Bai Shi rode on Senessax's back, holding the wolf egg he had found.
Although they had formed a pact, their relationship hadn't made any particular progress. After all, it was all happening too quickly.
In truth, Bai Shi didn't know why Senessax seemed so forward.
As for Senessax, she certainly had her own reasons.
Making a pact with Bai Shi was not some act of pure, unconditional devotion.
Of course, Senessax was genuinely grateful to Bai Shi for rescuing her. He was, in every sense of the word, her savior.
To be trapped forever in ice, where one's mind would erode before the body, was a terrifying fate.
However, her decision to form the pact wasn't entirely due to this debt of gratitude, or at least, not solely because of it.
In the Lands Between, one could not survive by acting on emotion alone.
The Lands Between were a cruel and unforgiving place, a fact Senessax knew all too well.As an ancient dragon who had lived in the Lands Between for untold years, she had more than enough experience.
And it was this experience that led her to bet on Bai Shi.
She had once witnessed the brilliant and powerful faith of the sun.
That sun-worshipping nation had once spread its influence to every corner of the Lands Between.
They held a fervent faith in the sun, wielding powerful incantations derived from its golden rays.
Later, for a variety of reasons, including:
The sun physically distancing itself from the Lands Between, changes in dynasties, war....
Under a multitude of factors, that powerful nation eventually faded into distant history.
But such a force was more than enough to leave a lasting impression on Senessax.
And the sunlight Bai Shi had unleashed in that underground chamber was even more dazzling, more terrifying, than that of those worshippers.
The power Bai Shi wielded was unquestionably the power of the sun.
It was completely different from the incantations born of faith; it was the real deal, power drawn directly from the sun itself.
As for the storm, it had a profound connection with them, the ancient dragons, so she naturally felt a certain affinity for it.
Furthermore, Bai Shi seemed to possess two Great Runes.
Great Runes were fragments of the Elden Ring, laws of the world separated from the primordial Elden Ring.
Anyone who wished to become Elden Lord and rule the Lands Between had to establish their own order with the Great Runes.
Possessing two Great Runes made Bai Shi a strong contender for the title of Elden Lord in any era.
Simply put, Senessax had no malicious intent. She just wanted to align herself with a powerful figure.
The saying "Ancient dragons are the bulwark of a king" did not come from nowhere.
She was just an ordinary ancient dragon.
Although in the Lands Between, even an ordinary ancient dragon was considered powerful, she knew the gap between herself and the truly mighty.
Most of the time, latching onto a powerful figure was easier said than done.
She could never even meet most of those truly powerful individuals, let alone ally with them.
As for going back to her fellow ancient dragons...
Honestly, there was nothing for her there. The ancient dragons were accustomed to being solitary.
It was better to find a place to stay and continue her duty of spreading the ancient dragon faith.
She could enjoy the worship of humans and have food and drink provided for her.
That was far better than trying to find her footing again in these Lands Between, which had become completely alien to her.
Senessax's only regret was that she had met Bai Shi so late. It would have been perfect if she had met him before he rose to power.
At that time, she could have fought by his side and nurtured a deep bond with him.
Adding flowers to a beautiful tapestry was never as meaningful as offering charcoal in a snowstorm.
But she was content with the present. At the very least, she had successfully aligned herself with a powerful figure.
—
Melina stood quietly behind Bai Shi, her demeanor now quite calm.
From her perspective, Bai Shi was undoubtedly an exceptionally outstanding person, nearly flawless in every aspect.
As his influence grew, more and more followers would flock to him.
Among them, there would be no shortage of admirers.
Melina had long been mentally prepared for this situation.
In the Lands Between, it was common for a man to have multiple partners, and she had no intention of monopolizing Bai Shi... though if she could, that would be for the best, of course.
It was just that when it had suddenly happened a moment ago, she had still felt a wave of emotion.
Especially at the beginning, when Bai Shi had spoken up and said... said such misleading words...
He had never even said such things to her!
That was why Melina had been so agitated at that moment.
What made her grind her teeth was the question of whether Bai Shi would willingly show affection to someone other than her.
Since the misunderstanding was resolved and Bai Shi had gained an ancient dragon as an ally, everything was fine.
Unfortunately, Melina did not yet know that a certain witch would soon become her greatest rival.
—
Blaidd waited anxiously on the cliff's edge in the Hallowhorn Grounds.
He paced back and forth, waiting for Bai Shi's return.
A pack of wolves ran freely across the nearby fields, their playful roars and howls only intensifying Blaidd's anxiety.
His mind raced, contemplating what might be happening in the Night's Sacred Ground.
‘I wonder how Lord Bai Shi is doing. Did he manage to get the Fingerslayer Blade?’
