The Demon King is unfathomable

Chapter 635 The People of the Holy Light and the Demons Gather Together

The wind and snow inside Huangtong Pass were fierce, with the north wind as sharp as a knife.

On the snow-covered hillside, there were tattered flags and frozen corpses scattered everywhere.

The ogres, like a gray torrent, swarmed across the mountains and plains, greedily licking every inch of flesh and blood on the battlefield, surrounded by goblins.

They tossed their spoils onto baskets and sold them at makeshift stalls, while their currency consisted of boxes and bundles of heads.

Among them were humans, dwarves, and even ogres and goblins themselves.

Becoming the spoils of the victor is an honor for the followers of Kalmandes, who will cut off the heads of their fallen comrades and throw them into the baskets of the corpse collectors.

The heads of the strong are often more valuable, while goblin heads are used for change.

Faced with the pursuit of the cannibal army, only one-tenth of the 60,000 defenders of Huangtong Pass survived!

Behind this suffocating inferno, the swordsman Gaunt and the dwarf general Salut Bronzehelm of the High Mountain Kingdom are leading their last remaining troops through the blizzard.

Just as they were about to cross the last mountain ridge and enter the Twilight Province, a terrifying pressure, as if it were a physical entity, blocked their retreat like a mountain.

It was a figure completely encased in heavy black armor.

He didn't ride a horse; he just stood quietly in the snow-covered forest clearing, as if he had been waiting there for a long time.

As he appeared, the howling wind and snow seemed to stop, and a chilling stench gradually filled the air.

That aura reached deep into the soul.

With just one glance, a serious expression appeared on Gaunt's face.

This guy—

Their strength is probably even greater than that of the Doryuk!

"Salut, take your men and leave!"

Gunter shoved aside the blood-soaked dwarf general beside him, his sharp eyes fixed on the black knight in front of him.

"But Your Excellency—"

"Stop talking nonsense! Hurry up!"

As soon as Gunter finished speaking, he immediately drew the greatsword that had accompanied him in battle for decades.

The sword emitted a clear tremor like a dragon's roar, and a visible, sharp aura suddenly erupted from its center, instantly shredding the surrounding snowflakes.

Endless sea of ​​sand!

open!

Yellow sand replaced the wind and snow, instantly covering the entire hillside.

Gazing at the yellow sand that blocked his view, Salut gritted his teeth, but ultimately took a step back, turned around, and led the remaining dwarf soldiers into the distant snowstorm.

The Black Knight did not chase after the ant that disappeared into the depths of the snowstorm; his gaze, hidden beneath his helmet, never left Gaunt.

In his view.

There is only one person on this hillside who can be his opponent.

But that's about it.

Feeling the immense pressure, Gunter dared not be careless in the slightest and raised his broadsword, which was as wide as a door panel.

At the same time, the black knight also slowly raised his blunt knight's longsword and charged headlong into the howling sandstorm.

There were no superfluous movements, nor any flashy martial arts techniques!

He simply took a step forward, and then slashed forward with the long sword he held in his hand with the force of thunder.

"boom!"

The devastating black flames instantly traversed a distance of tens of meters, striking the area that Gunter was so proud of.

Faced with this unreasonable force, the all-consuming yellow sand was as fragile as paper, instantly sliced ​​into pieces by invisible blades!
The sound of shattering glass echoed in Gunter's mind.

His pupils contracted instantly as he watched helplessly as a huge gap was forcibly cleaved open in his domain, stretching from the earth all the way to the sky.

In that instant, the black knight unleashed his second sword strike, its boundless power hurtling towards him!
Gunter dared not be careless. He roared and channeled all his sword energy into his wrist, raising his greatsword to slash at the black figure.

That strike, powerful enough to split mountains and shatter rocks, seemed to crash into an unshakeable city wall the instant it collided with the black longsword.

The terrifying shockwave spread out with a roar, instantly flattening dozens of thick cedar trees around it and cutting rows of trees in half!

"Ahhh!" Gunter used all his strength to barely block the knight's longsword that was coming straight at him.

