With the crystal shard now in hand and several capable subordinates acquired, it wouldn't be long before he commanded an army of sea ghosts. His power was set to skyrocket.
Bai Qi wasted no more time, stowing the crystal shard and pressing onward towards the ruins.
The sea ghosts and their mountain were the only obstacles on this path. Once cleared, the rest of the journey became considerably easier.
As Bai Qi and his group arrived at the entrance of the ruins, Savich had been waiting for a considerable time.
"You're late."
"I was delayed by some matters on the road."
Bai Qi stepped forward, his gaze falling upon a wolf's head, as large as a millstone, at Savich's feet. He then observed Savich's subordinates, more than half of whom were missing. Even Dao Long appeared weary, a clear indication of a fierce battle.
"It seems you encountered quite some trouble as well."
Savich nudged the wolf's head beside him with his foot. "A pack of direwolves. This is their leader."
Though Savich spoke casually, only those who had experienced it could truly comprehend the despair of that battle. A hundred or so direwolves, each easily twice the size of a normal wolf, charged relentlessly. The wolf king itself could only be described as monstrous.
Fortunately, Savich made a decisive move, engaging in a one-on-one duel with the wolf king, assisted by Dao Long. Its successful defeat caused the remaining direwolves to scatter like startled birds.
As for the crystal shard, Savich had split the wolf king's skull in two with a single strike, revealing the very crystal shard within.
After a short wait, Bob and Artemis finally arrived, though their condition was far worse than Bai Qi and Savich's.
All the team members who accompanied them were expended, and even Savich's trusted mutant subordinate, Weber, had perished on the third path. It wasn't due to Weber's lack of skill, but rather his sacrifice to cover their escape with the crystal shard, holding back the crystal shard's guardian beast alone.
In truth, the enemies on the third path were not particularly strong, even weaker than the sea ghosts and direwolves encountered by Bai Qi and Savich. They were a species of shaggy yeti, over two meters tall, numbering around seventeen or eighteen. Their numbers were less than the direwolf pack, and their inherent traits were not as formidable as the sea ghosts.
However, the third team's combat strength was pitifully weak. Only Artemis and Weber were capable fighters, and they also had to protect Bob, a liability.
Even so, under normal circumstances, their paths crossing wouldn't have led to such a devastating defeat for the third team. The crucial difference was that the Yetis on the third path, unlike the creatures on the previous routes, did not wait for prey to arrive. They launched a proactive attack, coordinating their efforts and catching Artemis and her companions completely off guard.
Despite the heavy sacrifices, they managed to secure the crystal shard, but the cost was immense.
Artemis was covered in wounds, her clothes torn to shreds. Bob, however, was far more severely injured, his back a bloody mess. He had been carried by Artemis all the way and had now fallen unconscious from excessive blood loss.
"Quick, save him!"
Seeing this, Savich was the first to become agitated. He cared little for Bob's life, but Bob could not die now. If he died, who would control the Disc?
Savich's subordinates quickly set up a stretcher, placing the unconscious Bob on it and hastily administering emergency bandaging and treatment.
While everyone's attention was focused on Bob, Savich quietly approached Bai Qi and whispered, "He can't die yet. Do you have a way to heal him?"
Given Bob's severe injuries, even with immediate surgical intervention and extensive treatment, his survival was uncertain. Here, on this icy island, without any medical equipment, any attempt to salvage the situation would be futile, and Bob would surely perish. The only hope for Bob now lay in magic.
Bai Qi understood Bob's importance. However, unlike the Disc, he couldn't tamper with the ruins beforehand. If Bob and the others saw any information within the ruins that could hinder their exploration, it would only lead to more trouble. But now, with Bob severely wounded and on the brink of death, Bai Qi exchanged a glance with Dao Long and subtly moved his lips, a string of magical incantations entering Dao Long's ear.
Dao Long nodded lightly at Bai Qi and then approached Bob.
Savich, seeing this, commanded, "Make way, everyone! Let the gentleman examine him."
"Yes, yes, Elder Dao, please, please proceed."
As Dao Long approached, everyone instinctively parted, creating a path. Who would dare to provoke or disrespect such a powerful Archmage?
"Sir, please, you must save him."
Upon seeing Dao Long, Artemis implored him urgently. After all, Bob had been severely injured by the Yeti while saving her. If he were to die now, Artemis would carry that guilt forever.
Dao Long nodded and stood before Bob. After feigning a thorough examination of Bob's back, he turned and declared, "I require a private space to perform the treatment. During this time, no one is permitted to observe."
"Yes, I will prepare it immediately."
Soon, a curtain was erected, separating the two from the outside world, with guards stationed around its perimeter.
There were many magical methods to heal Bob, but to be safe, Dao Long hesitated to use them. Firstly, he feared that if he used dark magic to heal Bob, Bob might become incapable of operating the Disc. Secondly, he had clearly heard Bai Qi's words: Bob must not die, but he should also not be completely healed. Ideally, he should be rendered a half-dead vegetative state, a mere tool for operating the Disc.
Dao Long retrieved a small pouch from his robes and opened it. Inside was a pinch of white powder. Curiously, despite its unremarkable appearance, it emitted a floral fragrance upon being opened.
This powder was known as Zombie Powder. Although it carried a pleasant aroma, it was in fact an extremely malicious poison. When sprinkled on wounds or ingested, it could rapidly heal the recipient's injuries, but it came with severe side effects. First, the user would fall into a period of coma, a state of suspended animation that could vary in duration depending on the severity of their injuries. Even upon awakening, their body would gradually stiffen, eventually leading to nerve rigidity, transforming them into a mindless, unthinking zombie.
The advantage of using Zombie Powder was that it was not a product of dark magic but originated from an ancient ruin, a form of ancient secret technique. It was known that in ancient times, this world, with its confluence of yin and yang, was exceptionally powerful. Communication with other worlds was not yet completely sealed, and occasionally, one or two individuals from other realms—travelers, expatriates, or even fugitives—would arrive in this world. Many of these outsiders eventually chose to settle here.
Dao Long's pouch of Zombie Powder was found years ago in the ruins of an ancient alien visitor. It belonged neither to the righteous nor the dark path, making it perfectly suited for this purpose.