Little by little, the sky darkened, and the sunset in the sky radiated through the sky ahead, and the wisps of cirrostratus clouds seemed to be on fire, starting from the western horizon, and the golden red continued to spread upwards and darkened, and when it reached the top of the head, it had turned dark blue, and then it continued to advance eastward, until it became a drowsy haze.

The clouds seemed to foreshadow the good weather for the next few days, so much so that at this twilight, the birds that should have returned to the forest were still hovering beneath the airship, their chirping echoing in the air like heavenly sounds, adding a lot of vitality to the time that should have been quiet.

Gehr leaned alone on the side of the ship's strings, his purple eyes, which had regained their original purple eyes, reflected a faint layer of twilight in the light of the setting sun.

He was looking in the direction of the Lorenache Mountains, a stretch of towering mountains that stretched from the south to the north, encircling the southernmost part of the BoundaryForest like an eagle with outstretched wings, and at the same time bordering the Brabagci Mountains to the west and the Eminer Highlands to the east, keeping the Boundary's Forest, an extension of the northern wilderness, out of the bridle of human civilization.

If the Forest of Boundaries is like an axe that slashes into the trunk of a tree in the civilized world, then the three areas bordering the Forest of Boundary, the Lorenache Mountains, the Brabaghy Mountains, and the Eminer Highlands are like condensed and raised scars from wounds, majestic and ugly.

Legend has it that this wild forest is not only rich in resources, but also contains countless treasures underground—the few precious veins that extend into the surrounding area have been determined by wizards to be only a small part of the huge veins that come from the beneath the Boundary Forest, but even so. It was enough for several lords of the surrounding area to become synonymous with wealth.

However, the dangers in the Forest of Boundaries have been rumored for a long time, and digging into it to unearth all its treasures is still an unattainable wish at the moment. Even the vast expanse of forest that traverses the sky can only fly along the edge of the Loren Enche Mountains, and if you go deeper into the forest, you can easily be attacked by some of the powerful creatures that live in it. This kind of thing has happened many times in previous years.

This is the third day since the Loki set sail, and thanks to the good weather in the past two days, the airship has not encountered any obstacles, and has been moving forward at its highest cruising speed, deep into this area that civilization has not been able to touch.

As soon as he entered the area where the Boundary Forest belonged, Gehr felt a strong energy fluctuation, which was no weaker than the mugwort rift. However, compared to the mugwort rift, the energy fluctuations here are like a person playing a tune indiscriminately, chaotic, difficult, and disorderly, which makes people feel a sense of vomiting. The ability to perceive particles based on energy is particularly suppressed in this environment.

It is said that this chaotic energy fluctuation is generated in a special land under the forest, except for those creatures from the wilderness, it is difficult for humans to survive in this environment, and the ordinary crew members on the airship need to recuperate for several days every time they cross the Boundary Forest before they can continue the next voyage.

And because of the outward spread of this energy fluctuation, a fierce energy hedging reaction was generated on the surrounding mountains and rivers blocking the forest, which not only made the Loren Ancy Mountains, the Brabagi Mountains and the Eminer Highlands no grass and no life, only bare rocks and dry and shallow soil, but also made the climate of these three regions extremely unstable, often with hurricanes, thunderstorms, hail and other climate disasters. It is easy to inflict fatal damage on passing airships, so the airships can only advance along the junction of these mountain ranges and the Boundary Forest, and do not dare to take a step beyond the thunder pool.

In Gehr's line of sight, although the sunset view here is infinitely good. But on the distant mountain, you can still see a scorching sparkle between the heavy clouds that seem to melt with the sky, and then there will be a faint rumbling sound, compared with the current environment. The peculiar contrast is particularly strong.

"You say there's a creature down there that would be a good soul companion?" said Gehr, communicating with Barbarossa in his consciousness.

"Yes, but I don't want you to figure it out of this forest. Barbarossa's voice came slowly. Ever since Gehr became a patron. His attitude changed again, and he began to see Gehr as an object to whom he could communicate on an equal footing. And unlike before, it was either perfunctory or gag, even if Gehr suppressed him in knowledge at that time, but due to the gap in the strength rank, he always had a sense of superiority or resentment, just like a spinning top, Geer only moved when he plucked it, unlike now when he has become more active.

"Why?" asked Gehr.

"The soul mates we are talking about are themselves born with the activation of some genetic fragments inherited from ancient creatures, they are born with some special abilities, and they also have the possibility of evolution.

The Dawn Council here in the Forest of Boundaries has also sent an expedition team to investigate, and the conclusion is that the creatures on the periphery of the forest are not much different from the ordinary creatures in the outside world, and they have no special value, and in the depths of the Forest of Boundaries because of the existence of ghost guards, the cost of going deep into the forest is very high, so in the end, they gave up the source of obtaining soul partners from the Forest of Boundaries, after all, various large organizations have been cultivated from generation to generation for so many years, and each faction has its own unique soul partner, which is not much worse than these wild ones, and with the accumulation and research of so many predecessors, it is easier for you to go further, rather than starting from scratch。 ”

"Hmm. Gelmeran nodded.

