Chapter 295: Countless Doubts (II)

The only answer Rod could think of was the trolls. After all, the Netherworld was built by the trolls back in the day, so it was only natural that the inhabitants here were most likely trolls as well. Moreover, in terms of strength, they should be roughly on par.
The members here generally possessed quasi-divine strength, with half of them already reaching divine levels—comparable to the strength of the legendary trolls. More importantly, the number of trolls was limited; perhaps due to their greatness arousing the envy of the heavens, their population never exceeded a thousand. The number here was just a little over a thousand, maybe reaching this figure after a thousand years of seclusion and cultivation.
But if they really were trolls, why hide here? What was the purpose behind it?
More and more doubts arose in Rod’s mind. He felt as if he had stepped into a massive vortex. As some of his doubts were resolved, even more arose in their place.
Turning to look at the old man beside him, Rod waited for him to give an answer.
“That’s right, it’s the trolls. Hehe, can you feel it? You’re one of them too—a member of the troll race. This kinship is something others cannot understand!” Sensing Rod’s gaze, the old man nodded and spoke slowly.
To Rod, these words were like a thunderbolt. He was actually a troll from the demon race! He had always thought he was just part of the demons. Who would have thought he was a troll? What was going on? The noble trolls, the true rulers of the demon race—was he really one of them?
Looking at the old man beside him, he surely wouldn’t lie to him. There was no need for that. Moreover, when Rod had sensed the auras of those people earlier, he had indeed felt a sense of closeness—a kinship that couldn’t be ignored.
But… hadn’t the trolls disappeared a thousand years ago? Even if some trolls remained in the Netherworld, it was still in this underground world. Why was he here in the outside world, on a continent? Then who was the old man who had raised him since childhood? Could he also be a troll? There were too many doubts—so many that Rod couldn’t accept them all at once. An expression of disbelief remained on his face as he watched the old man, waiting for further answers.

“Hehe, what’s the matter? There are many things you don’t understand, right? Don’t worry, I’ll explain. Come with me into the city!” The old man patted Rod’s shoulder and spoke calmly, seemingly confident and as if he had anticipated this situation all along.

Upon entering the city through the gates, magnificent buildings came into view before Rod’s eyes—almost a scaled-down version of Ice City, with identical structures and architectural styles, including the most striking features. The difference was that Ice City had a lord’s mansion and the Netherworld, while here there was only one building similar to the lord’s mansion. As for the Netherworld? It was the Netherworld itself, so it couldn’t possibly exist here.

Obviously, the people in the city became vigilant upon noticing the arrival of outsiders, but they treated the old man with Rod very kindly and respect, suggesting he held a high status in the city.

Along the way, everyone he met seemed to address him respectfully as the Ninth Elder. It seemed he was indeed one of the elders here. Yet at the same time, Rod felt ashamed inwardly—if the Ninth Elder was already so powerful, just how strong must the other elders be? All nine elders must be roughly of the same strength, meaning they all had at least the Yin Yellow realm’s power, and not inferior to Merlon and the others. What kind of concept was that! With such a lineup, even in the Outside World or within the Source of Darkness, they would be worthy of being considered the greatest clans—perhaps even on par with the Dragon Clan.

“These people are all members of our troll tribe. A thousand years ago, our tribe faced its greatest crisis, so we were forced to migrate here. At that time, our tribe was on the verge of extinction, with only 330 members left. But fortunately, we had prepared in advance. Look around now—hehe, this might be the most prosperous time for our troll tribe in thousands of years.” The old man clearly spoke with satisfaction about the thriving scene before him, clearly pleased with their decision back then.

From this, Rod could vaguely guess something: a thousand years ago, the troll tribe might have disappeared due to a catastrophic disaster that brought them to the brink of extinction, forcing them to retreat to this secretly prepared place. They have remained hidden there for a thousand years, leading outsiders to believe the troll tribe no longer existed. But what kind of crisis could have put such a powerful tribe in such danger? It was hard to imagine.

