That was why no one would dare to look down upon any pseudo-adept. Who knew whether the dazzling halo of a protagonist would fall upon a particularly fortunate person, allowing them to instantly rise to become one of the true masters of this world– an adept!
Meanwhile, Second Grade adepts were not something that could be achieved through experience and knowledge alone. More often than not, it demanded special techniques or unusual talents. Otherwise, the group that formed 70% of the adepts would not be First Grades, but Second Grades instead.
Compared to orthodox adepts like Meryl, Bug Adept Billis' advancement speed was terrifying.
He hadn't spent more than seventy years to advance to peak First Grade since he first advanced to an adept. The most direct reason that led to this was him dedicating his entire life to endless slaughter.
Whether it was the Goblin Plane, Lance, or even the latest Faen Plane, he had been fully involved in battles and had been a vital force. It was such constant and bloody trials that allowed Billis to obtain such an extraordinary advancement speed.
Meryl, Deserra, Gargamel, and the others might envy him, but they could only shake their heads and sigh. After all, they couldn't possibly emulate his life of living on the knife's edge. If they tried to commit to such a life forcefully, they might lose their lives before they could even improve their powers.
There was only a total of approximately a dozen adepts in the banquet hall on the third floor.
Meryl, who had hastily returned from the Goblin Plane, dragged Deserra to a side and softly questioned him about their experiences in Faen. Occasionally, Meryl's eyes swept across the entrance of the banquet hall. She was clearly waiting for the arrival of her teacher, Greem.
As the host of this banquet, Gargamel was busy walking around the hall and greeting the various adepts. Meanwhile, a pretty and voluptuous forest spirit stood at his side, brushing away every single female apprentice that tried to approach Gargamel with a cold and indifferent expression.
A pretty young girl in a jade green dress trailed between the two of them, tightly holding onto the forest spirit's hand. She was looking around the place with curious eyes.
Moreover, she also had the power of a First Grade!
Apart from these few human adepts, the rest of the adepts were of other races.
Dana the Medusa was fairly close with Charon, the leader of the manticores. The two of them were huddled in a corner, sipping at their wine glasses like the human adepts did as they talked in low voices.
The only ones that could provide the banquet with its atmosphere were the vampires that Mary had brought back with her.
Soros and Windsor, the only two surviving blood knights, were dressed in bright and blinding crimson armor. Paired with folded bat wings behind their backs, they looked very dashing and handsome indeed. In stark contrast to them were the six blood elves ranging from First to Second Grade.
There were males and females among them, but even the male elves had pretty faces, making it hard for anyone to determine their sex based on their looks.
These blood elves were not of the quiet kind, seeing as they took the initiative and led the hall in a dance. Their delicate faces and elegant dance moves successfully attracted the attention of all the male adepts.
The atmosphere of the banquet instantly ignited!
Apart from proper adepts, there were also seven to eight adepts who were qualified to attend the banquet.
They could not enjoy the privileges of the adepts and were not the main characters of this banquet. However, as the reserve forces cultivated by the clan, they could still participate in such clan banquets and were getting a taste of the atmosphere and methods of interactions between adepts.
Of course, if they could win the fancy of an adept during the banquet, any resource needs they might have in the future would be solved.
That was why these pseudo-adepts had all taken the time to dress up. The men were handsome, and the women were beautiful. They walked around and struck up conversations with everyone, making for a truly eye-catching sight at the banquet!
Meanwhile, Goblin Merchant Snorlax was also an active participant of the banquet.
He relied on his history as Greem's earliest follower to casually drift from circle to circle and group to group. He made conversation with everyone using the unique passion of a goblin merchant, cracking jokes and entertaining, almost as if he was the protagonist of the banquet.
The ones providing service during the banquet were a group of female apprentices that had been specially selected, along with a few exceptionally obedient otherworldly slaves– forest elves.
One had to say that any group would have different individuals in them: some who were stubborn, while others knew how to adapt.
These forest elves hadn't been in Fire Throne for more than a day, but they had already dejectedly resigned themselves to their new identities. They put on their slave collars and seriously attended their roles as elven waitresses.
It was a wise move from them.
Almost every single forest elf that Greem had brought back were fighters, and some of them were at the level of Second Grades. They might have been superior individuals and nobles back home, but here they were no more than delicate dolls that the adepts could toy with in the palms of their hands.
They might be able to live longer if they were obedient. And if the elves insisted on being stubborn, the dissection table would be their final resting place!
Of course, if they were to run into some evil adepts with unusual hobbies, turning them into sex slaves or specimens to add to a collection wasn't out of the ordinary.
Finally, midway through the banquet, Greem walked in with the dressed-up Adept Mary, while he was dressed in a black adept's robe.
Dragonborn Zacha and Goblin Tigule followed behind them.
The arrival of the four Second Grades in the clan immediately pushed the atmosphere of the banquet to its climax!
All the clan adepts stopped their chatting and dancing to give applause and welcome these elites. The young pseudo-adepts clapped the hardest of them all, and their faces flushed red with excitement from being able to witness this legendary character of their clan.
