MTLNOVEL CHAPTER 199
Chapter 199: The Hidden World
Roda's familiarity with Flame City was evident. He seemed to know every nook and cranny, every hidden passage, far better than Lu Ming.
Despite his youthful appearance, Roda possessed the strength of a Spirit Realm expert and wielded a variety of unusual Origin Power skills, including the invisibility ability he had demonstrated earlier.
This invisibility extended to others as well. Under the cloak of Roda's power, the two moved through the city unhindered.
They passed through the Outer City, then confidently strolled past the Divine Dao Alliance's checkpoints in the Inner City, their presence undetected.
After an hour's walk, they stopped before an unassuming mansion.
"We're here," Roda announced with a smile, gesturing towards the entrance.
Lu Ming shook his head. "You first."
Roda shrugged and stepped into the courtyard.
The Inner City of Flame City was also known as the affluent district. During the city's prime, only high-ranking officials and nobles resided here. As a result, there were no towering skyscrapers, only individual villas nestled amidst winding paths.
The house they entered looked unremarkable from the outside.
However, upon stepping inside, they found a scene of decay. The porch was broken, pillars had collapsed. These were fresh signs of recent exploration.
Roda led Lu Ming deeper into the house, his voice a low murmur.
"On the surface, this place seems ordinary, but it hides a secret."
"During the final days of Flame City, the Three Kings Rebellion erupted... an event that ultimately led to the Flame Clan's downfall."
"This was King Lin's secret residence."
They reached a rockery in the courtyard. Roda extended his hand, and with a subtle glow, the rockery levitated, revealing a hidden passage beneath.
"This leads to where King Lin secretly trained his death warriors," Roda explained. "I stumbled upon it by chance."
He descended into the passage, Lu Ming following close behind.
As they ventured deeper, the tunnel widened, opening into a vast underground space.
The heart of the underground space was dominated by a vast martial arts arena, surrounded by an array of ancient weapons, silent witnesses to the past glory of this place. Moderately-sized individual rooms lined both sides of the arena.
As their footsteps echoed through the chamber, voices emerged from the surrounding rooms.
An elderly man and a young woman, both bearing a resemblance to Roda in features and silver hair, stepped out to greet them. The old man's eyes shone with wisdom, his aura restrained yet powerful. The woman was strikingly beautiful, appearing slightly younger than Roda.
"City Lord," the old man greeted Roda with a respectful bow.
"Brother," the young woman said, her voice warm and welcoming.
Roda smiled and gestured towards Lu Ming. "This is Uncle Lu. And this is my cousin, Roxin."
He turned to Lu Ming. "This is a friend I met outside. His name is Lu Ming."
Lu Ming sensed a curious scrutiny from Uncle Lu and Roxin but detected no ill intent.
He nodded in greeting, and Roxin's voice broke the silence. "Brother, you've actually made a friend on your own initiative. That's quite rare..."
Roda chuckled, a hint of embarrassment in his smile. "Uncle Lu," he said, turning to the old man, "please prepare a room for Little Brother Lu Ming. He'll be staying with us for a while."
Uncle Lu nodded. "Understood."
In the vast underground space, there were only Roda, Roxin, and Uncle Lu.
With Lu Ming's arrival, their numbers swelled to a mere four.
Despite their small group, the supplies here were plentiful. Several rooms were stocked with food, and a natural well nearby provided ample water.
After settling into his modest room, Lu Ming sought out Roda.
Seeing Lu Ming approach, Roda seemed pleased, but Lu Ming wasted no time in getting to the point.
"I need to talk to you," he said.
"First, I want to thank you for providing me with shelter and protection."
"Second, let's skip the pleasantries. If you want something from me, just say it directly. Don't keep me in suspense. I don't like guessing games."
Lu Ming had always been straightforward.
The concept of friendship was too vague for him, especially in their current circumstances.
At that moment, although Roda appeared sincere in his hospitality, Lu Ming couldn't shake the feeling that befriending a Spirit Realm expert wasn't so simple. He didn't possess the aura of a protagonist, after all.
Lu Ming's directness caused Roxin to frown, while Uncle Lu's expression remained impassive. Roda, however, seemed lost in thought.
"Valuing talent and wanting to make friends are indeed part of the reason I brought you here," Roda finally admitted.
Before Lu Ming could respond, Roda continued, "Of course, once we're friends, it's natural for us to help and support each other. That's what friends do."
So, friendship was merely a facade; the true purpose was mutual assistance.
Lu Ming considered this for a moment, then said, "So, we're already friends now. What do you want me to do for you?"
Roda's face brightened.
"I want to witness the power of an Intricate-level Origin Power Skill!" he declared earnestly.
Roxin and Uncle Lu were stunned. They exchanged incredulous glances, unable to believe that this seemingly ordinary young man had mastered an Origin Power Skill to the Intricate level.
Weak Origin Power Skills weren't worth investing much effort in.
And powerful ones were notoriously slow to cultivate.
Even coming from influential clans, they had rarely heard of, let alone witnessed, anyone mastering an Origin Power Skill to the Intricate level.
They glanced at Roda, the martial arts fanatic...
Perhaps his eagerness to befriend Lu Ming made sense after all.
Lu Ming raised an eyebrow. "Didn't you already witness it earlier?"
Roda shook his head. "Not enough, far from enough!"
"Besides, without experiencing it firsthand, it's difficult for me to truly grasp its intricacies."
He bowed respectfully to Lu Ming.
"So, Brother Lu Ming," he said, "please take care of me in the future."
Lu Ming thought for a moment, then nodded. "Then I won't hesitate to disturb you for a while."
After a simple dinner, Lu Ming sought out Roda once more.
"From now on, I'll spar with you for an hour each day. Is that enough?"
Roda nodded eagerly. "It's more than enough."
"Then let's begin now," Lu Ming said. "Origin Power Armor or Explosive Fist, which one do you want to start with?"
Roda pondered briefly.
"Origin Power Armor," he finally replied, his curiosity piqued.
End of Chapter 199