Chapter 161 The Expensive Price
Although Irwin Kruger got most things wrong, there was one thing he got right by accident.
The agreement reached between Luo Yan and the Dragun family is indeed more than what the nobles of the Magic City see on the surface.
Although the Barony of Black Wind Valley is not a wealthy fiefdom, with only a few pastures and thousands of goats, its location is really good, right on the edge of the Demon City.
If this kind of fiefdom were put up for auction, it would be sold for tens or even hundreds of billions of Kailas, and it would be the kind that is out of stock.
In the face of interests at this level, a little fame means nothing.
So what if the cemetery throws dirty water on the Dragun family?
Even though the Demon King of the Great Cemetery slandered Shino Dragun, who challenged him, as the "Chosen One of Chaos", for the current head of the family, Kamu, what he lost was just a younger brother.
As long as Justice cuts fast enough, the fire won't burn him.
What's more, it was just a basin of dirty water, which could not shake the foundation of the century-old tree of the Dragun family. On the contrary, if a casual threat could make the Dragun family give up so many benefits, then it would not be Luo Yan's turn to blast gold coins for this wronged species.
The real reason why Kamu Dragon reluctantly ceded these 100,000 acres of land was because Luo Yan put something in front of him.
Those were notes from his father, Reggie Dragun himself.
It is also a heavyweight bargaining chip...
…
Late at night, in the meeting hall of the Dragun family, beneath the solemn murals, the bright candlelight lengthened the shadows of the obsidian sculptures.
Those obsidian sculptures are the successive patriarchs of the Dragun family and the famous figures in the Dragun family.
As the spiritual totems of the Dragon family, they stood around the long table in the meeting hall, looking at their descendants with majestic eyes and warning the children to make every choice carefully.
At this moment, Kamu, the current head of the Dragun family, sat under the sculpture that symbolized the first head of the family, allowing the dark shadow to swallow his shoulders.
And on the long table in front of him, a map about five meters long was spread out, and an area of nearly 100,000 acres of land was clearly circled by a red line.
The scarlet outline was like the blood flowing from his heart, digging out a piece of flesh from his heart!
As a reward to fill this gap, it was just a notebook...
Even though he knew what the notebook meant, he still couldn't help but ask -
“Is it worth it?”
The deep voice echoed in the meeting room.
He thought about this question for a long time, but couldn't convince himself.
After a moment's silence, a hoarse voice responded to him.
"Of course it's worth it...everything is worth it."
The voice came from across the long table, and the person sitting there was his dear grandfather—Zakro Dragun! This man was the former head of the Dragun family.
More than a century ago, he passed the position of head of the family to Kamu's father Reggie, and then retired from the front stage to behind the scenes as an elder.
However, like most families in Hell, this immortal demon did not give up his power because of retirement. To this day, he still uses his status as a elder to exert influence on the current head of the family.
As soon as the deal was done, Kamu didn't even have time to appreciate his father's life's work before the notebook fell into Zakro's hands.
It's nothing actually.
Kamu knew that he might not be able to understand those profound principles of magic, so it might be a good thing to let his grandfather who had more experience and knowledge to study them.
They are all family anyway.
However, what made Kamu feel a little uneasy was that the greed and desire burning in Zakro's pupils had obviously suppressed the light of rationality.
His skinny index finger rubbed the leather cover of the notebook, and his grandfather's face was full of obsession and fanaticism, as if it was not a notebook, but a ladder to the kingdom of the gods, the key to open the door to the underworld! Kamu was silent for a long time, then sighed and said.
"I know this notebook is important to us, but I'm really not sure... whether it's worth exchanging it for such a high price."
Zakro chuckled and spoke in a slow voice.
"Kamu, my grandson, you are still too young... You don't understand what that power that is above the extraordinary power means. If we say that we have the power of miracles, then it is the miracle itself. The person who possesses it can make the sun set with just a word, or even make two suns appear in the sky. In front of such a great power, what is a mere 100,000 acres of land? Even if the land of the entire Demon City is added together, it is as light as a feather in front of it."
All the land, wealth, and even power in the mortal world...are nothing but insignificant dust in front of that power! The Dragun family is loyal to the demon god Bayeli, but they are even more loyal to the great god of the underworld and the truth inherited from the underworld!
They long to rebuild the underworld all the time.
That is the long-cherished wish of the Dragun family.