"What? you've decided to go the path of the King of the Wasteland?" Barbarossa looked intrigued.

"I'm thinking about it. Gehr replied casually.

The King of the Wasteland is one of Barbarossa's subsequent paths after talking to Geer about becoming a full-fledged patron, the other being the Ancient Knights, which correspond to the patron's characteristic powers, the Soul Companion and the Concept Armament.

Both directions are centered around the Ring of Oath. Among them, the King of the Wasteland can use the Crest Core of the Oath Ring to make a contract with a designated creature to make it his soul companion, not only can he have an extra helper in battle. Moreover, they can obtain part of the power of their soul partners through guò fusion with each other, strengthen themselves or have special energy control powers. A case in point is Dindit, the manager of the Mubarov, whom Gehr once met, whose soulmate was the Flame Lion of Afra. The lion head that appeared on his shoulder was that he and his soulmate were in a state of merger, and Barbarossa was also the king of the wasteland during his lifetime.

As for the ancient knights, they are considered among their patrons to be the supreme path beyond humanity and personality, and they follow the guidance of the sages, firmly believe in their will and beliefs, and refuse to be weak and wavering, so they abandon their soul partners and focus on their own strength, for which they obtain the right to use the conceptual armament, which does not actually have an accurate form. It can be a sword, a knife, a war hammer, an armor and other qiē combat tools, and it is also alive, it can grow and evolve, and its source of life is also the core of the divine pattern composed of the Ring of Oath.

Barbarossa could not describe the specific situation of the conceptual armament, because among the patrons, there were very few people who chose to follow the path of the ancient knights, and as far as he knew, the strongest of the ancient knights could be counted on one hand. There are many reasons for this, the most important of which is that the cultivation process of ancient knights is very difficult. Moreover, there are very few secret methods for cultivation, and they generally follow the methods of ancient secret inheritance, and in addition, the prototype body of the conceptual armament is very difficult to obtain. Unlike the King of the Wasteland, who can raise suitable creatures and catch suitable soul companions in the wild, the prototype of the conceptual armament is a very special metal that has vitality and can grow, Scanvina Magic Crystal Iron, which is a metal special product of the Silver Moon Elf tribe that once allied with the Guardian against the wizards. The production is extremely small, and now the Silver Moon Elves have disappeared since the end of the Covenant. The source of this metal has long been cut off, so no new knights have been born for more than a hundred years.

Gehr rummaged through his memories. Passing on the image of the Protector attacking the Rift of Aishi that he saw with Longbottom to Barbarossa, it was finally determined that the black-armored knight who left a deep impression on Gehr was the Ancient Training Knight, and the spiked black armor was the very famous conceptual weapon among the patrons - Sir Trahan, and the owner of the conceptual armament - the black-armored knight was the Marquis of Mzobia at Donkhall Castle - and the leader of the Guardian Organization to which Gehr belonged to the Oath Ring from the Grand Duke Mutombo.

"That's fine, after all, the concept of armament is too rare, or find a soul partner more reliable, I think I also wanted to be an ancient knight at the beginning, wearing gorgeous armor, riding a horse by the river, the gorgeous sunset accompanied me forward, when I saw a beautiful woman, I folded a flower and sent it over, a wonderful night began, what a romantic scene it was......"

Hearing Barbarossa chanting in an aria tone, Gehr could imagine the red-haired man drooling while closing his eyes and reveling, and a chill suddenly hit his body, and the corners of his mouth couldn't help but tremble.

"Okay, if you have a soul mate, can you still have conceptual arms?" Gel asked a direct question, interrupting Barbarosa's purely disgusting reverie.

"Of course you can, haha. Barbarossa laughed out loud, "If you can do that, then you can restart the Hand of Dawn Council and become the first new Knight of the Hand of Dawn in nearly five hundred years, you must know that the current supreme decision-making council, the Council of Dawn, was only a subordinate executive council of the Hand of Dawn in the past during wars, and every member of the Hand of Dawn was a top powerhouse who was both a knight of ancient training and the king of the wasteland......" Barbarossa's words were undisguised and sadistic, obviously just "teasing" Geer.

"Hand of Dawn, how can we do it?" asked Geer, unconcerned about Barbarossa's attitude, and continued with great interest.

"How?" Listening to Barbarossa's tone, Geer's mind automatically generated an image of him staring at himself with blazing eyes. "Boy, how long have you been thinking so far, it's not that I underestimate you, if it was so easy to do, there wouldn't have been a new Knight of the Dawn Hand in five hundred years. The heart is still not too big, you have just become a patron now, take every step, honestly lay a good foundation is the most important thing, I have seen too many ambitious geniuses like you eventually fall, this is the advice of an old man to you at that time, alas. Barbarossa sighed. It's like having a feeling.

