Mark opened his eyes, filled with excitement, observing his hands for a couple of seconds before getting up in a hurry and cupping his fist to the Goddess, who was seen standing not far away with her gaze fixed on the horizon. "Your Grace, thank you for your help." He genuinely thanked her, as he knew how long he had to suffer to get such a huge amount of ether particles.
With this, he couldn't wait to try out his bloodline skills.
However, Chang'e responded by letting out a sigh once again, "Mortal, I promised to help you in a breakthrough to the Demigod realm, but I don't have the capability to do it."
"Hmm?"
"The only thing that makes sense is your problem doesn't lie in cultivation, but lies with your mind. You have to solve those things that weigh on your mind, in order to make a breakthrough." She said in an apologetic tone. Perhaps, she was ashamed to face him. She refused to meet her gaze with her, unlike before and talked to him while looking away.
Mark instantly remembered his past life. There is a knot in his heart that he has yet to compromise with.
He could forgive Lu Zhen's parents because they weren't his parents in the first place.
But, the betrayal from his trusted comrades and superiors from his past life is something that he cannot ignore. There is also his life mission to reunite with his younger brother.
Unfortunately, these things he cannot share it with the Goddess and has to keep silent for now.
Chang'e perhaps was waiting for him to speak something, but as Mark stayed silent, she kept glancing to the sides for a while, until the awkward silence between them was broken by a beam of ice appearing in the sky, not far away from them.
"Hmm?" "Hmm?"
"It looks like your sister made a breakthrough." Chang'e hurriedly flew away from the spot. Mark stared at her back in a complicated gaze for a while. In the end, he let out a sigh, "Well, Xiao Jiao was healed. That's enough for me. Whether she still holds hope that I could help her or not has nothing to do with me. I just needed to ensure my life.
That will be enough. Hmm... the orb of time, huh..."
Three days later;
Mark and Chang'e were standing together in the middle of the grand hall. Both of them were almost sticking to each other with a large chain over their necks that had an amulet in the bottom.
While the never-ending Lava River and lakes seemed to be normal here, he realized that this place was rich in minerals and rare metals. Ark, the A.I., was busy scanning the surroundings and reporting him simultaneously, doing his job.
After crossing many regions and hordes of normal demons on the way and creating disturbance everywhere with his presence, Mark eventually landed on an island filled with purple-colored crystals where a demon was engrossed in practice. He was thrusting the spear into the air, over and over, with a hardened expression on his face.
The artificial intelligence naturally cannot get his details, unlike the system, but it sure successfully scanned his strength and abilities, using Mark's God's Eye skill.
Species: Demon
Age: 8,000,000+
Rank: 12-circle (peak-stage)
Spirit path: Swordsman
Attribute: Fire, Demonic
Bloodline: Nianmang
**
Mark landed on the ground, not far away from him. However, the demon continued to practice, not sparing a glance at him.
After waiting for half a minute, Mark eventually decided to interrupt him with a greeting, "Hello, sorry for the disturbance, but can we talk for a second?"
His words brought the demon back to reality and it displeased him for sure. With a frown clearly displayed on his face, the demon took a sniff and then growled, "I smell divine energy inside you, mortal. What are you here for?"
"EH? Divine energy?" Mark was first slightly taken aback by the comment but then as he remembered that mark on his soul by the deity, which wasn't removed yet, he composed himself and explained, "I have no ties with the gods. If anything, I'm more connected to the demons. I have a contract with King Bael."
"Bael?" The frown on the demon's face disappeared and was replaced with curiosity. He observed Mark for a couple of seconds and nodded, "Indeed, I can sense the aura of Bael latched onto your soul. That makes you one of us." Putting away the spear, he asked, "So, what do you need from me? Do you want me to show you the directions of his region? Or do you need my help in contacting him?
You can request anything but a contract with me. I don't like to form contracts with mortals to fulfill their selfish desires."