‘Or could it be that even Lord Bai Shi ran into trouble in there?’
‘But that's unlikely. Lord Bai Shi is so strong.’
‘No, wait.’
A certain possibility suddenly occurred to Blaidd.
‘Could it be that the Night's Sacred Ground is teeming with those human-mimicking Mimic Tears?’
If Lord Bai Shi encountered the same kind of Mimic Tears as before, things could indeed be very troublesome.
There was no telling how many of them were in the Night's Sacred Ground.
If Lord Bai Shi was simultaneously attacked by multiple Mimic Tears that could copy his physique and abilities, it would be like being ganged up on by several versions of himself.
If that were to happen, it was unlikely anyone could survive.
But Blaidd could only wait here helplessly. After all, he couldn't fly.
Realizing that his frantic thoughts were of no help to Bai Shi, Blaidd began to ponder his own future.
Once Ranni successfully obtained the Fingerslayer Blade, he should be completely liberated.
He would be free from his identity as a shadow-bound beast, able to serve Ranni as a truly independent individual.
And yet, a persistent sense of unease lingered in his chest.
Although he had sworn an eternal oath of loyalty to Ranni, his identity as a shadow-bound beast was still a source of discomfort for him.
Did the Two Fingers truly have no control over the shadow beasts They bestowed?
As Ranni's greatest enemy, Blaidd felt he had to treat anything related to the Two Fingers with the utmost caution, including himself.
He was terrified that the Two Fingers might have left some kind of failsafe on him...
But no matter what, he would absolutely never betray Ranni.
Absolutely, never!
Suddenly, a powerful roar ripped through the air from the chasm below.
Blaidd looked down from the cliff.
He saw a colossal creature flying up from the direction of the Night's Sacred Ground, scattering the purple night mist as it soared upwards.
Before Blaidd could get a clear look, the creature had already flown past the cliff wall, soaring over his head in an instant. A fierce gust of wind followed in its wake.
Four powerful wings beat rhythmically, stretching a body that had been imprisoned for millennia. It whipped up another gale, forcing all the surrounding grass and trees to the ground.
Heavy, stone-like scales were a testament to eternity, needing no brilliant colors, for all colors were pale before such timelessness.
Golden, vertical pupils were already fixed on Blaidd, gazing down on him with arrogance from high above.
A suffocating sense of pressure followed.
Blaidd stared at the massive silhouette obscuring the night sky, his heart sinking.
An ancient dragon?! How could this be!
The ancient dragons were an exceedingly powerful race, arguably the apex of life in the Lands Between and its original rulers.
Nearly every adult ancient dragon possessed terrifying strength.
Their scales were the hardest stone in the Lands Between, nearly impossible for mortals to break.
Being a hero was merely the prerequisite to stand before them.
Only the most elite among heroes could fight an ordinary ancient dragon.
Those with names were even more powerful.
Fortissax, one of the most famous ancient dragons in the Lands Between, was even able to fight one-on-one with the Golden Dynasty's mightiest prince, Godwyn the Golden. The two came to respect each other, turning from enemies to friends.
This alone was enough to demonstrate the terrifying power of the ancient dragons.
Blaidd didn't know which ancient dragon this was, but regardless, if a fight were to break out, he would certainly be at a disadvantage.
Blaidd silently drew the Royal Greatsword from his back, warily eyeing the ancient dragon that had suddenly appeared above him.
His instincts told him he should probably run.
However, a familiar voice came from the dragon's back:
"Blaidd, I'm back."
Waving to Blaidd, Bai Shi leaped down from Senessax's back.
Bai Shi landed in front of Blaidd, and the ancient dragon silently descended from the sky.
The dragon then folded its wings, enveloping its body. Moments later, a beautiful woman appeared before Blaidd.
Seeing that it was Bai Shi, Blaidd sheathed his Royal Greatsword.
He gave the dragon's human form a couple more glances. In this guise, her oppressive aura was much diminished.
This was natural. Senessax, who had once spread the ancient dragon faith in various lands, was experienced in this.
A dragon's form must maintain its majesty, while a human form could avoid causing panic.
Blaidd looked at Bai Shi, who was holding a giant, bluish-green egg, and asked:
"Lord Bai Shi, how did it go?"
Bai Shi smiled and nodded at Blaidd.
"It went quite smoothly. I've successfully obtained the Fingerslayer Blade."
"And I had some other unexpected gains."
Bai Shi held up the massive wolf egg with one hand and produced the Fingerslayer Blade with the other, offering it for Blaidd to see.
Blaidd wasn't concerned about Bai Shi's other gains.