However, just when he thought that the opponent's strength was nothing more than that, the blunt black longsword gradually increased its force, pressing down the greatsword in his hand inch by inch under his astonished gaze.

A nonchalant, cold laugh came from beneath the helmet shrouded in black mist. The laugh carried a hint of mockery, as if it were a sarcastic jab at an ant oblivious to its fate.

Gunter's pupils contracted once again.

This guy...

He didn't even use his full strength?!
He's testing himself!

"boom--!"

In an instant, spiderweb-like cracks appeared on the ground beneath Gunter's feet, and the surrounding boulders were cleaved into fragments that flew backward.

Gunter felt an irresistible, terrifying force surging through the sword.

His wrist, which was imbued with sword energy, instantly ruptured, spurting blood everywhere. He slid backward dozens of meters like a kite with a broken string, his feet carving two deep furrows in the frozen mud.

"You are very strong."

"Whether it's the soul or the sword."

The black knight twirled his blunt longsword with a flourish, his aura completely unaffected, and he even had time to speak.

His sword was pointed at Gaunt, or perhaps at the world behind him. His voice was hoarse, like the sandstorm in a dimensional desert.

"But you are too weak."

Before Gunter could catch his breath, the Black Knight's third sword fell like a mountain crashing down!
Gunter almost instinctively raised his greatsword to meet the attack, barely managing to collide with the oncoming sword, but even the last bit of his sword energy was exhausted.

"Snap—"

With a heart-wrenching wail, the legendary greatsword that had slain countless demons cracked open from the middle.

Then, to Gaunt's astonishment, the greatsword, as thick as a door panel, shattered into countless flying iron fragments!

Even a demigod-level expert who had experienced countless battles was now experiencing a storm of emotions.

The overwhelming power was beyond his ability to describe. It was as if the sword had come from outside the world he knew.

Blood dripped from his arms onto the snow. Gunter, who had been thrown dozens of meters away, regained his footing and stared intently at the black figure.

Despite his severe injuries, the fighting spirit in his eyes remained undiminished. He casually picked up a frozen branch that had fallen beside him and forcibly infused it with the remaining sword energy.

The branch let out a mournful cry of unbearable burden, but in an instant it became as hard as iron, even taking on a sharp edge.

Even with only a withered branch left in his hand, the Sword Saint is still the Sword Saint.

He didn't reach his current pinnacle because of his equipment.

Gunter took a deep breath, preparing for the final, glorious battle of his life.

The Black Knight let out a faint, cold laugh, slowly raising his longsword, preparing to deliver the fourth, death-sentence.

Just at this critical moment, a piercing shriek suddenly came from the sky, like the cry of a pterosaur as it swooped down.

Gunter and the Black Knight were drawn to the sound almost simultaneously, instinctively glancing briefly in the direction from which it came.

Those were a dozen or so strange devices pieced together from wooden sticks and burlap, which were now swooping down from the low-hanging clouds like wild dogs that had broken free of their reins!

Players familiar with the Great Cemetery would know that this thing is called a glider. But neither of the two people standing here understood what it was.

Gang looked closely and saw that beneath those broad wingspans hung skulls with eerie green soul flames emanating from their eye sockets!

A flicker of surprise crossed his eyes as he suddenly remembered the "Holy Spirit" with whom he had fought side-by-side in the Twilight Province—

Could it be them?!

The legend of the divine child immediately came to mind. At the same time, a crunching sound echoed through the howling wind and snow.

"Holy crap, a wild Sword Saint!!"

"What are they doing?"

"What else could we be doing?! We're fighting right now!"

"Oh! It's that BOSS! The one who escaped before!"

"Brothers, let's charge for contribution points!"

The skeletons opened and closed their fleshless jaws, emitting incomprehensible yet incredibly fanatical roars.

Facing the ground they were about to land on, they showed no intention of slowing down; instead, they retracted their wingspan and accelerated their charge.

Even the Black Knight, who had conquered countless worlds, was visibly stunned for a moment upon seeing this group of madmen who had suddenly appeared out of nowhere.

