Chapter 352 350-Contact with Luther
As Ethan gazed upon the familiar sensation emanating from the red luminescent spikes, a sense of foreboding washed over him.
These spikes, he realized, bore the essence of Elida.
This was her doing; she had implanted these light spikes into Luther's body during their integration.
What was Elida's true intention?
Ethan recalled how Elida had burrowed into each cabin, forming some connection with every miner.
Could it be that she had embedded these red spikes into each of their bodies as well?
But why then, had only Luther managed to expel them from his system?
Ethan was desperate to uncover the truth behind these events.
However, he dared not use the Power of Soul to communicate with Luther.
Herman's cultivation was immeasurably profound; evading his detection would be impossible.
Despite the risks, Ethan knew he had no choice but to try.
Approaching the Magic Circle using the Power of Soul, he felt waves of fluctuation emanating from it.
But the moment he touched the Magic Circle, it vibrated at an extremely low frequency.
Ethan understood that if he insisted on delving deeper into the Magic Circle with his Power of Soul, Herman would undoubtedly be alerted.
With this realization, Ethan hastily withdrew his Power of Soul.
His face etched with worry, he pondered over alternative ways to establish contact with Luther.
Luther was surely trapped in the camp, seeking ways to save himself.
Ethan wanted to lend a hand – not only to assist Luther but also to successfully acquire the divine crystal.
Then, an idea struck him like a bolt of lightning –
"Ah, I've got it!"
Wraith Magic, something he had recently learned from the Wraith Cult.
He began to recite the incantation:
"Souls hidden beneath the earth, the fortunate shall be chosen by the God of Wraith. To serve the Lord of Wraith is your greatest glory."
Waves of holy light began to ripple around Ethan.
A crack formed in the earth, from which emerged the eerie, snow-white bones of a creature.
Before long, these bones reassembled themselves into the form of a skeletal tiger in front of Ethan.
The tiger knelt, signaling its submission to him.
Ethan directed the skeletal tiger towards the Magic Circle.
Perhaps owing to the frailty of the creature or the lifelessness of the Magic Circle, the tiger passed through unobstructed and made its way towards Luther.
Under the moonlight, the sight of a skeletal tiger running across the ground was enough to terrify the faint-hearted.
Yet, the instigator of this scene chuckled mirthfully from atop a tree, having discovered yet another use for Wraith Magic.
Wraiths, beings teetering on the boundary between life and death, were perfectly suited for penetrating Magic Circles or overcoming various prohibitions.
The sound of the skeletal tiger's steps reached Luther's ears.
He stood up without hesitation, his muscles tensed as if ready to unleash his full force on the creature at any second.
Suddenly, the tiger's jaw moved strangely, yet a voice resonated directly in Luther's mind. "Luther, do you remember me?"
"Who's there?" Luther's eyes darted around, filled with aggression. "Ethan, is that you?"
His gaze snapped to the skeletal tiger, his heart shouting in surprise. "Ethan, is this skeletal tiger you?"
His tone was laced with a mix of astonishment and the excitement of finding hope in a seemingly hopeless situation.
"Of course not, it's just a skeleton I'm controlling."
The tiger lay on the ground, its mouth continuing to move bizarrely.
"Let's not dwell on that," Luther hastily responded, foregoing further inquiries. "Can you help me?"
"First, explain to me what exactly is going on in this camp," Ethan insisted, his tone growing more stern.
"You really are nearby, aren't you?" Luther said, his voice tinged with realization.
"I sensed the energy fluctuations from Herman and his companions earlier. I knew someone had arrived, but I couldn't spot any unfamiliar faces among the crew. It struck me as odd."
Ethan, intensifying his voice, pressed further: "Quickly, tell me everything about this place."
Luther licked his dry, cracked lips, his eyes flickering fiercely: "Then listen closely. This place is known as the divine crystal mining mountain, currently under the occupation of the Thousand-Faced Demon Spider."
Ethan, frowning in confusion, asked, "The Thousand-Faced Demon Spider? Where is it? Wasn't it cleared out by the Bernie family?"
"Hah," Luther scoffed, "The Bernie family struck a deal with the Thousand-Faced Demon Spider. They supply it with pure-blooded humans, and in return, the Thousand-Faced Demon Spider hands over a tenth of the divine crystals harvested by the miners to the Bernie family."
Ethan's pupils constricted sharply.
He hadn't expected Herman's claim of only taking a tenth to be true; it's just that the tenth went to the Bernie family, while the rest belonged to the Thousand-Faced Demon Spider.
