"What's this cursed land about?"
The woman before him didn't answer but walked over to the weapon rack in the living room. She wiped her sword clean and placed it back, then took out the firearm from her waist, fiddling with it before securing it back.
The living room was filled with magical artifacts, and some animated portraits had fallen silent.
Anna extinguished the torch and lit some candles nearby.
"The cursed land is a place you can enter but not exit. Those who come here become food for the demons that keep them captive."
She didn't tell Zhao Lun that this saying came from the townspeople, mainly to dissuade him from staying.
Before long, Anna left, leaving Zhao Lun alone, gazing at the portraits until she returned.
"These are my ancestors, portraits of the knights in my family."
Seeing Zhao Lun lost in thought while looking at the portraits, she introduced their identities.
"Really? These portraits look incredibly lifelike!"
"I can sense the magical aura!"
"I must say, your family has preserved quite a bit of magical artifacts."
Magical items have always been popular among the nobility; the more powerful the family, the more magical items they possess.
"These are all legacies from my ancestors…"
"Would you like something to eat?"
Perhaps it was due to the sad topic; she paused mid-sentence and changed the subject.
"Thank you; if it's not too much trouble, I'd like some."
"Of course."
Dinner was quite lavish, indicating that the host had put considerable effort into the hospitality.
Anna picked up a goblet filled with deep red wine, pouring two glasses. She slid one toward Zhao Lun and took the other for herself. She lifted her glass, gently swirling it, and the wine exuded an exceptional aroma.
"This is a vintage red wine aged for four centuries. Would you like a taste?"
"As much as I'd love to, it doesn't seem appropriate right now, but you can save some for me to enjoy later."
Zhao Lun exerted a great deal of effort to resist the temptation of the fine wine, shamelessly asking to take some with him.
Anna shot him a sideways glance, ignoring his request as she enjoyed the family's exquisite brew. Her graceful movements as she swirled the wine were elegant and beautiful, making Zhao Lun's heart skip a beat.
"Cough, cough! I can trade for it."
Zhao Lun intentionally cleared his throat and placed some fruits and drinks on the table.
"Oh! Can wizards conjure things out of thin air?"
"No, I just had some prepared in advance to take out when needed."
"Hmm, it tastes pretty good."
Anna sipped her wine and tasted the fruit, not bringing up the subject of trading for the wine, which left Zhao Lun speechless.
Perhaps having a bit of wine loosened her tongue, and she willingly answered Zhao Lun's questions, sharing some details about her family.
Her family had fallen into decline; ideally, she and her brother should have been supporting it. Unfortunately, just a few days ago, while hunting a werewolf, her brother fell off a cliff and was lost, leaving her to bear the burden alone.
When discussing the sad events, she downed another glass, refilling it with the rich red wine, drinking deeply as if to drown her sorrows.
She finished an entire bottle, even consuming the untouched wine Zhao Lun had, while most of the food on the table remained untouched, eaten primarily by him.
Her eyes became glassy, indicating she was a bit tipsy.
"It's getting late; follow me."
Fortunately, she hadn't lost her senses completely and didn't act foolishly. Instead, she led him to a room to rest, which relieved Zhao Lun.
"It's dangerous here; you should leave tomorrow."
"Good night!"
After saying this, she swayed slightly and left, the effects of the wine taking hold as she wisely chose to depart.
The room featured a glass window and a simple bed; aside from that, the surroundings were dim, illuminated only by light filtering in from outside.
The town was quiet, with not a sound to be heard.
"Awoooo!——"
At night, the howling of wolves could be heard.
In the unfamiliar environment, Zhao Lun slept lightly, waking several times throughout the night. He finally fell into a deep sleep just before dawn, only to be awoken by the sounds of townspeople starting their day.
Zhao Lun yawned as he got out of bed and looked outside; indeed, the townspeople were up and busy once more.
The morning mist made visibility poor, and the air felt a bit chilly.
"Good morning."
Stepping out of the room, he encountered the castle's owner, dressed similarly to the previous night.
With the light now available, Zhao Lun could see her more clearly. He had to admit she was indeed beautiful, but he found her corset somewhat uncomfortable to look at.
Corsets were not only for aesthetics but also served to enhance her movement during actions.
"Good morning."
"You should leave now."
This time, she didn't even invite him for breakfast, just hurried him along.
"Huh?"
"It's dangerous here; you should return where you came from."
"I'm a wizard; what's dangerous for you is quite manageable for me."
Zhao Lun replied, casting a quick cleaning spell to freshen up.
"You are indeed a wizard, but you're too young and not yet capable of handling such dangers!"
Outside the town now.
"This is far enough; hurry back, so your family doesn't worry."
"Alright, I'll notify my family and then come back. Here, take this for self-defense."
"Silver magic bullets; it's a werewolf's nemesis."
"A sharp magical dagger, ideal for your strikes!"
Zhao Lun tossed her a firearm, followed by two magazines and three boxes of bullets. After a moment's consideration, he also threw in a sheathed sharp Dao knife.
"I hope to see you again when I return."
"Then, goodbye."
Zhao Lun bid farewell to Anna, then followed the map from yesterday, heading onward. After taking a few steps, he suddenly stopped, slapping himself on the forehead; he had made a rookie mistake the previous day.
He pulled out a tool from his divine realm, hopped on his motorcycle, and roared away.
This motorcycle had been stored in the divine realm since it was finished and had never been used. If he hadn't remembered it today, he might have forgotten it entirely.
As he took out the motorcycle, another tool came to mind: the flying broomstick.
Back in the Muggle world, Zhao Lun tried to avoid using magical items, and he hadn't realized he almost forgot about this convenient mode of transportation. The roads here weren't great; a motorcycle was useful, but a flying broomstick was even better.
Approaching the thicket ahead, he stowed the motorcycle and pulled out the upgraded version of the Nimbus 2000—Nimbus 2001. He hopped on and took to the skies.
The broomstick flew swiftly, with the wind whooshing past his ears; the morning air was already chilly, and the breeze made it feel even colder, making his nose uncomfortable.
Looking back, he could no longer see the lady searching for her brother, so he didn't waste any time. He donned a mask and goggles, then accelerated, flying quickly back toward the mountain he had previously visited.
He had arrived at the town in the morning, and by the time he reached it again, it was already evening. Now, flying over, he would be back in less than an hour.
Had he sped up, he could have arrived in less than twenty minutes at most.
Slowing down also allowed Zhao Lun to observe the world below more clearly, and he recorded everything he saw, providing him with greater detail.
After stowing the broomstick, he walked toward the concealed passage.
This location emanated extraordinary power; ordinary people couldn't even approach it. As Zhao Lun stepped into the area, he felt a force envelop him, and as he stepped through, he returned to the decaying place filled with rot, its stench immediately prompting him to summon defenses from the divine realm as he approached the engraved stone door.
Leaning against it, he found himself back in the passage.
Zhao Lun sighed with relief; fortunately, nothing unexpected had occurred.
*Bang, bang, bang!* The dark, putrid energy surged once more, but Zhao Lun felt no harm, successfully passing through.
"Hmm, with these items, even if others discover this passage, they won't get through safely."
Zhao Lun looked at the dangerous, decaying energy around him and felt more at ease; he moved through the area more swiftly.
Suddenly, the scenery ahead brightened, and Zhao Lun felt like he had emerged from that "black hole."
Here, the black energy had further corrupted the area, and the stony ground beneath him was so fragile that it would crumble with the slightest pressure.
Zhao Lun frowned; if this continued, the terrain here would change drastically. Such commotion would undoubtedly attract attention, which was not what he wanted.
```