Chapter 153 Two Choices

Just as Shi Feng was secretly guessing Xia Lian's identity, a hint of astonishment appeared in Xia Lian's golden eyes.

"You actually got the real one!" Xia Lian couldn't help but look Shi Feng up and down. "I thought you'd bring a fake to solve your problem."

Shi Feng's expression shifted in surprise.

Only the Fallen Angel Serena had mentioned the fake. He didn't expect Xia Lian to know as well.

Xia Lian saw Shi Feng's question and explained with a smile, "The Book of Darkness is no small matter. It was created by the Lord of Destruction and is a treasure used to rule all demons. Even if it's been damaged, the Book of Darkness is still incredibly powerful. Countless experts want to get their hands on it. Many have gone to the Dark Cave before, hoping to obtain the Book of Darkness, but all they brought back were fakes."

"Although the fake Books of Darkness have some power, resolving the minor issue of being targeted by a Great Demon is no problem. However, a fake is still a fake. It's still useful for you weak adventurers, but for high-level experts, it's like chicken ribs—tasteless to eat and a pity to throw away."

"No wonder Qian Huan Wan Mie stopped using the Book of Darkness after reaching Tier 4. So that's how it is," Shi Feng realized.

In the past, Qian Huan Wan Mie rose to fame with the Book of Darkness, allowing the Illusory World Divine Temple to surpass the Dragon-Phoenix Pavilion branch. However, after Qian Huan Wan Mie advanced to a Tier 4 Emperor Spirit Master, the Book of Darkness was no longer used. At the time, everyone thought Qian Huan Wan Mie's Book of Darkness had been dropped.

Epic-grade items, especially special Epic-grade items like the Book of Darkness, are effective as long as they're in the backpack, and aren't tied to levels at all. Even Tier 5 peak experts would continue to use them. After all, Legendary-grade item fragments and Legendary-grade items are too rare, and even Tier 6 God-ranked players might not have them. It's already good enough to have this kind of Epic-grade item.

Now it seems that the limit of a fake is to help up to Tier 3. It's of no help at Tier 4, so naturally, it's no longer used.

"Take it out," Xia Lian said softly, her beautiful eyes curving into a smile.

Shi Feng carefully took the Book of Darkness from his backpack and placed it on the desk.

"Mm, it's indeed the real thing. Your capabilities are truly impressive. I don't know how many experts wanted to obtain the Book of Darkness, but they all got fakes. If they knew a little guy like you got the real thing, they'd probably be driven mad." Xia Lian examined the Book of Darkness carefully, nodded, and laughed. "Since you have the real thing, I'll give you two choices."

"The first choice is to resolve the issue of the Great Demon's descent without paying any fees."

"The second choice is to pay 1,500 gold coins plus 100 Soul Crystals, which can completely eliminate the Great Demon targeting you once and for all."

"Sure enough." Shi Feng couldn't help but give Xia Lian a look of contempt. He only had a total of 1,600 gold coins in his backpack, which was the money Candlelight Firm had earned during this time. If he gave it to Xia Lian, he would become a pauper again.

But even so, Shi Feng gritted his teeth and handed it over.

If he chose the first option, it would seem to solve the problem of the Great Demon's descent, but in reality, it only weakened the descending Great Demon, allowing players to deal with it. In other words, he would have to deal with the Great Demon's will descending every once in a while, until he completely killed the Great Demon in its full, peak state. Otherwise, it would continue indefinitely.

In the past, Qian Huan Wan Mie was also plagued by the Descent of Darkness, and had to deal with the weakened Great Demon that descended from time to time, causing chaos in the entire Illusory World Divine Temple.

Now that he had a second choice, he was already very lucky.

Perhaps this was the difference between a fake and the real thing.

Xia Lian, with a holy smile on her face, received the gold coins and Soul Crystals and nodded with satisfaction. "Alright, please step back first."

Shi Feng followed Xia Lian's instructions and retreated to a place more than thirty yards away.

Xia Lian picked up the Book of Darkness and, after flipping through a few pages, began to chant the spells in the book, continuously drawing various incantations in the air with her hand.

As the written incantations grew longer and longer, the power of darkness in the entire hall also became richer and richer. Pale black mist could be seen with the naked eye, and this black mist frantically gathered in front of Xia Lian, forming a four-layered magic array. The surrounding space also began to blur, and the powerful magic even suppressed the space within the hall.

"This magic power is too strong. I can't even move," Shi Feng thought, shocked as he looked at the four-layered magic array floating in mid-air.

Only a Tier 5 player like Xia Lian could use a magic array that could form its own space.

After the incantations were completed, Xia Lian took out one hundred Soul Crystals and scattered them casually. Instantly, one hundred gray Soul Crystals turned into gray smoke, forming a silver-gray door. The ancient door was carved with countless demons, each of whom had great fame in God's Domain. Ordinary Tier 4 experts simply wouldn't dare provoke these existences.

"Is she going to summon a demon?" Shi Feng looked at the gray door and could clearly feel its terror. If the door were opened, I fear a terrible thing would descend.

"You guessed right. I am going to summon a demon, and it will be the Great Demon targeting you. How else would I get rid of him?" Xia Lian rolled her golden eyes at Shi Feng, then transferred her gaze to the gray door. "In the name of darkness, I summon you here, Great Demon Kirorod!"

As Xia Lian's words finished, the gray door opened with a bang.

"Who dares to summon me?" A dark, gloomy voice came from within the gray door.

Then a figure shot out of the gray door, with a pair of black bat wings, two black goat horns on its head, its entire body covered in black scales, and its blood-red pupils full of killing intent.

As soon as Kirorod appeared, his blood-red gaze swept around, and a sneer couldn't help but appear on the corner of his mouth.

"I thought it was someone important, but it's just you, little priestess, and that foolish adventurer." Kirorod flapped his wings and said disdainfully, "I didn't expect that you ants would get the real Book of Darkness. As a reward for summoning me, I will take your souls and the Book of Darkness."

"Is this Great Demon an idiot?" Shi Feng looked at Kirorod with a puzzled expression.

Kirorod was a Level 180 Tier 4 Great Demon, but Xia Lian was a Level 200 Tier 5 Red-Clad High Priest. No matter how he looked at it, they were not opponents of the same level. How dare he say that Xia Lian was a little priestess?

Did Kirorod think he was a Tier 6 Demon God?

"Mm, that's not right." Shi Feng immediately discovered the problem. The Xia Lian in front of him had somehow changed from a Tier 5 Red-Clad High Priest to a Tier 3 Priest.

"Little brother, don't be in a daze. Your task now is to kill him." Xia Lian didn't care about the Great Demon Kirorod's provocation at all, and looked at Shi Feng and ordered.

"You want to kill me, Great Demon Kirorod? You must be crazy. Now I'll let you know the consequences of summoning a Great Demon!" Great Demon Kirorod revealed a ferocious look, and black flames suddenly appeared in his hand.