Tavern of the Spear: Desire for Pleasure

Chapter 106 The Vanishing Obsidian

Cheng Yu's sudden question about "obsidian" instantly froze the previously harmonious atmosphere. Inside the tent, three people, three thoughts, three expressions.

Bai Yu frowned, his mind filled with doubt. In his view, obsidian was just a common mineral found near volcanoes; although hard and versatile, it shouldn't be uncommon in this environment. Why was Cheng Yu specifically asking about it? Could there be some hidden secret behind this obsidian?

The bear-orc chieftain looked bewildered and ashamed. His furry face was etched with confusion. He shook his massive head vigorously and said in a gruff voice, "Obsidian? What's that? Our tribe has never heard of such a mineral since its founding..."

His once bright and piercing eyes were now filled with apology. As the chief of the tribe, he felt deeply ashamed that he didn't know what Cheng Yu was talking about. He even began to wonder if he was just too ignorant.

Cheng Yu's reaction was relatively calm. He nodded slightly, a hint of surprise flashing across his face, but he quickly regained his composure. He seemed to have anticipated this outcome, or rather, he had deduced some of the reasons from the bear-orc leader's reaction.

"I see, I understand. Thank you for the information." Cheng Yu politely thanked the bear-beastman leader, then added with concern, "Although your wounds have mostly healed, you should still avoid strenuous exercise or heavy work for a while. Rest for a few more days so that you can recover more completely."

His voice was gentle and sincere, making people feel like they were bathed in a spring breeze.

"I will, thank you for reminding me." The bear-beastman leader nodded gratefully, his goodwill towards Cheng Yu increasing even more.

Afterwards, Cheng Yu led the thoughtful Bai Yu out of the tent. Xing Luo, on the other hand, had been waiting outside the tent for quite some time.

"You're finally out!" Xingluo rushed over to Chengyu and Baiyu as soon as she saw them. "I was almost falling asleep waiting!"

Although Cheng Yu and Bai Yu hadn't been inside the tent for long, it felt like an eternity to Xing Luo. Alone outside the tent, bored out of his mind, he paced back and forth to pass the time.

"Sorry to keep you waiting." Cheng Yu smiled apologetically. "Let's set off now."

"Where are we going?" Xinglu asked curiously.

“Let’s explore the tribe first,” Cheng Yu suggested, “and see if we can find any clues about obsidian.”

Upon hearing this, Bai Yu's eyes lit up. He had been wondering how to bring up the topic of obsidian, and Cheng Yu had taken the initiative to ask.

“That’s not a bad idea! But what’s wrong with this obsidian? Why do Chief Xiong and the others react as if they’ve never seen this kind of mineral before? Obsidian isn’t that rare, so how come they’ve never seen a single piece?” Bai Yu looked at Cheng Yu with some doubt. He had a feeling that Cheng Yu knew a lot about obsidian.

"Huh? What are you guys talking about? Obsidian? I don't think I've ever heard of it before. Is it a mineral from another dimension? Is it very powerful?" Xingluo was puzzled about what Chengyu and the others were talking about, but for a bard, new things are often one of the inspirations for their stories.

After seeing Xing Luo's reaction, Bai Yu seemed to instantly understand something.

So the three of them began to wander around the bear tribe. As they admired the surrounding scenery, they inquired about obsidian from the bear tribe members they encountered.

However, to their disappointment, everyone said they had never heard of this mineral before.

"Damn it, does this obsidian really not exist in this spacetime? How collapsed is this spacetime?" Bai Yu muttered to himself.

“Perhaps it’s not from this region. We should always look on the bright side, shouldn’t we? Don’t rush!” Cheng Yu said thoughtfully. “We might need to look elsewhere.”

"Other places?" Xinglu tilted her head and asked, "Like?"

“For example…” Cheng Yu’s gaze fell on a mountain range in the distance, “there.”

He pointed to the rolling mountains and continued, "I have a feeling that we might find the answers we're looking for there."

