Before Renee's grandfather could reply, Allen received an unexpected letter asking for help.
The seven swan sisters are in big trouble!
Just last night, the dungeon wizard Akuma led orc bandits into the Swan Cave and captured four swan sisters.
The three swan sisters who managed to escape—the eldest, fourth, and sixth sister—are being hunted by Akuma's men!
With nowhere else to turn, the three sisters, with a desperate attitude, sent letters to Allen, Baker, and Hogg for help.
They hoped they would protect the three sisters out of consideration for their fleeting relationship.
Baker and Hogg had already left Silvermoon Island to carry out their mission as masters.
They were far away, too far away to receive the teleportation spell.
Only Allen received the eldest swan sister's letter in time.
Alan understood.
Relying on himself alone, and with the three sisters in distress, he could never afford to offend the Dungeon Lord Akuma!
Finding a safe place to hide the three sisters would be the most he could do.
Expecting him to rescue the other captured swan maidens was simply beyond his capabilities.
Just as he was contemplating a reply, a woman's gentle voice emanated from the next room.
Master Shiva had woken up from a hangover, suffering a slight headache, and was whining and coaxing his nanny, Renée.
To make it easier to care for the drunk, Renée had slept on the floor in her room last night.
She was now applying a hot towel to her face, gently advising her that excessive drinking was harmful and that she should exercise moderation in the future.
Not far away, in another guest room, lived the Lion Sister Maria.
Alan's two sworn brothers, Adam and George, also lived in the nearby courtyard.
New Quint Town is nestled between mountains and the sea, boasting beautiful scenery.
The distinguished guest from the monastery accepted Allen's invitation to stay for a few days, planning a vacation.
Thinking of his master and fellow apprentices at home, Allen's mindset shifted subtly.
He and the dungeon lord, Akuma, had long held a grudge.
Akuma abducted the Seven Swan Sisters today, but who knows if he'll return tomorrow to retaliate.
Alan has a family and a business; the monk can escape, but the temple cannot.
Sooner or later, a conflict with Akuma and his gang will erupt, a life-or-death struggle!
Rather than waiting for disaster to strike, why not strike first and nip the potential threat in the bud?
On his own, Allen couldn't afford to provoke Akuma.
But now, his family is a gathering of heroes!
The three chief disciples of Silver Moon Monastery, Adam, George, and Maria, all reached the early fourth stage of their cultivation.
Furthermore, a heavyweight White Tiger Martial Master was in charge!
What a godsend opportunity! Wouldn't it be a waste not to capitalize on it?
Directly asking Master Shiva to act as a thug wouldn't be appreciated by the tsundere Lolita Martial Master.
The Swan Girl's plea for help provided Allen with an opportunity, an excuse to stand up for justice.
Master Shiva, is he willing to intervene in this matter?
Alan was unsure.
Instead of explaining the situation directly to the White Tiger Martial Master, it would be better to go to Renée first.
Even if there were no good people in the world, Renée was definitely the least bad.
She was the only one willing to help a suffering stranger, regardless of the cost.
Convincing Renée to stand up for justice would be easy.
Asking Renee to ask Master Shiva for help was more reliable than asking Allen himself.
Master Shiva was a martial arts fanatic, obsessed with cultivation from childhood, leaving him with limited self-care skills.
He couldn't cook or wash, and often left his house in a mess.
It wasn't until Renee came to his side, taking care of him as both a disciple and a nanny, that his life began to settle down.
In return, Master Shiva's dependence on Renee grew deeper and deeper.
From the details of her interactions with Renee over the past few days, it wouldn't be an exaggeration to say that Renee was her "real mother."
Master Shiva could ignore anyone's advice, but she couldn't remain indifferent to Renee's pleas.
...
As Allen had expected, Renee sympathized with the plight of the Seven Swan Sisters.
She took the initiative to drag him along, seeking Master Shiva's help.
Alan recounted the whole story of the swan girl's request for help in detail.
He also honestly shared his experiences with the seven swan sisters.
He didn't dare hide anything.
Master Shiva was even more skilled in telepathy than Elder Tanuki.
Could a fourth-level soul-soothing meditation method prevent a fifth-level expert from reading his mind?
Alan wasn't sure.
He preferred to tell the truth.
