Chapter 71: In the Shadow of Darkness

"You did well, it seems that you have secured the item?"

Sitting on a stone chair, a man clad entirely in a black robe, his face bearing a slight smile, watched the mage before him. His attire seemed rather unassuming, even giving the impression that he was merely an ordinary person. However, a single glance at his face would immediately dispel such a mistaken notion.

Underneath the black robe was a face that appeared as if it had been scorched by charcoal, gaunt and yellowed, with patches of hardened skin scattered across his cheeks. As he spoke, the muscles of his face quivered, and between those hardened patches, sparks could faintly be seen emerging. In fact, his whole being resembled a mobile human-shaped furnace, and even getting close to him meant being repelled by the scorching heat he emitted.