“Alright, Uncle Derek, you should get going.”
Knowing that Uncle Derek was still busy, Buzhaqi had no intention of continuing their conversation.
After waving goodbye to him, Buzhaqi continued leading Theodore and her three companions toward the large stronghold.
They were looking for Lutherch, so there was no need to enter through the main gate with Derek.
Sage Lutherch’s Mage Tower was located near the side gate, which was quite a distance from the direction Derek was headed.
“Hey, Theodore, Sage Lutherch… he wouldn’t happen to be *that* one, would he?”
Marcus, who had been silent for a moment, suddenly asked.
He vaguely remembered hearing the elders of his tribe say that the strongest humans were Sages or something similar…
That was an existence comparable to the Great Artisan God!
“I think so…”
Theodore said, sounding a bit uncertain.
Although she had never seen Grandpa Lutherch fight, she felt deep down that he was very powerful.
She could faintly sense that the power within his body was no weaker than that of the Great Artisan God.
Since everyone called him a Sage, then he must be one.
Marcus fell silent once more, the shock in his heart continuing to churn.
‘I didn’t expect the Church to be this strong already…’
Aside from the Pope, whose strength was unpredictable, the Church actually possessed a Sage with power comparable to the Great Artisan God.
It could be said that while their low-level forces might be inferior to their tribe, the top-tier strength of the Church far exceeded them.
Furthermore, the Church might possess other terrifying entities! Otherwise, how could they have established a foothold for Lightforce in this land shrouded by the Black Mist?
It wasn’t just Marcus who was shocked; Fagreim’s expression was also very solemn.
“Hmm? Is something wrong?”
Noticing that the four behind him had gone silent and stopped talking, Buzhaqi asked with some confusion.
“How much longer until we get there?”
Theodore asked, her voice tinged with urgency.
While Marcus and the other two were shocked by the Church’s power, she was desperate to see Grandpa Lutherch and ask for another bottle of goat milk.
Nothing compared to her precious goat milk!
Hearing Theodore’s words, Buzhaqi couldn’t help but chuckle.
“We’re almost there. Look, that light over there is it.”
As he spoke, Buzhaqi pointed in a certain direction.
Everything was extremely difficult to see within the Black Mist.
They couldn’t see clearly where Buzhaqi was pointing, but they could see a faint, hazy glow appearing within the thick mist.
Now, Barak and Marcus also grew eager.
After experiencing the stark difference between the Land of Light and the Black Mist, they didn’t want to stay in this mist for a single second longer!
Sensing their urgency, Buzhaqi smiled and quickened his pace.
He had already sent Naar back ahead of them to deliver the news, so Sage Lutherch would likely be waiting at the gate.
As they drew closer, the light became clearer.
Finally, the area before them brightened, revealing a divine radiance even more massive and holy than the previous stronghold.
The wooden fences here had been replaced by stone walls, appearing towering and grand within the light.
Sage Lutherch was currently standing at the side gate, watching Theodore and the other four with a hint of interest.
“Sage Lutherch, they’ve arrived,” the knight beside him said immediately upon seeing Buzhaqi’s figure appear in the distance.
Lutherch nodded and took the initiative to walk toward them.
“Grandpa Lutherch, I’m back!”
Theodore shouted from afar the moment she saw him.
She even sprinted past Buzhaqi, running straight toward Lutherch.
“Theodore!”
Fagreim tried to grab her, but he missed.
Watching her run off, he shook his head helplessly.
Watching Theodore rush toward Lutherch at extreme speed, Buzhaqi simply wore a “just as I expected” smile.
Gelifende hadn’t lied to him; Sage Lutherch and this Dwarf girl really did have a good relationship.
“Grandpa Lutherch… can I still have…”
Theodore reached Lutherch, but though she wanted to say it, she didn’t quite dare.
After fidgeting for a long time, she simply looked at him expectantly with wide eyes.
Seeing her like this, Lutherch let out two hearty laughs and waved his hand.
A knight behind him immediately trotted forward and respectfully handed a bottle of goat milk to Lutherch.
“Here. I knew you’d come back, so I prepared this specifically for you. Drink it while it’s hot.”
Lutherch spoke softly as he reached out to affectionately pat the felt hat on her head.
He straightened her goggles and then placed the bottle of goat milk into her hands.
Theodore took the milk, but she didn’t open it to drink immediately.
Instead, she looked up sharply at Lutherch’s face.
Compared to the last time, in just one day, Lutherch seemed to have aged significantly, and even his voice sounded a bit weak.
“Grandpa Lutherch… you…”
Theodore looked at him with confusion and worry.
‘He was so energetic last time…’
An indistinct sense of unease rose within her.
“It’s nothing. I’ve just been a bit tired lately.”
