"This bell must belong to Miss Lillian… used to summon that old witch, right?"
Fenric smiled as he held the small bell between his fingers.
"My lord, don't shake it! If you do, Grandma will come!" Lillian cried out anxiously.
In truth, after Fenric exposed all her secrets, Lillian had begun to believe him—at least a little. She had long dreamed of escaping her torment, but never had the chance. Her bones had been suppressed by the Thousand-Year Tree Demon, trapping her in servitude, unable to reincarnate. All she could do was carry out the demon's bidding.
"Don't worry, Miss Lillian. Since I said I'd save you, I will save you." Fenric twirled the bell thoughtfully and asked, "Let me ask you something—I've heard that old tree demon has ties to the Black Mountain Demon. Did she promise to give you to him as a concubine?"
"My lord… how do you know that?" Lillian's eyes widened in shock.
Fenric chuckled lightly. "Oh, just a wild guess. So it's true, then? She really betrothed you to that Black Mountain freak?"
Lillian nodded sadly, her voice soft and pitiful. "You're right. Grandma has already promised me to the Black Mountain Demon. In seven days… I'll be wed."
Seven days?
That's exactly when the mission ends.
The Samsara System really knows how to time things.
No wonder the Samsara Tower had existed for so long, and the other Samsaras still didn't realize how important Lillian was—or how big a boss the Black Mountain Demon actually was.
It seemed if Fenric wanted to infiltrate the Black Mountain Demon's territory, he had to find a way to push the wedding forward.
His eyes turned to Lillian again. Seeing her sorrowful face stirred a strange feeling in his heart.
She wasn't just beautiful—her natural charm made every glance and movement tug at a person's soul.
"Miss Lillian, like I said, if I say I'll save you, I will. But I have a plan—and I'll need your help."
Fenric struck a heroic pose and activated his disguise skill, appearing like a righteous hero with the world on his shoulders.
"I came here to vanquish evil and save the innocent. The Black Mountain Demon has committed countless atrocities. I've long wanted to rid the world of his blight.
So, lovely lady… will you help me destroy some demons~?"
Lillian was taken aback. "My lord, the Black Mountain Demon has cultivated for ten thousand years. How could I possibly help you?"
"You can start by taking me to his domain," Fenric asked directly.
Lillian shook her head, apologetic. "I'm sorry, my lord. The Black Mountain Demon resides in the City of the Dead. If he doesn't open the passage, no one can enter."
Fenric nodded, then grinned. "No problem. Let's deal with that old tree demon first. She's been bullying you for too long."
With that, he raised the bell and gave it a firm shake.
Ding ding dang dong—!
The bell's chime wasn't loud, but it pierced the air like a blade, traveling far and wide.
Lillian's face turned pale with horror. It was too late to stop him.
"My lord, she's coming! Hurry, leave while you still can!" she pleaded. "Grandma's power runs deep—you're no match for her. Please, trust me and go!"
In the original storyline, Lillian was kindhearted. Though she served her "grandma," she despised the suffering it caused. Every time she witnessed the tree demon devour humans, she would silently weep.
Now, with Fenric here to save her, she didn't want him to die in vain.
Fenric sighed.
First, Chixia didn't believe in him. Now even Lillian thought he couldn't defeat the Thousand-Year Tree Demon?
Did he really look that weak?
Whatever.
Too lazy to argue.
With a flick of his wrist, Fenric summoned a cloak.
Night Demon Cloak.
Wearing it would imbue his attacks with spiritual energy, letting him strike ghosts, demons, and monsters with full effectiveness.
He slung the cloak over his shoulders, then drew his black sword—Shusui.
And in his storage… he still had a divine weapon:
Thor's Hammer.
Thunder—the ultimate bane of demons.
With the Night Demon Cloak and Thor's Hammer, even if more tree demons show up, he could flatten them without mercy.
These two items were the reason Fenric dared to tackle the [A Bride Ghost Story] dungeon.
Otherwise, how would he even consider challenging the Black Mountain Demon?
Fenric wasn't one to gamble on uncertainty.
Suddenly—
Whoosh—whoosh!
A fierce wind howled around them, stirring sand and shaking trees violently.
Nearby locust trees bent and moaned, their leaves shrieking.
Lillian's face went pale. "She's here!" she cried.
"Miss Lillian, step back."
As Fenric spoke, the earth began to quake.
Thick, serpent-like tree roots slithered from the ground, coiling around him from every direction.
BOOM—!
Something massive was charging from the distance.
Looking closely—
It was a grotesque tongue, thicker than a human body!
Fenric didn't hesitate. With a sharp swing—
Shing—!
Splurt!
Shusui sliced the tongue clean in two.
"AARGH—!!"
A thunderous, otherworldly scream rang out—deeper and more chilling than a wild beast's cry.
The Thousand-Year Tree Demon had just taken a serious hit.
Next moment, a figure materialized before Fenric.
It was difficult to tell if this middle-aged person was male or female, but from the clothes, she appeared more feminine.
This was none other than the Thousand-Year Tree Demon—the "Grandma" Lillian spoke of.
She wore a dark crimson robe. Her hair was styled high like an old matron's, and her features bore a demonic elegance. A millennium of cultivation had allowed her to assume a human form.
"Who are you!?" she asked coldly.
Her voice shifted as she spoke—sometimes deep and rough like a man, sometimes shrill and sharp like a woman. The dissonance made Fenric's skin crawl.
Ignoring her tone, Fenric pointed directly at Lillian and said bluntly:
"Old witch, that female ghost is yours? Well, she's mine now!"
He intentionally provoked her.
As expected, the Thousand-Year Tree Demon, hearing herself called an old witch and realizing Fenric intended to take the one ghost she relied on most, erupted with fury.
"Presumptuous!"
Without warning, countless tree branches—thick as legs—lashed toward Fenric like an army of pythons, coming from every direction.
A dense, overwhelming assault.
Fenric quickly sheathed Shusui and summoned Thor's Hammer.
Then, he raised it high.
BOOM—!!
As if in answer, the heavens growled with thunder.
The sky darkened instantly, clouds surging overhead...