Chapter 40

This is a war hidden in the darkness, dark, silent, yet intense.

From the outside, the cold, old mansion seemed no different, but only the occasional flash of light from the windows revealed that things were not as calm as they appeared.

A flash of starlight.

The white sword blade whistled forward, the howling sword wind sweeping away the broken debris, and the crimson flames followed, growing more intense with the help of the wind. The evil spirits that emerged from the walls and floor were completely devoured before they could even launch an attack, leaving nothing but charred marks.

Rod and the Flame Killer's cooperation became increasingly默契. This mission was not just for Lijie to hone her skills, but also for Rod to refine his coordination with his summoned creatures. After all, summoning cards are ever-changing, and the three cards Rod now held were items he had never owned in the game. Although there were similar supplements, the characteristics of both sides still had differences, so it was necessary to quickly adjust and refine. The previous battle against Serek was a good example; the final result could be considered a draw. If Rod had been more familiar with the Flame Killer's skills and not just relied on his inherent experience to command, he might have had the upper hand.

Unfortunately, there are no "ifs," but it's not too late to make up for it now.

Rod retracted his sword, and the evil spirits, sensing an opportunity, swarmed forward. But soon, the black hound blocked their path, its sharp claws and flames filling the gap left by Rod's retreat.

One advance, one retreat, perfectly timed.

The flames swept over again, enveloping the evil spirits. These lowest-level evil spirits were not even as strong as the wraiths in the Mist Ruins, making them perfect for combat practice.

Close to Rod, Lijie's face was serious. Her right hand waved continuously, and beams of light descended from the sky, striking the evil spirits like heavy hammers. It must be said that the young spirit master's learning ability was indeed strong. In less than an hour, she had already mastered the skills and started to learn how to adjust the strength, intensity, and speed.

However, Rod knew this was just a temporary measure. Although power has no inherent good or evil, it still needs to be defined. Just like a stone, it only has meaning in the world when it is called a "stone." The same applies to magic incantations; the ancient language not only passed down mysterious knowledge but also defined and explored the mysterious itself. Water is water, ice is ice, but if water is treated as ice or ice as water, the results would not be good.

Lijie is currently at such a stage. Not yet at level ten, she has no chance to learn offensive holy spells like the Sword of Judgment, but this does not mean her abilities will be wasted. The angelic bloodline can compensate for the weakening of power due to "undefined characteristics," and in the long run, it is a good choice to let Lijie adapt to the rhythm of attack early.

"Stay focused, pay attention to the rhythm. The evil spirits are not fast, but you need to be cautious about your safety. Among the undead, many are skilled at ranged attacks, for example... to the left!"

Rod suddenly grabbed Lijie's collar and pulled her away. At the same time, a greenish light arrow grazed the girl's body and embedded itself in the wall. Looking up, they saw several skeletons standing in the dark corridor, holding rusty iron bows and arrows, coldly aiming at their prey. The soul's light flickered in the empty eye sockets.

Sure enough, they came.

Rod gripped his long sword. It was impossible for mere evil spirits to keep this old house abandoned for so long. The city of Deepstone was not short of strong individuals, and even a Shining Swordsman could clear it alone. But this house was not that simple... and now, the real trouble was beginning.

"Lijie, raise the shield!"

Rod said, raising his long sword and pointing forward with his left hand. Upon receiving Rod's command, the Flame Killer immediately rushed forward, breaking through the evil spirits' encirclement and charging straight at the skeleton archers.

"Whoosh!!"

The greenish arrows shot out again, but with the Guardian Shield deployed, they could only graze the golden barrier and pose no real threat.

Rod deflected his long sword, dispersing the evil spirits around him, then grabbed Lijie's hand.

"Follow me, and be careful to protect yourself."

Without waiting for Lijie's response, Rod led her out of the evil spirits' encirclement and ran toward the staircase on the left.

After another round of arrow rain, the black hound had already reached the skeleton archers. Its fiery silhouette was clearly visible in the dark corridor.

As a ranged unit, the skeleton archers posed little danger at close range. Before they could prepare, the black hound pounced, knocking them to the ground and quickly scattering them, eliminating the threat. Those who managed to retreat were met with a second wave of attacks before they could launch another assault.