In the brief moment he was distracted, a series of explosions suddenly erupted, and wood chips and debris filled the air, instantly covering the entire battlefield!
"boom--!"

These players were clearly inexperienced and had a terrible sense of distance and direction, which resulted in them prematurely detonating the explosives they were carrying.

So much so that before the sword was even about to strike them, they had already sent themselves to their deaths.

However, the sword that should have been reserved for Gaunt ended up slashing towards the sky.

The Chosen One, Kalmandes, will take every challenger seriously.

The raging black flames instantly dispersed the overwhelming wood chips and bone fragments that were raining down, turning the corpses of players like [One Bite of the Chemical Pool] into dust!

A strong wind was blowing.

Looking at the attackers reduced to wreckage, a cold smile gradually crept onto the lips of the man hidden beneath his black armor.

However, he stopped laughing after only two seconds.

Where the human powerhouse had stood, only a few drops of still-warm blood remained; the man himself had vanished without a trace.

"Heh, they ran away..."

Is this the strongest fighting force in the world?

Feel--

A bit disappointed.

The Black Knight sheathed his longsword at his waist, and the swirling flames of energy also receded into the scabbard.

"Tell Colin for me."

A deep voice echoed through the valley.

The sound reached Gaunt's ears, as well as those of Salut, who had just hidden in the tunnel, and the remaining soldiers of the Yellow Copper Pass.

"My name is Vaughn."

“Kalmandes offered me a bounty for his head.”

“I will kill until he appears, until the whole earth turns to ashes, until I offer his head to the great throne.”

……

The howling wind and snow and the brutal fighting were still temporarily lingering in the eastern part of the Wanren Mountains, while the Twilight Province was bathed in the cold sunlight of late winter.

The train platform in Gravit was shrouded in thick white steam. People carrying large and small bags hurried back and forth on the platform, gradually becoming accustomed to the prosperity brought by the railway.

News of the Chaos invasion hasn't reached here yet, but it seems only a matter of time before this fragile peace is shattered.

On the platform of the train station.

Luo Yan and Eileen stood side by side, while Sarah and Theresa stood behind them, looking at Miss Ophia standing at the carriage door.

Throughout the journey, Luo Yan kept thinking about how to persuade Ophia to go back.

To his surprise, just as he was about to begin laying the groundwork, Miss Ophia took the initiative to bring it up—

She's planning to go home.

"Your Highness, this is enough for me. If you go any further, you'll have to come back with me." Standing at the carriage door, Ophia nodded slightly, a playful smile on her bright, sunny face.

"That's a very tempting offer, but unfortunately, I have something I have to do. I'll have to ask Miss Elliefit to take care of you."

“I will take good care of Miss Ophia, please rest assured to entrust her to me.” Miss Alice, standing next to Ophia, lifted her skirt and gave a slight bow.

Luo Yan nodded to her, then looked at Ophia and said with a smile.

"Remember to listen to Miss Elfit on the way, and don't cause her any more trouble."

"Understood, Your Highness... Please rest assured, the Miss Ophia standing before you is no longer the Ophia of the past."

Ophia gently brushed aside the golden hair that had fallen over her shoulder, a slight smile playing on her lips, her azure eyes sparkling with brilliance.

"Through this period of experience, I have come to a deep understanding of my own shortcomings. I once thought that with the bloodline bestowed upon me by the Castellion family and the magic I learned in the Academy, I would be able to cope with all kinds of changes on the continent of Os. It was not until the evil lurking in the shadows stood in front of me that I realized how ignorant and reckless I was. And as Miss Eileen said... as a Gold-level being, I am really too weak."

“No… Miss Ophia, that’s not what I meant.” Eileen raised her hand somewhat awkwardly, trying to explain that she had only said “that is indeed a bit late” out of spite.

However, Ophia merely glanced at her and said with a smile.

“I know, Miss Eileen, you meant no harm, and I don’t hold any prejudice against you because of it. On the contrary, I am grateful to you for making me realize my arrogance and haughtiness… Born in the Holy City, I have indeed been too lax in my extraordinary powers, failing the expectations of the Holy Light’s people.” After speaking, she raised her head and looked directly into Luo Yan’s eyes.