After all, the most conspicuous ones—an ancient dragon and a strange egg—were already right in front of him.
He was most concerned about the Fingerslayer Blade.
Seeing that Bai Shi had obtained the Fingerslayer Blade, Blaidd breathed a sigh of relief.
"That's wonderful."
"So, Lord Bai Shi, what are your plans now?"
Bai Shi thought for a moment.
Now that he could fly on Senessax, he wanted to check out the Mohgwyn Dynasty.
Senessax was unwilling to let other creatures ride on her back, so she definitely couldn't take Blaidd.
Even if he accompanied them after they finished and returned, Blaidd couldn't follow.
They couldn't just fly through the air while watching Blaidd run on the ground...
In that case, it was better to let Blaidd go back first. Besides, Bai Shi could teleport to Ranni's side, which was very convenient.
"There are a few places I'm interested in that I need to explore."
"You should head back first, Blaidd."
"I'll hold onto the Fingerslayer Blade for now and give it to Ranni in a little while. I can teleport using Grace, so I'll definitely get back faster than you can run, and it's safer with me."
Blaidd nodded.
Lord Bai Shi had already sworn an oath to Ranni under the moon.
He was undoubtedly one of their own, so there was no need to worry.
Blaidd bid them farewell and departed.
—
Bai Shi led Senessax to the edge of the massive broken bridge.
A white phantom was there, kneeling in the direction of the Mohgwyn Dynasty.
It endlessly repeated the words from its former life:
"...Oh, great Lord of Blood."
"Please have mercy and grant this humble one a place at the bottom of your dynasty."
"May the Mohgwyn Dynasty last forever."
"May the Mohgwyn Dynasty last forever!"
Bai Shi ignored the spirit and pointed toward the distant Mohgwyn Dynasty.
"Senessax, can you fly near there without alerting the creatures?"
"I'm curious about that structure."
Senessax covered her mouth and chuckled softly.
"Master, to ask such a thing is to underestimate us ancient dragons."
"Of course, that's not a problem."
However, Senessax did not immediately transform back into her dragon form.
There were a few things she was curious about and wanted to ask Bai Shi.
"Master, what... is this thing here?"
Senessax pointed to the ghost beside them.
Bai Shi found her question a bit strange.
"That's a soul."
"A soul that could not return to the Erdtree after death and lingers in the Lands Between due to some unknown reason or obsession."
"They have lost their thoughts and will, and cannot even maintain their appearance. Their souls are constantly eroding."
"It will probably take a very long time for them to disappear on their own."
Bai Shi thought for a moment and explained the Erdtree's system of rebirth to Senessax.
The system of returning to the Erdtree only existed after the Erdtree became the law, so she certainly wouldn't know about it.
"You probably don't know what returning to the Erdtree is. Let me explain it briefly."
"The Golden Order is an order that has been stripped of Destined Death."
"Since then, when living things die, their souls and bodies return to the Erdtree to await their next incarnation."
"But a series of events happened later on."
Bai Shi paused, thinking about how to summarize Godwyn's story most concisely.
"On a cold night, a prince of the Golden Dynasty was murdered in Leyndell, the Royal Capital. The assassins used the Black Knives, imbued with Destined Death."
"His soul was utterly slain, but his body survived."
"Perhaps the Erdtree thought he could still be saved. In any case, his body was healed, transforming into a misshapen, soulless husk."
"The Erdtree has been continuing this process, and it hasn't stopped even now."
"Because of him, the Erdtree's process of rebirth has been completely occupied, and other beings can no longer be reincarnated through it."
"Souls that cannot return to the Erdtree can only fend for themselves in the Lands Between."
"Some lucky souls can find a place to reside, becoming grave gloveworts, or spirit ashes."
"The rest of the souls can only wait to slowly fade away."
After listening to Bai Shi's brief explanation, Senessax carefully observed the ghost back and forth.
"So that's how it is..."
"Although I'm still not clear on what this 'returning to the tree' is, it's still hard to get used to."
"The time that separates me from this era is truly too long."
Bai Shi was a bit curious.
"Why? In your era, were there no such souls lingering in the Lands Between?"
Senessax shook her head.
"In the most ancient of times, when the Lands Between were ruled by us ancient dragons, there was hardly any other life."
"And ancient dragons are nearly eternal beings. At that time, we didn't even have the concept of death."
"Later on, various forms of life appeared in the Lands Between, and they brought the concept of death with them."
"Although I don't know how this 'return to the tree' process you mentioned works."
"In the past, death in the Lands Between required a guide to lead the way."
"Back then, the Deathbirds would take away the souls and bones of the dead."
"Priests of death would accompany the Deathbirds, offering blessings for the deceased's death and praying for their new life."
