Diablo traveled through time and became a necromancer

Wu Ye never expected that the damn Baal would have such underhanded tricks up his sleeve! He's such a beast! Luckily, Skeleton Brother is quite sensitive to these auras, otherwise he really wouldn't have noticed.

The mountain totem in my hand suddenly felt hot.

"Hiss!!" Even Wu Ye, who had high fire resistance, felt the totem was extremely hot to the touch. He then flinched and threw the totem directly onto the infected altar.

Then Wu Ye heard a sound similar to oil splattering. If nothing unexpected happened, there was probably nothing more to it. Wu Ye had initially thought that Baal might send out some kind of demon king clone to cause trouble, but after a few barks, there was no further movement.

However, the Echoing Mountains totem disappeared from the ground like a red-hot iron ball entering the ice layer!

"Hey! My picture..." Wu Ye felt like he had just bought an ice cream cone on a hot summer day, dropped it on the ground, and then someone passing by stepped on it.

The ancestral altar, which originally had a strong demonic aura, now seemed to have been purified. A thin, bubble-like protective shield had formed around the ancestral altar, seemingly protecting the seal here.

"Young necromancer, thank you..." This was the echo Wu Ye heard in his mind as he felt regret, as if... as if the Arreat Mountains were speaking to him!

"It seems... the totem ran away on its own..." After confirming several times that there wouldn't be any further trouble, Wu Ye decided to head back. Now that things were over, he had no choice but to return. What else could he do? The ancestor wouldn't open the gate! He couldn't very well expect a lowly necromancer, not even level 60, to fight Baal one-on-one, could he?!

After figuring it out, Wu Ye tore open the scroll that allowed him to return to the city.

'Sizzle'

A blue portal filled with mysterious and arcane energy appeared in front of him. After looking around and finding no problems, he stepped into the portal.

Upon returning to Harrogath, they found the surroundings unchanged, with adventurers coming and going without stopping for Wu Ye's sudden appearance.

"Elder Wu, you're back!" Wu Ye looked up at the voice and saw Blake, who was guarding the teleportation array. Blake was from Lina's Mountain Fury tribe. Wu Ye had been so conspicuous when defending the ice wall that everyone who participated remembered him. Coupled with Wu Ye's identity as Elder Rogue, he was no ordinary person! After all, Rogue was a very important place, known as the 'newbie village'.

Wu Ye rubbed his hands, which were numb from the cold, and looked at Blake's honest smile. The annoyance he felt over the loss of the totem faded a little.

"Blake, do you know where Lina is in town? I need to report back to her."

Blake scratched his head and replied gruffly, "Elder Wu, Miss Lina said this morning that she was going to the quartermaster to check the tribe's supply list. I reckon she's still at the market. If you walk east along the central avenue, the tent with the bear head shield is the Mountain Fury tribe's temporary camp. You might run into her there."

Wu Ye nodded his thanks and turned to walk east. The wind and snow in Harrogath were still fierce, and the barbarian warriors on the street were wrapped in thick furs, occasionally casting a respectful glance—after all, the names of "Elder Rogue" and "Master of the Skeleton Sea" had spread throughout the city after the siege.

They hadn't gone far when they saw the familiar bear-head tent. Lina and several tribal warriors were checking the supplies on the parchment scrolls. Hearing footsteps, she looked up, her icy blue eyes instantly lighting up: "Elder Wu! You're back!"

Wu Ye took a few steps closer and briefly explained the process of the offering. At the end, he added with a slight apology, "The offering was completed, and the Frost Vein Ice Core was placed according to the ritual. It's a pity that the Mountain Echo Totem was used to purify the altar, and it's probably not coming back." Actually, Wu Ye only asked about it later. The old shaman was from the Mountain Fury tribe.

Lina waved her hand dismissively, took out a small leather bag from her bosom and handed it over: "You have helped us accomplish the most important task. This totem has been guarded by the Mountain Fury tribe for generations, and it is wonderful that it can be of use now. This is 'Frostfire Jerky' that the tribe just roasted. It's something to eat on the road. It's just a small token of my appreciation."

After thanking Lina, Wu Ye didn't dare to delay and headed straight for the command post in the city center. Quarkek was standing in front of the sand table. Seeing him enter, a smile appeared on his bronze face: "Kid, you've finally decided to come back? I thought you were going to chat with your ancestors on the mountain until next spring." Wu Ye smiled wryly and recounted in detail the loss of the totem, the purification of the altar, and the echoing of the mountains, especially emphasizing the insidious nature of Baal's aura and the formation of the protective shield.

After listening, Quarkek slammed his fist heavily on the edge of the sand table, making the small flags rattle. "That bastard Baal, he really won't stop! But... the altar can purify itself and even generate a protective shield, so it can be considered a blessing in disguise." A fierce glint flashed in his eyes. "You did the right thing. Come back and report first. This matter needs to be seen by Lady Mara. She understands these things and might be able to discover something from the changes in the altar."

Wu Ye agreed and hurried to Mara's treatment center in the west of the city. Pushing open the door, the fresh scent of herbs wafted out. Mara was tending to a wounded soldier. Seeing him enter, she straightened up and used her holy light to examine him: "Child, you still have the lingering aura of Baal's hatred on you. Are you alright?" Wu Ye shook his head and explained in detail about the altar's anomaly and the protective shield, finally mentioning the echo from the mountains—"It's like the Arreat Mountains are speaking to me, saying 'thank you.'"

Priestess Mara's expression grew increasingly solemn. She walked to the window, gazing at the still-burning flames on the distant ice wall: "The Echoing Mountains totem is connected to the very essence of the mountains. Its ability to actively purify pollution indicates that Baal's erosion has reached the very foundation of the mountains. This protective shield... may be a scheme devised by the spirits of our ancestors using the power of the totem, temporarily sealing the breach, but it is by no means a long-term solution." She turned and took a crystal bottle from the cabinet, pouring out a drop of golden liquid. "This is 'Essence of the Holy Mountain.' Carry it with you; it will resist some of the evil energy's erosion. Tomorrow, come with me to the altar; perhaps we can reinforce the protective shield."

Wu Ye accepted the essence, feeling slightly relieved. As he left the treatment center, dusk was approaching; the wind and snow had lessened, and the bonfires on the street burned even brighter. He touched the attendant's gem in his pocket, then remembered that Skeleton Brother and the High Priest were still resting at the inn, so he headed towards the Icefield Inn. Passing the central square, several adventurers recognized him, shouting "Elder Wu Ye!" Their voices, mixed with the wind and snow, carried a strange warmth.

Back in the inn room, Skeleton was polishing his greatsword, while the High Priest was dozing off, clutching the Ben Harrogath Gazetteer. Wu Ye was still a little bothered by the totem's sudden escape earlier that day. Skeleton's empty eye sockets turned to him, his jaw opening and closing: "Next time you encounter this totem, I'll help you catch it." The High Priest shook his small hand beneath his white priest's robes and chuckled: "Master, next time I'll use holy light to suck the totem out for you, I promise it won't burn your hand!"

Wu Ye chuckled and patted the High Priest's head. Outside the window, the lights of Harrogath flickered in the wind and snow, much like the indomitable spirit of Sanctuary. He knew that Baal's conspiracy was far from over, but at least for now, he had brought back crucial information, buying this frozen city a much-needed respite.