The Paladin in the Abyss

After Kalalin used up his first-ring spells, he temporarily couldn't continue the equipment appraisal. However, even without a master of equipment appraisal, there was still a master of gemstone appraisal.

Bruto, who had obtained the Dwarf Belt, was in a very good mood and energetically began appraising the gemstones for everyone. For a Dwarf, they could almost glance at a gemstone and roughly estimate its value, and this sort of activity, akin to counting money, obviously brought him great joy. Of course, Koula was also very enthusiastic about it.

While Bruto sorted the gemstones into several small piles based on their value, he introduced the types of gemstones to everyone.

The gemstones worth around 10 Gold Coins included blue crystals, malachite, turquoise, and others, which Bruto didn't even bother with due to their low value. Those worth 50 Gold Coins included various agates, moonstones, zircon, and gemstones worth 100 Gold Coins included amber, jadeite, and amethyst.

Because of their moderate value, these gemstones were highly popular among merchants and were the most collected type during this trip.

As for those valued at 500 Gold Coins, there were ice crystals, yellow jade, black pearls; these were quite rare. Up the scale were sapphires, emeralds, opals, each worth a whole 1000 Gold Coins; and those exceeding 5000 Gold Coins included diamonds, rubies, black sapphires, which were even more uncommon.

This time they found only two rubies, and Bruto swore they were the only two in the entire treasure vault, which he had pocketed right away.

So it seemed, although they had amassed a considerable quantity this time, most of them were merely "trade" gemstones, valued at 50 or 100 Gold Coins. The gemstones they found after slaying the sandworm appeared to be of a higher value.

In the end, they tallied up the gemstones they had harvested to be worth approximately 80,000 Gold Coins, a number so large that even the Elf Priest was breathing heavily. Eventually, Lancelot suggested they each take gemstones worth 10,000 Gold Coins, with the rest to be used as team funds for expenses such as rent, spellcasting materials, and food.

"I've never seen so much money in my life," Koula said, holding her share of the gemstones with a somewhat overwhelmed expression, "but here, what can I even use this money for?"

The Halfling's words made everyone feel a bit deflated. Wealth had very limited use in the Abyss. Lords needed money to buy equipment, pay troops, and recruit new soldiers, but ordinary people could buy very limited things with money.

Twin Bridges Town was already one of the more active neutral towns for trade in the first layer of the Abyss, but even so, the price of food here was more than ten times that of the Prime Material Plane, and the choices were very limited.

However, some specialties only available in the lower planes were quite affordable, like worms with human faces, deadly poisons that could even bring down demons, and various strongly addictive hallucinogens. But clearly, these items were of no use to them.

"But just looking at these gemstones makes me so happy," said little Isha happily, holding a small bag of gemstones which were Lancelot's "logistics funds" for her.

"I really have to think about what I can do with these stones," Molo said, also holding his share of gemstones, "Maybe I should find a blacksmith to make some false teeth?"

"Good idea, I think it's best to spend the money on arming ourselves," Lancelot suggested, "Who knows what awaits us in this dangerous place in the future."

Everyone nodded in agreement. Since the night had just fallen and it wasn't time to rest yet, they all sat on the living room sofa and began to chat leisurely.

"Lancelot, why do you have the blessing of the Elves?" Suddenly, Alamir asked Lancelot a question that had piqued his curiosity. Back in the Succubus Palace, it was this very blessing, which only kind-hearted Elves could detect, that made him trust Lancelot was there to rescue him.

"That's a long story," Lancelot said, picking up his cup, "Are you sure you want to hear it?"

"I want to hear it!" Isha blurted out, but after saying so, she seemed to think it wasn't very ladylike and shyly lowered her head.

Everyone was amused by Isha's adorable gesture, Lancelot laughed and shook his head, then slowly began to speak:

"I come from a world called Gaia, and at the time of my birth, the entire human world was ruled by an evil and cruel Royal Family, and magic and Elves only existed in legends and stories…"

Lancelot slowly narrated the story of his early life. As the second son in his family, he underwent Knight training, and later followed the leadership of Albert to join the rebellion against the Pharis Empire. During this process, Elves and magic, both long thought to be nonexistent, appeared one after the other.

His story lasted for a long time, finally ending at the moment he stepped into the Portal. What followed was a long silence from everyone in the living room.

"This Emperor is really despicable!" Little Isha couldn't hold back any longer, puffing up with anger as she said, "The Kingdom and its subjects should be the ones an Emperor serves, this Turas has got it totally backwards!"

"That Albert doesn't deserve your allegiance," Bruto commented, "The appeal of a leader comes from the determination to achieve a goal, and it was in order to overthrow that so-called Emperor Pharis that you all gathered under his banner. If it's just for the sake of fighting over some benefits, then what's the difference between you and a band of highwaymen?"
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"Thank you, but unfortunately, Albert didn't understand this, and at that time, neither did I."

"This is what's so strange about you humans." Bruto spread his hands out and slumped back into the sofa.

"Did you just mention that the Elf High Priest who blessed you had experienced a war thousands of years ago?" Alamir's point of interest was different from the others'.

"Now that you mention it, I realize." Kalalin murmured, "How could that be possible?"

"Is there a problem?" Lancelot asked in surprise.

"We Elves do live very long lives…" Alamir seemed to be pondering something, "but under normal circumstances, the average lifespan of an Elf is only about 700 to 800 years, and few Elves live beyond a thousand years old."

"How can that be? Aren't Elves immortal and ageless?"

"All mortals die, it's a natural law, unless..."

"Unless what?"

"Unless there is still a living Tree of Life in your world," Alamir's gaze became somewhat distant, "Legend has it that Elves originated from a homeworld called Faerlil, and Corellon Larethian, the chief deity of the Elves, created the first Elves from the tender branches of the Tree of Life.

The Elves once established a very glorious Magic Empire, colonizing countless worlds from Faerlil and always bringing with them seeds of the Tree of Life because as long as the Tree of Life was present, Elves would not age."

"What happened after that?" Bruto asked curiously, "When did you tree-dwellers become mortal?"

"Due to some disaster long forgotten, the connection between other worlds and Faerlil was severed.

I'm not clear about other worlds, but in the one I came from, the Tree of Life was destroyed in a terrible magical accident thousands of years ago, blasting the entire continent into several pieces, thanks to those self-righteous highborn Elf Wizards!" Alamir shrugged helplessly, "Since then, Elves were no longer immortal and undying.

This is why I'm so shocked; maybe the disaster of the demon invasion taught the Elves in your world a good lesson, making them retain a sense of reverence while exploring the unknown."