803 The Town in Hell (1/2)

The haggard old man sighed rather regretfully. ”I know his teacher.”

”Mister, are you a legendary of the ancient Magic Empires?” Lucien was not too surprised. Even though the three ancient magic empires were destroyed, many legendary sorcerers survived. After all, they were experts who knew plenty of unusual spells. Some of them hid in the depths of the Dark Mountain Range, and some hid in alternate dimensions and other areas, like the Empress of Snow. So, it was not too strange that he ran into a legendary in hell.

Mr. President's teacher perished in the Battle of Antiffler during the War of Dawn. Whoever knew him was obviously an expert in ancient times.

The old man was dry and skinny, like a mummy without bandages. He said with mixed feelings, ”The ancient sorcerers like us cannot keep up with the age anymore. Look at Douglas. How long did it take for him to become a top legend and surpass me? What are you doing in hell?”

”I'm planning to explore the primeval relics deep in hell and search for the special Stellar Core that the former Ice Duke hid.” Lucien did not hide his attention. Now that the legendary sorcerer had been hiding in hell, it was possible that he knew a thing or two about the matter. ”Right, mister. I don't know how I should call you yet.”

Lucien remembered the records of ancient legendary sorcerers, hoping to confirm the old man's identity.

”Hehe. I am just an old man who's waiting to die in hell. Why do you want my name and title?” The old man touched his head, and a strand of white hair immediately fell. ”The primeval relics in hell? The Stellar Core that the former Ice Duke hid? Young man, you must be a legendary sorcerer in the Congress of Magic who made the advancement recently, aren't you? I suggest that you don't be too adventurous.

”I've been to the primeval relics twice, and twice I was almost lost and turned into phantoms that forever wandered there. More than six legends of the empire were confirmed to be dead during the exploration of the place. Those who could enter and return safely were mostly only the top legends like Thanos and Douglas. That is, when the Lord of Hell did not attack him.

”As for the Stellar Core that the former Ice Duke hid, it was something from thousands of years ago. I suspect that somebody has already taken it away. Otherwise, the current Ice Duke wouldn't be as clueless as he is right now.”

Lucien listened to the old man and checked what he heard with the files he acquired from the president and Mr. Rhine. He felt rather odd. Generally speaking, the ancient legendary sorcerers were more or less gloomy and mysterious due to their cruel experiments and weird spells. Few of them were as kind and talkative as the old man here.

”Do you think I'm a chatterbox?” The old man smiled. ”If it were in the past, I wouldn't have wasted my time talking to you at all. You are free to die if you want to. However, after spending thirty years with her in hell, I have become soft and sympathetic. Otherwise, special souls like Maman would've become my experiment subjects a long time ago.”

”Thirty years? Her?” Lucien did not give a reply but asked in great interest. It would be easier to obtain intelligence if they were closer.

The old man's face that was full of wrinkles suddenly turned gentle. ”Now that you've come to hell, why don't you visit my tavern, the Paradise of Souls? It's right in the Silent Hell.”

”Alright.” Lucien nodded with a smile. He had to go to the Silent Hell after all.

The old man stopped talking, and Lucien enjoyed the burning fire and the splendid iron building in it casually.

After a long wait, Maman ran back delightedly. ”Grandpa, the Water Soul Wine has been delivered to the old place. They'll ship it to the Paradise of Souls today.”

”Let's go home.” The old man touched Maman's head affectionately.

Lucien followed them through the river to pass through the first few levels of hell before reaching a snowy plain.

Freezing wind was blowing on the plain, so fiercely that souls could be directly torn apart. However, there was no sound at all. Also, the ice land was spacious and covered in snow. Other souls and devils could not be seen at all. So, one could not help but feel the everlasting quietness and tranquility.

Lucien did not need to look to know that souls had been frozen in the ice below the snow. Consolidated, senseless, and unconscious, they forever slept in coldness and darkness.

The wind of peace and death hovered around Lucien and the old man, only to be ejected by uncanny forces. Maman was not frozen by the wind either.

After a long time, a town appeared up ahead. At the periphery was a wall made of ice, and inside the wall were rows of houses made of ”Blood Warming Stones”, which was a local specialty of the Silent Hell that could effectively resist the soul-freezing coldness.

In the main material world, due to the rarity, a Blood Warming Stone of mediocre quality was already worth fifty Thales, but it was used to build a town in this place.

The residents of the town were floating souls, whose genders and ages varied. Their bodies were transparent and similar to Maman, they had their regular wisdom, except that they did not have a sunny and warm feeling.

”Old man, you're finally back. I was waiting for the Fire Liquor.” A brawny man who had a mustache floated over and stared at the storage bag in Maman and the old man's hands thirstily.

In the Silent Hell, even souls could enjoy the Fire Liquor.

The old man chuckled. ”You drunkard, I won't take any responsibility if you are frozen again outside after you're drunk.”