Chapter 344: Conditions (Part 2)

Rod, who had already given up hope,’s eyes widened upon hearing these words. He stared at Merk with disbelief.
At the same time, though he didn’t know what Merk was planning, he felt a sense of excitement. At least Merk’s words meant there was a good chance for him.
“What are the conditions?” Rod asked directly without hesitation.
“Actually, the Netherhell Fire has been lent out before. Thousands of years ago, a powerful warrior who had done great favors to our clan needed it to heal his wounds. Although the Netherhell Fire is not meant to be lent out, considering his kindness to our clan, we decided to make an exception and give him a chance—provided he could defeat those within the clan who opposed him and prove himself beyond doubt,” Merk said slowly, smiling at Rod.
Hearing this, Rod frowned slightly. Yes, Merk was telling the truth. He indeed had to defeat his rivals to silence those who disapproved. But he had no idea what kind of challenges he would face!
Thinking of his own strength—now at the peak of the Yin Yellow realm—he realized such challenges shouldn’t pose much trouble to him. Gradually, he relaxed, realizing that the Black Phoenix Clan had indeed given him great care and opportunities.
“Then I thank the clan leader. I accept the challenge! I, Rod, will never forget the kindness of the Black Phoenix Clan!” After thinking it through, Rod replied quickly.
Looking at Rod, Merk wore an enigmatic smile. “Good. Go prepare well. I’ll arrange everything for you today. If nothing goes wrong, it can start tomorrow!”
“Then thank you, clan leader!” Without delaying further, Rod left happily, filled with anticipation and excitement. The opportunity had finally arrived. What exactly was the Netherhell Fire like? What help could it bring him? All these thoughts filled Rod with a sense of urgency.
But after calming down, he felt puzzled. Why had the Black Phoenix Clan changed so suddenly? Hadn’t they insisted on refusing to give him this chance? Why were they so willing now? After all, a challenge was just for show—everyone knew that.
Frowning slightly, suddenly, Rod had an epiphany. A bitter smile appeared on his lips. It was because of the Scorpion King Clan.

He thought about it—today, the Scorpion King’s clan brought Nightingale and others to the Netherworld Villa, causing a huge stir. Now, who didn’t know his relationship with the Scorpion King’s clan? The relationship between his clan and one of the four great clans was unimaginable, and coupled with his close ties with the Dragon clan, these might well be the key factors that could change the Black Phoenix clan’s mind. After all, winning over him meant winning over two major clans at once, establishing good relations as well. Shaking his head, he sighed inwardly—seemingly, in this society, one sometimes had to rely on others’ power; relationships were crucial.

…

“Kid, you really need to cherish this opportunity. Netherworld Hellfire… heh, it seems you’re also a practitioner of the fire element. I hope you can achieve what you want! Scorpion King’s clan, now you must understand our sincerity. There’s no need to hide anymore!” After Rod left, Merck stood in his room, muttering to himself. The next moment, he got up, and with a dull sound, a hidden chamber appeared in the simple study—a stone door opened, leading downward into darkness and dampness. Yet Merck resolutely headed downward.

“Brother Rod!” Not far from Merck’s study, Rod heard Lucy calling out. Turning around, he saw that the girl seemed to have been waiting for him here. Seeing him come out, she happily ran over.

“How did it go? Did Father say anything? Did he agree to your request?” Holding Rod’s hand, Lucy asked anxiously.

Looking at her rosy face, Rod secretly smiled, but put on a serious expression.

“Brother, what’s wrong? Speak up!” Sensing Rod’s unusual expression, Lucy became nervous and spoke urgently, her eyes flashing with panic.

“Huh…” All Rod could respond with was a sigh.

“Did Father refuse? Brother, it’s okay. Wait for me—I’ll go see Grandpa Dolon right away. He’ll definitely agree to my request!” Guessing the outcome, Lucy showed a determined look and promised Rod before turning to run away.

Seeing Lucy’s nervousness and anger, Rod sighed inwardly—seemed he owed her quite a bit! Seeing her sincere feelings for him, warmth spread through Rod’s heart.

