Chapter 237 - 217: Slaying by Hand, Departure

Chapter 237: Chapter 217: Slaying by Hand, Departure

"Liquid Life Energy, various Knight’s Breathing Techniques and books of knowledge, blocks of metal for forging weapons... and sixteen Elemental Crystal Ambers of different attributes..."

As Vili mentally linked this series of treasures, he suddenly realized that they seemed to be all the resources needed to cultivate a small-scale force.

Use Liquid Life Energy to raise an ordinary person’s Constitution to its limit, then have them practice a Knight’s Breathing Technique to gain Extraordinary Power and use Elemental Crystal Amber to accelerate their training. With all these things, one could cultivate a respectable small faction in less than five years.

’Perhaps the fundamental purpose of this inheritance from the Cold Lion Kingdom’s Royal Family was to provide their descendants with a hidden refuge from Duke Kaqier’s slaughter...’

Vili felt the purpose of the dreamlike Underground Forest was to provide a space for survival.

’After the turmoil subsides, the descendants hiding here can take these resources and go out to establish their own faction...’

A rather reasonable theory was beginning to form in Vili’s mind.

This was likely the true purpose of the treasure. For some unknown reason, the descendants of the Cold Lion Royal Family who were being hunted by Duke Kaqier never found this place. Instead, three hundred and twenty years later, it all fell into Vili’s lap.

’It’s just... this treasure seems a bit too ordinary...’

Vili raised an eyebrow.

Logically, there should have been more Extraordinary Items and legacies.

But all of this seemed too rudimentary.

’No, that’s not right!’

Vili’s head snapped up, his gaze fixed on the dark green heart floating and pulsing in the air.

’This heart... This is definitely a rare and powerful part of the inheritance!’

The Natural Energy unintentionally radiating from it was so dense that it felt oppressive.

’What creature’s heart is this... It’s been removed from its body and has no blood supply, yet it can still beat like this...’

Vili guessed that the energy making the dark green heart beat was likely the Natural Energy in the air.

It absorbed the ambient Natural Energy from its surroundings, then expelled it with each beat, blanketing the area in the Natural Energy it released.

"Colson, can you figure out what this thing does?"

Vili turned to Colson and asked.

"Let me take a look..."

Colson stepped forward, observing the patterns on the heart’s surface and the pulsing Energy within.

Vili stood to the side, instructing Benduin to consolidate the contents of the twelve chests. Otherwise, carrying all twelve of them out when they found the exit would be rather unrealistic.

Vili estimated that if they packed everything tightly, four or five chests would be enough.

"I can only sense the Natural Energy. I can’t sense anything else..."

Just then, Colson shook his head helplessly and said to Vili, "I feel like the inside of this heart is an endless vortex. The Power of Nature I directed into it vanished without a trace..."

"Is that so..."

Vili nodded, his expression turning serious.

He was contemplating how to deal with the giant heart, which stood three meters tall and was nearly a meter and a half wide.

Take it with them? That seemed highly unrealistic.

Cut it open to see what’s inside? If the Natural Energy exploded, they would be blown to bits.

For a moment, Vili had no idea how to handle the massive, dark green heart.

Vili took a step forward, reached out, and placed his palm on the heart’s surface.

He wasn’t overly cautious, as Colson had just done the same thing.

But the instant his palm touched the heart’s surface, Vili felt the massive, dark green heart shudder violently.

Immediately afterward, Vili felt the Power of Justice within his body begin to tremble in response.

’It’s reacting...’

Vili’s pupils constricted.

In a flash, he realized this massive, dark green heart might have belonged to some evil creature.

Vili instinctively snatched his hand back.

’Its evil power is remarkably subtle...’

Before touching the dark green heart, Vili, with the power of a Two-Engraving Hanged Man, hadn’t sensed the slightest trace of an evil aura.

THUMP-THUMP... THUMP-THUMP...

After Vili touched it, the dark green heart began to beat faster and faster, and the Natural Energy it absorbed and expelled grew increasingly dense.

The group, who had just gotten used to the environment, were suddenly overwhelmed by the oppressive feeling once more.

"What’s happening?"

Benduin had just finished packing all the supplies into four chests when he suddenly felt the Natural Energy pressing on his chest, making it difficult to breathe.

’This could be trouble...’

Vili gripped his Cross Sword tightly, ready for anything.

SHWAAA!

Just as everyone’s nerves were stretched taut, a layer of green light suddenly flared up from the edge of the stone platform beneath the heart. It formed a dome, like a glass cover, enclosing the dark green heart.

’What in the world is going on...’

