The Journey of the Demon Hunter

"No, no, of course not, I only occasionally get accustomed to deviating questions." Watching Zelin turn around to leave, Alexander raised his hand and walked over. "Hey, wait, I do have something to tell you. It's about the results of my observation yesterday. I found some interesting things in the magic observation. To be precise, it was some interference."

Zelin stopped and turned his head. "What did you find?"

"Some... very strange magical interference, I can be sure that this is not a precursor to the appearance of the demon spirit knight." Alexander placed the cage with the gray mouse on the table, and the mouse kept gnawing at the cage and squeaking. . "The source of interference is not hanging the ghost tree, but Balga Mountain in the southeast. If you don't need a magic that can monitor the entire Willen, otherwise I might not find this at all."

Zellin knew about Balga Mountain, which was a mountain range on the border of Willen. The mountain range further south was an endless forest. In the past, Zellin had accepted Francesca’s commission and rescued three trapped in the forest. The squirrel party elves also accepted the commission of a lumberyard to protect them from being attacked by monsters when they opened up the wasteland. In the city, Zelin met Tisaya for the first time, the dean of Eritusa Academy, the Ike knight, and the old mercenary Lattimore. Of course, that’s all in the past. Now the Warlock Order has been hit hard, the Knight Ike passed away, Lattimore is injured and retired, the logging yard seems to have not been built, and the Squirrel Party only has a few guerrillas in the forest. Team.

"I know there." Zelin nodded and motioned for Alexander to continue.

"That is a series of disturbances, and there is a growing trend. Unless you are sure that the demon spirit knights you are looking for will not come to Willen in another way, I suggest you pay attention." The mage coughed. After clearing his throat, he noticed that Zelin had half a glass of apple juice in his hand. "Ha, I thought yesterday that the apple juice was drunk, where did you find another glass?"

"Really?" Zelin looked at the cup in his hand. "It's been here all the time, at least after I woke up. Okay, don't go off-track again, give me a suggestion, Alexander, you know these magics better than me, what is going on, what should I look for? "

"Well, I asked Veserad this morning. Maybe this is a sacrificial ceremony held by certain witch doctors and farmers in Willen. To be honest, I don’t like those country doctors, herbalists, witch doctors, witches, and Other guys who only know the magic of three-legged cats, because they often cause some trouble with magic knowledge that they don’t know where it comes from, this time it seems no exception. The baron said he himself can’t remember how weird Willen is. Strange beliefs and idolatry, but some priests and witch doctors do know how to perform magic rituals to allow themselves to prophesy and psychic. I guess some farmers near the Balga Mountain may be holding some kind of ritual, but this time They went too far."

Alexander pulled the chair away and sat down, bending over to tease the mouse in the cage. The warlock looked almost forty years old on the outside, but Zelin knew that his appearance was meaningless to their users of chaotic energy. Some warlocks can slow down their aging rate through magic and potion, and fix their appearance on a certain period of time. For male wizards, the most common one is 30 to 45 years old, because this represents knowledge and energy.

"I don’t know what those farmers will do. Just like this mouse, write some runes in ink on their backs, and they can become magical, and then throw them into valleys and caves to release them. It produces many unexpected effects. These farmers may also be doing the same thing." Alexander's forehead and corners of his eyes are covered with wrinkles that make him look serious. "But this group of farmers must have never imagined that what they did might cause some magic to be invalidated and deflected, causing a young magic apprentice to throw himself into the air several hundred meters high due to a slight deviation when using teleportation, or Appeared in the underground tens of meters."

"Will it invalidate the exploration magic of a famous infectious disease expert?"

"Oh, you are here again, I find you always taunt me subconsciously." Alexander wiped his forehead helplessly.

"Sorry, I sometimes get used to partial questions."

Zelin returned the same words to him.