"Back then, I wasn't like you. After hearing the legends of those knights of the Dawn Hand, my blood boiled to become a hero like those great men. I wanted to jump before I had a solid foundation, but my mentor, the last Knight of the Hand of the Dawn, Neslet, hit me hard and made me understand my own insignificance and inadequacy, and I have the ...... When I was still alive. Barbarossa's tone was full of emotion, as if she remembered her past.

When he looks at Gehr now, it is as if he saw him when he was a student, the same talent, the same confidence, and he thinks that he will definitely stand side by side with those legends.

Looking at Barbarossa, who has entered the stage of long sighs. Gehr showed a hint of helplessness, "That...... How, exactly, do you do that? What is the foundation?"

"Don't give up yet? Then sue you, first of all, you have to cut your soul and complete the construction of the second core, listen to the simplicity, right? Then you think too easily, I don't know how many geniuses I am stumped by this alone. Not only does this require a long period of accumulation, but it also has an extraordinary ability to control it, and if the accumulation is insufficient, even if it barely completes the soul cutting. That will also bring yourself an injury that is almost impossible to heal, and this life will be over, you must know that I was also a rare genius in the mouth of my mentor back then, but it took me more than two hundred years to reach the level of daring to start cutting souls. If you can accumulate more...... Alas, it's a pity. ”

Barbarossa, in Geer's mind, looked up to the sky and sighed, and once again entered the memory mode.

"Actually, I ......," Gehr reluctantly wanted to interject.

"Needless to say. Being too ambitious is not conducive to your progress, and you have a hundred years to impact the second-order patrons. As soon as you get to that point, you start to have the initial qualifications to try. I'm sure I won't be able to spend that much time with you, but I hope that I can see your progress in the remaining year, and I hope that I can give you all my experience, this is the last thing I can leave as a senior, and it is also the last request of this remnant soul of mine, can you grant me?" Barbarossa suddenly became very serious again, which made Geer feel extremely uncomfortable.

"This ......" Geer found that his train of thought seemed to be led astray again, and he didn't know where to start for a while, but he was still a little moved by the sincerity of Barbarossa's expression.

"Can't you even say yes to this tiny request?"

Gehr felt dizzy in his head, as if he had seen the disgusting appearance of a red-haired man hiding his face and crying.

"I promise ......"

"Okay, just wait for your words. Barbarossa roared, "Then I'll make a plan for you, with the goal of successfully cutting souls to build a second core, I hope you can truly become a knight of the Dawn Hand, so that I have not lived in vain in this life, at least I have left something to be proud of." But I should be explained in advance, I am usually very talkative, but after entering the training, you will know how strict I am, but I hope you can persevere, you just need to answer whether I can or can't, if I can't, I will choose to dissipate directly, and I will not bother you anymore, but if you choose to can, then you remember, I don't need any excuses! Any reason! I just look at the results! Okay, answer me!"

"I ......"

"Can or can't?!" Barbarossa cut off Gehr's words again.

“......”

Geer was speechless, and when Barbarossa entered the state, he hadn't said a complete sentence until now, but looking at Barbarossa's firm appearance of choosing to self-destruct as long as he said no, he could only helplessly answer: "Can ......"

"Very well, this is the person I fancie, the person worthy of my trust, I am not wrong about you, you must be an excellent companion, the best I have ever seen in my life!" Barbarossa laughed with satisfaction. "This road is not so easy to walk, you need a lot of perseverance, perseverance, perseverance and sweat, this year I want to help you lay the most solid foundation, with your talent, you should be able to make great progress, want to ...... at the beginning"

Next, Barbarossa made another tirade, and his head began to hurt, although he could understand his psychology, but this way of expression really made him unacceptable, and Barbarossa, who entered the memory mode, was simply a chattering store.

"Barbarossa, I've actually built the second core. Gehr, who couldn't help it, interrupted and said what he wanted to say as quickly as he could.

"What do you suspect...... Huh?" Barbarossa came back to his senses, and after a moment of surprise, he suddenly said: "Your joke is not bad, but ah, boy, you have to know, just laugh, but when it comes to cultivation, you must be thoroughly serious and pious, you can't be proud, you can't be complacent, and you can't deceive yourself, only then can you get the rewards you deserve, and the respect that others give you is not something you can get by talking big, but depends on what you really do, this is what my mentor once said to me, and I will pass it on to you now......"

Smack.

Gehr couldn't bear it anymore, and directly removed the obstacle that originally blocked him from entering his soul space, and let him "see with his own eyes" the soul crystals that he had cut into the second core.

Then there was utter silence.

“......”

“......”

After a while, Gehr felt Barbarossa disappear suddenly, and was startled to think that he had really dissipated himself, and hurriedly searched for it, but soon relieved his heart - he found Barbarossa's "bleak" figure in a corner of his consciousness.

"Let me be alone for a while...... I want to be quiet."

His voice was trembling, and it sounded like he had aged much, much more in an instant...... (To be continued......)