Cayens was completely naked, covering his vital parts with his hands, his old face instantly turning red. He immediately turned and grabbed a piece of leather armor from the crowd, wrapping it around his waist.
"Archmage, your butt is still showing!"
A childish voice came from the baby. Cayens felt his forehead veins throbbing, and he was incredibly annoyed. He had lost all face today.
"Damn brat, you're not allowed to mention this again!"
Cayens roared through clenched teeth, quickly casting a magic shield on himself. He then used a blink spell, and his figure instantly disappeared from the spot before he sprinted towards Violet City as fast as possible.
"Teacher, did he really run off with his butt exposed?"
"What else could he do? I'm not kind enough to find him some clothes to cover his embarrassment. You should go back to the tent and meditate. I'm going to find some people to ask about the Underground Ruins."
"Okay, Teacher!"
Caesar nodded and turned towards the tent area, while Old Roman began to cast the true words spell, interrogating the conscious mages. He interrogated over a dozen mages continuously.
After a long while, Old Roman finally reached a conclusion: this Underground Ruins was actually a trial ground, specifically for members of the Ludwig Family to undergo trials. And based on the interrogation results, the trial seemed to be related to power levels; the higher the power, the greater the trial intensity. Furthermore, there was an important point: if someone not from the Ludwig Family entered, they could also undergo the trial, but if they failed, all their items, including their storage ring, would be confiscated.
However, surprisingly, although the guards did not participate in the trial, they were eventually blown out of the Underground Ruins by the shockwave.
Facing this situation, Old Roman dared not venture into the ruins easily. Especially concerning the so-called "Extreme Trial," he had no confidence at all. The thought of coming out with his butt exposed if he failed was unacceptable to him.
As for the personnel who entered the ruins this time, the Holy Roland Empire suffered heavy losses. Except for the paladins who did not enter the trial hall, the priests and clerics all died unfortunately. However, none of the mages from the Holy Roland Empire died, which made Old Roman very confused, unable to figure out the reason.
Meanwhile, more than half of the people from the Mage Guild and the nobles were also injured, but strangely, none of their mages died.
"Caesar, I need to discuss something with you!"
After returning to the tent area, Old Roman pondered for a long time. Caesar's strength was the lowest here, to the point of having no strength at all.
"Teacher, just say what you want to say!"
"Caesar, I want you to go to the Underground Ruins to undergo the trial. Your strength is the lowest, and the lower the strength, the lower the trial intensity, so you'll hardly get hurt. You're young, so even if your butt is exposed, it's a small matter!"
The young Caesar looked at Old Roman and then nodded helplessly. His fate was now in the other's hands; he had no choice but to go to the ruins.
"I'll leave my storage ring here; it's all my possessions!"
"Leave the little snake too, lest something unexpected happens!"
"Teacher always thinks of everything; it's naturally afraid of fire!"
Caesar couldn't help but flatter him. He then took off the storage ring hanging around his neck and, under Old Roman's astonished gaze, placed it into the linen cloth bag containing the Black Demon Snake.
"Teacher, I'm going!"
Seeing Old Roman nod, the small figure walked out of the luxurious large tent. Caesar also remembered his grandfather's reminder: the world of magic was a cannibalistic world, and his teacher was not entirely trustworthy.
Despite his reluctance, the small figure continued to walk forward step by step. He really wanted to turn back, but a will not to be subdued urged Caesar forward. He wanted to change his destiny, even if it meant taking risks.
Caesar took heavy steps, each one feeling as if he were treading on cotton, his body swaying involuntarily. His breathing became rapid and disordered, his heart beating faster and faster, as if it were about to leap out of his throat. Tiny beads of sweat formed on his forehead, trickling down his cheeks and onto the ground.
His eyes were filled with unease, and he silently prayed that it was all just a nightmare. But reality cruelly told him that this was not a dream, but a harsh truth. He had to face this terrifying challenge and take the risk.
He gritted his teeth, took a deep breath, and tried to calm himself. He told himself that no matter what awaited him, he had to bravely move forward.
Caesar clenched his fists tightly, trying to suppress the fear in his heart. He told himself he couldn't retreat, couldn't give up.
As time passed, Caesar gradually adapted to the tense atmosphere, and his steps became more firm. Although a trace of fear remained in his heart, he had learned to transform it into motivation, driving him forward.
The steps leading down were a bit steep, and Caesar's short legs found it difficult to descend. He had to hold onto the wall, step by step.
Pure white marble, dazzling under the illumination of the magic lamp, the first level appeared to be a comfortable resting room. Several plush sofas, some wooden tables and chairs, everything looked very simple.
The small figure did not stop, continuing down the stairs. The white marble steps were replaced by a jet-black rock. The surface of these black stones had been polished, and dense metallic particles could be clearly seen within.
Little master, there's more after this chapter, please click next page to continue reading, it gets more exciting!
When he reached the black stone hall at the end of the passage, Caesar curiously observed the exquisite murals, though he could not understand their content at all.
"Kid, stay put and lift your head!"
A tall flame figure suddenly appeared, staring intently at Caesar. Seeing the four-meter-tall flame person, the small figure shivered in fear.
"Don't be afraid, stay still and lift your head so I can get a good look!"
Of course, when Caesar tilted his head up, the flame figure suddenly shivered.
"Buddy, why have you shrunk? Why are you so small now? Wait, your hair is black!"
The flame figure sat on the ground, carefully examining Caesar's appearance. The small figure stood still, and the flame before him seemed to radiate no heat at all.
"That's strange, Evans has no descendants left here, not a single one, I guarantee it. But your bloodline is related to Buddy, what's going on?"