"Okay, okay, I apologize for the sense of superiority just now." The mage sighed. "If you go to Mount Balga, remember to tell the local villagers that it is best to end their ritual as soon as possible or stop immediately. This magical wave begins at dawn, and it has a tendency to become stronger and stronger, and the scope of spread is also It’s getting bigger and bigger, if it weren’t for you to monitor the movement of the demon spirit knight, I’m very curious whether this magical power can eventually cover the entire Willen, and how strong it can be."

Chapter 1376: Balga Mountain

Balga Mountain is arguably the worst place in Willen.

To the south of it is a dense forest, where there are Anglade insects, wild wolves, deer spirits, deer head spirits and even female monsters everywhere, and to the north is a large swampland inhabited by groups of water ghosts. With the marsh witch, the demon bird and griffon beast flying on the hillside, and the pterodactyl can be seen from time to time. No matter how you look at it, this is a paradise for monsters and a **** for mankind. This should belong to no man's land. There used to be druids living here in the past, and later they died or fled. This dense forest and mountains are not ordinary nature. It has a deep malice against humans. Even the blades of the parasites cannot take root in this woodland.

But this is a magical place, and there are still villages located here, and the village of Lower Waren is one of them.

In Zelin's impression, this kind of swamp is very dangerous. If he can, he will avoid it as much as possible, because you can never guess whether a pair of swamps will suddenly stretch out under this seemingly calm water. The pale claws. This is the nest of water ghosts, and it is their favorite place to live.

"When every swamp and forest in this world, people can walk through without any protection, then there is no need for demon hunters in this world." Zelin sat on the horse and squinted slightly. Looking at the scene in front of him, he said words that he didn't know when he heard before.

After learning from Alexander that there was a source of interference here, Zelin rode his horse to the place pointed out by the wizard on the map at noon that day. He and Alexander agreed that once something unusual happened during Zelin's departure, Alexander would go to the top of the tower and launch a dazzling red signal, or use a telescope to get in touch with the demon hunter. Alexander was curious as to why Zelin had a telescope in contact with the warlock. Zelin didn't explain much to him, but only told him that this was a gift from Francesca to him, so the wizard stopped asking about it. Thing.

The swamp near the Balga Mountain is now very lively, one after another tents are set up at the foot of the mountain and spread upward along the mountain road. The villagers in clean clothes gathered together in twos and threes, talking and laughing. Although it is already close to dusk, these villagers not only show no signs of going back, but they have set up tents near them. Some people are collecting firewood and preparing to set up a pile of bonfires. Obviously, these people are going to be near the swamp. Overnight at the foot of the mountain.

"It must be safe here."

Zelin heard Maria's words ringing in his ears. When there are people, she will be attached to Zelin, and when there is no one around, she will often condense into a semi-solid and semi-phantom appearance.

Maria's knowledge of the Demon Hunter World is limited to Zelin's narration to her. It comes from what she has seen and heard in the past few days and the little news that Yusevka heard when he returned to Yanan. She didn't feel much about the scene in front of her, which was not so difficult to see in Jiu Yanan, but for Zelin, it was very abnormal. For some people whose shadows can be scared, letting so many people stay overnight in the swamp without any protection is undoubtedly a dangerous and irresponsible behavior.

And this seemingly peaceful hillside is full of clues to crisis in Zelin's eyes.

"No, it's dangerous here." Zelin looked at this muddy swamp. The boardwalk paved in the swamp was looming in the mud pool, and the sound of horseshoes stepped on it. The demon hunter raised his hand and pointed to a sloping deciduous cedar not far away. "Look there, Maria, that tree, those traces on the trunk are not naturally formed, the scratches are two meters above the ground, there are four traces, the traces are very deep, I can see it here , This is obviously a trace left by a werewolf. The bark near the scratch has been darkened, but neat corners can still be seen, which means that the attack happened about half a month ago, but considering the winter, maybe It's a month."

"Oh?"

"There is still there." Zelin's fingers turned to the dirt **** at the edge of the swamp. "The soil here is soft and moist, and it is easy to keep the traces. Look at the footprints left in that place. Four toes, webbed soles, and chaotic distribution of footprints. This is the traces left by water ghosts. Water ghosts have a very Strange living habits, they like to run to the shore at night, running in place like headless flies, and will not return to the water until dawn. The density of footprints is high, there must be a water ghost community here. And once there is a place If there are more than ten water ghosts, there will be a high probability of swamp witches."

