Shepherd Tantra

Chapter 1172 Honest Afshin
Aiwass reached out and touched the petrified Lord of Good, his fingertips emitting a glow that purified the curse.

His face was full of pity, but this emotion did not come from the petrified good Lord.

As Aiwass touched the statue, the scaly debris peeled off, revealing pieces of flesh.

The originally grayish-white stone statue gradually gained color.

——But at this moment, Aiwass suddenly stopped the treatment. It was like an operation that was stopped halfway through.

But at this moment, the good master of Rock Cellar City had regained some of his sanity.

His face showed a distorted look of horror, like a person who was slowed down several times or dozens of times, trying his best to avoid a poisonous snake approaching him. In the end, not only did he fail to avoid it, but the poisonous snake also crawled onto his limbs. When he looked at the poisonous snake wrapped around his limbs and gradually approaching his heart, he had a similar expression.

He tried hard to move his limbs and break free from the petrification, but he couldn't do it at all.

Some of the good master's joints were petrified and could not bend. His limbs, which were subconsciously exerting force, made a creaking sound, and his joints made a teeth-grinding cracking sound. His Adam's apple, which was still partially petrified, unconsciously let out an inhuman roar: "I... help... my life..."

Different from the solidification of Eagle Point Village.

The petrification curse brought by the good Lord of Paradise City does not mean the freezing of time. The petrified people can still clearly realize that they are petrified, but they cannot move and can only maintain this posture and fall into a chaotic sleep... until the end of time.

——It’s more like “sleeping” than “pausing”.

And I am sleeping in a nightmare from which I cannot wake up...

For some reason, Aiwass suddenly thought of Amber at that moment.

Because of the severe pain of bent bones and torn muscles, the fat man quickly woke up.

Although the good rulers are cruel and bloodthirsty, they are by no means stupid, and can even be said to be intelligent - they may be tyrants, but they can never be incompetent rulers.

After all, the power of these good masters was inherited from the forbidden magicians, who were also from the Tower of Babel. Taboo magic was once a type of magic. Being able to master these forbidden magics was enough to prove that their brains were very useful.

Moreover, many benefactors also work part-time as ritualists, as ritual spells also require long-term learning, adaptable wisdom, and rich associative and imaginative abilities - this naturally includes Afshin, the benefactor of Rock Cellar City.

The ritual paintings in the palace were made by him personally.

That's why he placed it where everyone could see it... On the one hand, it was to show off his authority to kill at will, and on the other hand, it was to demonstrate his wisdom and artistic accomplishment.

And at this moment, he had just regained consciousness and instantly understood everything - why he was in this state, where this curse came from, what kind of power the person in front of him had... and why he only stopped the treatment halfway through.

——This is extortion. You can also say it is kidnapping.

"Save me...honorable and great priest! Please save me! I am willing to pay any price!"

The good master immediately begged for mercy with a humble and respectful attitude: "Whether it is gold or jewelry, spices or fish sauce...or slaves, power or lost knowledge, as long as it is what you want, I can give it to you! No matter what kind of wealth it is, I am willing to give it to you! Even this palace, you can take away everything you want!

"I am Afshin, 'Honest Afshin'! Everyone knows that I am an honest person... If you don't believe me, you can remove the seal from anyone from the outside and ask him if I will keep my promise! Please, please be magnanimous and save me!"

The words of the good Lord Afshin are quite coherent.

He first showed a submissive attitude, then pointed out that the price he could offer was everything, and then pointed out his reputation of "keeping his word"... This level of reaction and performance in just two or three seconds was enough to prove that he was indeed a talent.

And Aiwass just looked at him and gave a gentle smile: "Okay."

A look of delight appeared on the face of the good Lord Afshin.

Aiwass then added: "In this case, I will ask for some knowledge."

"Please tell me, benefactor!" The benefactor Afshin had an innocent and simple expression on his face, his black and shiny eyes were as bright as stars, but his voice was rough and hoarse: "No matter what kind of knowledge it is, as long as I have it and as long as I can get it, I am willing to give it to you!"

"You certainly have, Lord Afshin."

Aiwass smiled, "I want the knowledge to be a good master."

Hearing this, the smile on Afshin's face froze instantly.

But that was only for a moment - after his sneer, he immediately showed a more enthusiastic smile, and said in a hoarse voice that was constantly breaking with flattery: "Of course - no problem! Not only will I personally teach you everything about becoming a good lord, but I will also do my best to help you build or occupy a city-state! All you need is for you to save me..."

"That's not urgent, sir. Please tell me the relevant knowledge first."

The friendly smile on Aiwass's face did not change at all: "Please believe me too - I am Aiwass, Aiwass Moriarty. If you don't know this name... then if I mention 'the only human being who has become the Eternal Pope', would you be more familiar with it?
“I think my name is credible enough. Even if it takes a little time... no matter what physical problems or hidden dangers you have, I can cure them all.

"——Just like I can dispel the curse cast by the sixth-level Adil."

Aiwas's words were almost the same as what Good Lord Afshin had said before.

But upon hearing this, Afshin's face showed a fearful and complicated expression.

He let out a monster-like wail from his partially petrified throat, begging for mercy: "Only this, only this... Please change your request! I will do anything!"

"Why not?"

Aiwass just calmly asked back: "Is it because you have made a vow not to teach it to others? Or do you not know how to teach it to others? Or is there another reason?"

"Not an oath, not an oath, my lord—"

Afshin wailed, "It's really not me... It's really not that I don't want to teach you, you can't learn it! If this magic is so simple, wouldn't the desert be full of oases long ago!"

"Although it sounds reasonable, your fear cannot be contained."

Aiwass stared into Afshin's eyes and asked gently, "Why is this happening? Are you afraid that I won't be able to learn this skill and will get angry and cause trouble for you? Or are you worried that if I learn this skill, it will undermine your authority? Or are you worried that if you leak the knowledge, you will be punished by other benefactors? Or is it because my learning this skill itself will be disadvantageous to you?"

When asking this question, Aiwass clearly noticed that Afshin's pupils dilated for a moment.

Fear leaked out from it——

"Oh, it seems so."

Without needing the other party to respond, Aiwass smiled and continued to ask, "Then why would it be disadvantageous for you if I learned this skill? There are only a few contracts with Yuan Tiansi, and each contract can only be inherited by one at a time? Or is it because one person must die in order to pass the knowledge to the next person?

"...It seems so. How is this possible? Is your knowledge engraved in your soul? In your flesh and blood? What on your body is needed as a trigger to learn this knowledge or sign a contract? Really... What is needed specifically? A heart? A head?"

Afshin's pupils shrank to the size of needles in the dim light and trembled constantly. Sweat beads oozed from his skin, which had not yet turned to stone, and it was shiny.

Aiwas only needed to sense the other party's thoughts from Afshin's instinctive response.

He can force the answers he wants through a series of "yes or no" questions.

——There is no need to identify lies, nor to pry open the other person's mouth to get a response.

When he couldn't escape, Aiwass took away his mind.

(End of this chapter)