It was said that this Crimson Clan leader of theirs was a fantastic individual that had risen to Second Grade by his own power.
He had started from a swamp tower, made his name in the Underground World, and excelled at manipulating elementium golems. He had once beaten pseudo-adepts as an advanced apprentice and threw the World of Volcano into chaos as a pseudo-adept.
However, the one event that could best mark the legend of this man was the unknown battle that had occurred in the shadows!
Three adepts that had just advanced turned the tables against the evil adept that had tried to kill them in a blood sacrifice. They murdered the adept even as their lives were held in the adept's hands.
It had become his most famous battle!
From then on Greem could not be stopped, and he quickly rose from a nameless adept to an immensely powerful elite.
Flame Demon. Flame Fiend.
Such titles were given to him again and again, and each time signaled the defeat of yet another powerful enemy.
He had walked all this way and successfully planted his very own adept's tower on the map here in this part of the Black Forest.
As for his adventures into other planes, summoning a mighty dragon, slaughtering a vampire family, and returning victorious from another plane yet again? All of these feats were the distinctive footprints that marked the rise of a powerhouse.
Why were the adepts, pseudo-adepts, and apprentices present in the banquet here?
They were here precisely for the sake of joining the side of this powerful adept; to share and bask in the profits of war that others could not enjoy.
If the Crimson Clan were to rise under the leadership of such a legendary clan head, then all of them who had joined early would rise along with him, obtaining more resources and
benefits!
And that was the only reason why everyone had gathered here!
Chapter 721 Grand Banque
t
Greem and Mary's appearance immediately brought the clan banquet to its first climax!
Greem was not a body-refining adept and had none of their strong, steel-like muscles. However, his two-meter body was still perfectly proportioned and in excellent shape.
He possessed tough and well-defined muscles, smooth skin with a gleam of red, and unique tattoos that covered his entire neck.
Greem stood proudly in front of everyone, his long crimson hair running down his back and almost reaching his waist. Paired with the intimidating scarlet light in his black eyes, he radiated an aura of wickedness, mystery, and wisdom rolled into one.
Mary, holding hands with him, was also brimming with charm!
She was an absolute beauty; ripe and pretty.
Mary's face was delicate and flawless, with distinct features. Her small, red lips spread in a lazy yet satisfied smile. Her shining crimson eyes were like two pure and clear rubies embedded in her perfect face, enchanting and bewitching.
Mary wasn't in the habit of always wearing armor. Most of her white and slender skin was exposed, and only a thin silk dress was draped across her sexy body. The outfit wasn't too large either. The upper half of it was barely able to cover a portion of her breasts, while the lower half didn't go below her knees, revealing plenty of snow white flesh.
Such a dress would better be said to be seduction rather than concealment!
Mary's attractive appearance made it hard for others to associate her with the idea of an evil adept. However, the pair of small but delicate bat wings on her back, as well as her blood-red eyes, were constant reminders of her true identity.
It was like a dangerous and forbidden game of thrills. Step by step, Mary ensnared the ignorant and drew them into her enchanting and blazing flames.
For some reason, when all the females at the scene saw the handsome, yet also gentlemanly, male adept walk with Mary's hands in his own, they felt a trace of disappointment surge up their hearts, even as they were awestruck at the sight of the couple.
If…if only the hand that Lord Greem was currently holding was theirs. How perfect would that be?
Mary's crimson eyes swept across the field and a light smile once again appeared on her face.
Everyone who was swooning promptly broke free of their daydream when Mary's gaze swept across them. They hurriedly offered their most passionate applause and smiles. Just now, their Spirits had barely come into contact with Mary's own bloody and intense Spirit, and theirs had immediately shrunk into their bodies like rabbits running into wolves.
It was only at this moment that they came to the chilling realization that the target of their envy had been a genuine Second Grade adept
If they had infuriated her, no one here would be able to shield them from her fury and punishment!
"You are very charming, did you know," Mary continued to walk forward elegantly as she communicated with Greem mentally, "I sensed a trace of murderous intent in the eyes of those few girls just now!"
A light smile still hung upon Greem's face. He continued to nod and acknowledge all of his guests, even as he replied, "I am a conservative man! You wear something so revealing again, and I will spank you on the ass when we get back."
"Spank me if you want to. It's not like you haven't done that before…"
That was what Mary said, but red mist still shimmered around her.
In the blink of an eye, her seductive and revealing red dress had been replaced by a perfect and delicate red gown. She had changed so fast that Greem hadn't captured her movements at all.
"Let's make this clear first. I'll listen to you this time, but you will have to play a game of queen with me when we get back!" Mary rolled her eyes as an idea popped into her head.
Greem laughed, and a dominating aura burst forth from his muscular body.
"Sure. As long as you beat me, I'll listen to anything you say!"
Mary instantly went berserk over this!
Greem let go of Mary's dangerous hand without being fazed, walked to the center of the hall, and clapped twice.