"And Your Highness, I have also failed to live up to your expectations."

Luo Yan coughed lightly and said.

"No, Ophia, you don't need to put so much pressure on yourself. Reaching the Gold level in two years is already very impressive."

“But it’s still not as good as Miss Eileen, is it? Besides… I’m always causing you trouble, and I don’t want it to stay like this.”

Ophia blinked gently and said in a carefree tone.

“If I continue to stay here as I am now, I will only become your weakness and burden. Therefore, I have decided to go to Thunder City University to continue my studies.”

A hint of surprise flashed in Luo Yan's eyes.

Ophia hadn't told him about this before, so he thought that when Ophia said she was going home, she meant going back to the Holy City.

So she really considers Thunder City her home!
"Go to Thunder City University? Does Duke Andrei know about this? If the Holy City investigates, your father will have a hard time explaining himself." Although he was very surprised, Luo Yan still spoke these words in a gentle voice.

Upon hearing her father's name, Ophia's lips curved into a smile.

"You don't need to worry about Duke Andrei. My father and I have agreed that I have two more years to be 'willful'."

Luo Yan did not inquire about the agreement.

The expectation in Ophia's eyes told him that this guy had probably already figured out how to cheat two years from now, and this clever trick of cheating probably even included her dear mentor.

However, that's all in the distant future. Perhaps by then, Prince Andrei himself will have forgotten about it.

After all, he is a very busy person.

Seeing that her beloved mentor did not respond, Ophia was not discouraged. She put away her joking expression and became serious.

"Of course, my going to Thunder City is not just for escape or for my own selfish reasons... It is a decision I made after careful consideration."

Ophia turned around and looked at the long steam train and the open fields connected by the tracks.

"During this time away from you, I plan to continue studying arcane magic with my dearest friend Ilana. While she is not as skilled in magic as I am, I can easily replicate the ideas she can only imagine but cannot realize."

"Not only that, we also need to combine 'arcane' with the airship's steam and magic power system! This is something we discussed when we visited the Alberto airship factory. She said she would wait for me at Thunder City University!"

Looking at Ophia's bright eyes, Luo Yan raised an eyebrow slightly.

"This is a remarkable project."

“But Ilana and I are confident we can accomplish it! Besides, we have you, don’t we? The founder of the scientific school stands with us, and I believe there is no difficulty we cannot overcome.”

Ophia looked at him with a smile and continued.

"Besides, you will go back someday. I don't believe you're going to stay here forever."

That's true—

Dusk Province is indeed not a place to stay for long. In fact, if Ophia hadn't suddenly come to Gravit Town, he probably would have returned to Colin Manor long ago.

But fate is full of coincidences.

This remains true even now.

No one expected that the gunfire in Roland City would ignite a full-scale war between the Empire and the Academy, and the Great Sage immediately released his allies from the Dimensional Desert, opening the gates of Brass Pass.

From this perspective, Novell's plan was half successful.

Things are developing in a direction that no one expected.

Just then, the train whistle suddenly sounded, a clear, long blast interrupting Ophelia's monologue.

"Thump—!"

Passengers on the platform quickened their pace to board the train.

Ophia also took a step back, lifted the hem of her azure skirt, and gave Luo Yan an impeccable ladylike bow.

Then, she turned her head and looked at Eileen, who had remained silent.

Two girls, each with a distinct temperament yet equally outstanding, met through the swirling steam.

“Miss Eileen.” Ophia suddenly laughed, a smile tinged with cunning and an unyielding will to win. “I’ll lend you my dear mentor for now. But don’t get too excited, I absolutely will not admit defeat.”

Faced with this sudden and straightforward declaration, Eileen was slightly taken aback at first, and then a soft shimmer appeared in her emerald green eyes.

“I accept your challenge. Also, I wish you a safe journey, Miss Ophia. I look forward to seeing the miracle you spoke of, and I truly believe that what you say is true... I believe that when that time comes, my surprise will be written all over my face.”