"You, alone, taking turns doing that with seven female fairies?" Renee's face was filled with surprise, her focus completely off the topic. "Junior Brother Alan, indulgence is harmful to your health. Can you handle it?"
Alan gave her a helpless look, signaling her to shut up! Master Shiva pondered for a moment, yawned, and said casually:
"You'll have to handle the matter of the female demon yourself. If you can't handle it anymore, it's not too late to come back to me."
"With your words, Master, I'm relieved!" Allen felt a heavy burden lifted.
Leni placed the sleepy Master Shiva in his crib, covered him with a blanket, and gently rocked him, humming a lullaby.
Soon, the little girl fell into a deep sleep.
Her pretty little face was rosy, and she looked beautiful in her sleep.
Seeing the teacher sound asleep, Allen got up and left the boudoir.
Leni saw him out, tugging on his sleeve, still dwelling on trivial matters.
"Junior brother, you did that with seven female demons and you weren't drained? I don't believe it! You're just bragging!"
"Yes, yes, yes! I'm bragging!"
Alan didn't bother to explain and simply obeyed her.
"Actually, I've been drained to the point of being a dreg by the demons. My virility is gone, and I'm bragging in front of Master just to save face."
"Do you think I'm really stupid?" Renée rolled her eyes at him. "Last night, when I was warming your bed, you were standing up straight! Like a giant eggplant!"
"I wasn't, I wasn't... Don't slander my innocence!"
"You were! You are! You rascal, and you're still lying!"
"...What do you want?" Alan was amused by her.
"I'm just curious. I want to know how you subdued seven demons. It's incredible! No normal person could do it!"
Renie asked with a serious look.
Allen felt that if she applied this same spirit of dedication to her cultivation, her achievements would surely be remarkable.
"Things like this are hard to explain; you only know after you try."
"Yeah! I think so too!"
Leni suddenly blushed and whispered in his ear.
"Tonight, after I coax Master to sleep, I'll go to your room and fulfill my duties as a servant, and at the same time, test whether you're bragging or not."
"What can you really tell by yourself?!"
Alan said unhappily.
"After a while, you satisfied yourself and fell asleep like a pig, leaving me hanging there, tucked up and out of my wits. It was so uncomfortable."
"The day before yesterday was an accident! It was my first time, I was afraid of the pain, inexperienced, and didn't perform well... Now I'm a mature woman! Humph! Tonight, I'm going to avenge that shame!"
Leni's face was filled with dissatisfaction.
Alan scoffed, not bothering to argue. Renee, a worthless warrior, was even worse than Swan Girl, offering him no resistance.
It was time to teach this ignorant Tiger Girl a lesson.
Wait a minute...
Alan suddenly thought of a question.
Renee was so poor she had nothing left but her underwear...
Wasn't he going to be taken advantage of again?
Alan secretly regretted his impulsiveness in challenging the foolish girl.
She had brought her intelligence down to the same level, and with her vast experience, she'd completely outmaneuvered him!
...
Back in his study, Alan wrote back to Swan Girl, inviting them to meet at the Waterwheel Mill on the south shore of Saddle Lake.
Near the mill was a camp for the town's militia.
Alan rode his griffin to the camp and inquired with the militia.
Sure enough, at daybreak, he spotted orcs active near the lake.
Accompanied by two militiamen, Allen arrived at the mill gate, awaiting the arrival of the swan maidens.
Soon, three white swans descended from the sky and landed in the millyard, transforming into three haggard young women.
The fourth and sixth swan sisters, upon seeing Allen, excitedly flew over and threw themselves into his arms.
The eldest sister stood still, warily surveying her surroundings.
After confirming that no orcs were lurking in the shadows, her expression softened.
The eldest sister is like a mother, and to care for her younger sisters, she had to consider more.
Who could guarantee Allen wouldn't betray them?
Send the three sisters to Akuma, curry favor with the dungeon lord, and resolve the previous feud?
Alan saw what the eldest sister was thinking, but didn't mind.
Dealing with a smart woman made things easier for both parties.
"It's safe here. Come inside and talk."
Alan led the terrified swan sisters into the mill hut.
He opened the storage bag and took out some dry food and water for them.
The three sisters had been on the run for a day and a night, without a drop of water, and were hungry and exhausted.
