Chapter 186: Chapter 181: Ancient Divine Ceremony, Blood Finger

Jon listened to Sutton’s deep, powerful oath, feeling the heavy gazes of the surrounding Dwarves. Their stares were like the searing heat of a forge fire, and an indescribable wave of emotion washed over him.

This trust was one of the most precious treasures he had earned while struggling to make his way in this strange world.

To gain the allegiance of a Dwarf Clan when his faction was just a fledgling was undoubtedly a great boost for the tiny sapling that was the Giant God Workshop.

Although this support was forged through the bond of the "Ancient God Revelation," he was confident in his ability and desire to properly manage this alliance.

In the future, he might even be able to achieve the grand feat of "uniting all the Dwarves"!

By doing so, he could be considered a true powerhouse on the Yino Continent, a land teeming with experts!

Jon took a deep breath to calm the storm in his heart. He bowed deeply to Sutton, to Grotta, and to every Dwarf present.

"Sutton, Grotta, and all my friends who have come from afar, I, Jon... thank you from the bottom of my heart!"

"This friendship, this support from the Silverbeard Clan, I will cherish in my heart forever!"

"In the days to come, let us work side-by-side. Whether we are Forging creations that can change the era or guarding this precious land beneath our feet, I will never betray this trust!"

Jon’s sincere and powerful words moved the Dwarves.

Following the words of their ancestors was one thing, but following a man who was grateful and held grand ambitions was another entirely.

Just then, Grotta spoke again, her voice much calmer than before.

"Your Excellency Jon, my cousin Sutton is right. The Power of the Silverbeard Clan will gather here, but I don’t think merely gathering is enough."

Her sharp eyes stared directly at Jon.

"If you wish to more deeply understand this gift, to truly resonate with the Power of the Ancestral God on a deeper level, and even guide it... you need to perform an ’Ancient Divine Ceremony’."

Jon’s eyes narrowed slightly.

"An Ancient Divine Ceremony?"

"That’s right!"

Grotta nodded emphatically.

"It is the oldest and most sacred ritual for communing with the will of the Ancestral God!"

"Not only will it solidify your connection to the Ancestral God, but it will also allow every Dwarf who senses the ritual’s fluctuations—no matter their clan or where they are on the continent—to clearly confirm the existence of the Divine Favored!"

"This is far more authoritative and impactful than us sending messages one by one! It will make the hesitant commit and silence the doubters for good!"

She clenched her fists, a determined light shining in her eyes.

"I, Grotta Silverbeard, swear by the name of Silverbeard that I will depart immediately for our distant ancestral home, Karak Azgar, to once again seek an audience with the Supreme Priest!"

"I will report your deeds and the aura of divine grace about you without reservation! Then, I will plead with the Supreme Priest to open the ancient stone tablets of knowledge and seek the proper method for the ceremony and the Ancient Sacred Artifacts required!"

"At the same time, this news will be spread by the Supreme Priest himself to all the Dwarf Clans that maintain contact with our ancestral home!"

Grotta’s words were resolute, filled with the Dwarves’ characteristic drive and reverence for ancient traditions.

And naturally, Jon had no reason to refuse.

It wasn’t just because achieving his grand goal of uniting the Dwarves and transforming them into a Power for his faction required this kind of "declaration of existence," but also because he had a unique ancient hidden quest called [Earth’s Slumber].

The Dwarven Supreme Priest might know something about it.

He couldn’t possibly refuse a path that might lead to the truth of the world of Yino.

So, faced with Grotta’s proposal, he nodded earnestly in agreement.

"In that case, I’ll be counting on you, Lady Grotta!"

The she-Dwarf waved her hand dismissively.

"We’re all family now. No need to be so formal."

Then she looked at Sutton, her brown eyes narrowing slightly as a hint of teasing entered her tone.

"And you, Sutton. Seeing as you’re not dead, I can go about my business with peace of mind."

"You stay here and protect our Divine Favored friend!"

With that, she showed no intention of staying, grabbing her pack and heading for the door. She wasn’t even willing to rest for a moment!

Jon quickly glanced at Rosalind beside him. Before he could even speak, his intelligent follower immediately ran after Grotta to prepare everything she would need.

Jon then turned to the Dwarves in the Forging room and let out a soft breath.

"Well then, everyone, I happen to have a matter that needs handling. Perhaps we can all discuss it together..."

...