Third floor.

Rod climbed the stairs, hearing the distant barking and the sound of flames behind him. He knew the Flame Killer couldn't hold out for long, and the "thing" that sensed his intrusion would become more frenzied as the danger approached. But it didn't matter; after all, summoned spirits could come back to life as long as his soul power was sufficient.

"Sir, you're not planning to burn this place down, are you?"

Lijie, amidst her busy schedule, turned back to look at the slowly burning flames and black smoke in the corridor, asking with concern.

"Don't worry, I won't destroy this place. It's our base, after all..."

At this point, Rod suddenly stopped speaking and raised his long sword.

"Whoosh!!"

A chaotic sword wind whistled past, and a massive two-handed sword swung down, striking Rod's sword and pushing his thin body into the wall. Although the already rotten wall absorbed the impact, it still caused Rod to sink deeply into it.

"Attack!"

As soon as Rod spoke, Lijie, who was hiding behind him, immediately extended her hand. Soon, a white beam of light descended from the sky, striking the undead creature that suddenly appeared at the staircase, blocking their path. Unlike the previous evil spirits, this undead creature was not easy to deal with. After being hit by Lijie, it only retreated a few steps and did not disintegrate like the others. However, a disturbing hole appeared in its shrunken, withered skull.

Only then did they see the enemy clearly.

It was a towering man, nearly two meters tall, with no flesh left on his body. His grayish skin covered his thick bones, and he wore armor that was now unrecognizable, wielding a massive sword. Lijie's sudden attack made it loosen its grip, and it roared and retreated, as the holy power was not something the undead, forcibly brought back to life, could withstand.

"This is..."

"It's a corpse... I'll go first, watch the sides."

Rod swung his sword forcefully, deflecting the massive sword, then moved lightly, jumping onto the staircase railing and leaping up. His long sword flipped and turned, aiming straight for the giant's chest.

Just as Rod was about to deliver the final blow, a long sword suddenly appeared from the side and swung down. It turned out that someone was quietly lurking around the corner of the wall, and only when Rod appeared did he launch a surprise attack, trying to strike from the side. At the same time, the undead in front of Rod roared and lunged at him with open arms. This "kill a thousand, lose eight hundred" tactic was impossible for humans, but the undead had no such concerns.

Facing the charging undead, Rod remained calm. He turned his right hand, and the sword, shimmering with starlight, suddenly emitted ripples like flowing water.

Blade Skill, activated.

Just as the undead's hand grabbed Rod's shoulder, his long sword cut through the left shoulder without any resistance. Under the influence of the Blade Skill, the already sharp blade cut through the rough, dry skin and hard bones, slicing the tall undead's left side like paper. The severed arm fell to the ground, no longer posing any threat.

At this moment, the long sword from the other side also reached Rod.

Seeing the scene, Lijie's heart raced with tension. In fact, when the hidden figure attacked Rod, the girl following him had already seen him, but before she could warn Rod, the sword was already at his ear, and in just two more seconds, the rusty sword could have cut off Rod's head.

But at this moment, Rod made an unexpected move.

After cutting through the enemy's body, he did not retreat. Instead, he leaned to the side, as if losing his balance, and crashed into the opponent's chest. The sword that should have cut off Rod's head missed its target.

The stench of the corpse made Rod hesitate, but he quickly regained his composure, gritted his teeth, and used his shoulder to push the large creature to the side. Then, without stopping, he swung his long sword forward.

The moonlight blade swept through the air, accompanied by a whistling sound.

The undead's body paused.

Their movements stopped, standing still, and then, as dark lines spread from the withered corpses, the decaying bodies finally disintegrated.

"Phew..."

Standing up from the pile of corpses, Rod patted the dust and grease off his shoulders and waved away the stench around his nose. In the game, there was no such detailed simulation of smell, and now, experiencing it firsthand, Rod finally understood the description in the data that "corpses have a strong stench" was indeed accurate... It seemed he would have to throw away his clothes when he returned.

"We continue forward."

PS: For the series of issues with today's update, I have nothing to say but "Qidian, you b*tch" and ask the sky for mercy... Also, everyone, please give more recommendations...

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