This was also his ambition as the former head of the Dragun family! It was also the most direct reason why he encouraged his son Reggie Dragun to take over the hot flame crystal of the Thunder County Labyrinth!
"What I mean is that the price we paid was too high. Besides, can the miracle you mentioned be achieved with just this notebook?" Kamu couldn't help but ask, "If my father really figured it out, he wouldn't lose to a mere Chosen One."
There was one more thing he didn't say.
If this notebook is really so magical, how could the Demon King of the Great Cemetery take it out to exchange with them?
If he were Luo Yan, he would not acknowledge the existence of this notebook at all, but would regard it as a forbidden delicacy and study it by himself in a place where no one knows! Hearing his grandson's complaint, Zak Luo just smiled faintly and said indifferently.
"When did I say he figured it out?"
Kamu was stunned and subconsciously held his breath.
"Then why do we still..."
Zakro said in a slow and sure tone.
"If our work is likened to a tower that reaches the sky, then his work is similar to firing bricks to build this tower. This includes creating life, creating souls, and even creating the world... He has completed all the topics I asked him to study, and he has done them very well, and he has almost put these puzzle pieces together."
When he said this, Zakro changed the subject and the smile on his face became meaningful.
"Unfortunately, my dear child did not know how to build this tower to the sky. In his eagerness for quick success, he did not contact me as I asked, but placed all his bets on a plan that could not succeed, thus attracting the attention of a higher being."
Kamu swallowed hard and said in an unbelievable tone.
"You mean... you know how to build this tower to the sky?"
"I know more than that."
A delighted smile appeared on Zakro's face, and he continued in a slow voice.
“The whole research started with me!”
…
Candles flickered in the meeting room of the Dragun family, and the whispers were brewing hidden conspiracies and ambitions.
Meanwhile, Shino Dragun, who was far away in the cemetery, knew nothing about the deal between the Demon King and his brother.
Looking at the newspaper sent from the Demon City, the mentally handicapped demon looked at Luo Yan with a grateful expression and spoke from the bottom of his heart.
"Thank you... I've caused you so much trouble, but you still help me like this! I, I really don't know how to thank you!"
Although he had always denied that the opening of the Chaos Gate had anything to do with him, he admitted deep down in his heart that it was not unrelated to him.
Kasen Skullbreaker is undoubtedly the culprit, but if his faith in the Demon God was strong enough... just like the Demon King said, fighting for his faith, he would not have been corrupted by Chaos.
With such a guilty mood, he saw from the newspaper that all the blame was put on the ogre named Kasen Skullcrusher.
As for his problem, the Demon King simply brushed it aside, and the curse of the Chaos Chosen One was not even mentioned in the report.
Thinking of what he had done, Xino Dragon felt more and more ashamed and wanted to kowtow to Luo Yan on the spot.
Looking at Xino who was sold out by him and was still counting money for him, Luo Yan felt a little embarrassed for a moment, and said with a light cough.
"You're welcome. Please raise your head. I believe you are loyal to the Demon Lord. It is not your intention to be cursed by Chaos."
Shino gave him a grateful look, then continued.
"But I don't understand why the curse on me hasn't disappeared yet? I have faced the threat of Calmandes as you said..."
Compared to the report in the Magic City Daily, eliminating the curse of chaos is what he cares most about.
The latest novel is published first on Liu9shuba!
Ever since he knew that he had the mark of Kalmandes on his body, he had not slept well for a single day and woke up from nightmares almost every night.
For a demon, there is nothing more humiliating than this! Looking at the confused Xino, Luo Yan thought for a moment and said in a gentle tone.
"The mark of chaos cannot be erased. It will stay with you for the rest of your life... But you don't have to despair. Although the curse itself cannot be eliminated, its negative energy can be suppressed. Just like now, except for you, no one else can feel its existence."
"It's impossible to completely eliminate it..." Xino had a disappointed look on his face, and he was visibly depressed.
"Yes, so I suggest you treat it as a medal. After all, not everyone can defeat Chaos. This is something to be proud of." Luo Yan paused and continued, "Not just you, I actually have it too... from the Weird Mist Novel."
Upon hearing that the Demon King also had the mark of chaos, Xino, who felt like the sky had fallen a second ago, was relieved in an instant and a smile appeared on his face.
"So that's how it is. I understand! Ah... Don't worry, I won't tell anyone about Norville's affairs! I swear to you on my life and honor!"