「Meanwhile, in a gloomy hideout improvised within an abandoned mine outside Birch Town, the atmosphere was completely different.」

Flickering torches cast distorted shadows on the damp rock walls. The air was thick with the smell of rust, blood, and the acridly sweet scent of some burning herb.

A black-haired woman was unhurriedly wiping a strangely shaped dagger that glowed with a faint blue light, using a piece of velvet cloth.

Her features were cold and beautiful, her eyes deep and utterly calm.

In the shadows opposite her, a young man with short, grayish-white hair leaned against the stone wall. His sharp, scarlet nails were particularly eye-catching in the firelight.

He was toying with a blood-stained Copper Coin, a cynical and malevolent smile playing on his lips.

"Lady Carina, Lord Nabelli, this subordinate takes his leave."

A spy wrapped in a black robe had just finished reporting the results of the Lord’s Mansion banquet and was now bowing as he withdrew.

The cave fell silent once more.

"Heh..."

Nabelli was the first to break the Silence, his voice filled with undisguised mockery. He flicked the Copper Coin between his fingers, producing a sharp CLINK.

"That guy Adonis, he just loves his flashy little tricks!"

"Reciting that nonsensical bullshit in front of everyone... think he’s a Minstrel or something? Serves him right for getting caught!"

He sneered.

"Look at him now, a prisoner. The fanatics from the Sun Church have probably roasted his guts by now... What a waste."

Carina’s movements as she wiped the dagger didn’t pause in the slightest. She didn’t even raise an eyelid.

"His failure was indeed because his skills were inferior and he was too arrogant."

"However, his actions were not entirely without value."

She finally stopped, raising the dagger before her eyes. The faint blue blade reflected her cold pupils.

"Look at Birch Town now. Panic, suspicion... those noble lords may present a united front, but the way they look at each other has changed."

"They even have to worry that the person sleeping beside them might suddenly turn into a monster and rip out their throat."

She lowered the dagger and turned her gaze to the gray-haired young man, a faint smile gracing her lips.

"Adonis successfully planted the seeds of fear in their hearts. This will be very beneficial for our subsequent operations."

The mockery on the young man’s face subsided slightly. He grunted, grudgingly accepting her point.

"Hmph. Just a flock of terrified sheep."

"Patience, Nabelli. The seeds of fear need to be watered before they can sprout and grow into the towering tree we need."

"But it’s not enough to simply make them suspect one another. We need to make them feel a more direct, more irresistible despair."

"We must make them understand that no matter where they hide, no matter how many guards they have, the will of the Blood Eye Association can descend upon them with ease and take away everything they hold dear."

Her icy gaze was like a physical Ice Cone, locking firmly onto Nabelli’s sullen face.

"Nabelli, haven’t you been complaining that your mission was stolen?"

"Now, an opportunity presents itself."

She paused for a moment, then asked word by word, her voice laced with a subtle provocation,

"Yed Xavier, that old fox from the Merchant association, is in the Birch Town Lord’s Mansion right now."

"He was your original target. Now, do you dare go and take his head? Give those ’great men’ hiding in their Fortress a lesson they’ll never forget?"

"Do you dare?!"

Those three words were like a searing brand, burning Nabelli’s sensitive pride.

The cynicism on his face vanished instantly, replaced by a twisted expression of ignited fury and excitement.

"HAH?!"

Nabelli shot up from the shadows, his grayish-white hair practically standing on end. A terrifying, murderous light erupted in his eyes.

He crushed the Copper Coin in his hand, oblivious as the metal shards pierced his palm and drew beads of blood.

He glared at Carina, a bestial growl rumbling in his throat.

"Carina! Are you fucking asking me if I ’dare’?!"

It was as if he’d just heard the funniest joke in the world.

"A mere Merchant! So what if he’s hiding in Paris’s mansion?!"

"There’s no one I want to kill that I can’t!"

His furious roar echoed through the cave, making the torches flicker.

Before his words faded, the gray-haired figure had already burst through the hideout’s simple wooden door like a phantom. Carrying a frenzied killing intent, he instantly vanished into the thick darkness outside, leaving behind only the open door creaking in the night wind and Carina’s still, cold face, as if everything was under her control.

Deep in the mine, only the CRACKLE of the burning torches and an even colder, dead silence remained.

The black-haired woman picked up the faint blue dagger again. Her fingertips brushed across the blade as she let out a low sigh.

’Go, then. Go and light that fire... The fear has only just begun.’

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