“Come back, why the rush~!” Seeing Lucy’s anxious expression, Rod was both amused and exasperated. This girl really took everything at face value; he had tricked her with just a few words. He worried that with such an attitude, she wouldn’t be able to live independently—she might even help others count money and say thank you after being deceived!
“How can I not be anxious? It’s almost dark already. If we don’t go now, we’ll have to wait until tomorrow!” Lucy said anxiously, looking at Rod with a smile.
“Ahem… I was just joking with you. Chief Merk has already agreed to give me a chance!” Rod said with a wry smile, looking embarrassed at Lucy.
Watching Lucy nervously, fearing she might get angry, Rod continued.
Hearing Rod’s words, Lucy was stunned for a moment but quickly recovered. She looked at Rod and then flashed a charming smile. “Really? That’s great!”
There was no anger or displeasure as expected, which left Rod embarrassed. At first, he had even worried she would blame him.
“Ahem… Well, that’s how it is. But it seems I have to face some kind of challenge and outshine everyone so they can’t say anything!” Seeing that Lucy wasn’t pressing further, Rod naturally didn’t want to make things worse, so he quickly changed the subject.
“Is that so? It’s okay. Brother Rod is very strong now. Even Grandpa Dolon might not be able to defeat you. No one in the clan can pose a threat to you!” Lucy said cheerfully, tilting her head in thought.
After spending half a year with Rod, she already knew quite well of his strength, so of course she wasn’t worried.
…
It was deep at night, with a biting cold wind. Yet, inside Rod’s small courtyard, the lights were bright and there was some noise. It was nighttime, a time for Rod and his brothers to gather.
Sognar and Lilith also came over. After years apart, they had plenty to talk about. With alcohol in their system, the atmosphere was lively. By midnight, things gradually quieted down.
Inside the large room, dozens of people lay scattered about, filled with the smell of alcohol. After years of repression, they finally relaxed, as one could imagine.
Even Sognar was lying on the ground, dazed, muttering something under his breath.
Looking at everyone, Rod and Nightingale exchanged a glance and secretly laughed. It was good they hadn’t drunk much; otherwise, they might have ended up on the ground too.

“Alright, you two go ahead. I’ll take care of this!” Seeing Rod and Nightingale looking at each other affectionately, Lilith curled her lips and said helplessly.
She couldn’t even tell the secret between Rod and Nightingale, yet even Sognar could see it—let alone since Rod had introduced Nightingale to them in the first place.
“Then I’m in trouble!” Since Lilith had said so, Rod didn’t hesitate. He took the slightly shy Nightingale by the hand and headed outside.
By the small lake, the cold wind blew strongly, leaves fluttered in the air, and eerie howls filled their ears.
“Nearly five years, right?” After some time, Nightingale said thoughtfully, a hint of melancholy on her face. Five years—how many such periods can one have in life? How many times can a woman endure such hardship?
“Mm, nearly five years,” Rod replied softly, a thoughtful look in his eyes.
Five years—yes, from leaving Ironbar Town to entering the Source of Darkness, and now, it had been over four years, almost five. Looking at Nightingale beside him, his expression softened.
“After this, can we stop getting involved in these conflicts?” After a long silence, Nightingale asked pleadingly. Her body had somehow pressed against Rod’s.
Feeling her warm, soft body, Rod’s expression twitched. Smelling her faint feminine scent, his eyes showed confusion, but he soon became determined.
“Mm!” That simple reply represented a man’s promise to a woman. It was time to rest. Nightingale had given up her busy life for him—five years was too precious for a woman. He really couldn’t make her wait any longer. At the same time, a warmth spread in his heart.
It seemed there was nothing left to deal with after this.
“What about Miss Lucy, Lilith, and Princess Ada? What do you plan to do about them?” Lucy’s next question left Rod stunned. His expression changed slightly as he looked at her with complex emotions.
Seeing Rod’s reaction, Lucy sighed quietly. “Do you have any plans?”
Although they had only spent short time together, a woman’s intuition is sharp—she could easily tell many things. Those three women looked at Rod in a special way; how could she not notice?