The fourth and sixth sisters didn't bother to thank him, but wolfed down the food.
The eldest sister thanked him softly and sat across from Alan, eating with a feigned elegance.
Alan smiled and whispered to the eldest swan sister:
"Sister, I mean no harm, but I have a question that might offend you, and I'm not sure if I should ask it."
"We've all fallen on hard times. What's there to be shy about? Ask whatever you want to know." The eldest swan daughter smiled wryly.
"Have you sisters ever considered relying on the dungeon lord and gaining his protection?"
This world is too cruel. There's no place for the weak. When one's at the end of one's rope, one must choose between standing and dying or kneeling down and becoming a slave.
Alan couldn't guarantee he had the courage to be a martyr.
So he was curious: why didn't the seven swan sisters kneel?
"We fairies, by nature, love freedom. We would rather die than be imprisoned in a harem and used as playthings!" the eldest swan sister said sternly.
Alan nodded without comment.
The eldest swan sister could see that he seemed to feel his words were not sincere enough, and she smiled helplessly.
"You humans also have individuals who love freedom more than life itself, but this ideal shouldn't be elevated to a racial trait."
"We fairies are different. Freedom, even chaos, is in our blood, just as lions are born to eat meat."
"I'm not boasting about how noble fairies are, I'm simply stating a fact."
"Fanatical pursuit of freedom isn't necessarily a good thing. It can make us incredibly willful and self-centered, making it difficult for us to work together like humans do and implement laws and regulations that promote long-term peace and stability."
"In our fairies' view, the ability of humans to maintain a society that is more sustainable than our own is crucial." "A family, or even a nation, that lives longer is truly an incredible miracle!"
"On the other hand, you humans don't understand. Fairies without freedom are like fish out of water; they can't survive."
"What's more, we sisters were born and raised on the surface, accustomed to the alternating cycle of day and night."
"Submitting to Akuma's tyranny means we'll have to live the rest of our lives in the dark underworld, like moldy mushrooms."
"Such a life goes against our nature, and we couldn't endure it even for a single day!"
"I'm sorry, sister. Please forgive my superficiality and for looking down on you sisters. How is Swan Cave now?"
"Swan Cave has been occupied by Akuma's orcs and dragons."
"After a moment's hesitation, the Swan Girl finally made up her mind, no longer holding back on Allen."
"Actually, there's something we've been keeping from you... Swan Cave hides a hidden vein of water magicite!"
"If you can rescue my four sisters and help us reclaim Swan Cave and the water magicite vein, how about I give you half?"
"Deal!" Allen extended his hand without hesitation.
The eldest Swan daughter high-fived him, her heart heavy.
She knew Allen came from the Silver Moon Monastery, and the water magicite vein should be enough to impress the forces behind him and help them reclaim their home.
As for whether Allen would turn against her, break the agreement, and attempt to seize the entire water magicite vein?
Such a risk existed.
However, to rescue her four sisters kidnapped by Akuma, she had no choice but to gamble on Allen's conscience.
...
A sudden commotion erupted outside the courtyard gate.
A militiaman hurried over and whispered in Allen's ear.
Alan nodded, signaling the militia to withdraw.
"Eldest sister, fourth sister, sixth sister, I'm going out for a moment. I'll be back soon."
The three sisters watched him leave the mill gate.
They exchanged glances, crouched at the doorway, and peered through the crack.
Four orcs, each mounted on a dragon, landed outside the courtyard.
They were brandishing spears, threatening the militia as they attempted to break into the mill and search it.
The three swan sisters' hearts raced at the sight.
If Alan gave in to the pressure and let the orcs and dragons in...
They dreaded the consequences!
By then, Alan had already reached the courtyard gate.
He was muttering to himself, seemingly chanting a spell.
Suddenly, he raised his hand and released a large cloud of pale yellow mist.
The four orcs, along with the flying dragon behind them, were instantly enveloped by the cloud.
A faint fragrance of nectar drifted in on the wind.
The fourth swan sister, closest to the crack in the door, accidentally caught a whiff of the nectar and felt a wave of daze.
"Fourth sister! What's wrong with you?"
The sixth sister saw her sister slumped on the ground, her eyes wide open, a goofy smile on her face, as if she were drunk. She was deeply worried.
