Before long, Ron returned, bouncing with excitement, clutching a bulging pouch of coins!
"Master, it's all here—2322 gold coins in total!" Ron presented the pouch to Link like a treasure.
"Is that all?" Link shook his head in dissatisfaction upon hearing Ron's report.
"Master, that's just the gold they were carrying. The real valuables are those goods over there, but unfortunately, we can't take them!" Ron licked his lips, casting a reluctant glance at the vast amount of goods left behind.
"Hmm, never mind. Those goods are hard to sell. We'll just take the money and not deal in stolen goods to avoid leaving any traces!"
With a wave of his hand, Link stuffed the pouch into his cloak. Then, with a thought, the gold coins within the pouch scattered into the realm of the undead!
This was a new idea Link had just conceived. After all, carrying so much gold was quite inconvenient, so he decided to toss all the coins into the undead realm after each raid, entrusting them to the Big Eye Demon for safekeeping. Once enough gold was accumulated, he could directly construct the "Sanctuary of the Fallen," eliminating the hassle of carrying it around!
Having completed all this, Link waved his hand and said to Ron, "Let's go!"
"Master, aren't we continuing?" Ron asked, puzzled by the sudden halt.
"No!" Link shook his head decisively. As a time traveler, he understood the wisdom of knowing when to stop!
Moreover, from last night until now, they had already raided six merchant caravans, acquiring at least 10,000 gold coins!
Such a commotion, especially outside the imperial capital, would surely attract attention. Link wouldn't believe anyone who said otherwise!
Thus, to play it safe, Link firmly decided to end their activities.
"But Master, I'm not done having fun yet…"
Ron mumbled, feeling a bit reluctant. Through these recent raids, he had become more adept at wielding his newfound powers, and just when he was on the verge of wanting more, Link unexpectedly called for a stop. He felt a twinge of dissatisfaction.
"More fun?"
Link rolled his eyes in exasperation and replied, "If we keep going, we might end up getting ourselves killed!"
"Alright then!"
Hearing this, Ron reluctantly nodded and obediently followed behind Link.
Just as the two had not been gone long, a deep purple lightning bolt suddenly streaked across the sky!
Crack! Crack!
The thunder roared, and the fierce wind howled, causing the surrounding trees to sway alarmingly, creating a terrifying spectacle!
"Be careful, a powerful presence is approaching!"
Upon hearing the commotion, Link instinctively jumped down and sent the four skeletal soldiers back to the realm of the undead!
All of this happened in the blink of an eye!
It was only then that the deep purple lightning struck the ground with a resounding crash!
Boom! Boom!
The ground cracked and splintered, sending a cloud of debris and dust into the air!
Link and Ron instinctively focused their gaze, and what they saw next would be etched in their memories for a lifetime!
Before them stood an elderly man clad in a purple robe, his hair and beard as white as snow, with his hands clasped behind his back, staring intently at them!
Even more astonishing was the pair of wings made entirely of lightning that sprouted from his back, radiating brilliant electric light, flickering in a mesmerizing display!
"Elemental Wings, a High Mage!"
Link's pupils constricted as he instantly recognized the old man's formidable power!
In the Roland Continent, it was said that once a practitioner attained high-level strength, they could fuse their internal magical energy or fighting spirit into a pair of "Elemental Wings," allowing them to soar through the skies at incredible speeds!
Although Link had never encountered a high-level practitioner, he had absorbed enough knowledge from his previous life to be aware of these common facts about the Roland Continent!
"Who are you, and why are you here?"
At that moment, the old man spoke, his voice booming like thunder, causing Link's ears to ring!
"Honorable sir, my name is Link, and I am from the Laurns family of Twilight City. This is my servant, Ron. We have come to the imperial capital to participate in the examination of the Imperial Academy of Cultivation."
Link did not dare to be negligent; he first performed a proper noble salute before truthfully stating his identity and purpose.
"The Laurns family?"
The old man raised an eyebrow at this and asked again, "So, you are nobles?"
"Indeed!" Link nodded once more.
"Oh!"
Upon learning that Link was a noble, the old man's previously tense expression relaxed almost instantly, and he smiled, saying, "Do not be afraid. I am not here to target you. I received reports of a lowly bandit operating outside the imperial capital, preying on passing merchant caravans, and possessing considerable strength. That's why I came to take a look!"