Master the Abyss, starting from an apprentice priest

After Erfan finished speaking, the slender puppet beside him came towards Luo Xiu with a chuckle, and stretched out four hands holding puppet crystal pendants in front of Luo Xiu.

'Ghost Falcon', 'Mountain Giant', 'Oak Healer' and 'Vibrator'... Luo Xiu pondered, and then asked Erfan: "Can I touch them?"

"Of course, Mr. Luo Xiu, please feel free." Erfan smiled and responded.

After getting Erfan's consent, Luo Xiu immediately picked up the puppet pendants in front of him one by one and looked at them carefully, while secretly using the panel detection on them.

The third-level puppet "Ghost Falcon" was the puppet that Eureka used to "detect" Luo Xiu's whereabouts when he first came to Fangbeiyuan. It is a functional puppet that can significantly improve the alert effect.

Although its function overlaps with that of the "Shadow Raven" Wuye, Luo Xiu cannot directly reveal the existence of Wuye Wuying to the clergy of his church.

Therefore, the "Ghost Falcon" is very suitable for the clergy of the church to use on their own.

This is indeed one of the puppets that Luo Xiu wants to obtain from Fangbeiyuan, but Luo Xiu is not in a hurry to make a decision.

He then performed panel detection on the other three puppet pendants, and the panel quickly fed back the corresponding information.

The third-level puppet "Mountain Giant" is a giant puppet with a length of more than ten meters and a body made of solid stone. Its upper limit of blood volume is as high as 40,000, and its defense reduction is even more amazing. At the same time, its "strength" attribute value is more than 1,200 points, and its main feature is "hard as diamond" and "strong as a mountain".

But in addition to being able to resist and fight, the "Mountain Giant" does not have any other additional functions.

As for the third puppet pendant, the sealed third-level puppet "Oak Healer" is not good at fighting, but specializes in shielding and healing.

"Oak Healer" can unfold a "creation" field, apply continuous health recovery effect to all designated targets in the field, and convert the overflow value of health recovery applied through the "creation" field into a shield, which is a puppet that can greatly improve safety.

The last third-level puppet "Vibrator" is also an auxiliary puppet, but with a different focus from "Oak Healer".

"Vibrator" can unfold a "string" field and connect all targets in the field with "spiritual strings". After that, the puppeteer can choose to let "Vibrator" apply "gain" or "debuff" effects to the connected strings, and choose two of up to five "gain" or "debuff" effects to release.

After roughly browsing the performance and panel of the sealed puppets in the four puppet pendants, Luo Xiu has made a choice in his heart.

——Only children make choices, as an adult, I...

"Sir Elfan," Luo Xiu said to Elfan, "I find it difficult to make a decision."

"They are all outstanding works of Fangbei Academy. I can feel the powerful aura contained in these magic crystals. I believe that they can really bring me great help."

"And, Sir Elfan." Luo Xiu paused and continued, "I think this is also an opportunity for our church and Fangbei Academy to establish in-depth cooperation."

"Hmm? Sir Luo Xiu, what do you mean?" Elfan blurted out with a sudden realization.

"I will accept your pendant as a 'greeting gift', and I will buy the rest with gold coins at their proper value, or exchange them with materials or special items of our church."

Luo Xiu smiled slightly and said, "For example, some precious materials, finished products, and spoils we seized from the pagans. Sir Elfan, what do you think?"

Hearing this, Elfan pondered for a while, nodded and said:

"Of course, Fangbeiyuan will gladly accept your proposal, Sir Luo Xiu."

"For us, 'Dolls' are indeed one of the most suitable 'commodities'. As long as there are enough materials, we can completely reproduce them."

"Well... then, since you want to get them all - 10,000 Nolan gold coins, plus 20 rare weapons or equipment with 'Glorious Inscriptions', and 30 scrolls or potions with 'Intermediate Purification' effects, they are yours."

It's cheaper than expected... Luo Xiu thought. Twenty weapons or equipment with "glory engravings" and thirty purification scrolls or potions. These things are available in the church's holy storage hall, but the church has no extra deposits now.

Luo Xiu needs to pay 10,000 Nolan gold coins out of his own pocket, which is equivalent to half of his cash, which makes Luo Xiu feel a little painful.

But he still has a lot of deposits in the Golden Country Bank. If the cash is not enough, he can ask Intis to withdraw it... Luo Xiu thought so, and then he gritted his teeth in his heart, nodded and said:

"Well, I also accept your proposal, Mr. Elfan."

