NOVPUB"Oh? Aren’t you curious about the specific content of the task? Won’t you consider it more carefully?" The smile of the Dark Night Mother Goddess faded, clearly surprised by how quickly Ivan had refused.
"Given your status, the matters you handle are all critical. Tasks like this aren’t meant for trivial figures like me." Ivan bowed slightly, then responded.
The offered bargaining chips were enticing. In the past, he might have chosen to gamble. Now? He didn’t see them as necessary.
Ivan firmly believed that relying solely on his current accumulation and conducting research step by step, he could definitively break through the shackles and forge a throne of his own.
"Sorcerer Ivan, are you saying you intend to form a throne through your own strength?" The Dark Night Mother Goddess asked.
"That’s correct." Ivan nodded.
"Hah, where does your confidence come from?"
"I want to give it a try."
Seeing his steadfast attitude, the group’s expressions grew somewhat displeased.
The Dark Night Mother Goddess knew Ivan fairly well. Based on his personality, he shouldn’t have rejected her. Yet, the result unfolded contrary to expectations.
Little did she know, Ivan indeed had his own sense of confidence.
His confidence stemmed from profound accumulations—his own foundations built throughout the years, as well as essences inherited from the sorcerer world over millennia. Chief among them was the Witch King’s Multi-Phase Array.
His confidence also came from the world tree seed gifted to him by Qingmu Yuanmu.
He had already been researching the seed for years. There was no denying that the world tree was one of the most exceptional earth roots in existence. Even a fragment of its seed contained knowledge worth centuries of study.
More importantly, his path to the throne was intrinsically linked to it, fundamentally a process of converging and transforming various forces.
"Human Sorcerer, are you truly going to reject the goodwill of our Earth Core Vein?"
Someone spoke in a deep voice. It was the Thousand Claw Throne among the five, his dense aura concealed yet unmistakable.
Upon hearing his words, a flicker of unease flashed through Ivan’s eyes. He had anticipated matters wouldn’t wrap up so easily—this was, after all, a world where strength reigned supreme.
"Lady Lilabet, and esteemed individuals present, perhaps I could go on behalf of Ivan? All this time, I’ve been treated graciously by everyone, and it’s time I contributed."
Jenny stepped forward and made her request.
Ivan shot her a disapproving glare. He hadn’t authorized her to get involved—what was she meddling for?
"Jenny, step back."
The Dark Night Mother Goddess showed even less inclination. Before anyone else could intervene, she flicked her long sleeves, and a force swept over Jenny, forcibly sending her down the mountain.
Outside the Lonely Mountain Residence, when Jenny tried to ascend the peaks again, she found herself unable to get close.
Meanwhile, in the square, Ivan was stunned by the Dark Night Mother Goddess’s casual move. No matter how one looked at it, Jenny was an Ancient King, yet she had been dismissed with effortless ease, without the slightest resistance.
This alone spoke volumes—the Dark Night Mother Goddess was undoubtedly no ordinary throne-holder. She might well be a Level 7 supreme being or perhaps even more exalted.
No wonder she held the faint reverence of those around her.
Even so, Ivan hadn’t intended to recant his decision.
Reflecting on his journey to the Elf Plane, the strong support he had received from Antoinette should have been a blessing, yet he had teetered precariously on the edge of life and death at times.
If something truly went awry, he might meet his end without understanding how.
At present, he would never dare involve himself in affairs like this again. He wasn’t foolish enough to gamble with his own life.
"Sorcerer Ivan, Jenny must have mentioned me before. I also know quite a bit about you—many of your secrets aren’t hidden from me.
For instance, your teleportation array in the Underworld, or that unique Secret Technique of yours. I suspect it’s well-suited for infiltrating other realms. I urge you to reconsider."
The Sea Mother’s voice broke the silence, her tone gentle and fluid like water.
Clearly, the Sea Mother hailed from the ocean. Her very presence exuded the profound aura of boundless seas, making one feel as though they were standing before an endless ocean.
"That’s easy enough—I consider myself half a part of this community. As a gesture of goodwill, I’m willing to share this ’Netherworld Travel Mountain Chronicles’ without restrictions."
It was Ivan’s first time encountering someone who spoke of covert surveillance so forthrightly. Thankfully, he had no intention of hiding such matters. After some thought, he produced an ancient tome. Its cover bore four Netherworld script characters: ’Netherworld Travel Mountain Chronicles.’