"Shh—"
The eldest swan sister quickly covered the sixth sister's mouth and whispered, "Fourth sister seems to have been poisoned by some kind of intoxicating toxin. It's not fatal."
As she expected, the fourth swan sister was disoriented for a moment before regaining consciousness on her own.
"It's okay. Come out," Alan's voice came from outside the door.
The three sisters pushed open the door and exited, only to find four orcs and their dragon mounts slumped to the ground, their faces dazed.
A 3rd-level "Poison Cloud" spell combined with a 6th-level Queen's Nectar easily incapacitated these uninvited guests.
The orcs had been poisoned by the Ecstasy, their willpower severely weakened.
The eldest swan sister seized the opportunity to use the 3rd-level "Suggestion" spell to extract intelligence from the orcs.
The orcs only knew that Akuma had captured four beautiful fey women and personally escorted them back to the dungeon, but they had no idea where they were being held.
"I tried using the 'Communication' spell to contact my kidnapped sisters, but the distance was too great to communicate. I can only reach them by infiltrating the Underdark."
"The problem is, how can we get through the orc-guarded navel and enter the Underdark..."
The eldest swan sister's gaze fell on the four orcs.
"Perhaps we can make use of these four orcs."
Alan injected the orcs with digestive fluid to destroy their bodies.
The three swan sisters cast a spell to transform into orcs.
Alan also used "disguise" to impersonate the orc captain.
There were also four flying dragons.
A means of transportation, unkillable.
Wyverns are creatures of the perfect stupidity.
With their intelligence, they can't tell their masters have been swapped.
However, they're not so dumb as to be completely incommunicable.
The eldest swan girl used "suggestion" to successfully charm the four dragons, making them obediently follow her commands.
Alan and the three swan girls rode their dragons back to their group.
After two days and one night of hard work, the orcs were exhausted, but ultimately failed to locate the three escaping swan girls.
They had no choice but to return to the Undergate Fort and report to the orc chieftain, Akira.
Akira was also troubled.
The boss, obsessed with beauty, insisted on gathering all seven swan sisters, presenting him with a difficult problem.
Women are nothing more than playthings.
What was the point of gathering all seven sisters? And I can't summon a dragon...
Akira couldn't understand his boss's collecting addiction.
After searching the entire southern shore of Saddle Lake, they couldn't find the three escaped swan sisters. Where else could they be hiding?
Akira knew they'd most likely fled to New Gwent.
A year ago, he'd planned to conquer this immigrant town, but he'd hit a wall, suffering heavy casualties, and it hasn't recovered yet.
New Gwent's population now exceeds 5,000, and with its growing population, its defenses have greatly increased.
Akira also heard that a new martial arts school had opened in town, recruiting disciples.
Those in the school were considered non-staff members of the Silver Moon Monastery.
With such a powerful backer, Akira knew he couldn't afford to provoke them!
How could he dare send troops to hunt down the three swan sisters in the town? Unable to confront his boss, Akira sent an orc leader to lead a team to the dungeon to report the results of his investigation to Akuma on his behalf.
In the evening, a group of orcs arrived at the backyard of the Undergate and entered a tunnel.
This tunnel, sloping downward, was the "Navel of the Earth."
At the end of the Navel of the Earth lay the dark underworld, deep within the earth.
Alan and the three swan sisters, disguised as orc patrolmen, followed their leader to the dungeon to meet Akuma.
From the vast underground vault, a distant knocking sound could be heard.
Alan and the three swan sisters, both possessing darkvision, looked in the direction of the knocking sound and saw an "open-air" mine in the distance.
A group of naked goblins and dwarves were mining ore with crude tools.
An orc overseer walked around, whip in hand.
Anyone who seems to be slacking off will be whipped immediately!
As they passed the mine, Allen and the eldest swan daughter exchanged a glance.
Both of them were filled with surprise.
Underground, hidden beneath the earth, lies a vast magic stone mine!
No wonder Akuma has monopolized this source of wealth, building up such a formidable power.
…
Akuma's underground city lies just north of the mine.
A castle, magnificent even on the surface, sits beside a gurgling underground river.
Around the castle stands a circle of barracks.
In addition to orcs, ogres, and hobgoblins, you can occasionally spot trolls.
