Lin De slowly opened his eyes, his purple pupils reflecting the kneeling figure of the other person, a hint of understanding flashing across his face.
He sensed from the other party a shadow power that was of the same origin as the catgirl Nix, but stronger and purer, and he also sensed another, more obscure and more tainted aura—Shadow Abyss.
"Get up and speak," Lin De said calmly. "You came to see me not to pay your respects, did you?"
Narosh slowly rose, but still bowed slightly as a sign of respect.
He carefully pulled an object out of the shadows behind him, as if by magic.
It was a two-handed greatsword, incredibly long, with an ancient yet ferocious design. The blade was a deep, dark black, seemingly capable of swallowing all light, and a dark gem was embedded in the hilt, constantly writhing and emitting an ominous suction force.
The sword was wreathed in visible, black smoke-like energy, resembling living tentacles, emanating a whisper that could confuse the mind and a chilling aura.
The moment the sword appeared, the light in the room seemed to dim and the temperature dropped sharply.
"This thing is called 'Shadow Howl,' a rare condensation of Shadow Abyss power in the material world, born deep within an extremely dangerous Shadow Abyss Rift."
Narosh held the dangerous and powerful demonic sword aloft with both hands, his voice solemn.
"It can devour the essence of living beings, tear apart souls, and guide the pure power of the Shadow Abyss. In our eyes, it is already an unparalleled divine weapon. But I feel... only Your Excellency is worthy of possessing and wielding its true power."
His tone was full of dedication.
Linde's gaze fell on the demonic sword, and the [Deconstruction Aura] instantly enveloped it.
In his perception, this sword did indeed contain a considerable amount of Shadow Abyss energy, and its material was not ordinary metal, but a special crystal that had been highly eroded and transformed by the power of Shadow Abyss.
But that's all.
Compared to the Shadow Abyss Origin he obtained from the Shadow Abyss Church, and the purer "negative energy" within his body converted from the system, the power on this sword seemed... somewhat mixed and... "secondary".
It's like a counterfeit product diluted countless times.
"Not bad toy," Lin De commented casually, pointing his finger in the air.
The ominous demonic sword seemed to be bound by an invisible force, then obediently flew to the weapon rack to the side, placed together with several other weapons that shimmered with arcane or starlight. The shadowy fluctuations emanating from it seemed to have subsided considerably.
Seeing this, Narosh felt even greater awe. The strength of the one who could suppress the ferocity of "Shadow Howl" so easily was completely beyond his imagination.
He took a deep breath, knowing it was time to demonstrate his true value—information.
“Your Excellency,” Narosh’s voice was even lower, with the solemnity of sharing a secret, “you have already stood at the pinnacle of the mortal realm, and even the Gold-ranking beings are like ants before you. But do you know what kind of scenery lies above the Gold-ranking?”
A hint of interest finally appeared in Linde's eyes: "Oh? Tell me about it."
"The 'Gold-level' is still the limit of what mortals can struggle for, relying on the inherent elements, energy, and rules of this world."
Narosh organized his thoughts, his eyes gleaming with longing.
"But in distant legends, when an individual's understanding and control of a certain 'origin' reaches its peak, and they deeply merge with it, they can transcend the mortal realm and step into... the legendary level!"
"Legendary beings whose power has begun to touch the underlying rules of the world. Their every move can affect celestial phenomena. Their very existence is like a walking legend. Their lifespan is greatly extended, even approaching immortality."
"The legends here are not just songs fabricated by foreign tribes, but real entities hidden in the shadows of the world!"
As he spoke, Narosh's voice trembled slightly.
"Those beings are the embodiment of rules, the manifestation of concepts. Their presence has spanned the long river of history, and they may even be the source of some legends. They almost no longer interfere with the mortal world, and their form and purpose are beyond our comprehension."
He raised his head, his gaze from behind the pure white mask burning intensely as he looked at Lind:
"Your Excellency! The vast and boundless Shadow Abyss within you... no, it's a power even more fundamental than the Shadow Abyss! The stellar power you've displayed! This is something no Gold-level cultivator could possess! You... you have undoubtedly touched the threshold of the Legendary level, or even... higher!"
"We, the Shadowbinders Alliance, have explored the secrets of the Shadow Abyss for generations, seeking a path to greater power. We are willing to follow in your footsteps, to serve you faithfully, hoping only to... glimpse a trace of the true mysteries of supreme power!"
Narosh knelt on one knee again, this time with complete submission and surrender.
Lind watched him quietly, his fingers tapping unconsciously on his knee.
Legendary?
The supernatural power system in this world indeed has deeper levels.
All Linde knew were those gods who stood on the foundation of legend.
Putting aside these gods, Linde really knew nothing about these mortals at the pinnacle.
The Shadowbinders Alliance, an organization that controls a vast amount of dark power in the human world, had its leader personally come to offer valuable treasures, share secrets, and voluntarily surrender...
This was an unexpected bonus.
“Get up, Nelosh,” Lind said slowly. “I have accepted your gift and the message.”
"As for following..." A deep light flashed in Lin De's purple eyes, "Then let me see how much value you and your Shadowbinder have."
"First, tell me everything you know about Shadow Abyss. And what other 'legends' still exist on this continent today?"
Narosh took a deep breath, knowing this was both a pledge of allegiance and a test. He gathered his thoughts and began to explain in the clearest and most objective language possible:
"Your Excellency, Shadow Abyss... According to the Alliance's oldest records, it is not a native existence of our world. It is more like... a 'festering sore' attached to the dimensional barrier of the continent of Tyr, or a 'rift' leading to an unknown dark dimension."
"Its power is extremely yin and dark, capable of eroding matter, polluting energy, and even distorting the mind and devouring the soul. It craves the breath of life and light, and instinctively wants to assimilate and devour everything."
"The original founders of the Alliance were said to be a group of lucky individuals, or rather... unlucky individuals, who accidentally discovered a faint rift in the Shadow Abyss and drew power from it."
Narosh's voice carried a hint of complexity, "We have discovered that through specific rituals and spiritual resonance, it is possible to guide the power of the Shadow Abyss to a limited extent, strengthen oneself, cast Shadow Cloak spells, and even create illusions and corrupt enemies."
"But all of this comes with enormous risks. Every guidance is like playing with fire. If one's will falters even slightly, one will be corrupted by the whispers of the Shadow Abyss, turning into a monster that only knows how to kill and devour, or being completely assimilated and becoming a part of the Shadow Abyss."
"The core members of the Alliance have spent their entire lives fighting against this whisper and corruption. We regard the Shadow Abyss as the 'Highest Darkness,' both the source of power and the ultimate destination, something we both awe and yearn for."
He glanced at the "Shadow Howl" on the weapon rack. "Condensations like this occasionally form near the rift. They are powerful weapons, but also dangerous temptations."
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