Seeing that the clan head had a speech to make, everyone quickly went silent and held their breaths as they listened to this legendary man.
"Crimson Adepts. As your clan leader, I have to drink three glasses with everyone here today."
"After so many planar wars, several familiar individuals among us have departed forever. This first glass is dedicated to our companions who have sacrificed themselves for the cause of the clan! To Sabrina, and to Endor."
Greem drank all the wine in his glass in a single shot.
"To Sabrina…"
"To Endor…"
The adepts responded loudly, drinking alongside their leader with solemn expressions.
The waitresses in the room hurriedly walked around and refilled their cups.
"This second glass is to you, everyone here in the hall! It is your combined efforts and endeavors that allowed the Crimson Clan a chance to progress steadily. To everyone."
Greem once again finished his glass.
Excitement took over the faces of all the adepts as they downed their drinks as well.
"This third glass is dedicated to our glorious future! I believe that with everyone's effort, the Crimson Clan and all of us here will achieve our dreams and walk toward glory."
All the adepts roared in agreement and raised their glasses for yet another drink.
In particular, Snorlax's sharp voice stood out very much.
With the soaring morale and the fiery atmosphere in place, Greem took the opportunity to loudly announce the internal rewards for the clan adepts.
The trip to the Faen Plane had been a bountiful one. They might have suffered tremendous losses, but their bounties were equally as great. This was the best time for the clan adepts to share in the boons of the war.
The rewards for all adepts that had participated in the planar war were four to five times that of stationed adepts. Moreover, they'd also had the chance to gather personal loot and resources on the battlefield. With the announcement of these battle merits, the core and peripheral members of the clan became apparent at a single glance.
One had to acknowledge that Mary and Billis were the ones who profited the most from Faen this time.
They had both led troops to assault the elves, creating the perfect battlefield for the main force of the clan to attack the central mountains.
As a Second Grade vampire adept, Mary had even gathered many powerful servants about her. No one would have been surprised at her being at the top of the battle merit rankings. However, Billis' ranking over the other two Second Grade adepts as a First Grade himself, second only to Mary, was undoubtedly beyond everyone's expectations.
Greem announced to everyone present that Billis would become a core adept of the Crimson Clan. From here on out, he would be able to enjoy the treatment reserved for Second Grade adepts, even before he had advanced. That meant that Greem was optimistic about Billis' development and that he was prepared to cultivate him as the sixth Second Grade adept of the clan.
All the adepts and pseudo-adepts of the clan couldn't help but cast an envious gaze at Billis after hearing all this. They knew very well that Bug Adept Billis would become a new rising star in the Crimson Clan.
The only thing they could do was raise their glasses and give their respects.
Billis wrapped himself in thick layers of robes and cloaks, even during the banquet; not a piece of skin was showing. His evolution had been too thorough, leaving not a trace of humanity upon his body. He looked exactly like a bug person.
To avoid frightening everyone he came across, Billis could only hide his looks with thick robes wherever he went. It was the only way to avoid the fearful and shocked looks he got from others.
Despite the honor he had just received, Billis wasn't at all complacent. He return
ed the congratulations of his peers by raising the wineglass with his insect claws under his deerskin gloves. The four beady eyes under his hood glowed with a fearsome green light.
As one of the most committed participants of the Faen Plane expedition, Billis knew very well that the clan's journey into the other plane had not been for resources or prisoners. It had been for the Fate Witches located in the cold north.
The number of resources and prisoners obtained from this battle had been secondary. Most importantly, Alice had successfully advanced to Second Grade, and the Fate Witches were finally showing signs of assimilation with the Crimson Clan.
The most significant gain for the Crimson Clan this time was obtaining the trust and dependence of the Fate Witches led by Alice.
That was why, unknown to outsiders, the Tower of Fate in the Northern Lands had secretly become an outpost of the Crimson Clan.
The powerful Second Grade Fire Adept Crimson Clan Leader Greem had Bloody Queen Mary's full support on his left, and Fate Witch Leader Alice's complete aid on the right. Given a chance to develop his forces, Greem would be fated to soar up high and become unstoppable by any power or individual.
It was because Billis was perfectly aware of this that he tucked away all ambition and desires that he should not have and started to consider his relationship with Greem seriously.
His body had been bestowed upon him by Greem. Even the Queen Bug that had completely assimilated with his soul had been given to him by Greem. Consequently, Billis could not stop Greem from retaliating if he ever had thoughts of rebellion.
Perhaps continuing to stay in the Crimson Clan was a decent choice as well!
…………
Just as the Crimson Clan was celebrating, the Tower of Fate in the Northern Lands was also undergoing a time of both pain and celebration.
Their leader Alice had successfully returned and had advanced to Second Grade. It was undoubtedly deserving of celebration. However, four of the seven Fate Witches that had accompanied her had permanently died upon that distant otherworld.
It was undoubtedly yet another heavy blow to the Fate Witches who had just started growing stronger!
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