The Paladin in the Abyss-Chapter 554 - 578 Knights Creed

Chapter 554: Chapter 578 Knight’s Creed Chapter 554: Chapter 578 Knight’s Creed Deeply inhaling, Lancelot led the way down the steps to the underground chamber. His Spirit Perception did not alert him to any danger below, but he still felt an indescribable pressure, similar to the engulfing sensation he felt when staring long into the mists at the bottom of the Great Abyss.

As a fortress designed for Giants, the staircase leading to the underground chamber was extremely spacious, and the distance was much longer than that of an average stairway. After hopping and skipping downward for a minute, the group finally left the continuously spiraling stairwell, only to be immediately stunned by the scene before them.

In front of them stood a colossal machine, from which hung an exceptionally large Giant, his body dripping with fresh blood. The Giant was unconscious, with his face, neck, chest, waist, thighs, and ankles all tightly clamped by huge Abyssal Metal hoops. Each hoop connected to chains, gears, and various other complex mechanical devices that twisted his body to the extreme, like a tightly wrung towel.

Below the Giant was a sloped trough where the blood dripping from his tormented body would automatically flow into a large tub at the end. The tub was big enough for a person to bathe in and was currently half-full. The blood within was as red as blooming roses, showing none of the blackening that human blood exhibits upon contact with air.

“Damn it, is this Gorgiad?” The Dwarf couldn’t help but turn away his eyes, “This is too twisted… How is he still not dead?”

“Gorgiad and Solheim are both the offspring of Titan-father Annand, naturally immortal demigods; of course, they don’t die that easily,” Kalalin seemed more interested in the torture machine, “Is this contraption designed by Kostcheqi himself? It looks quite… exquisite.”

“Could it be like the Magic Formation that tormented Elothysia, drawing power from the victim’s pain?” Lancelot asked curiously, “As a Demi-god, his emotions must be much stronger than that of an ordinary person…”

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“I guess not. The sole purpose of this torture device seems to be this.” Alamir had already circled around the Giant, slapping the tub filled with fresh blood, “Titan’s Blood, I guess Kostcheqi is using this to become more and more like a Giant.”

Lancelot turned his head to look at the tub, his face gradually becoming excited. Perhaps due to his close proximity to a Demi-god, his Spirit Perception had not noticed anything unusual about the blood at first, but upon closer inspection, it was different.

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In Spiritual Cultivation, there is a Dharma Method known as Body Refining, which involves soaking the body in a liquid containing powerful energy to strengthen the flesh. This liquid can be Innate Spiritual Fluid naturally formed in blessed lands, or a Body Tempering Elixir concocted using precious materials. Another method is using the blood of powerful Spiritual Beasts, and the half-tub of blood in front of them was a perfect match.

Among the three methods of Body Refining, the best naturally involved using those innate spiritual fluids; not only was the Body Refining effect the best, but there was also a chance to comprehend a trace of the Tao, which was quite beneficial for future Cultivation.

Although the effect of elixirs refined from precious herbs was somewhat inferior, they had the advantage of being specially formulated for the Body Tempering Practitioner, used to compensate for inherent flaws or to construct extraordinary Acquired Physiques.

The lowest method was to use the blood of Spiritual Beasts for Body Refining. This approach had a major flaw — one must first kill a beast with at least the strength of a Golden Core Stage Cultivator, and the effectiveness of the Body Refining had no guarantee. The same blood often had completely different effects on two different Cultivators, depending on how well the practitioner’s body resonated with the beast blood.

For Lancelot, in the Abyss, he never expected to find Innate Spiritual Fluid from a land blessed with heaven’s favor. Even if such a thing really existed, it would probably be some kind of murky, stinky, dark green liquid. Soaking in it would likely turn him into a pile of white bones or cause boils and pustules to sprout all over his body, instantly transforming him into a Berserk Demon. He was interested in neither outcome.

As for concocting Body Tempering Elixir, he knew it was impossible just thinking about it. The Multiverse simply lacked the various medicinal herbs recorded in the bamboo slips. Even trying to mimic the process wasn’t an option, and with his current level of Cultivation, he was far from being able to discern the properties of herbs and create his own Pill Recipe, so that path was also impassable.

The method of slaying fierce beasts to obtain their blood was also something he found implausible. The Demons were indeed very powerful, but their blood itself carried a highly corruptive force, and it was also inexplicably linked with the will of the Abyss. Lancelot dared not use it rashly.

But the basin of Titan’s Blood before him didn’t have any of these problems. Yes, it was tainted with a fair amount of Abyssal Aura, but Lancelot himself meditated daily, absorbing the Spiritual Energy of nature from within the Abyss. A degree of Abyssal Aura like this was completely within his ability to refine.

Lancelot couldn’t help but reach out his hand, wanting to claim the large tub for himself, but he stopped halfway. The original owner of the blood was right there beside him and wasn’t his enemy. Moreover, he had accepted a reward to come and rescue him. If he took this precious blood, how would his actions differ from those of a thief?

If Lancelot were a pure Spiritual Cultivator, he should have taken the blood without hesitation. Whether Geogad was released or neglected was not a valid excuse to stop him.

But he was also a Knight,—at least for most of his life thus far, he had lived as one. The Knight’s code prevented him from stealing property, no matter how valuable; that would be a dishonorable deed. (Ironically, it was fine if it belonged to an enemy, especially after you just killed them.)

“What’s wrong?” Alamir beside him asked curiously, “Is this blood useful to you as well?”

“Uh… wouldn’t that be inappropriate?” Bruto looked somewhat awkwardly at the twisted body of the Giant above, then back at the trough of blood below, “This is Geogad’s blood. We shouldn’t take it…”

“You’re right, we shouldn’t,” decided the Knight within Lancelot, “Bruto, go see how to unfasten these… shackles. I don’t want to accidentally kill him, although technically that would still count as completing the mission.”

“My suggestion is to just break those iron chains, let’s lower it to the ground first, then we can pry off the rings one by one,” shrugged the Dwarf, “I’m sure this height wouldn’t kill the Giant…”

“Those chains look too thick, how are you going to break them?” Old Reap asked curiously, “Are we relying on Lancelot again?”

“Big brother is very powerful, but using that green light to cut metal is just too wasteful,” the Dwarf turned to Alamir, “Listen, bathing-loving Elf, I need you to go take another bath right now…”