"Then what are we waiting for? Let's go!" Xingluo said excitedly, he couldn't wait to start a new adventure.

Bai Yu nodded in agreement.

“However, we still need to make some preparations before we set off,” Cheng Yu said. “We need to replenish some supplies, and I would also like to borrow some tools from the bear-beastman chieftain.”

"Tools? What tools?" Bai Yu asked curiously.

“Some… excavation tools.” Cheng Yu smiled mysteriously. “Perhaps we’ll need them.”

The three returned to the bear-orc leader's tent and explained their purpose to him.

"Digging tools?" Although the bear-beastman chieftain didn't understand what Cheng Yu needed these tools for, he still generously lent them to them. "How many do you need? I'll have someone prepare them right away."

"Thank you, Chief!" Cheng Yu said gratefully. "We only need some common tools, such as shovels and pickaxes."

Soon, members of the Bear Tribe brought over the tools. Cheng Yu selected some suitable tools and then thanked the Bear Beastman chieftain once again.

"Good luck, young adventurers!" the bear-orc chieftain said warmly. "If you need any help, don't hesitate to come to me!"

"Thank you!" Cheng Yu and the other two waved goodbye and embarked on a new journey.

They set off along the foot of the mountain towards that mysterious mountain range.

Finally, after a difficult trek, they arrived deep in the mountains.

However, it was already night, and visibility was very low.

"There seems to be a cave here!" Xingluo pointed ahead and shouted excitedly.

Cheng Yu and Bai Yu also saw the cave hidden among the vines. The cave entrance was dark and deep, and they didn't know where it led.

"Let's go in and take a look!" Cheng Yu said, and took the lead into the cave.

Bai Yu and Xing Luo followed closely behind.

Inside the cave, it was pitch black; you couldn't see your hand in front of your face.

"Xingluo, light up," Cheng Yu said.

"Alright!" Xingluo replied. He took out an oil lamp from his luggage and carefully lit the wick. The light from the oil lamp illuminated the surrounding environment. Although the oil lamp was not very bright, it was enough for them to see the things around them.

They cautiously explored the cave, when suddenly Cheng Yu seemed to kick something.

"This is..." He bent down to pick up the object and examined it carefully by the light of Xingluo.

It was a black stone with a smooth surface, shimmering with tiny points of light.

"Obsidian!" Bai Yu exclaimed. "So obsidian does exist in this spacetime, then why doesn't anyone know it exists?!"

Cheng Yu smiled but didn't respond to Bai Yu's words. He handed the obsidian to Bai Yu and said, "Looks like we're in luck."

"Is this obsidian? There's so much of this ore here. Could this cave be an obsidian mine?" Xingluo guessed.

“Very likely.” Cheng Yu nodded. “Let’s continue deeper and see if we can find more obsidian.”

So the three of them continued deeper into the cave. As they went further, the amount of obsidian increased, and finally, they found themselves in a vast underground space!

The entire space is made of obsidian! The walls, the floor, and even the ceiling shimmer with the unique light of obsidian.

"This...this is too spectacular!" Xingluo exclaimed.

"It's like an obsidian palace!" Bai Yu couldn't help but exclaim.

Cheng Yu's eyes gleamed with excitement as he said, "It seems we really came to the right place this time!"

They explored the obsidian palace, searching for any possible clues. Suddenly, Cheng Yu's gaze fell upon a platform in the center of the palace.

On the platform, lying quietly... is an egg?

"What kind of egg is this?" Xinglu asked curiously.

“I don’t know,” Cheng Yu shook his head, “but I have a feeling that this egg might be the answer we’ve been looking for.”

He walked to the platform and examined the egg closely. It was a huge egg, its surface covered with black scales, shimmering with a mysterious light.

“This egg… seems to have some connection with obsidian,” Bai Yu said.

“That’s right,” Cheng Yu nodded. “I can feel that this egg contains a powerful force.”

He reached out and gently touched the egg. Suddenly, a dazzling light burst forth from the egg, illuminating the entire space as if it were daytime!