Looking at Xino who swore a poisonous oath, Luo Yan smiled faintly.
"Even if you tell others, no one will believe it."
The mark engraved on the soul is not visible to mortals at all. It is just like the level of the soul, which can only be seen by God.
Only when the Mark of Chaos resonates with the Chaos in the Void to some extent, such as when the "cursed" actively or passively throws themselves into the arms of Chaos and obtains the power bestowed by Chaos from the Void, that stinking odor can be smelled from a long distance away.
Luo Yan never gave in to Novel from beginning to end, so a curse of that degree naturally had no effect on him.
Just when Xino was about to pull Luo Yan aside to say something, a monk suddenly came over, bowed and said.
"Dear Lord Demon, a new package has been delivered from the Demon City. Judging from the size of the package, it should be some letters."
Luo Yan looked at the lizardman acolyte and said.
"Bring it here."
The lizardman acolyte nodded slightly and spoke respectfully.
"yes."
Looking at the acolyte who left after receiving the order, Shino Dragun said tactfully.
"It seems that you still have official business to attend to, so I won't bother you for now."
Luo Yan smiled and nodded.
"If you have anything else, come to me."
Watching Xino's back as he walked away, Luo Yan waited for a while. The acolyte who had left earlier quickly took the package sent from the Magic City from the transmission room.
Just as the acolyte guessed, the package contained mainly some letters, and then some procedures and contracts for transferring territory, etc.
Fortunately, Shino Dragun is not here.
If he saw this land deed, I wonder what he would feel...
Floating beside Luo Yan, he slowly approached the deed and spoke in a low voice.
"Master Demon... Is it really appropriate to give them that notebook? Youyou always feels that the things in that notebook are quite valuable."
Luo Yan replied casually.
"There's nothing wrong with it. Giving it to them will save them from worrying about it, and you can also get some benefits from them."
That notebook was a gift given to him by Thanos, the Lord of the old Demon Palace on the eighteenth floor of the labyrinth, the "Shadow Demon General". It recorded the various experiments that Reggie Dragun had done in the territory, as well as the research results of each experiment.
Including man-made miracles.
Including the creation of souls and so on.
Just as Luo Yan expected, the stone people on the fourth floor of the maze were Reggie's masterpiece!
Luo Yan used to be confused about why Reggie Dragun did these things, but after reading his notes, he finally got the answer.
This guy is imitating Lint Isaac! He is trying to condense the godhead!
After realizing this, Luo Yan finally understood why Reggie Dragun did so many seemingly unnecessary things.
After all this time, he was just trying to become a god! In fact, objectively speaking, this former demon king was quite capable, especially in his research on the soul, which made Luo Yan marvel and admire him endlessly.
Even from an academic perspective, even the principal Ivan Kruger, whom Luo Yan knew, would probably find it difficult to surpass him...even though the latter has demigod-level strength and thousands of years of experience.
Unfortunately, however, this guy's efforts were completely counterproductive. He took every step right but was extremely wrong in the general direction.
Although Luo Yan's own godhood fell from the sky, with his understanding and research of the Isaac Dynasty, he also knew that the way to become a god was definitely not what Reggie Dragun imagined, that it could be achieved by simply copying what Lint Isaac had done.
"…The key to becoming a god is not the technique, but the Tao. Reggie Dragun is using the method of pursuing extraordinary power to explore the path to becoming a god, so his failure is almost inevitable."
"Tao? What is that?" Youyou asked curiously.
Luo Yan thought for a moment and said.
"My understanding is 'human heart'."
On the surface, Lint Isaac became the God of Machinery because of the steam engine, but in fact the reason why he became a god was not because of those superficial machines, but because he won the heartfelt worship and respect of people at that time.
To this day, even though Saints have labeled it evil, there are still many people who remember the Isaac dynasty.
Luo Yan paused for a moment and continued.
"On the surface, it was the gods who created the miracle, but in the final analysis, it was still humans. Reggie Dragun imitated almost everything that Lint Isaac had done, and even surpassed him, but he ignored the most critical and important thing, the human heart. His troops were completely in disarray on the battlefield. Not to mention their faith in him, they couldn't even maintain their faith in the demon god."
"If his descendants intend to continue along his path, the only outcome will be that they will become like him, and fall into the state of infatuation."
After two days of drip, I finally feel better TT (End of this chapter)