Eddie, after storing his gold coins and purchasing various items, was ready to teleport to the star domain and continue his mission in the Black Stone Maze.
He figured that Inan and Sophia were probably already at the Millennium Ancient Oak Tree, possibly working on a task related to it.
With Grey Wolf there, they would feel safer to focus on their mission while waiting for him.
As for Yehken and Hessian, Eddie guessed they would arrive at the Millennium Oak Tree a day later, so he still had plenty of spare time to meet up with them.
"Ah, so it really is you!" The Lord of Falling Flower City caught up from behind and reached out to grab Eddie's ear, "Little thief, why do you always run when you see me?"
"Lord Mayor, please be gentle, I haven't done anything bad!" Eddie quickly dodged her delicate fingers.
Seeing the Lord of Falling Flower City easily find him, Eddie was slightly surprised.
But when he noticed the cute three-tailed snow fox sniffing around her ankles, he realized why she was able to track him so effortlessly. However, Eddie wondered what she needed from him.
The Lord of Falling-Flower City frowned slightly as she looked at the Ashen Blade at Eddie's waist, and said with a hint of annoyance, "You fool, why did you exchange your battle merits for gold coins? "
"If you were short on money, why didn't you come to me? Even though I'm not very wealthy, I'm still a city lord. I could lend you a few hundred gold coins. "
"Battle merits have special uses, you know. On the third floor, many places require battle merits to access, and without them, you can't get in! It's not often you get to kill so many Demon Generals. "
"On the third floor and above, Demon Commanders and Demon Marshals often lead groups together. They are numerous and powerful, several times stronger than human warriors. It's hard to get them unless you're sniping!"
...
Eddie broke into a sweat upon hearing this.
He had no idea that battle merits were so valuable! He only went to the Honors Section of the Warrior's Guild to exchange them out of necessity.
Who would want to listen to that "White-Robed Brother's" ramblings?
The guy was even more annoying than Hessian! But then again, could he actually be related to Hessian?
Seeing Eddie's embarrassed expression, the Lord of Falling Flower City suddenly retracted her annoyance and burst into laughter, her shoulders shaking and her beauty shining through.
Her hearty laughter was always her trademark. Seeing her laugh so naturally and vivaciously, Eddie felt a certain wolfish desire rising within him.
Eddie, despite being tempted to take advantage of the Lord of Falling Flower City's alluring laughter, restrained himself, knowing it was just a fleeting desire and nothing more.
He cared deeply for his stepmother and sister Sophia, an affection he couldn't deny. As for Inan, Eddie would claim indifference, but his true feelings were well-concealed by his talent for deception.
"If you're clever, you're a master of deceit, fooling everyone around you. But if you're a fool, you're really a fool, unaware of basic life knowledge!
Haven't you heard that with a crystal card, you can easily get a loan from the warrior's bank? Not just in the Daxia Kingdom, but even in Tianluo and Zijin countries, they wouldn't hesitate to lend a bit of money to ingratiate themselves with a powerful individual. It's hilarious that you exchanged your battle merits for gold coins. Can you be any more amusing?" The Lord of Falling Flower City laughed heartily, playfully patting Eddie's shoulder as if saying, "I'll hold you responsible for making me laugh so hard."
Eddie, accepting his mistake with a light heart, inquired, "What brings you to me, Lord Mayor?" Regretting the exchange was futile now. And after all, it was just the battle merits of five Demon Generals; he could always kill more later. He felt confident in taking down Demon Generals without summoning books and protective shields.
Having faced the Demon King Hasin and the Necromancer King Guren, Eddie knew he wasn't their match, but with Little Wenli's support, he managed to escape unscathed. As for fighting a Demon King-level opponent, he had no such aspirations yet. Facing a Demon Commander, though, was a small wish of his.
The Lord of Falling Flower City ceased her hearty laughter and, like a buddy, draped an arm around Eddie's shoulder. "Considering you're going to be the captain of my personal guard in the future, I'm offering you a good deal. I'm planning to take down a formidable demon and need an assistant. Let's discuss tactics."
"I'm not going," Eddie immediately refused. He knew all too well that with her reckless nature, the Lord of Falling-Flower City wouldn't bother with ordinary foes, and taking on a strong enemy was just asking for trouble.
Eddie resisted the urge to free himself from the Lord of Falling Flower City's embrace, unwilling to part with the gentle touch.
The fragrance of a maiden surrounding him was intoxicating. Although he appeared serious, he couldn't hide his physical response to her proximity.
The Lord of Falling Flower City, with a playful tone, teased Eddie, "Hey thief, do you want a beautiful woman? A strong and gorgeous one?"
"Of course!" Eddie thought to himself, who wouldn't want a beautiful woman?
Unless they were like the invincible East, men generally desired the company of attractive women. But he doubted that the Lord of Falling Flower City, who didn't seem like a flirtatious woman, would suddenly be interested in him.