"I will pay you in cash first, and the remaining weapons, equipment, scrolls or potions will be sent to you by the clergy of the missionary office after I return to the church."

As he said, Luo Xiu took out a delicate square box from his bracelet and handed it to Elfan.

Elfan reached out to take it, opened the square box buckle, and bright white light overflowed from the gap of the box.

There were exactly one hundred platinum coins packed inside, arranged ten horizontally and ten vertically, so neatly that Alvan didn't need to count them carefully.

Alvan just glanced at it, closed the lid, and said with a smile on his face:

"Okay, Mr. Luo Xiu. Then these four 'Kuang Er' puppet pendants are yours."

"You don't need to trouble the clergy of the church to make another trip. I will let our scholars go there. Please count the things that need to be delivered."

"That would be the best." Luo Xiu also responded with a smile, "Thank you for your understanding, Mr. Erfan."

As he said that, Luo Xiu took the four pendants from the four hands of the tall and thin puppet and put them into his storage bracelet.

After completing the main purpose of this trip, Luo Xiu prepared to say goodbye to Erfan.

Before leaving, Alvan suddenly stopped him and gave him three special empty medicine bottles and three blood-collecting needles made of special materials, saying:

"I heard from Baines that you will go to the forest outside the city to investigate the ancient seal that may exist there."

"Well, then these things are left to you, Lord Luo Xiu. If you encounter any special, strange creatures like the blood hyenas before, please help me collect some blood samples from them, and I will pay the corresponding reward."

Just as Alvan said this, Luo Xiu's panel suddenly jumped.

[Trigger hidden task]

[Hidden task: Seal hidden in the forest (nightmare difficulty)]

[Recommended level: lv.30, triple destiny and above]

[Task type: series task]

[Task description: You are about to go to the woods outside Hongfeng City to investigate the secrets of the possible "ancient seal" and explore the truth behind the monsters from the "abyss".

After learning that you are about to conduct an investigation, Elfan, the "acting dean" of the Fangbei Academy in Red Maple City, has issued a commission to you. 】

[Task objective: Complete the investigation of the seal in the coniferous forest outside Red Maple City, and collect blood samples that meet the requirements for Elfan, bring them back to Fangbei Academy, and hand over the blood samples to Elfan for research. 】

[Completion reward: Basic experience +28,000, "rare" quality specialty 'Wrong Path Explorer'*1]

[...]

It is a "series of tasks"... Looking at the content that appears on the panel, Luo Xiu fell into deep thought for a short time.

So far, he has only triggered a "series of tasks" once, which is the task of the Four Knights of the Nation related to "Isol".

This type of task often hides major secrets behind them, and the rewards that can be obtained are also quite generous.

This made Luo Xiu's interest in the investigation even higher - originally his investigation was just to plan and plan for his own [Abyss] destiny route, but now, he has a more sufficient reason to investigate that seal.

He then took the empty potion bottle and blood sampling needle from Elfan, smiled and said: "I understand. If you find any special creatures, I will help you complete the sampling."

...

After returning to the church from the Square Monument Courtyard, it was already afternoon.

Pamier first returned to the Holy Inquisition to assist Anthony in the final preparations for the investigation of the seal.

And Luo Xiu went directly to the missionary station, found Mayev, and handed him the pendant that sealed the "Ghost Falcon" and "Mountain Giant" puppets.

Luo Xiu handed these two puppet pendants to the missionary station, and the other two "Oak Healer" and "Vibrator" were temporarily kept in his hands to assist him in investigating the seal.

Later, Luo Xiu would open up some of the permissions of the "medium of the barrier" and allow the puppets to connect with the spirits in it. In this way, even if Mayev and other "deacons" only have triple fates, they can control them well.

After explaining the precautions about the "Ghost Falcon" and the "Mountain Giant" to Mayyev, Luo Xiu asked Mayyev to prepare the weapons, equipment, scrolls and potions to be delivered to the Fangbei Academy.

"Have you reached a new cooperation with the Fangbei Academy?" Mayyev was slightly surprised.

He still clearly remembered that the church had just spent money to purchase a large amount of materials not long ago, and now there was no cash to provide new "cooperation".

But the "High Priest" Luo Xiu did not mention the money to him. The materials he told to deliver to the Fangbei Academy were indeed in the Church's Holy Storage Hall, so Mayyev did not ask any more questions.