She and Ophia had no conflict.

On the contrary, Eileen actually admired her very much; beneath that sunny and cheerful smile lay a truly brave and resilient soul.

That is the courage to never back down no matter what difficulties one faces, and it is also the motto passed down through generations of the Campbell family.

After thinking it over, I realized that perhaps I was actually envious of her.

Seeing Eileen offer her a knightly salute, Ophia gracefully returned the salute of an imperial nobleman before turning away contentedly.

"Please look forward to our next meeting."

She stepped onto the train carriage using the footboard, and before the doors closed, she looked back at the two of them, leaving behind her final, resounding vow.

"I, Ophelia, will become a legend of the Castellón family! And this name will be passed down through generations, accompanied by incredible miracles!"

The car doors closed.

With the roar of the steam engine, the train slowly started, then gradually accelerated, leaving a long trail of white smoke as it pulled out of the Gravit train station.

Like other travelers reluctant to leave, Ophia remained by the window, leaning out to wave goodbye to Luo Yan, Eileen, and the others standing on the platform, until the crowded and shabby train station shrank into a black dot on the horizon.

Luo Yan watched the train disappear into the horizon until it became a tiny black dot before turning and leaving the platform.

……

Leaving behind the coal dust smell of the train station, the carriage traveled along the country roads outside Gravitt town back to the manor surrounded by spruce trees.

Although Luo Yan hadn't been away from home for too long, perhaps because of the many ups and downs he had experienced on the road, he felt a long-lost sense of familiarity when he saw the manor again.

The carriage passed through the open iron gate.

Just as Luo Yan got off the carriage and was about to walk towards the main building of the manor, he involuntarily stopped.

In the once quiet courtyard, two eye-catching luxury carriages were now parked.

One of the carriages bore the coat of arms of the Duchy of Campbell, while the other carriage prominently displayed the flag of the Ottoman Empire on its side.

Luo Yan raised his eyebrows, his gaze passing over the fountain in the courtyard and landing on the window of the main building of the manor.

Through the clear glass, he could clearly see a familiar face—

The visitor was none other than Eileen's brother, Archduke Edward, the monarch of Campbell!

Besides Edward, a man dressed in fine clothes sat beside him. He was about forty-five or forty-six years old, with a well-proportioned figure, and wore a well-tailored dark blue suit.

Although Luo Yan had never seen that face before, he figured that it must be the Empire's special envoy, Baron Adair Vincent!

Back in Thunder City, Sak Gale, an envoy of the Windhowl Clan, had a brief encounter with this imperial envoy.

“Eileen, it seems your brother is even more decisive than I expected.”

"My brother?"

Upon hearing Colin's voice, Eileen paused for a moment, then quickly noticed the carriage parked in the front courtyard, her face immediately showing surprise.

Why is he here?

Theresa's face also showed a look of surprise.

Clearly, neither of them had heard of this.

"I don't know, but I think it's probably about Huangtong Pass."

Luo Yan turned to look at Eileen and said in a gentle tone.

"You and Theresa go in first. I suddenly remembered that I still have some things left in the carriage, and I also need to go to the kitchen to explain the dinner menu. I'll be there in a bit."

"Okay, leave it to me."

Eileen nodded and led Theresa into the main building first, while Sarah stayed by Luo Yan's side to wait for orders.

Luo Yan did not walk towards the carriage, but instead walked along the side corridor to the corner of the side hall and stood there to wait.

Before long, he caught a fox-eared maid carrying an empty tea tray, who was walking carelessly down the corridor.

"Your Highness!? That's wonderful, you're finally back!" The moment the fox-eared maid saw Luo Yan, her face lit up with hope, as if she had seen a savior.

Luo Yan raised a finger to signal silence, then smiled and turned his gaze toward the living room.

Can you tell me what happened?

“Yes, Your Highness, you’ve returned just in time. Archduke Edward and Baron Adair arrived this morning, and they were wondering where you’d been…”

The fox-eared maid immediately launched into a rapid-fire recounting of everything that had happened.