"What...what is this?!" Xingluo and Baiyu exclaimed.

A dazzling light, like the midday sun, instantly engulfed the entire obsidian palace. Xingluo and Baiyu instinctively closed their eyes, shielding their eyes from the sudden glare. Chengyu also squinted, but he still tried his best to see the scene within the light.

When the light faded, the giant egg that had been lying quietly on the platform disappeared, replaced by a tall and imposing figure.

It was a black dragon orc, nearly three meters tall, taller than anyone else present. His entire body was covered in black scales, gleaming with a cold, eerie light in the dim light. His bulging muscles, like cast iron, exuded explosive power. His broad chest and thick shoulders spoke volumes of his strength and majesty. His sharply defined dragon face carried an aura of quiet authority, inspiring awe and fear in all who beheld him.

Cheng Yu and Bai Yu instantly became alert, instinctively shielding the smaller Xing Luo behind them, their eyes fixed on the black dragon beastman before them. Despite their wariness, they understood that any rash action against such a powerful being could lead to annihilation.

The black dragon orc didn't attack immediately. He simply circled Cheng Yu and his companions slowly, his massive dragon nose occasionally bringing close to theirs, sniffing them gently, as if trying to discern something. Although this behavior made Cheng Yu and his friends feel uncomfortable, even offensive, they could only endure it, daring not to resist in the slightest. After all, in this world where strength reigns supreme, the weak have no voice.

Finally, the black dragon orc stopped, his sharp dragon eyes fixed on Cheng Yu with amusement, as if trying to see right through him. He extended a thick finger and gently lifted Cheng Yu's chin, forcing him to meet his gaze.

"What's your name?" The black dragon orc's voice was deep and magnetic, echoing through the cave like thunder. "What are you doing here? And what is your relationship with the White Dragon Clan? Or rather, who in the White Dragon Clan do you know?"

A barrage of questions, like a machine gun, shot out from the black dragon orc's mouth, each one filled with a sense of oppression.

Cheng Yu stared into the other's deep dragon eyes and felt a jolt in his heart. Although the black dragon beastman in front of him had undergone a huge change in appearance, his eyes and his expression felt incredibly familiar.

"Obsidian?!" A name immediately came to Cheng Yu's mind.

He was almost certain that the black dragon orc in front of him was Obsidian, the one he used to know! But why was he here? And why did he look like this?

Countless questions swirled in Cheng Yu's mind, but he knew now was not the time to dwell on them. He suppressed his shock and confusion, striving to remain calm.

“My name is Cheng Yu,” he said slowly, his voice trembling slightly but full of determination. “I have no connection with the White Dragon Clan, but I do know some of their friends.”

He deliberately concealed his relationship with other white dragons, as well as his past with certain white dragons, because he didn't know if Obsidian knew those things.

"How many white dragons do you know?" The black dragon orc, or rather Obsidian, repeated the question, a glint of malice flashing in his eyes. "Where are they now?"

"I don't know..." Cheng Yu hesitated for a moment, but decided to tell the truth, "I don't know either, because I haven't been here for long."

He pointed to Bai Yu behind him, signaling him to come forward and indicate that they could testify on his behalf.

Bai Yu took a deep breath, stepped forward, and stood beside Cheng Yu. He looked at Obsidian before him, his heart filled with trepidation. He didn't know if this unfamiliar black dragon had a good temper.

"You are..." Obsidian looked at Bai Yu in front of him, a hint of doubt in his eyes, but it was quickly replaced by indifference. "What do you have to say? How can you help this guy prove his innocence?"

"Huh?" Bai Yu was stunned for a moment. He then realized that in Obsidian's eyes, the three of them might not be people who had to be killed by this black dragon beastman.

“I am a time traveler. You may not believe it, but I can prove it,” Bai Yu explained.

"How are you going to prove it? Do you think I'd believe such a ridiculous reason?" Obsidian sneered. "You'd better be telling the truth. I'm only giving you one chance!"

"Haha, one chance is enough, haha~"