These slender, green-skinned giants are a foot taller than ogres.
They walk with a hunched back, their long arms hanging past their knees.
Two noses, three eyes, a mouth in a cheek... Such deformities are nothing new for trolls.
Alan had seen a total of six trolls along the way, and the number of fingers on each one was surprisingly different!
Compared to these deformed monsters, the ogres looked handsome.
Trolls possess a terrifying regenerative ability!
It's said that even if a head is chopped off, a new one will grow.
Limb injuries are no exception.
If a troll's finger is severed, it can be placed on the wound and quickly healed by picking it up and pressing it against the wound.
If the finger is reattached just a little slower, a new finger will grow from the fractured surface.
The reattached finger and the newly grown finger squeeze together, like an overgrown wisdom tooth.
This is why trolls often have deformed organs.
Because they can infinitely regenerate their limbs, trolls are completely indifferent to pain.
Some perverted trolls even find self-mutilation entertaining.
…
Alan and his group arrived outside the castle gates.
The orc captain went to see Akuma on his own.
Alan and his minions waited at the gate.
Taking advantage of this opportunity, the three swan sisters used charm magic to extract information from the guards.
After some investigation, they learned that the four swan girls were under house arrest in Akuma's chambers, temporarily safe.
Akuma's chambers were enclosed by a barrier, triggering an alarm if anyone approached except himself.
Disguise and even invisibility spells would be detected by the barrier.
Akuma and the troll guards around him possessed a special physique that allowed them to regenerate infinitely.
Conventional means were incapable of completely killing them.
Considering the heavily guarded and protective barrier surrounding the sleeping quarters, Allen and his companions dared not enter rashly.
How to rescue the four imprisoned swan maidens still required further planning.
…
The orc captain returned with his report, looking dejected, clearly having received a reprimand from Akuma.
After a long day of running around, everyone was exhausted and decided to rest in the dungeon tonight.
Alan and the three swan maidens found a remote, empty barracks to stay in.
The swan maidens, craving cleanliness, could not tolerate the filth and mess of the orc barracks, so they diligently cleaned them.
Alan stood guard at the gate, pondering his next move.
Besides rescuing the swan maidens, he had a longer-term plan.
This dungeon was perfect for his secret base.
The magic stone veins could help him expand his power, establish a warlock clan, and provide a stable source of income and training resources.
To achieve this goal, the ogre wizard Akuma must be defeated!
Akuma and his troll guards are no match for the scepter.
Alan opened his storage bag and took out a magic scroll.
Before coming here, Master Shiva had given him three scrolls of "Wind Communication" for emergency communication.
Combined with the arcane seal, "Wind Communication" has a communication range a hundred times greater than "Teleport."
Alan unfolded the scroll and whispered the incantation.
Magic power transformed into a small whirlwind, appearing before him.
Alan whispered to the whirlwind, briefly describing the situation in the dungeon.
He also asked Master Shiva for advice on how to break the "regeneration" physique.
Not long after, he received a reply from Master Shiva.
The letter provided three methods to break the regeneration physique.
First, damage from fire and strong acid can temporarily prevent wound regeneration.
This method should work against trolls.
But it probably won't work against Akuma!
Akuma possesses a magic ring that resists high temperatures and is also skilled in acid protection.
All of the above methods were used against the Chimera at Sharkfin Peak.
The second method to defeat "regeneration" is suffocation and starvation.
Creatures with regenerative properties, such as trolls, are still flesh and blood and need to breathe and eat to maintain healthy physiological functions.
Prolonged suffocation or starvation will destroy the regenerative ability.
The final method is to defeat regeneration by altering the physical constitution.
Master Shiva gave two examples in his letter.
There is a fifth-level spell called "Maleficent Polymorph."
When applied to a person, it can permanently transform them into a fragile small animal such as a chicken, toad, or mouse.
Using this method, a troll can be transformed into a chicken, losing all its previous special abilities, including regeneration.
A similar method is petrification.
Petrification magic, petrification poison, and the Gorgon's gaze can all permanently transform living things into stone.
Flesh and blood become frozen fossils, and their regenerative properties cease to exist.
"Malicious Transfiguration" was too far away for Alan to even consider.
Petrification... did give him an idea!