"When the flesh was thrown into the Ghostflame furnace and burned, the soul would be completely liberated and sent to the Spirit World."
"By all rights, that Spirit World is where the souls of the dead should go."
The Spirit World...?
Bai Shi silently pondered this rather uncommon term.
The Spirit World should have indeed existed in the Lands Between.
Bai Shi recalled a greatsword in the game whose design he was very fond of—Helphen's Steeple.
The description of that sword contained this passage:
‘Greatsword patterned after the black steeple of the Helphen, the lampwood which guides the dead of the spirit world.’
‘The lamplight is similar to grace in nature, and it is said that only those of the spirit world can see it.’
Speaking of which, the Deathbirds and the god behind death seemed to be making a comeback in the Lands Between.
He wondered if they had returned from the Spirit World.
Bai Shi looked at Senessax.
It had to be said, although Senessax had been frozen until now and was somewhat out of touch with the current Lands Between, he could truly learn a lot about ancient times from her.
And Senessax seemed very willing to talk to him about these things.
Speaking of which, the Ancient King should also know a lot about such matters.
It was just that after establishing his foothold, Bai Shi hadn't really found the time to ask him about these things.
When he had the time later, he would go and ask him.
Moreover, the era in which the Ancient King lived was right after Senessax's, a different period, so he might be able to piece together a fairly complete history of the Lands Between.
Bai Shi asked Senessax:
"Senessax, do you know anything else about the Spirit World?"
Senessax rested her chin on her hand, thought for a while, and shook her head.
"Sorry, I'm not exactly sure what the Spirit World is like."
Bai Shi nodded.
"I see. In that case, I'll look for information about it from other sources later."
"Let's set off for now, to that distant building."
Senessax nodded at Bai Shi, then transformed back into her ancient dragon form.
Bai Shi once again rode on Senessax's back.
‘Mohgwyn Dynasty, I'm coming for you!’
‘Let me have a look!’
Senessax's speed was incredible, and she would soon cross this immense distance.
The structures of the Mohgwyn Dynasty gradually came into focus, and Bai Shi could already make out the individual buildings.
But just as they were about to approach the Mohgwyn Dynasty, Bai Shi suddenly called for Senessax to stop.
"Stop!"
Senessax didn't know what Bai Shi meant, but she obediently halted her flight immediately.
She beat her wings fiercely, coming to a sudden stop.
Bai Shi looked ahead.
Not far in front of him and Senessax, there was a wall made of blurry shadows.
The true form of these blurry shadows was countless writhing tendrils of flesh and blood.
But these tendrils were almost completely transparent, and Bai Shi had nearly missed them.
"Master, what's wrong?"
Senessax hovered in the air, turning her head to look at Bai Shi.
Bai Shi frowned slightly.
"There's something ahead. Can't you see it?"
Senessax was startled by his words and turned her head back to observe carefully.
But she saw nothing. Ahead was only the mountaintop they were about to reach, and the buildings upon it.
"No... I really don't see anything."
Bai Shi frowned slightly.
This was definitely the work of the Formless Mother.
It seemed that only those with a high enough Arcane stat could see the handiwork of these gods.
"It's nothing. Let's just stop here for now."
"Okay."
In times of pain and despair, the Formless Mother would answer the calls of her followers.
Only then would the Formless Mother take form in their eyes, revealing Her true appearance as a bloody star.
Bai Shi had never experienced despair and was currently living a happy life, so naturally, he could not see the Formless Mother's true form.
In the eyes of Her followers, this was probably a striking, blood-colored wall.
The only reason Bai Shi could see this special wall was due to his extremely high Arcane stat.
Such a high stat was already enough for Bai Shi to see through the tricks of the gods.
Bai Shi carefully observed this formless wall of flesh and blood for a while. It seemed to have no gaps.
Although he didn't know what function this wall served, it was clear that touching it would definitely get them discovered.
Perhaps this was a special defensive wall that the Formless Mother had helped Mohg set up.
How thoughtful, to provide Mohg with such an anti-air measure.</
It had to be said, the Formless Mother treated Mohg quite well.
Far better than how Marika treated Morgott and Mohg.
Bai Shi thought for a moment. It seemed he wouldn't be able to explore the Mohgwyn Dynasty today.
"Looks like we can't go there today."
"Let's go, Senessax. Let's head back."
Although Senessax was a bit bewildered, she obediently followed her master's command and flew back in the direction they came from.
Today, Bai Shi's first attempt to probe the Mohgwyn Dynasty had failed.
But from this distance, Bai Shi was able to observe some of the layout within the Mohgwyn Dynasty, so it wasn't a total loss.