Lu Mingfei, become the King of Elden!

Chapter 270 Mysterious Deities

"The guest is joking."

The merchant from the nomadic tribe had a somewhat hoarse and low voice:
There is no "we", only "I".

"I know I know."

Lu Mingfei blew his whistle to call back Toret:
"Just kidding. But you nomadic people really are everywhere. Do you really think you can do business in a place like this?"

"Ho ho."

The merchant let out a hoarse, unpleasant laugh:
"Aren't you my guest?"

Lu Mingfei was slightly taken aback, then couldn't help but chuckle:

"That's true."

He pointed to the campfire:

"Is that okay?"

"of course."

The wandering merchant said:

"Any friendly guest can be our friend."

Lu Mingfei plopped down without any hesitation, then took off his armor and approached the campfire, trying to use the heat of the flames to dry his damp inner lining.

Lu Mingfei chatted casually while warming himself by the fire:
"I'm friends with one of you guys named Kale, do you know him?"

Upon hearing this name, the wandering merchant's eyes went unfocused, as if he were lost in memories:

"Kalie, he's one of the younger ones among us, how is he doing now?"

“He’s doing great,” Lu Mingfei said. “This guy swindled a lot of my money, and he’s currently in Nymgford, near Storm Hills, on the shore of Lake Yakil.”

The campfire crackled, illuminating the weathered profile of the wandering merchant.

Lake Yakir?

A deep, hoarse voice came from the shadows:

"Occasionally, travelers who have made their way here mention that a hero has appeared in Nymgfor."

"Legend has it that the hero not only slew the dragon Agil, which was entrenched in the lake, but also defeated the ominous demon Malkit."

The merchant's deep voice flowed slowly around the campfire, as if reciting an ancient epic:

"Now news has come that the hero has breached Stoneville, leaving 'Leg Extension' Grick forever in that storm-swept city."

He added a piece of firewood to the fire, and sparks danced in the night.

"Such a feat hasn't been seen in the borderlands for a long time. Some say he's the chosen messenger of the Golden Tree, others say he's a potential king."

The merchant shook his head:
"But in any case, anyone who can accomplish such a feat in such a chaotic world must be an extraordinary person."

Lu Mingfei silently poked at the campfire, his face glowing a dark red in the firelight, and the corners of his mouth twitched slightly.

If this merchant knew that the "chosen envoy" he spoke of was sitting across from him warming himself by the fire, one wonders what he would think.

"That sounds really impressive."

Lu Mingfei gave a vague reply and tossed a piece of firewood into the fire.
"However, these legendary stories often become distorted as they are passed down. Perhaps that 'hero' was just an ordinary person who happened to survive."

The merchant let out a low laugh:
"The guest is right. But in these chaotic times, just surviving is a skill in itself."

Lu Mingfei didn't reply, but just quietly watched the flickering flames.

“Speaking of which,” the merchant suddenly changed the subject, “would you like to patronize my business? Although I don’t have many goods, they are all essential and practical items.”

Lu Mingfei looked up and watched as the merchant began to take things out of a bag that looked bigger than himself.

The merchant moved slowly and deliberately. He first took out several packets of dried meat carefully wrapped in oiled paper, then several small cloth bags containing herbs, and finally some arrows and a shield.

Lu Mingfei gave his goods a cursory glance: jerky made from the flesh of herbivores, liver from an unknown species, and chunks of meat that looked like wolf meat.
It's useless.

He picked up the small cloth bag again and looked at it.

Inside were several well-preserved plants resembling water lilies, emitting a shimmering luster and looking quite extraordinary.

Lu Mingfei picked up a flower with some surprise.

A graceful, pale purple water lily on the verge of withering. One of the materials used to craft this prop.

Extremely rare item.

It is the flower representing the faith of Saint Torina. It has a calming effect on agitated spirits.

Torina Water Lilies?

Lu Mingfei rubbed the small cloth bag in his hand.

The old man said that these seem to be essential ingredients for making certain secret medicines, and that we could buy them for future use.

But who exactly is Saint Torina?

Could a saint with faith be a demigod?
I've never heard of this person.

Lu Mingfei didn't delve into it further, put the bag in his hand aside, and began to examine the other items.

In the end, besides the three Torina water lilies in the bag, Lu Mingfei picked out ten arrows.

【Torina's Arrow】

[A sculpted arrow inspired by the image of a withered water lily. Its powerful hypnotic effect induces abnormal states. Used by Saint Torina's priestesses for missionary work. The mild drowsiness is addictive.]

Arrows capable of inducing hypnosis were actually used for proselytizing?

Lu Mingfei couldn't even imagine how terrifying it would be to use them in actual combat.

It's another trump card that's been kept under wraps.

He gathered the items together, haggled with the wandering merchant for a while, and then bought the goods at a reasonable price.

As Lu Mingfei carefully put away the water lilies and arrows, he asked casually:

"Did you make these arrows?"

The wandering merchant slowly shook his head:

"No, it wasn't done by me."

His voice was hoarse, and the expression on his face seemed to be one of reminiscence:

“It was found deep in the misty forest... on a poor fellow who had been attacked by a wild beast. Judging from his attire and belongings, he was undoubtedly a priest who served Saintess Torina. I only had time to collect his body, so these are... unclaimed items.”

Upon hearing this, Lu Mingfei paused slightly in his movements.

He raised his head:

"Saintess Torina...who exactly is she? Is she a demigod? I don't seem to have ever heard of her before, and there doesn't seem to be such a being in the Broken War."

Upon hearing this question, the wandering merchant fell silent for a moment, with only the crackling of the campfire echoing between the two.

He reached out and gently poked at the fire, the flickering flames casting shimmering light on his wrinkled hand.

"do not know."

After a long silence, the merchant finally spoke in a low voice:
“Few people know her true identity. She is mysterious, much more mysterious than other deities. Her teachings are vague, and her followers are extremely few, mostly pharmacists and perfumers who are devoted to the study of potions and spices.”

"Legend has it that her power is related to 'sleep' and 'dreams,' capable of soothing a frenzied mind and bringing peaceful slumber. But that's all. As for her origins, her purpose, or even whether she truly exists..."

The wandering merchant slowly shook his head:

"It's not something a businessman like me could know."

(End of this chapter)