As Luo Yan observed, the visitors were Archduke Edward and an envoy from the Empire. Their visit was indeed related to the matter of Brassgate.

However, to the surprise of the two important figures, the person they were visiting was not at the manor; instead, a lady named "Ya Ya Mitia" was in charge.

Edward wasn't too surprised that he had met Miss Yaya. The imperial envoy, however, looked suspicious. He clearly knew Baron Mitya, but couldn't recall that the man had a sister.

Fortunately, he and Baron Mitis were acquaintances, so he only had suspicions about Miss Yaya.

Even so, this nobleman from the Holy City still gave the unsuspecting young lady from Shanghai quite a fright, almost causing her to lose control of her tail hidden in the subspace.

Just when Spruce Manor was about to fall into a double crisis of diplomacy and social relations, the esteemed Miss Karen stepped forward and took charge of the situation in place of Miss Yaya as the "acting mistress".

Baron Adair clearly recognized Karen at a glance; she was the heretic wanted by St. Clement's Cathedral.

Even Edward showed a surprised expression.

He had heard about Karen's situation, but he never expected that Prince Colin would actually offer her refuge out of compassion... His sister hadn't mentioned this to him at all.

But the most incredible thing is right here.

Karen's excellent social skills and keen political acumen allowed Baron Adair to turn a blind eye to her existence.

Perhaps this nobleman from the Holy City also knew that with the Bronze Pass already breached, the only way to resist the invasion of the Chaos forces was through the unity of the local people.

Especially given the locals' poor impression of the empire, launching a rash attack would only push them further into the abyss of chaos.

He needs to leave a good impression on the locals—

The empire was not a unified whole; the only bad thing was St. Clement's Cathedral. As for the Senate, it still stood with the people of these remote borderlands.

At least in spirit.

The fox-eared maid vividly recounted what had happened, her bright eyes filled with heartfelt admiration.

Luo Yan could tell that Karen had done a lot of work with them during this time, and had probably already become close with the servants in the manor.

"As expected of your favorite student, Lord Demon King, she has almost mastered all your techniques." The milky-white ghost floated beside Luo Yan, speaking excitedly.

Luo Yan smiled and answered in his heart.

'Doesn't this just prove I have good taste?'

Youyou's abstract little face showed a surprised expression.

As expected of the Demon King!
If it remembered correctly, it was Taff who saved the person, but this guy immediately took credit for it.

After listening to the fox-eared maid's report, Luo Yan waved for her to leave, a smile of undisguised admiration playing on his lips.

Who would have thought that the village girl who was once driven to the brink of despair by a few pursuers could now navigate the social scene in Shanghai with ease, a scene that even the devils of the city couldn't handle?

Karen's growth far exceeded his expectations.

Now that the groundwork has been laid, it's time for the true owner of this manor to make his appearance.

Luo Yan straightened his collar, put the mask that belonged to "Prince Colin" back on his face, and then pushed open the wooden door and walked into the living room.

With the soft click of the door hinges turning, all eyes in the living room focused on his face.

Edward put down his teacup, Baron Adair sat up straight instinctively, and Mia's face showed surprise at seeing her savior.

As for Karen's eyes, they contained not only surprise, but also a hint of pride and an undisguised fervor and admiration.

And there's Vivian hiding upstairs.

If the living room hadn't been filled with unfamiliar faces, making it unsuitable for running wild, she probably would have already screamed and run downstairs.

Luo Yan smiled and looked around before naturally walking into the living room, which was a place where both the nobles of the Holy Light and the demons of the Magic City gathered.

With his arrival, this crucial meeting, which was destined to affect the fate of the entire continent of Os and to establish a united front against chaos, finally welcomed its true master.

"I apologize for keeping you both waiting. I wonder if the black tea from my estate suits your tastes?"

Seeing Prince Colin walking towards him, Edward smiled, stood up, and opened his arms to greet him.

"Haha! Colin! My dear friend, we've indeed been waiting for you for a long time!"

"If Miss Ya Ya hadn't said that Eileen had already gone to find you and would be back soon, I would have loved to go to Roland City to find you!"

(End of this chapter)