"You know a lot."

"Work needs."

"You memorized a book?"

"If you often deal with certain monsters for a hundred years, you can even remember their smell." Zelin thought of the situation when he recited the heavy and boring monster hunter manual in the past. Then he sighed. "Perhaps I have really memorized it, but after so long, the knowledge I don't need has long been forgotten."

Zelin got off his horse, and the dead weeping willows beside him swayed with the cool breeze. He led the horse, lifted the willow branches in front of him, and walked towards the crowd gathering at the edge of the swamp. Soon, the villagers at the foot of the mountain noticed the demon hunters who appeared in front of them. Zelin was wearing a suit of armor and two swords on his back. He was not dressed up like a farmer at all. In such remote mountain villages, people basically know each other and understand each other, and the appearance of any outsider will be very eye-catching. The two peasant women who were laughing and chatting about household affairs showed fearful expressions, and they quickly retracted behind the other men who came up.

"Foreigner?"

A man with a brown beard stood in front of Zelin with his arms folded, blocking his way. His standing posture can indeed make him look more mighty, but it is not suitable for preparing for battle, because his hands have been imprisoned by himself. In this pose full of flaws, Zelin could throw him to the ground before he could react. But he didn't come to provoke, and he didn't need to do so. And he noticed that behind this man, a man with a crossbow was looking here.

But he didn't think that the courage to gather these villagers in the swamp came only from the crossbow.

"I heard that there is a grand gathering here." Ze Lin raised his eyes and looked towards the hillside. There are more people celebrating on the rocky path. They are very happy, as if today is Willen’s May Day. "So I'm very curious. I want to take a look. What festival is this? I don't intend to offend your gods and customs. Your gathering has just begun? Or is it about to end? Who is the convener of the gathering? Your witch doctor or Is there a famous witch here? Which priest or priest?"

The demon hunter raised a lot of questions, and it was easy to divert the attention of these villagers from the matter about why Zelin came here. This is a kind of conversational technique, using more questions to cover up the questions you want to answer.

"It's okay, Lukash, this must be an accidental traveler." A middle-aged man came out from behind and patted Lukash on the shoulder, indicating that the bearded man does not need to be so nervous. "As long as he respects Madam and abides by our customs, we don’t have to give a eviction order. Relax, Lukash, this is a celebration prepared by Madam. It is a day for everyone to be happy. Don’t forget that we will have to. Celebrate the chosen ones."

"Oh..." The nervous man looked at Zelin a few more times, then walked back to the peasant woman behind him. However, Zelin could still feel hostile to him.

"I'm Sester, the oldest person here." The middle-aged man opened his hands friendly to Zelin. "Welcome to Madam’s celebration, foreigner. I must say that you are late and the celebration is almost over. Madam Lin gave us gifts, gave us great acorns, blessed our land for a good harvest, and blessed our village. Protected from darkness, and selected the lucky ones among us, blessed them, and made their destiny full of brilliance and glory, so we held a celebration to thank them and praise them."

"The celebration is coming to an end?" Zelin automatically ignored most of the following compliments, and only heard the first sentence. "It's a pity. I originally wanted to learn more about this celebration. These ladies in the forest are really great and willing to protect people in places where monsters are raging. If I can see the temple and sculptures of Madame in the forest elsewhere, I will definitely Tribute will be offered."

Hearing Zelin's words, the elderly couldn't hide the joy on his face, his eyes almost narrowed. "The ladies will certainly be very happy to hear your words, but don't be sad. I sincerely invite you to participate in the last part of this celebration to offer blessings to the young people who have been blessed by the ladies. Come on, outsider, There is a wealth of wine and delicacies here. Please share dinner with us. Today’s celebration was announced temporarily by the ladies, so it only lasted one day. Maybe the ladies will show up tonight and we can see their beauty and demeanor."

