The Demon Realm, the mountains of Karnas.

Located in the extreme north of the Demon Realm, it is covered in blizzard all year round, and if it weren't for the season of the Demon Realm in the hot summer, the blizzard here would be enough to freeze all living life.

Therefore, living in the Karnas Mountains... All of them are undead with a second life.

"Your Highness, I think it would be... Irrational. ”

As soon as Josius stepped out of the portal that Zenas had built, he heard the proverbs of this fierce demon of sinful karma.

Zenas's race is second only to the Chaos Demon in the Demon Realm, and he rarely fears anything, but unfortunately, the owner of this mountain is the existence that Zenas has to fear, and even has to be in awe.

"I've met the Duke a few times, and he's an easy-going man." Qiao Xiu said.

"Easy-going..."

Zenas used to obey Qiao Xiu's orders, but this time Zenas didn't believe Qiao Xiu's 'easygoing' evaluation.

The forces of the demon world are divided into one king, four dukes and seven heroes, one king refers to the lord of the demon world, that is, the father of the third prince, Nordleine, who stands at the apex of the demon world, the absolute ruler, and under Nordleine there are four dukes who control the four territories of the demon world.

It was one of the four dukes that Qiao Xiu was going to visit, known as the Duke of Bones... Zenas had only heard a little about the duke's past.

The four Dukes of the Demon Realm are synonymous with danger, and unless they visit Nortlion himself, they will kill any creature that invades their territory as they please.

"Isn't judging a person based on rumors and appearances just like those despicable humans?"

Qiao Xiu's rhetorical question left Zenas speechless at all.

He remembered the little girl he had met in prison before, and afterwards Zenas hid in the darkness, using the flames that overflowed his body to form a beacon like a ghost fire to guide the little girl who successfully entered the portal.

The little girl smiled and waved at the beacon before entering the portal, touching some unknown emotions in Zenas's heart, which Zenas couldn't understand, but... It's unforgettable, even more memorable than the scene where Zenas burned an enemy to the ground.

Seeing Zenas's silence, Qiao Xiu did not continue to embarrass this loyal subordinate.

Qiao Xiu's gaze looked at Xiri, who had followed him to the Demon Realm behind him.

The deterrent effect of the spar on her neck to Ciri was almost not ordinary, and in order not to make a mistake when teleporting, the spar on her neck was detonated, and she generously took Qiao Xiu's hand into the portal.

"I always feel like there's a wolf or a bear in the forest watching me."

Ciri stepped on the thick snow on the ground, let go of Qiao Xiu's hand, and took out his magic staff to look at the surrounding forest shrouded in darkness.

From the moment she stepped into this snow-covered forest, she had a familiar feeling... The feeling of being targeted by something, or that kind of malicious gaze.

"There's no harmless creature like wolves and bears here, and you might be staring at a Lifestealer or Mind Flayer, or if you're unlucky, a Death Knight."

Qiao Xiu recalled the memories of the third prince, this area was basically the core area of the Bone Duke's territory, and the undead creatures living in the forest were certainly not low-level mass-produced undead creatures like skeleton soldiers.

The moment an ordinary human stepped into this place, in just a few seconds, the surrounding undead would rush up and eat it into nothingness with no soul left.

Qiao Xiu was able to stand so safely here, not because of Qiao Xiu's identity as a Chaos Demon, but because the owner of this forest gave Qiao Xiu a small privilege.

“……”

Ciri didn't speak, because Qiao Xiu's words once again touched Ciri's knowledge blind spot.

There was only one thing she had to know, and that was the beings who were staring at her in the darkness of the forest, the ones she couldn't win with the little staff in her hand.

"Let's go, it's not far from the castle where the master lives."

Joshua led Ciri and Zenas deeper into the forest.

………………

There is indeed a castle in the depths of the forest, the forest outside the castle is covered with frost, but the garden inside the castle is blooming with all kinds of unknown flowers, the color of the flowers is very dull, and the statues used to decorate the manor are also entangled in dark thorns, coupled with the shroud of night, the castle as a whole exudes a strange atmosphere.

When Qiao Xiu walked up the stairs of nearly 100 floors to the gate of the castle, the gate seemed to slowly open to welcome Qiao Xiu.

The interior of the castle is full of luxury, and it seems that the skeletal man's aesthetic taste has not decayed with his death.

And the music, unknown music reverberates throughout the castle, it's an occasion... The timbre produced in the ensemble is a familiar instrument for Qiao Xiu.

Thanks to the blessing of the parallel world?

"Why do I think this music is so weird?"

Ciri followed Josius up the staircase in the center of the castle hall, on which hung an oil painting of a portrait of a young man.

"Spooky? This sentence of yours, little one, is enough for me to feed your soul to my dog."

Rough as a fingernail rubbing against a blackboard, the sound echoed throughout the hall... A dark figure 'walked' through the painting.

"His Royal Highness the Prince......"

The Sinful Karma Demon who was following behind Qiao Xiu saw the appearance of that figure and wanted to step forward to block Qiao Xiu, but Qiao Xiu stretched out his hand to block Zenas's rude action.

The Skeleton's appearance was very different from the standard image of the Lich in Jossiu's impression, the 'Kel' and although the interior had decayed to the point that only skeletons remained, he was dressed more like a pirate than a magician.

"You'd better give me a reason to trespass on my territory and disturb my playing, or I'll make you into a skeleton for your father, even if you're the son of Notreins."

Hearing the Skeleton Male's words, the flames on Zenas's body rose, but the scarlet light in the Skeleton Male's dark eye sockets flickered, and Zenas's huge body instantly fell to his knees and made a heavy sound.

This is the power that can rival the Lord of the Demon Realm?

Qiao Xiu is really not worth mentioning in front of this existence, Qiao Xiu's identity has no role here, so he can't continue to run the train like he did in the imperial city.

"I think you're very talented, let's form a band with me!"

“……”

The skeleton of the skeleton suddenly turned ninety degrees, as if pondering the meaning of the word 'band' for Josieu.

"I'm here to enjoy your performance, Lord Duke, if you don't mind, can you let me listen to it?"

Joshua made an offer that every player could not refuse.

If the lich in front of him was a musician with tens of thousands of people in a concert, maybe Qiao Xiu's proposal was simply looking for death.

But in such a place, no one but the ghost servant who served the Skeleton Lord, could appreciate his playing.