift City recognized that their attire resembled that of wandering bards among humans.
Upon seeing the musical instruments on the two people, he became even more certain.
Veris and the dragon began their journey north to the Demon King's Abyss. Before they even left the City of Rift, they encountered several waves of demons who were provoking and testing them.
The dragon was delighted and smashed the lute on the head, causing it to bleed profusely.
It finally rediscovered some of the joy it had felt when it traversed the war-torn continent of Icarus.
Veris was like a parent who aided and abetted the evildoer, never stopping him and sometimes even kicking him a couple of times.
As they left Rift Sand City, a large group of resentful demons gathered behind them.
The journey from Rift Sand City to the Demon King's Abyss was estimated to be only a day or two's walk. Veris and the dragon didn't use any magical beasts for transportation, so they just walked slowly.
The dragon was very interested in the methods Veris had demonstrated at the Sand Pit, and Veris was also pleased. Using music to exert powerful abilities was unheard of, but he was willing to teach the dragon.
Unfortunately, after listening to the music for a long time, the dragon looked completely bewildered.
Although Veris was somewhat disappointed, he still comforted the dragon: "You just don't have the talent, so don't bother trying."
Dragon felt that these words were strange.
It suddenly sensed something, glanced at Veris suspiciously, and Veris smiled without saying a word.
...It transformed, its enormous dragon body blotting out the sky and instantly taking in a vast area around it.
Many of the demons who had been following them had already died.
The music was melodious and far-reaching. It had been wondering earlier if Veris's instrument had some kind of magic circle engraved on it, as it could travel so far.
When it saw a large group of lifeless demons lying not far away, it couldn't help but shudder.
For Veris, this was just a minor incident. If he were to let those demons dance in front of him, he would truly be giving those arrogant fools a hard time.
The dragons became docile again. On the third day, they arrived at the outer edge of the Demon King's Abyss and saw three or four demon guardians leading a large group of demons, who were on high alert and watching them intently.
"What's going on now?" Long couldn't help but ask.
Veris shook his head, indicating that he didn't know either, but he looked relaxed: "It's okay."
Under the dragon's terrified gaze, Veris merely plucked the harp in his hand, and the music still carried far. The demons' eyes glazed over for a moment, and when they refocused their pupils, they couldn't help but show a look of bewilderment.
The guardians exchanged bewildered glances.
Why are we blocking the road here?
"Hey, are you looking for trouble again?"
"Heh, let's have a fight!"
They completely forgot why they had gathered there in the first place and immediately started fighting again.
They fought as they ran towards the Demon King's Abyss.
Veris beckoned the dragon to follow.
Dragon, its pupils tremble.
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Author's Note: Combat-type Bards and Warlock-type Bards (In Contemplation)
Of course, the effect of Veris smashing the lute down was similar to that of a dragon.
It smashed your head open and left you bleeding.
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