In the Blood Snake Castle, there were even many unexplainable phenomena that even the current family head, Fu Rui, could not account for.
Therefore, when Leilin first laid eyes on this blood-red castle, he took a liking to it immediately.
"A castle like this is what a
Leilin sighed.
Fu Rui's family had legends of Morning Star-level Warlocks appearing in their history, which naturally put them far beyond what he could compare to currently.
But Leilin had confidence in himself. As long as he could advance to the Morning Star rank, it wouldn't take many years before the Black Castle could become a true Wizard Castle, just like the Blood Snake Castle.
At that moment, the plaza before the Blood Snake Castle was already filled with numerous carriages, along with all manner of magical creature mounts.
Before the castle's main gate, streams of guests poured in, creating quite a lively atmosphere. The occasional sounds of greetings could be heard here and there.
Someone arriving alone like Leilin was quite rare, and he immediately drew attention.
Fortunately, he was already well-known. Most members of the organization had seen him, and even those who hadn't would certainly have portraits on file, so there was no risk of any embarrassing mix-ups.
"Leilin, you're here!"
After a stir at the entrance, Fu Rui, dressed in formal attire, personally came out to greet him.
It had been a long time since they last met. The trace of youthfulness still hadn't left her face. Even with the pressure of a Crystallized Wizard radiating from her, she still looked like a young girl, which stood in stark contrast to her mature and alluring figure.
"Calling me by my first name? Are we really that close?"
Leilin secretly rolled his eyes, but he still allowed Fu Rui to affectionately link her arm with his as they walked together into the Blood Snake Castle.
This heavily suggestive signal was immediately broadcast to everyone around.
Leilin was well aware that Fu Rui probably hadn't completely given up on her previous intentions. She always liked to hint at their intimacy, deliberately or not, in public settings.
But he didn't mind it. At least it discouraged other female Warlocks from causing trouble.
The only one who dared compete with Fu Rui for a man was Milanta, and after Leilin had dealt with her, she'd been quite well-behaved ever since.
"I'm so glad you came. After the banquet, I'd like to speak with you privately — it concerns our Master!"
Fu Rui whispered into Leilin's ear, then giggled and gave him a brief embrace before going off to entertain other guests.
Today she was the host of the occasion, and many high-ranking Warlocks of distinguished status had come to attend, so she naturally couldn't spend all her time with Leilin alone.
"Master?" Leilin stroked his chin.
It seemed Fu Rui had developed considerable interest in that rumor about the traces of the Infernal World being discovered. But she appeared to carry a hint of worry as well. That level of foresight alone already surpassed most other Warlocks.
Leilin shrugged and found himself a corner to quietly enjoy the fine food and wine.
As a great noble house with thousands of years of heritage, the food served at the banquet was even more lavish than Leilin had expected.
"Ha ha! Leilin, you like sitting here all by yourself? Not going to dance?"
After lounging on the sofa for a while, Leilin spotted an acquaintance approaching.
At this moment, Robin held a crystal goblet full of wine and smiled as he gestured toward Leilin.
Meanwhile, a group of female Warlocks dressed in revealing outfits threw a few flirtatious glances in their direction.
"Senior Robin!" Leilin nodded with a smile. "I'm not really interested in that sort of thing..."
"That's not what you said when we dealt with Milanta..." Robin shook his head with a grin and sat down beside Leilin.
Clearly, his earlier mention of those female Warlocks had just been a way to break the ice.
"The aura about you... has reached a level where even I can't quite see through it..." Robin looked Leilin up and down, then a sharp glint flashed in his eyes as he spoke with a smile.
Under that gaze, Leilin suddenly felt a chill run through him. Especially that well-concealed greed lurking beneath Robin's expression — it made his heart skip a beat.
"Senior Robin flatters me. I've just mastered a few high-powered Wizard Spells recently..."
Leilin deflected with a smile. His Mimicry Spell could fool even ordinary Crystallized Wizards, yet Robin had managed to detect the flaw. That immediately put him on guard.
"Where's Luoya? I haven't seen him around."
"Him..." A hint of nostalgia flickered through Robin's eyes. "Luoya has reached a critical juncture in spiritual power gaseification, so he's been staying at the family estate..."
"Then I should congratulate you in advance, Senior." Leilin smiled, though he couldn't shake the feeling that things weren't as simple as Robin made them sound.
"Last time's expedition, we both gained quite a lot. Now I have new intelligence. What do you think — want to go exploring together? I can give you a forty percent cut of the profits this time!"
Robin paused for a moment before extending the invitation.
"An expedition? Where to?" Leilin seemed to grow interested, leaning forward slightly.
"An ancient secret realm. I can confirm it's the work of an ancient Morning Star Wizard — and there's even a very good chance it's a ruin left by the Quicksand Organization!"