"Thank you, I believe I can benefit a lot from this celebration." Zelin nodded slightly to the elderly. "Can you tell me about the ladies in the woods here? I have never heard of their names outside. With such kind ladies, how can their reputation not spread? Please tell me so in the future. I see other people, and I can tell them the story here."

"No, no, no." Unexpectedly, hearing Zelin say this, the elderly waved his hand quickly. "The ladies said that if good deeds can be spread, they will deteriorate. This is a blasphemy for them. Don't mention this again, outsiders, come and join us in the celebration. You will definitely be eye-opening."

The first thousand and seventy-seven chapters of Mrs. Lin's celebration

Zelin has traveled many places, and he often sees some villages with hidden beliefs, just like the bricklayer village outside Vizima, but one that can make hundreds of villagers brave the cold wind, like participating in the promise Like the May Day celebration held by Vigre, the belief that came to this barren mountain to hold the celebration was strictly restricted to a nearby village, which seemed too strange. Demon hunters have never seen any belief that they hope they cannot spread, and will always only exist in the word of mouth among hundreds of villagers. According to Zelin’s experience, things that are different from ordinary situations are either good. , Or bad.

There are not only tents, bonfires, and even wooden houses on the side of the mountain road. It seems that the beliefs here have been circulating for a long time. As a celebration camp, it is fully functional, and the camp and houses can accommodate everyone here to spend the night here. People are talking excitedly here, just like when a group of poor people who are depressed all day are suddenly told that they can go to a place to collect gold. Several women are surrounding an old lady who seems to be getting older, congratulating her. The old lady responded happily, with a smile on the wrinkles on her face.

The ears of the demon hunter heard their conversation. The old lady's son was selected and became one of the three people who accepted the blessing of the lady in the forest. Everyone hopes that they will be the blessed person. Although it is said that only young men are selected, and the blessed person has been selected this time, there are still many people who are hopeful. After all, this time is temporary. In the assembly called, according to past practice, there will be a celebration waiting for them.

The elderly took Zelin to the camp on the hillside, which was just shrouded in the shadow of the huge canopy of the oak tree on the top of the hill. All the villagers seemed very happy. On the grill of the campfire, the demon hunters even noticed that they were roasting beef. This is undoubtedly an extremely extravagant thing for the villagers in several villages. Had it not been for their sincere joy, Zelin thought he could see a few voles stringed together on the grill.

"The rally here is about to end soon, but unfortunately, I really hope that next time I can know what's going on here sooner."

Walking to the remote corner of the celebration camp, Zelin said to the easy-going senior. It is located on the edge of the hillside, and you can overlook the entire swamp when you look down. The villagers set up fences on the steep edges to prevent someone from falling down after getting drunk. But even so, there are still few people close here. Obviously, their lady in the forest can protect them from monsters, but they can't be safe after falling off the cliff.

"Yes, it's a pity, but we can be blessed by the wife twice within a year. What are we not satisfied with? We all live in remote places. The noble lords in cities and castles are basically I don’t pay attention to how difficult and hard our life here is. Only tax collectors and their hired thugs are knocking on our door every year. They never listen to our complaints, they just rush into houses and cellars and take everything Take away the valuables. Sometimes we really can’t tell whether these people are tax collectors or robbers. May the wife spurn them. But the ladies are different. They listen to our hopes and sufferings every year and bless us. ."

"I thought blessing was just choosing a few young people and then blessing them?"

"No, no, have you seen this sacred oak tree? Every time, the lady in the forest will give us a sacred acorn. We plant this acorn in the soil to protect our fields from Monsters and pests can get a good harvest every year. If it weren’t for a wife to bless us, I don’t know if we can live here."

Zelin raised his head and looked at the huge oak tree above his head. The last time he saw an oak tree of this size was in the druid woodland of Tousent, which is the sacred place of druids.

"This oak tree is very sacred, I'm sure of that."

The demon hunter glanced at the withered trunk of the oak tree and the lush canopy that was completely opposite to the trunk, and added something in his heart.