Lutherch shook his head and smiled at her.
Theodore had noticed something, but he certainly couldn’t reveal his true condition.
His status still carried a certain amount of deterrent power.
Although she still had some doubts, Theodore’s attention quickly shifted to the bottle in her hands.
She gently uncorked it, and the mellow aroma of goat milk immediately wafted out.
She swallowed hard, took a glance at Marcus and the other two who were still some distance away, and began to drink impatiently.
*Gulp, gulp.*
‘I can’t let Marcus and the others find out about this! I’m keeping it all for myself!’
When Marcus and the others stepped into the range of the large stronghold, the foul stench of the Black Mist was instantly washed away.
Following that was a sweet scent that constantly teased their nerves… goat milk!
Fagreim managed to restrain himself, but Marcus and Barak stared directly at the bottle in Theodore’s hands.
One didn’t need to guess to know that the goat milk was in that bottle!
The mellow aroma was like a physical hook, instantly capturing the hearts and minds of Marcus and Barak.
Barak sniffed, trying to pull all the fragrance into his lungs.
His eyes were locked onto the bottle in Theodore’s hand, which was already more than half empty, and his Adam’s apple bobbed uncontrollably.
That sweet scent was something he hadn’t tasted in a very long time.
It felt as if he had been transported back to his childhood; it carried a soul-cleansing warmth that dispelled the coldness of the Black Mist that had seeped into his bones over the years.
“Theodore…”
Barak’s voice was filled with extreme longing.
He was on the verge of rushing over to her.
“Give… give me a sip! Just one sip!”
Though he was still a short distance away, Barak felt as if the goat milk was right in front of him, as if he could taste it at any moment.
“Don’t even think about it!”
Hearing Barak’s voice, Theodore quickly hid behind Lutherch, clutching the bottle tightly to her chest and glaring at him warily.
‘This guy is so shameless!’
With a ring of white milk residue still on her upper lip, Theodore made a face at Barak.
“This is mine! None of you can have any!”
She lifted her chin triumphantly and quickly took two more large gulps, fearing it would be snatched away.
Although Marcus wasn’t as undignified as Barak, the longing in his eyes was equally fervent.
He rubbed his nose, trying his best to suppress his internal impulses, and asked in a low, muffled voice, “Theodore… is there any more?”
They hadn’t tasted the flavor of goat milk in a very long time.
While ale was indeed the favorite drink of the Dwarf Tribe, goat milk was even more popular!
Theodore paused, then looked toward Lutherch.
If he could produce one bottle, he could certainly produce a second.
However, she wanted to keep it all for herself!
Seeing through her little scheme, Lutherch laughed helplessly.
He tweaked Theodore’s small nose and then looked at Marcus.
“I still have more here.”
Marcus and Barak’s eyes instantly lit up, but before they could say anything, Fagreim spoke first.
“Sage Lutherch, can we obtain goat milk through trade?”
Lutherch looked at Fagreim with a hint of approval and nodded.
His purpose in doing this was precisely to get the Dwarf Tribe to provide assistance.
“Of course. Not only that, but we can also provide brewing materials and some ore resources.”
After speaking, Lutherch waved his hand again.
Another knight walked over carrying an iron box wrapped in wool.
Lutherch then used his shepherd’s staff to flip open the box.
The lid flew up, and a black crystal jumped out, landing in Lutherch’s hand.
With just one glance, Fagreim felt his head throb.
This crystal… carried Corruption!
“This kind of crystal… was it also mined from the southern vein?”
Fagreim rubbed his forehead, his tone solemn.
If it really was mined there, it meant that extremely severe Corruption still remained in that place.
“Yes.”
Receiving Lutherch’s confirmation, Fagreim’s body trembled, and he instinctively looked toward the knights standing near the Sage.
Marcus and Barak also wore expressions of alarm and suspicion.
Although they cared about the goat milk, this matter also piqued their curiosity.
If severe Corruption remained there, it would be impossible for anyone who hadn’t condensed a core to come into close contact with it!
And those who could condense a core were generally the main pillars of a faction; they wouldn’t be sent to perform mining tasks.
Seeing through their thoughts, Lutherch explained with a smile, “Those who possess Lightforce naturally have a certain level of resistance to Corruption.”
“But… mining this kind of crystal clearly isn’t something that can be done with just ‘a certain level of resistance’!”
Marcus couldn’t help but say.
They could see that the people of the Light Church generally had some resistance, but it was far from enough!
“Don’t worry. They can handle mining on the exterior. As for entering the deeper layers to mine these Strange Crystals…”
Lutherch reached into his robes and pulled out a stone that emitted a faint golden glow.
“…this is required.”
The moment he saw the stone, Fagreim’s pupils constricted.
That was a Brightstone!