"I understand, I will arrange it as soon as possible." Mayyev said to Luo Xiu, "Before the scholars of the Fangbei Academy arrive, I will have people prepare these."

...

In the evening.

Anthony and Pamier gathered the Holy Judges and came to the main entrance of the church.

"The High Priest" Luo Xiu had been waiting here for a long time. He saw Anthony, Pamier and the ready-to-go Holy Inquisitors arrive. After telling them some necessary matters, he led the Holy Inquisitors to go out of the city.

Just before the last ray of sunset disappeared, Luo Xiu and the Holy Inquisitors arrived at the coniferous forest outside the city.

This place has been completely under martial law - after the previous decisive battle, Lord Nelson ordered the army to block the surrounding area and did not allow any unrelated people to approach.

The two "Royal Guard Knights" and six "War Knights" in the border court were responsible for guarding this blockade.

They had already received Baines' instructions. When Luo Xiu led the Holy Inquisitors to arrive, they were quickly released by the guards.

A Royal Guard Knight led Luo Xiu and the Holy Inquisitors to the entrance of the ancient seal.

As Luo Xiu gradually went deeper into the woods, the air was filled with a thick, smoky smell.

The remaining fire was still burning at the edge of the field of vision, and the ashes and charred wood together formed a dark, dilapidated, and lifeless scene.

On the way, the Royal Guard Knight said to Luo Xiu:

"Lord Luo Xiu, the 'high priest', before you arrived, we have conducted a rough reconnaissance around here, and there is indeed an 'ancient seal' here."

"The gap created by the black military explosives before is still filled with an ominous atmosphere. Moreover, blood hyenas emerge from it from time to time, but fortunately there are not many of them, and we can still deal with them."

"We suspect that there are still a lot of monsters in there, and there are 'leaders' who are more powerful than those that emerged from the ground. Only by completely eradicating them can we truly ensure safety."

"Well." Luo Xiu nodded, and did not talk more deeply with the Royal Guard Knight. They soon came to the entrance of the seal.

In front of Luo Xiu was a whole collapsed deep pit, and at the bottom was a sea of ​​fire burning endlessly.

... This scene is like the "Gate of Hell" in Turkmenistan in his previous life. Luo Xiu thought to himself, and his eyes fell on the bottom of the sea of ​​fire.

There were several deep cracks like axe chisels, like scars torn from the earth.

"You stay here and follow the instructions of Lord Baines. Don't let any irrelevant people get close."

Luo Xiu said to the Royal Guard Knight.

He then led the Holy Judges to slowly go down to the bottom along the edge of the giant pit, looking for a suitable place to enter the interior.

The priests who accompanied the team cast the sacred arts of immunity to burning and protection of the field, which allowed the Holy Judges to move safely in the raging sea of ​​fire.

Luo Xiu opened his perception and constantly captured the rich "dark erosion" breath emanating from the cracks to determine the location of the real source.

They stepped into the sea of ​​fire, passed by a pile of incomplete monster bones, and followed the footsteps of the "high priest" Luo Xiu, carefully inspecting each crack one by one.

Until Luo Xiu stopped in front of a wide and deep crack, he bent down and picked up a pale hyena skull from the ground. After carefully examining it for a while, he said to the Holy Judges behind him:

"This is it."

"We should be able to reach the deepest seal from here."

"Anthony, and Pamier, you lead the Holy Judges to guard here, I will go down to explore the way first."

As he said, Luo Xiu summoned the "Golden Pegasus" Pegasus, riding it slowly to the depths of the crack.

The golden glow emitted by the Pegasus illuminated the surrounding area of ​​more than ten meters as bright as day, allowing Luo Xiu to clearly see every detail around.

The fire on the ground did not spread here, and the two cliff-like walls were full of deep scratches like knives and axes.

Many incomplete blood corpse hyena bodies were hung on the wall, their claws deeply embedded in the stone wall, and their flesh and blood formed a long ladder for more blood corpse hyenas to surge to the ground.

As Luo Xiu went deeper, he saw more and more blood hyena corpses.

Occasionally, a few living blood hyenas roared and pounced on him, but under the influence of Luo Xiu's "Beast Tamer's Eye" expertise, they quickly changed direction and fled in panic.

About a minute after falling, Luo Xiu could see the ground.

And further ahead, there was a deep and winding cave.

At the end not far away, a strong, bloody, and ominous smell was constantly emitting.

That was the source of the blood hyenas.

And the place where the "seal" was broken.

…