The flame figure scratched its head, sparks flying.
"Can I refuse the trial?"
"No, you must undergo the trial. It's beneficial for you; Buddy prepared it for his family!"
"But if they throw me out, I'll fall and get hurt!"
"I only throw out outsiders; I won't throw you out, don't worry!"
Caesar was confused, but the flame figure seemed impatient. It grabbed the small figure with its large hand. The crimson flames truly felt no heat. On the jet-black, hard ground, a hidden magic rune array appeared, and the flame figure, carrying Caesar, disappeared.
In a stone hall deep underground, the black steel rock here was a single piece, indicating it was directly carved from the rock strata.
"Don't be nervous; this is where your bloodline is tested!"
Caesar looked at the smooth rock walls around him, feeling even more scared. He half-believed and half-doubted the flame figure's words, yet he didn't dare to trust it completely. The flame figure's actions made him feel very uneasy.
"Do I need to take out blood?" Caesar asked nervously.
Caesar was a little nervous. He pricked his finger and squeezed hard to squeeze out blood. It hurt more than being bitten by the Black Demon Snake. His body trembled slightly as he tried to remain calm. But facing unknown fear and immense pressure, his heart remained full of unease.
"No need to take out blood, just sit on the ground!" The flame figure's voice came again, sounding somewhat impatient.
Caesar sat down, half-believing and half-doubting. The flame figure's oppressive aura was too strong, and with his current inability to resist, he had no choice but to submit. He took a deep breath, trying to relax. Even so, his heartbeat quickened, and his breathing became rapid.
As time passed, Caesar gradually adapted to the tense atmosphere. He began to think about how he would respond if there were real danger. However, he couldn't come up with an effective method and could only silently pray for everything to go smoothly.
Purple magic light shot out from the stone walls, coming from all directions. The purple glow gradually filled the stone hall. Caesar suddenly had an illusion, as if in the purple magic glow, he felt an boundless space.
As numbers appeared one by one, three figures gradually emerged and then became clearer. Upon seeing the three figures, the flame figure shivered all over, and the flames on its body flickered erratically.
"Buddy is really something, having children without even knowing!"
The flame figure muttered to itself, looking at the small figure, unsure of what to do. It couldn't leave the magic array. If it wanted to send back the news, this elemental avatar would have to be abandoned.
"Who are they?"
"Little one, you can consider them your ancestors, or your parents. They are related to you by blood; without them, there would be no you. I need to send this news back, or you'll be trapped and die on the Roland Continent!"
"Why will I be trapped and die here?"
Caesar's eyes widened, full of disbelief. He couldn't understand how they could be trapped and die. After all, the Roland Continent was so vast; how could one be trapped and die?
"No matter how powerful the people here are, they are merely strong little ants, forever unable to break free from the restraints of this world. Humans living to two to three thousand years is already the limit. Kid, listen carefully now and don't ask any more questions!"
The flame figure's voice carried a hint of mystery and authority, causing Caesar to involuntarily close his mouth. Then, it revealed shocking news: this family trial ground could only sustain one last trial, but the rewards were incredibly generous. Not only could one obtain the best magic weapons, magic robes, and magic accessories, but also the corresponding spellbooks. These were all extremely precious treasures, coveted by any mage.
"The trial is too difficult; I probably won't complete it successfully!"
"Indeed, you don't have a good magic teacher. However, I'm in charge here, so your trial will be the easiest. This place will be sealed off afterward; anyone else entering will be severely beaten and thrown out, but only you can enter. I am also your elder, so I should give you a small gift!"
The flame figure suddenly stood up and grabbed Caesar again. In a small room, there was a very dense concentration of Magic Element. On a large table made of red crystal lay a pile of miscellaneous items. Dozens of storage rings, some magic accessories, wands, staffs, and a large pile of Magic crystal stones on the ground.
"Magic accessories, staffs, and wands, you can't take any of them, because these items will be recognized, which would be harmful to you. You can take all the Magic crystal stones, and you can only take one storage ring. These items will remain here, and you can take them when you are capable. Buddy always says I have a bad memory, I almost forgot the most important thing!"
Little master, there's more after this chapter, please click next page to continue reading, it gets more exciting!
The flame figure walked towards the stone wall and took out a silver magic badge from a hidden compartment in the wall.
"You must hide this badge well. It is the Frost Crown Badge. It can not only increase your meditation speed but also increase your spell damage by fifty percent. It can also activate the trial ground here, and it will be of great help to you when you encounter elves on the Western Continent in the future. It is also your beacon; my Buddy will find you with it!"
"Is this Mithril?"
Caesar held the silver badge, examining it closely. It had a very intricate magic rune array that was invisible to the naked eye.
"This is Abyss Plane magic silver, even better than Mithril. You must hide it well; its value is enough to make any mage covet it, including your magic teacher. Do not trust anyone here; this ruin is the best proof of that!"
The flame figure began to recount the origin of the ruins. Caesar, listening beside him, gritted his teeth. The Ludwig Castle had unselfishly taught magic for hundreds of years, nurturing thousands of mages, only to be met with endless greed from those mages.
"Kid, you should go out. Before that, I will cast a mind protection spell on you. If your teacher uses the true words spell on you, it will have no effect at all, and you will have to guard against him carefully in the future!"
The flame figure tossed Caesar an inconspicuous storage ring, telling him to quickly collect the Magic crystal stones on the ground. Because the longer he stayed in the Underground Ruins, the more suspicious the people above would become.
In the tent area, Old Roman was pacing back and forth, glancing periodically towards the entrance of the ruins. Caesar had been down there for quite a while, which made him feel a growing sense of unease.