With one hand, he held the tome and offered it forward.
"Oh-ho, you’re an interesting person. Shall I take this as your attempt to win me over?" The Sea Mother, fully aware of his evasiveness, chuckled lightly and unceremoniously acquired the tome.
She began to leaf through its pages, seemingly intending to abstain from the dispute.
Her decision left several individuals visibly annoyed.
"Human Sorcerer, you’re quite right—what we intend to do is of great importance, concerning the interests of the entire realm. Even so, you still intend to refuse our arrangements?"
"I lack the strength necessary to assume such a heavy responsibility."
"As a member of Danaila, you refuse to contribute to Danaila’s cause? How utterly thankless and heartless."
This group clearly held Ivan in high regard. Soon enough, War Fire stepped forward, attempting to pressure him with lofty ideals, nearly accusing him of ingratitude outright.
Ivan wasn’t the type to change his mind because of mere rhetoric. Weak in power, he deemed further argument pointless and opted instead for silence.
"Human Sorcerer, do you hear me speaking to you? Answer me."
War Fire’s booming voice created an overwhelming pressure that swept through the Flower Square, reducing the ambient air density significantly.
"Within Danaila, several groups bear crucial missions. Sorcerers have their own tasks and cannot afford to be distracted by extraneous duties."
Faced with War Fire’s aggressive stance, Ivan chose to respond directly.
Sorcerers emerged out of necessity. Initially, the Dark Night Mother Goddess had explained it to Jenny, and later they had mostly confirmed it—Sorcerers existed to counter the demon race of the Abyss Realm.
That meant that the lofty responsibilities of the Earth Core Vein were unrelated to sorcerers. 𝙣𝒐𝙫𝙥𝙪𝙗.𝙘𝙤𝙢
"You, what a silver-tongued rascal." War Fire certainly understood the implications.
"Human, are you truly unwilling?" This round of debate enraged the Thousand Claw Throne beside him, whose immense aura descended forcefully.
War Fire followed suit, retracting his oppressive force, leaving Ivan feeling like he was carrying an entire continent on his shoulders.
Ivan’s complexion subtly changed as his gaze darted toward the Dark Night Mother Goddess. Seeing her unflinching, he prepared to summon the Wood Soul Tower in an attempt to resist.
"The two of you, aren’t you taking advantage of your power unfairly?" Meg couldn’t bear to watch and intervened with a protective gesture for Ivan.
"Sky Blue Throne, don’t forget—it was with our help that you ascended to your position." The Thousand Claw Throne bellowed loudly.
"A favor is a favor. Sorcerer Ivan is my friend, and I won’t stand by while a friend is bullied." Meg stated earnestly.
"Fine, for your sake. However, this man is audacious, repeatedly offending us higher beings. Shouldn’t he offer an explanation?"
The trio stared at one another for some time before the Thousand Claw Throne stepped back slightly.
"Why don’t you clarify: what form of apology would suffice?" Meg frowned, unsure of the angle he was pursuing.
"Earlier, I sensed something on him—a top-tier earth root, alive. You understand better than anyone the significance of earth roots to the Earth Core Vein. Such a root should not belong to a mere human. It ought to be handed to us for cultivation, enabling another promising addition to our lineage. Surely, this demand is reasonable?"
The Thousand Claw Throne spoke slowly, his gaze fixed firmly on the sorcerer.
This suggestion elicited varied reactions among those present.
Ivan’s heart sank. Could they be referring to the world tree seed? What a despicable thug, dressing up coercion as moral justification.
Was the Earth Core Vein filled with people like this?
Standing silent, he feigned ignorance, waiting to see how the situation would develop.
"Richie, are you intentionally seeking trouble?" The Dark Night Mother Goddess queried the Thousand Claw Throne.
"Of course not. I swear by Lady Claudia’s name. As for how I came to sense it, I care not to explain right now." The Thousand Claw Throne even invoked the name of the Mother of Earth Core.
Given the exalted respect afforded to the Mother of Earth Core within the Earth Core Vein, none would dare evoke her falsely. His claims naturally convinced many.
As the piercing gazes of the group shifted toward him, Ivan’s heart sank deeper. It became increasingly apparent they were all in league—all birds of a feather. To think he had once held some favor toward the likes of the Dark Night Mother Goddess.
