Chapter 127 — Dandelion [17] - Tracking

Liora’s figure gently landed on the branch of a nearby tree, and the scene unfolding beneath her fell straight into her eyes.

There, two parties were engaged in a violent battle, bringing devastation to the land around them.

One of the parties was an enormous beast that resembled an armored lizard, while the other was a group of four Knights.

Though the armored lizard seemed to hold an advantage in the battle—rushing forward and using its front limbs to strike at the Knights—its attacks were actually neutralized with relative ease.

Every time it seemed like the lizard would maim one of the Knights and destroy their formation, another Knight would step forward and parry its menacing charge.

Judging from their actions and formation, Liora realized that the Knights were trying to exhaust the lizard’s stamina rather than slaying it head-on.

Moreover, as her eyes wandered around the scene, she detected a Knight Apprentice hiding not far away from the heart of the battle.

Although the Knight Apprentice didn’t intervene, it was obvious that he stood on the side of the Knights.

Liora’s speculation and analysis soon proved to be true.

Not long after her arrival, the lizard’s charges grew increasingly slower. At the same time, the damage its blows caused decreased, giving the Knights more leeway to evade.

Apparently, the lizard could no longer maintain its peak combat power.

Perhaps recognizing this or perhaps guided by the hatred and resentment of being wounded, the lizard suddenly gave up resisting the Knights’ blows.

Without putting up any defense, it lunged at one of the Knight Apprentices, as if it were ready to exchange its life with their own.

Just then, though, the person hiding in the dark emerged.

Like a qualified assassin, they stepped out of the darkness and flashed beside the lizard. Then, they struck at its temple using a short but sharp dagger.

Faced with this sudden sneak attack, the lizard couldn’t react.

With its head penetrated and its brain crushed, it soon collapsed to the ground, forming a deep pit surrounded by tiny cracks.

Gazing at this scene, Liora’s eyes narrowed.

This was not because she suddenly felt sympathy for the beast, but because she noticed a familiar aura emanating from the team of Knights.

Moreover, the method used by the Knight Apprentice at the very end only served to further confirm her speculation.

’They should be members of the Necronomicon Sect!’, she realized.

Although the cultists following the Necronomicon Sect did not possess a signature ability like the members of the Holy Church, instead wielding a variety of different powers, Liora could recognize their methods based on her vast experience.

In her eyes, the assassination skills performed by the Knight Apprentice were exactly the same as those employed by the assassins she had captured earlier, making the identity of this team evident.

However, Liora restrained her impulse to step forward and capture these people.

Her previous encounters with the Necronomicon Sect had told her that it would be impossible to acquire any information from them, even if she were to interrogate them.

’Rather than doing that, it would be better to keep observing them for now. Though it might be a waste of time, it may also guide me to their stronghold.’, Liora thought, and she immediately made her decision.

While constantly activating the Silent Domain to cover her figure, she approached her targets and waited for them to move.

Fortunately, the team of Knight Apprentices didn’t keep her waiting for long.

After they disassembled the beast’s corpse and collected its valuable parts, they eliminated their traces and swiftly left this place.

Unbeknownst to them, a blurry figure followed behind them, covered in a pale domain that made it impossible to detect their presence.

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Following the cultists, Liora had the illusion that she was experiencing the life of ordinary Knights.

The team before her cautiously trekked through the Ancient Beast Wilderness, searching for beasts and other useful resources.

Since their targets were different than Liora’s—who only targeted True Knight beasts and wouldn’t take the initiative to hunt down weaklings—their harvest was much more satisfying than hers.

It didn’t take long for their packs to be filled to the brim with the flesh and bones of beasts, accompanied by a large number of precious fruits and plants.

Then, they suddenly changed their route, as if they were pleased with their current spoils and were ready to return home.

Seeing this happen, Liora’s eyes lit up.

Although watching the cultists’ earlier adventures had been quite novel and something she had never experienced before, she had not forgotten her goal.

She was not here to be a voyeur, but to locate the Necronomicon Sect’s stronghold.

While she was secretly having these inexplicable thoughts, the movements of the cultists didn’t halt.

They continued their careful journey through the forest.

At times, they would stop in place and observe their surroundings, as if ensuring that no one was tracking them.

Fortunately, their relatively low strength and Liora’s Silent Domain rendered them unable to discover her.

Before long, the team finally led her to their destination.

However, unlike what one would have expected, that destination was not the Necronomicon Sect’s stronghold, but a short hill made of gravel.

Just when she was wondering whether these people had discovered her existence and were merely deceiving her, she noticed something amiss with the hill.

Indeed, only a few moments later, the actions of the cultists confirmed her thoughts.

Their leader—who had previously assassinated the lizard beast—stepped forward and approached the hill.

After confirming that there was no beast or person nearby, he cautiously placed his palm on the side of the hill and manipulated his Life Force to pour into his hand.

Instantly, a crimson light flickered at the spot that he was touching.

The next moment, a small rune materialized on the hill right beside his hand, followed by another one, and another one.

In the blink of an eye, these runes had multiplied countless times over like a virus, covering the surface of the hill and dyeing it in a blood-red color.