Lex read the notifications again and again, especially focusing on the final remarks that the system gave. It was hardly ever so serious, so for it to even become somewhat philosophical was a testament to the enormity of what Lex had learned.

At the same time, he recalled fully how easily and entirely he had been enthralled by the chalice, without even any hope of resisting its allure. Something like that was far beyond his level. It was unlikely that even ordinary Celestial Immortals could tolerate its sight.

He swept his spirit sense and saw that the mercenaries seemed to have fallen into a trance, no longer enthralled by the sight of the chalice, but that was not the case for the Inn workers. They had not been rescued from the proverbial well of temptation, and so they kept moving towards it, ignoring all else. Fortunately, such single-mindedness also made it simple for Lex to intervene. Oh, and also being a lot stronger than all of them helped as well.

Lex encompassed the entire group in his Domination, freezing them in their path, and then knocked them out.

Fortunately, since the moment that the ruins came into sight, they no longer needed to continue marching endlessly lest they lose their path. They could afford a respite now - though it was still something they should not indulge in for long. Lex did not trust Abaddon, especially in a place as dangerous as this.

He summoned the castle, and brought everyone inside, the large walls shielding them from the sight of the chalice - the most difficult challenge they had faced yet.

While the Inn workers still had not broken free from the chalice’s spell, Kaemon at least had woken up.

"That... that was dangerous," the Magma Lion said. "Fortunately, the Innkeeper and Condottiere were paying attention, or we would have been in trouble."

Kaemon naturally assumed that the reason Lex had recovered was the same as him - that they had been saved by their respective Dao Lords.

"The problem now is how we’re going to continue the mission," said Lex, his expression far from relaxed. "There’s no way I can resist the sight of that chalice, and I fear coming close to it will expose me to its aura or power, and it’ll be even harder to avoid becoming enthralled. We also can’t stay here for long. My gut is telling me that this particular set of ruins is especially dangerous, and that the chalice, on the very periphery of the ruins, is the very least of its dangers."

"The only thing my gut is feeling is fear induced constipation, but I’ll take your word for it," said Kaemon, though he showed no expression of joking. "It does adhere to basic logic. Whatever secrets the ruins hide are usually in the very heart of it. That said, the Condottiere has long expected this situation and has made arrangements. We only need to wait for them to come into play."

With not much to do but wait, the two of them began to attend to the rest of their groups, who had not yet recovered. Their wait was not long, however, as Kaemon came to Lex soon after with a grave expression.

"You don’t look like you have good news," said Lex, getting right to the matter at hand.

"I don’t. The Condottiere sent treasures which can be used to resist the influence of the chalice, but there’s a catch. They depend on the user’s own will power to supplement the effect of the treasure. Unfortunately, I don’t think there are many who will be able to resist at all."

Lex did not immediately respond, taking in the unexpected development. It made sense that the chalice could not be easily reached, but such an obstacle to merely reach it... Lex could not even imagine how they would rescue Xerxes from within it!

"If even approaching the chalice is a task, how will we actually rescue Xerxes?" Lex asked seriously.

Unexpectedly, in that regard, Kaemon was a lot more confident than Lex anticipated.

"The final arrangements to complete our quest have long since been made," Kaemon said. "Our real challenge is getting to the chalice itself. I cannot be sure what obstacles may be in our path, which has led me to an awkward predicament."

"You really feel awkward asking for me to help?" asked Lex, a faint smile springing on his face.

"This is not a part of your job, but you have more than proven yourself beyond exceptional. I think your willpower will be more than sufficient to use the treasure, and you’ve proven yourself enough that I’m sure you can handle any other obstacles that may await us. Though you do not have the same perks as the members of the mercenary group, I must admit that I think your performance will surpass the others."

Lex appreciated the concern, but he shook his head.

"You’re over thinking things. My mission is to help you complete your quest, and if that means helping you reach the chalice on my back, then that’s what I’ll do. If you have your team decided, then I’d say let’s leave. I cannot advise staying here for long."

Kaemon chuckled.

"Well, if you’re ready to go, then the team’s ready to go. It’ll just be the two of us."

Lex swept his spirit sense through the castle, and sensed that the workers had mostly been knocked unconscious. Luthor had recovered, though he looked exceptionally drained. Unfortunately for him, he could not rest just yet.

Lex gave him some instructions, mainly to take care of everyone and block out the sight of the chalice to avoid any complications, before letting him know that Lex would be departing to complete the quest.

Unlike Z, Luthor did not consider, or rather he did not care about Lex’s ’true’ cultivation level. All that mattered was that Lex always stepped up when no one else could, and this time was no exception.

Once everything was set, Lex walked up to Kaemon who handed him the treasure: reading glasses. For some reason, Lex felt like he should have expected as much.

He put on the round glasses and felt the immense mental pressure they placed on him, tapping into his spirit to operate.

If his spirit was insufficient, or his will power was lacking, the glasses would fail to protect him from the influence of the chalice. Then he and Kaemon set off.

The sky bled crimson as though it were an open wound above them. Underfoot, the cracked obsidian soil gave no echo, swallowing the sound of footsteps and paw-steps alike. Lex moved slowly, each stride deliberate, hand resting on the hilt of Naraka, ready to use it at a moment’s notice. He had no illusions about this place: he was thoroughly beyond the realms of his capabilities here, and oddly enough, the sense of danger felt like he had returned home.

Lex had not been built to avoid danger. If that were the case, he would have never survived in the high stakes business of managing an Inn. He was completely in his element.

Beside him trekked Kaemon, his molten mane casting a dim, flickering light that danced along the ruins. He was solemn, and did not waste a single thought on whether he was capable enough for his given predicament. Since he was here, he’d have to be good enough, regardless of what the situation demanded.

Directly ahead loomed the broken lighthouse. Oddly enough, looking at it, the lighthouse looked complete in its broken state. It was as if there was a sense of rejection that encompassed the building, as if the very act of illuminating the surroundings was rejected by the world. Such an idea was not a good one in these parts. Best to leave forgotten what had been buried here.

Neither spoke. Words had no place here. The wind hissed low, as if warning them, carrying the scent of fresh blood. It was as if the wind was their ally. Or maybe it was afraid on their behalf.

In the distance, the ruins groaned, as if filled with ancient, aging wood on the edge of collapse. In truth, even the ruins seemed to be warning them, as if they too were afraid on the behalf of those two puny immortals.

Something was watching them, the two of them knew that much. Yet if their will was weak enough to be intimidated by just that alone, they never would have qualified to attempt this mission anyway.

One step after another, the two of them traversed the broken lands, going from the castle to the lighthouse. Eventually, the barren land gave way to cemented roads and bricked streets. Instead of being reassured at the vestiges of a civilization gone, the two slowed down instead.

"I have a really bad feeling about this," said Lex.

"So do I," said Kaemon in a whisper. "Let’s hope we can bear the weight of the knowledge hidden here."

Lex only nodded, and stepped forward. He was instantly transported from the ruins to an active, sprawling city, crowded by countless races, all going about their day. Or at least they were until Lex showed up. Then they all froze where they stood, and turned to look at Lex.