Noticing Ethan's silence, Luther didn't give him a chance to process this information.
He continued transmitting his thoughts: "I haven't seen the Thousand-Faced Demon Spider yet, but Herman and his associates are closely tied to it, especially Elida. She seems to have received the true teachings of the Thousand-Faced Demon Spider. Her seductive behavior was a ploy to implant us with Demonkin during our interactions."
Demonkin – Ethan immediately thought of those red light spikes.
"Anyone implanted with Demonkin is controlled, their consciousness erased, doomed to a life of slavery in the mines."
Ethan, driven by curiosity, couldn't help but ask, "How have you managed to stay lucid amidst all this?"
"Hah, such petty tricks are useless against a swordsman," Luther responded with a scoff. "My swordheart is clear and unburdened by any impurities. The moment I detected those things, I expelled them from my body. That's how I've managed to retain my sanity and seek a way out."
Ethan raised an eyebrow, impressed by Luther's formidable strength.
Swordheart – a crucial milestone on the path to becoming a Sword Master.
The very moment Luther nurtured his swordheart, he met the stringent criteria required for divine ascension.
No wonder Luther was so confident about entering the Deityforsaken Land without undergoing the Adrien family's scrutiny.
"May I ask a few questions?"
Luther glanced around warily, attuned to every rustle of grass and gust of wind.
Frowning slightly, he knew that time was of the essence and it wasn't the moment for inquiries.
Yet, to gain Ethan's assistance, he resignedly said, "Ask, but be quick. Dawn is approaching."
Ethan looked up, noticing the first light of dawn painting the sky.
Unbeknownst to him, daybreak had already started to creep in.
"My first question: What exactly is Elida doing inside those cabins?"
"The pure-blooded humans here serve a dual purpose," Luther explained. "Not only are we miners, but we also act as vessels for absorbing divine crystal energy. Elida enters the cabins to extract the absorbed divine crystal power from us and then implants Demonkin in each miner."
Ethan felt a wave of horror wash over him.
The revelations about the camp were far more sinister than he had imagined.
The miners were not just laborers but also containers for absorption.
No wonder they spent all their time post-mining in the cabins, fervently practicing – they were absorbing divine crystal energy.
The Thousand-Faced Demon Spider was truly terrifying, enslaving the human race and extracting every ounce of their worth.
"Second question: Why didn't Herman notice when you entered his room the other day?"
"I've been curious about that myself," Luther replied.
"But here's what I've figured out, and it's also why I'm certain about the close ties between Herman's trio and the Thousand-Faced Demon Spider. On nights of the full moon, they cease all life activities. As long as the disturbance isn't too excessive, they won't be awakened."
"I suspect that during these times, Herman and his companions are either absorbing divine crystal energy or transferring it to the Thousand-Faced Demon Spider. They can't afford to be disturbed, but they're also unable to do anything else."
Ethan blinked, deep in thought.
The Thousand-Faced Demon Spider, a creature he had never heard of before.
Yet, spiders do enter a certain state while feeding, becoming motionless.
"Any more questions?" Luther's anxious voice broke through, "I need to get back."
Ethan's eyes flickered. The behavior of the other miners in the camp, even that of Herman's trio, seemed predictable. The only true enigma was Luther.
"My third question: Why are you so exceptional within this camp?"
Luther's voice abruptly cut off, and a strange silence fell between them.
Ethan's lips curved into a slight smirk, his eyes gleaming with intrigue.
Luther's silence confirmed Ethan's suspicions.
He must have ventured deep into the divine crystal mining mountain in search of some priceless treasure, underestimating the dangers that lay within and trapping himself in the process.
Yet, he was slightly better off than the other miners, still able to move freely within the mining mountain.
Luther exhaled deeply, a heavy sigh escaping his lips.
Abruptly, he stripped off his shirt, revealing his back. "Can you see my back?" he asked.
"Tilt your body a bit," Ethan responded calmly, his eyebrows slightly raised.
Luther complied, turning to expose his smooth back to Ethan.
As Ethan gazed upon it, he leaned back slightly, a flicker of shock crossing his face.
There, on Luther's back, was the distinct image of a spider.
The pattern was incredibly vivid, resembling a living spider perched on Luther's back, its legs wrapping tightly around his waist like a sinister embrace.
Luther let out a bitter chuckle, his voice low and somber: "You see it now, don't you? This is why I have certain privileges."
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