Lu Mingfei, become the King of Elden!

Chapter 331 The Heretic

Upon hearing this, the reclusive merchant showed no embarrassment whatsoever. Instead, he smiled and said unhurriedly:
“Oh dear, you can’t say that, my young friend. We’re already ‘friends,’ aren’t we? Friends help each other; how can you measure value in runes? Friendship is priceless!”

He deliberately emphasized the word "friend".

Then, his experienced and shrewd eyes turned to Lu Mingfei, and an even more "friendly" smile appeared on his face:

"As for this... new friend, it's only right to have a decent gift for our first meeting."

As he spoke, he rummaged through his seemingly unremarkable bag and pulled out an ordinary-looking torch with an oil-soaked cloth strip wrapped around its tip, which he casually tossed to Lu Mingfei.

Lu Mingfei subconsciously took the torch, his hand feeling the rough texture of the wooden handle.

He looked at the torch, which could be found anywhere, next to any campfire, and then at the merchant's "you've hit the jackpot" expression. His lips twitched, and he was about to complain that this thing was even less useful than a warm stone.

However, the merchant seemed to have read his mind and spoke first:
"Hey, new friend, don't underestimate this 'torch'. It may not light the way forward or ignite hope... but it can save you from a lot of trouble."

Lu Mingfei was slightly taken aback, and immediately realized that this might be a prop with a "keyword".

[Beast-driving torch]

A torch that burns with special spices mixed with oil.

The aroma produced can reduce the aggressive desire of wild animals.

Some people who hid treasures in caves would use them to drive away wild animals that lived there.

"I rely on!"

Lu Mingfei instinctively swore, and his body, which had been limp from exhaustion, straightened slightly with excitement. He gripped the torch tightly in his hand as if it were a priceless treasure.
"So fierce?"

This is simply the perfect tool for traversing forests and exploring caves!

With this thing, you can save so much time from dealing with those troublesome wild beasts!
"Hmph... at least you old codger still have some conscience."

Subaru Natsuki groaned weakly from the side, clearly aware of the immense value of the [Beast-Driving Torch] in certain situations.

The merchant chuckled, his sly wrinkles smoothing out, as if quite pleased with Lu Mingfei's "know-it-all" reaction.

“Young man, I dare say that since that incident, I’m probably the only one who makes this kind of torch.”

He said no more, and like a mischievous old man who had finished his prank, he turned around with satisfaction, led his ever-quiet camel, and slowly strolled away, accompanied by the crisp and rhythmic sound of its bells, until he disappeared into the dilapidated house next door, which he used as his base.

Although Natsuki Subaru complained about the warm stone as useless, his actions betrayed him.

The power emanating from the stone did indeed restore his strength, giving his sore limbs some energy back.

He struggled to his feet and his gaze fell on the corpse of the Bell Hunter not far away.

He walked straight over.

Without any ritual, simply by "gazing" and "thinking," the golden runes on the corpse, which were imbued with life and power, were drawn in and transformed into tiny, firefly-like particles of light that rapidly entered Subaru Natsuki's eyes.

The eyes hold a very special place at the crossroads of life. They are considered the windows to the soul and the channels through which power flows.

Whether one is receiving blessings or cultivating other powers, it will more or less be reflected in the eyes.

For example, after a Dragon Eater devours a Dragon Heart and its soul is mutated, the first characteristic that appears on its body is golden vertical pupils.

At the same time, Lu Mingfei also clearly felt a warm energy suddenly flowing into his body.

His current state is indeed peculiar. It's as if he's connected to the "network" of this world using Subaru Natsuki as a base station. Subaru Natsuki obtains "data" through "operations," and he, as a "accessory," can automatically receive a share of that data.

After absorbing the runes, Natsuki Subaru stretched his limbs, feeling the renewed power within him, and nodded in satisfaction.

Natsuki Subaru carefully rummaged through the Bell Hunter's belongings, skillfully avoiding the foreign armor fragments that were severely corroded by crimson decay and would crumble at the slightest touch.

Finally, he pulled out a bell bead that emitted a faint, strange glow from a pile of junk, and then weighed the rusty but structurally intact metal shield in his hand.

"【Gravity Vendor's Bell】... The haul was alright. It's a pity, this armor set was supposed to be pretty good, but now it's completely ruined."

He frowned, brushed the dirt off his hands with a hint of regret, casually lifted the heavy shield, and turned to look at Lu Mingfei:

"This thing is a bit heavy, but it's better than nothing. Do you want it?"

Lu Mingfei looked at the massive shield, which resembled a door panel, and his lips twitched slightly.
"Come on, Subaru, do I look like someone who uses a shield?"

His gaze then fell on the strangely shaped, broad sword, whose blade was rotten due to decay.

Lu Mingfei's tone carried a hint of regret:
"It's a bit of a pity about his sword... I can sense that his use of that power called 'Qi' is very unique, as if he has touched a completely new threshold. That state of life... is very inspiring for the bottleneck I'm currently stuck in."

Lu Mingfei narrowed his eyes slightly, seemingly savoring the subtle sensation he had captured during the battle.

His own "sensory" nature makes him exceptionally sensitive to the flow of soul, energy, and even deeper levels of energy.

Upon hearing this, Natsuki Subaru, while trying to wield the heavy shield to get used to its feel, muttered his complaints:

“I knew it. You Chinese people always have a special fondness for things like ‘qi’ and ‘internal strength’. And I’ve noticed that you guys who desperately try to increase your ‘sensory’ attributes will gradually become mystical, constantly sensing this and that, and saying things that others can’t understand.”

"Hey, I can't pretend I didn't hear that."

Lu Mingfei retorted irritably:
"'Intuition' is a special power that exists between souls, a way to glimpse a corner of the true world, and it is exclusive to us 'heretics'."

It's closely related to the alienation and deep binding of the soul, okay? What's wrong with putting it in a more mystical way?

"Besides, you heretic who follows the path of 'evil god' have no right to talk to me, do you? You're clearly adding faith, yet you haven't learned a single two-finger prayer; all you've got is that weird black flame."

Natsuki Subaru stared with his signature dead fish eyes, opened his mouth as if trying to find some sharp words to refute Lu Mingfei's accusations.

But after holding back for a while, he realized that he really couldn't get the better of this sly and sarcastic person when it came to verbal arguments.

(End of this chapter)