This place hardly lives up to the names 'verdant' or 'green.'

Wang Linchi gazed at the nearby Cuiqing Mountain. It had once been lush and vibrant, but now it stood barren. Moreover, the excessive gathering of Demonized Creatures had transformed it into the Demonic Realm he had witnessed before.

This time, however, Wang Linchi wasn't afraid of the Demonic Realm's corrosive effects; he possessed numerous cards capable of countering them. Of course, there's no guarantee the Demonic Realm hasn't evolved too. After all, the level is different. It was Level 10 back then, and now it's Level 70. It's impossible for it to have remained completely unchanged.

"What do you think, sir? Are you confident?" Zheng Li, standing beside him, asked cautiously.

He was actually terrified. Cuiqing Mountain is as menacing as a demon's lair, but I had no choice but to come. As the party involved, it's only right I'm present for the mediation. What if Wang Linchi goes alone and unleashes a massacre?

"Confident? A little," Wang Linchi said, stroking his chin as he looked at Cuiqing Mountain. He then asked, "As the employer, for this mediation, do you prefer a gentle approach or a more violent one? I recommend the violent option. It will demonstrate my power, make them think twice, and facilitate smoother communication later on."

"Ah? Perhaps it's better to be gentle. Payment isn't an issue; safety is paramount," Zheng Li replied. I never expected Wang Linchi to offer choices, he thought, but he didn't take Wang Linchi's advice. My son is still in there. A violent approach might intimidate them, but it could also provoke them into harming my son further.

"Alright, it's your money," Wang Linchi nodded, then summoned the Saint Master. "Time to work."

The Saint Master's sudden appearance startled Zheng Li, though he quickly suppressed his shock.

"What is he...?" Zheng Li was puzzled. Does he intend for this obviously formidable Saint Master to handle the negotiations?

As the Saint Master's figure receded into the distance, Wang Linchi looked at the Protection Seal forming around him and said slowly, "He's going to talk to them. We're humans; we definitely can't communicate with their kind as effectively as one of their own."

Zheng Li was skeptical. Judging by the Saint Master's demeanor, he doesn't look like he's going to communicate. He looks more like he's going to kill someone.

However, on second thought, Demon Suppressing Sorcerers can only suppress demons, not exterminate them, so he relaxed a little.

However, less than two minutes later, he faintly heard a commotion from the mountain—it sounded like a fight had broken out. His heart clenched once more.

"Mage, isn't that a bit too loud?" Zheng Li hesitated before finally voicing his concern.

Wang Linchi glanced into the distance and nodded. "It is a bit loud, but it's fine. It should be normal communication. You know how these Evil Demons are."

He was clearly making it up as he went. Not even three seconds after he spoke, a violent explosion echoed from the mountain.

Despite their distance, they could both see the flash of fire from the explosion.

This intensified Zheng Li's unease. This definitely isn't normal communication!

"They haven't started fighting, have they?" Zheng Li asked, though in his heart, he was quite certain they had.

"Relax, they wouldn't. The Evil Demon I subdued is a Fire Demon, so it's perfectly logical for some sparks to fly," Wang Linchi tried to bluff his way through.

Unfortunately, Wang Linchi didn't possess an Intelligence Reduction Aura, so Zheng Li didn't believe a single punctuation mark of it.

Zheng Li's expression grew increasingly strained. Perhaps hiring Wang Linchi was a mistake.

As the sounds of explosions and the sight of firelight continued, the cacophony from the mountain intensified. He could even faintly hear shouts and cries of battle.

Only several minutes later did the commotion begin to die down.

"Alright, the negotiations are over. There's just one issue to resolve," Wang Linchi suddenly said, startling Zheng Li considerably.

In Zheng Li's eyes, Wang Linchi had seemed quite proper at first. Now, looking again, There's definitely something wrong with this guy's head. Of course, he didn't dare say this aloud.

"What problem, Mage? Please, tell me," Zheng Li quickly responded.

"There are quite a few people in there, and I don't know which one is your son." Wang Linchi could naturally see what the Saint Master saw; he could share not only vision but also hearing and smell—a complete sensory link. However, Wang Linchi usually kept this link deactivated since the Saint Master rarely left his side.