However, before Vili could ponder it further, a crack suddenly appeared on the back wall of the secret chamber.

CRACKLE... CRACK...

In the blink of an eye, the fissure split wide open, revealing the entrance to a winding tunnel that appeared before them without warning.

"This looks like an exit!"

Budar hurried to the entrance, peeked inside, and quickly turned back to shout.

’An exit...’

Vili’s expression was also puzzled.

They hadn’t even started looking for a way out, and one had just appeared on its own.

He recalled how they had stumbled into this treasure trove just as bafflingly, and for a moment, he had a strange, indescribable feeling.

THUMP! THUMP! THUMP! THUMP!

Meanwhile, the dark green heart’s beating grew increasingly violent.

Although the green light shield contained it for the moment, the intensely oppressive Natural Energy still radiated outward.

The Natural Energy felt more and more like a physical weight pressing down on each of them.

"Let’s go!"

Vili weighed his options and quickly made a decision.

He knew the dark green heart had to be something incredibly valuable, but they had no way to take it with them, nor did they even know what it was.

That being the case, quitting while they were ahead was the right choice.

’As for this woman...’

Vili’s gaze fell on Philina, who was still collapsed on the ground.

An uncertain look flickered in Vili’s eyes.

After a moment’s hesitation, Vili made his decision.

"Budar, finish her,"

Vili said in a cold voice.

If Philina survived, she could very well live on in this hidden place.

Furthermore, as a descendant of the Cold Lion Kingdom, she would most likely know how to leave this place on her own after she woke up.

Once she got out, Vili knew she would bring him immense trouble.

If she already knew who he was, his family and subordinates would all be in mortal danger. Vili didn’t believe for a second that a descendant of a fallen kingdom was the last of her line; there had to be other forces supporting her.

Mercy to an enemy is cruelty to one’s friends and family.

"Yes, Lord Baron."

Budar saw the killing intent in Vili’s eyes and answered at once.

In fact, Budar wasn’t surprised by Vili’s decision at all. In his eyes, Vili was an exceptionally decisive person.

’What a pity...’

Budar moved swiftly. He walked over to Philina and drew his curved longsword.

Looking at Philina’s delicate face, Budar felt a sudden pang of regret.

But he still carried out Vili’s will without hesitation.

SHLICK!

With a single slash, Philina, unprotected by her Fighting Spirit, was decapitated.

She would never have imagined that she, a Middle Grand Knight, would die at the hands of a Pirate Leader.

Seeing that Budar had dealt with Philina, Vili wasted no more time. He lifted a wooden chest full of supplies with one hand, hoisted it onto his shoulder, and said, "Let’s get out of here, now."

"Yes!"

Budar and the others immediately acknowledged the order.

He sheathed the curved longsword at his waist, then lifted a wooden chest with each hand and hoisted them onto his shoulders.

Benduin did the same, hugging the last chest to his body with one arm.

"Hurry up!"

Vili, already in the tunnel, suddenly realized that the walls seemed to be slowly closing in.

If they didn’t get out in time, they could be trapped here for a very long time.

The group picked up their pace.

’Just as I thought. We’re still under the sea...’

Vili suddenly caught the salty scent of the ocean.

He quickened his pace for a few steps and suddenly saw sunlight shining in from the outside world.

A few more steps, and Vili saw the exit.

Next to that exit was the same ascending whirlpool of seawater. Looking up from below, it was like being in the eye of a tornado.

"Faster!"

This time, Vili charged ahead, with Budar and the others right behind him.

WHOOSH!

Vili burst out of the opening and ran straight up the inner wall of the watery vortex, climbing at a ninety-degree angle.

He could clearly feel the tunnel behind him closing up, and even the whirlpool itself was slowly collapsing.

"We’re finally back!"

Reaching the rim of the whirlpool, Vili gave a hard push with his foot, using the force to launch himself onto the surface of the water.

Budar, Benduin, Colson, and Senya followed suit, leaping onto the surface of the sea.

"We’re finally out!"

The group looked up at the bright, azure sky, all feeling a sense of relief wash over them.

No matter how beautiful the dreamlike forest was, it couldn’t compare to the familiar reality of the outside world.

Vili scanned his surroundings. This wasn’t the spot where they had entered the treasure trove, but he figured it couldn’t be far.

"Come on, let’s look for any sign of the others!"

Vili had a feeling that the descendant of the Cold Lion Royal Family must have brought people with her, who were likely waiting somewhere nearby.

"Yes!"

RUMBLE!

Not long after Vili and his group left, the underground rock tunnel rapidly sealed shut. The whirlpool vanished, and the turbulent sea surface once again became perfectly calm.