The Lord of Falling Flower City enticed him further, "I know a place with a powerful and beautiful woman. Let's take her down together."
Eddie, confused, asked, "Us together?" He wondered if the Lord of Falling Flower City was implying something more intimate.
"If I don't help you, do you think you, a mere thief, could take down the Bloody Queen, a level-five golden warrior, on your own?" The Lord of Falling Flower City's words made Eddie's heart sink.
Realizing that she wasn't inviting him for a romantic escapade, but rather to engage in a dangerous battle, Eddie quickly tried to escape. "I'm not going. I don't have a masochistic streak!"
The Lord of Falling Flower City chased after him, persuading, "Come on, thief, you don't have to bear the brunt of the fight. "
"I'll take the lead; you just need to assist."
" Imagine, after our victory, the Bloody Queen could be yours. If you can contract her, think about it: a level-five golden Bloody Queen. "
"Just by summoning her, you could sweep the field without lifting a finger."
...
Despite her persuasive argument, Eddie remained adamant about not participating in such a perilous endeavor.
Eddie, seeing the potential advantage, agreed to the Lord of Falling Blossom City's proposal. "Deal," he said, eagerly shaking her hand, seizing the opportunity to flirt a little.
The Lord of Falling Blossom City laughed heartily, "I knew you couldn't resist temptation, you little thief!
You should be more cautious. Don't you know that tricksters don't discriminate between genders?"
Eddie felt a bit embarrassed but also slightly amused by her teasing. "I trust you, Lord of Falling Blossom City, especially since I'm your future personal guard captain," he replied with a smile.
The Lord of Falling Blossom City reassured him, "Don't worry, I wouldn't deceive a naive thief like you. Just remember, don't trust people too easily, regardless of their gender. If you're busy, I can give you half a day off to handle your matters."
Eddie quickly decided to accompany the Lord of Falling Blossom City on her quest. He realized this was an opportunity not to be missed.
With the Bloody Queen, a level-five golden warrior, under his command, his strength would significantly increase.
Furthermore, capturing the Bloody Queen would bolster his position when he returned to the Yue Family Castle, allowing him to stand up against those who looked down on him.
With this new goal in mind, Eddie was ready to embark on the dangerous but potentially rewarding journey alongside the Lord of Falling Blossom City.
Falling Flower City Lord saw Yue Yang's hesitation and immediately grabbed his hand firmly, reassuring him, "Don't worry, it will be a quick trip. Your sister, Yue Bing, is quite capable. She'll be fine training in the Black Stone Maze. Besides, you can't always protect her. She needs to have opportunities to be independent too! Let's go, we shouldn't let those devils from the Demon Abyss get there first!"
"Demon Abyss?" Eddie was surprised.
What was the connection between the Bloody Queen and the Demon Abyss?
Could it be that the Bloody Queen resided in the Demon Abyss?
...
"The Bloody Queen is a newly ascended Gold-rank king beast, and now is the easiest time to defeat her. Wait a few more months, and once she grows to Gold-rank level six, it will become much more difficult. "
"All creatures, once they surpass level six, their strength increases by more than tenfold. However, Bronze, Silver, and Gold creatures typically don't have the chance to mutate beyond level six. Only a very few Platinum creatures can mutate after reaching level six," explained Falling Flower City Lord as she hurried along, pulling Eddie with her.
Eddie listened intently, absorbing this secret knowledge about nurturing battle beasts. "If your Double-headed Wolf advances to Bronze level six, it would be wasted. You need to let it mutate to the Silver rank. Otherwise, it will just become a laborious beast."
Falling Flower City Lord's words made Eddie realize that the growth of his Double-headed Wolf was a delicate process. "How can a Bronze-rank Double-headed Wolf mutate into a Silver-rank?" Eddie couldn't help but ask, knowing that this was a closely guarded secret.
Falling Flower City Lord understood Yue Yang's curiosity and continued to explain while moving quickly. "Firstly, the Double-headed Wolf needs to experience special challenges or environmental changes, like defeating more powerful enemies in a specific environment or surviving unique events like lightning strikes or being soaked in spiritual energy. These can trigger its mutation."
"Additionally," she added, "as its master, you also need to have a certain level of strength and a spiritual connection with it. The stronger you are, the more you can guide and stimulate its potential. And a deep spiritual bond is built over time and shared experiences. Only when your relationship with your Double-headed Wolf is strong enough, will it possibly mutate under your influence."
Falling Flower City Lord looked at Yue Yang, saying earnestly, "Your Double-headed Wolf is already powerful, but to reach the Silver rank, it will need more effort and some luck. You must find suitable challenges for it and provide support at the right time for a successful mutation."
After hearing this, Eddie felt enlightened. Mutating his battle beast was not just about the beast itself but also required guidance and assistance from him as the master. This was a new challenge for him, but it also excited him.