"My son, he looks…" Zheng Li was ecstatic and quickly described his son's appearance and what he was wearing. Nevertheless, a knot of anxiety remained. What if my son... what if he's no longer…

"Not bad, that narrows it down. But there are still a few who look similar. You only have one son, correct?" Wang Linchi said, having filtered the possibilities again through the Saint Master's vision.

"Well, perhaps we should go up the mountain?" Zheng Li suggested, thinking, It might be better if I go up myself.

"If you're not afraid of shortening your lifespan or becoming a Demon Man by entering the Demon Realm, then it's not a big problem," Wang Linchi replied, not opposing the idea.

"This... Wait! My son... he hasn't turned into a Demon Man, has he?!" Zheng Li looked horrified. If his son had truly become a Demon Man, then rescuing him would be no different from not rescuing him at all.

"Not quite. It's just minor contamination, not enough to turn him into a Demon Man."

"They eat humans, not Demon Men," Wang Linchi explained. "Most of the people taken up the mountain are kept as food, so there are certain preservation measures to prevent them from turning into their own kind due to the Demonic Realm's contamination, which would spoil the 'food'."

These words, while somewhat reassuring, were also deeply unsettling for Zheng Li.

"I've had them all brought down. You can take your time choosing. You can even pick a few extra to be your sons; consider it a bonus from me." Wang Linchi felt Zheng Li was getting a great deal. He only asked for one son, and Wang Linchi brought him a whole group.

It's a good thing I don't live next door to Zheng Li. Otherwise, with my surname Wang, I'd probably be roped into 'helping' with all sorts of things! Wang Linchi mused.

"Alright then. Thank you for your trouble, Mage," Zheng Li said. He felt his emotions had been on a rollercoaster. Although Wang Linchi isn't very proper, he's certainly efficient.

Barely ten minutes later, the Saint Master came down the mountain, dragging a large group of people.

There were men and women, old and young, every face etched with terror; they were clearly petrified.

"There, they're all here. See which one is your son," Wang Linchi said, gesturing to the people the Saint Master had lined up, implying Zheng Li could pick freely, even take a couple more.

Zheng Li spotted his son immediately; the boy looked utterly wretched.

"Thank you, Mage, for saving my humble son's life! Your great kindness and virtue…"

Wang Linchi didn't quite catch the rest, as he was examining the loot the Saint Master had brought back.

[Level 3.5 Concentration Abyss Crystal]

[Type: Material]

[Quality: Abyss]

[Effect: Can be converted into fifty million Abyss Crystals upon mission completion.]

Fifty million! Although it's less than what an Abyss Offspring yields, getting fifty million Abyss Crystals from a Level 70 Abyssal Demon boss is still a lot.

Other drops also included Abyss Crystals, but none yielded as much as the boss's, so Wang Linchi didn't pay them much mind.

The Saint Master had beaten the Snake Demon to death and had also found two quest items.

After a quick glance at their effects, Wang Linchi tossed them into his inventory. The effects were quite good; he considered them a little something extra for his efforts.

He had so many cards that this little bit of effect didn't make much difference. He had quite a few cards with similar effects anyway, and thankfully, they could stack.

"Did you discover something, Mage?" Zheng Li asked, noticing Wang Linchi 'spacing out' after he finished speaking. He couldn't help but feel nervous. What if this Mage is unpredictable and moody?

"Nothing," Wang Linchi replied, shifting his attention back. "Well, since your son is found, let's head back. It's gloomy here, makes one a bit scared."

...

Everyone was rather speechless. Someone like you, scared? We all saw the Saint Master rampaging through Cuiqing Mountain!

Only Zheng Li, unaware of these events, nodded in agreement. "You have a point, Mage. I wonder when this Demon Realm will finally dissipate."

"See? You feel it too. I'm actually quite timid," Wang Linchi said. It's true I'm somewhat timid, but my way of dealing with fear is usually to face it head-on—unless it's a fear I can't beat. These words are just humility and a disguise. It'd be interesting if anyone actually believed them.

"Haha, Mage, you're very humorous." Given Wang Linchi's actions, 'timid' doesn't seem to fit him at all, Zheng Li thought, then continued, "It's getting late. We should get going, or we might not make it back before dark."

"Alright, let's set off then."

Only with Wang Linchi's word did everyone dare to move. Given the Saint Master's presence, Wang Linchi was tacitly acknowledged as their leader; no one would move before he gave the signal.

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