“Come on, I’ll take you to our sacred place. There, you’ll get all the answers. That guy, Andrews, has been waiting for you for a long time!” Seeing Rod’s puzzled expression, the old man smiled slightly and said to him.
Since the other party had said so, Rod didn’t ask right away. Anyway, he would find out sooner or later, and quite soon at that. There was no need to press further. Instead, he glanced around at the members of the troll tribe and discovered an unbelievable fact!
The inhabitants here weren’t just trolls; there were other races as well. At least Rod spotted members of the Scorpion King tribe and the dragon race. Yes, the aura was unmistakable. What was going on? Why were they here? Did the Scorpion King tribe and the dragons know about this?
The deeper they went, the more shocked Rod became. Soon, they arrived in front of a huge building in the center of the city—magnificent and splendid. This must be the true sacred place of the troll tribe.
“Follow me!” Hu Ran, the old man, turned back and said in a deep voice, then led Rod slowly inside.
An invisible pressure rushed towards them instantly, terrifyingly strong. Even standing behind the old man and under his protection, Rod still felt somewhat uncomfortable.
Soon, they entered the center of the building, a vast open area that resembled exactly the core of the Netherworld—same magma, same layout, just on a larger scale with more caves.
“Welcome to the core of the Netherworld, the sacred place of the troll tribe—the World of Fire!” At that moment, the old man in front of him suddenly turned and smiled at Rod.
The World of Fire—truly the World of Fire, living up to its name. The entire world was filled with fire elements and energy, even Rod’s own fighting spirit seemed eager to surge.
“Come, someone will tell you everything you want to know!” Leading Rod forward, the old man said indifferently over his shoulder.
Following the old man, the two walked on unconsciously for half an hour. Finally, outside one of the caves, the old man stopped.
“Bryan, did you bring him?” Suddenly, an aged voice rang out, seeming to come from all directions, accompanied by an invisible pressure.

“Andrews, you old bastard, don’t try this on me. I’ve already brought him here; you deal with it yourself. This kid is quite good. If you don’t want him, remember to give him to me!” Unexpectedly, the old man beside Rod spoke these words in a displeased tone.

“Hmph, Andrews, you old scoundrel. You’re lucky!” The old man pursed his lips and muttered discontentedly as he stepped aside.

“Brian, you’re still the same! Alright, I get it. You can go now; let the young man in.” A hint of a bitter smile could be heard. The person inside didn’t argue with Brian beside Rod but spoke calmly.

Suddenly, a flash of light went through Rod’s mind, and his entire body trembled. He finally understood why this voice sounded so familiar—it was him! How could he have almost forgotten even this voice? Unforgivable. Rod felt ashamed inwardly.

Was this not the person who had spoken to him after he opened the box in the Void Space? It was him, no doubt. Only this time, his voice carried a hint of agefulness. But upon closer listening, it was clear these were the same voice.

“Kid, aren’t you coming in?” The voice inside urged, seeing Rod standing outside in a daze, his expression changing constantly.

“Oh… oh! I’m coming!” Before he knew it, Brian had left, leaving him alone. The door to the cave ahead was already open. Rod hurried inside. Once he confirmed who owned that voice, he no longer had any worries. It was something his father had left to him. This person must have a special relationship with his father and surely wouldn’t harm him. There was no doubt about that.

The cave wasn’t large. In the blink of an eye, Rod reached the end—it was a stone chamber, about fifteen square meters in size. There was a stone bed, a stone table, a few stone chairs, and a set of tea utensils. Otherwise, there was nothing else, looking very simple and unadorned.

“Knight Rod?” The old man spoke first, looking at the young man who had come forward.

Looking up, Rod saw that the man in front of him seemed to be in his forties, but Rod knew he must have lived far longer than that. Seeing this man, Rod’s heart raced, and his body trembled slightly. He had finally arrived here. How many times had he dreamed of this scene over the past year? The place that had haunted his dreams was now truly before him, and his excitement was beyond words.

“I’m Andrews. Heh, that old fellow told you just now! You came quickly. I didn’t expect you to arrive here so fast; very good! You haven’t disappointed me, nor have you disappointed your father!” Rod observed the man, who in turn observed Rod. After a moment, with a long sigh, the man spoke emotionally.