Robin organized his words carefully.
"The Quicksand Organization?" Leilin's eyes lit up, but his wariness had reached its peak.
After deliberating for a long while, he gave his reply: "I'm sorry! Senior, I'm currently in the middle of a very important experiment. I'm afraid I won't be able to leave for an extended period..."
The instant those words left his mouth, a chill swept over Leilin's body, as though he'd been locked onto by some ferocious beast.
"Oh! What a pity, then..." Robin sighed and rose to leave.
But Leilin could clearly feel the barely suppressed fury radiating from him, and even more things hidden in the darkness.
"Terrifying." Leilin watched Robin's retreating figure and let out a deep sigh.
"It seems last time's trip to the Quicksand Castle changed Robin far too much..."
Leilin had a feeling that this Robin was a completely different person from the warm, sunny Robin he'd known before.
But even if the old Robin had come with the invitation, Leilin would most likely have declined.
He lacked nothing now, and the world outside was in utter chaos. Going on an expedition in such circumstances was just asking for trouble — practically courting death.
Not to mention that the current Robin was someone Leilin could in no way trust.
These noble banquets were quite tedious, at least from Leilin's perspective.
The bloodline nobles flattered one another and showed off in turn, eventually drinking themselves into complete intoxication.
Meanwhile, handsome men and beautiful women embraced and caressed each other on the dance floor, eventually leaving the banquet together into private chambers. According to rumor, these chambers offered impeccable privacy — even if the sky were to fall and the earth crack open, not a sound from inside would ever reach the outside. One could do whatever one pleased without a worry.
Leilin's revealed strength was at the peak of liquefaction, and he was a Viscount of the Ouroboros Ring. Naturally, plenty of high-ranking Warlocks sought him out for conversation. Even hiding in a corner, he couldn't find much peace, and the invitations — many of them quite suggestive — kept coming.
Under normal circumstances, Leilin might not have minded playing along. But he had Fu Rui's private invitation after the banquet, and Robin's appearance had left him somewhat unsettled, so he was in no mood.
By the time Leilin felt his facial muscles stiff from smiling, the grand banquet was finally declared over.
This was merely the celebration for high-ranking nobles like them. The lower-ranked Warlocks outside, and even the common folk, would receive six days of rest, and Fu Rui's family would even provide free white bread and rum.
It seemed their family hadn't had a joyous occasion of this magnitude in a very long time, and so a grand celebration was in order.
Leilin paid none of that any mind. After the banquet ended, he was led by a maidservant deep into the Blood Snake Castle.
Having been exposed to the magical radiation of numerous Wizards over the years, the very materials of the Blood Snake Castle had undergone a transformation.
The walls were suffused with a blood-red hue, resembling living muscle tissue, and even possessed a slight elasticity.
Red carpet covered the ground, and occasionally a massive mouth would drift past, scooping up debris from the floor with a single gulp before licking its lips, looking thoroughly satisfied, as if it had tasted something delicious.
Not a single ordinary person existed in the entire Blood Snake Castle. Aside from low-ranking Warlock servants like the maid before him, the majority of the household staff were non-human slaves.
"Hofulin?"
Leilin looked on in surprise as a group of gnome-like creatures bowed to him. They were lean of build but had sharply pointed ears.
"Yes, sir! The Hofulin not only enjoy remarkably long lifespans, but they are also excellent gardeners and cooks, capable of handling all manner of tasks. They also possess a high resistance to Wizard radiation!" the maid explained quietly.
"These household slaves — I've certainly heard of them!" Leilin nodded.
In truth, when he had been constructing the Black Castle, he'd even considered purchasing Hofulin slaves. But such high-quality servant resources were always in short supply, and only families of bloodline nobility like Fu Rui's could maintain a large number of them.
"The mistress is waiting for you in the study!"
The maid respectfully pulled open a walnut door and stepped aside.
Leilin straightened his collar and walked in.
"Welcome! You haven't seen my study yet, have you?" Fu Rui had changed into a loose robe, with only a simple silk sash tied around her waist. Her voluptuous figure was barely contained, practically on the verge of spilling free.
"With so many books — it's truly astonishing!" Leilin nodded, seemingly paying no attention to Fu Rui's state of undress.
He knew perfectly well whom he could afford to play around with and whom he couldn't. A woman like Milanta — sleeping with her was fine and consequence-free. But Fu Rui was clearly a different matter entirely.
Leilin was absolutely certain that if he slept with her and refused to take responsibility, the Blood Duke would hunt him down to the ends of the earth.
"As long as you like them, you're welcome to read any book here!"
A trace of disappointment flickered through Fu Rui's eyes, but she still made the promise.